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wgd wgd is offline
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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg
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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?


wgd wrote:
I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg


I wouldn't get real worked-up at this stage. Very likely, an
off-the-shelf replacement fan will work just fine, and not cost much.
Welding either aluminum or steel blades would likely cost more than
simply replacing the fan.

Ask your service guys up front.

J

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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?


wgd wrote:
I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg


You will pay as much or more for the blade as you did the motor...and
they will most likely either tell you they cant find a blade....which
they can...or they must sell you a new motor with the blade....

The blade is still available...or a decent replacement can be
found...or you could solder or braze the crack or have one of your
neighbors with a mig welder weld the crack for you.

With the soldering or welding balance of the blade might be
affected.....which could lead to premature wear on the motor bearing.

I have a very ver old oscillating fan from the fifties in my shop...it
is ancient....one of the blades started cracking at the rivet like
yours many years ago and I fixed it with solder...its held up
since...10 years or so but its a smaller fan and not subject to the
rpms or run time as a condenser fan.

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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

wgd wrote:

I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg



Anything you patch it with is going to unbalance the fan slightly.

But, if you're just trying to squeeze another month or two out of it,
you could drill an 1/8" hole at the very end of the crack to help keep
it from spreading any further and then use two pop rivets to attach a
strip of steel about the same gauge as the blade across the crack on the
hub edge of that cracked blade.

Run it, and if it doesn't sound like it's shaking too much, leave it be.
If it does shake more than you think acceptable then pop rivet a half
size piece of the patch material to each of the other two blades.

You may get lucky and it'll last longer than I think, but I'd take some
measurements of the fan and shaft diameters and start shopping around
for a replacecement toot sweet. If one blade cracked, the others are
probably near doing the same thing.

From the looks of the rust on the hub, you may have a jolly old time
trying to get the old fan off, and the end of the shaft looks like
someone has been messing with it before. You may have to use an angle
grinder and/or a nut splitter to get that fan off without screwing up
the motor.

Good luck!

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."
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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?


wgd wrote:
I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg



If your A/C guy is honest he should be able to replace the blade for a
pretty reasonable price. If you know someone with an account at
Grainger you could get one and replace it yourself, they average about
$32.00 each and are quite simple to replace.

Good Luck
George



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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?


George wrote:
wgd wrote:
I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg



If your A/C guy is honest he should be able to replace the blade for a
pretty reasonable price. If you know someone with an account at
Grainger you could get one and replace it yourself, they average about
$32.00 each and are quite simple to replace.

Good Luck
George


Grainger...didnt think of that...Grainger will sell to anyone over the
net.

They MIGHT be able to cross reference the fan for you but if not you
are going to need to know the shaft diameter of the motor the outside
diameter of the blades...and........the pitch of the blades. Ive found
that most folks at grainger are fairly ignorant when it comes to
parts... I buy the occasional belt and the occasional bearing from them
but you pretty much have to point it out in the catalog to them. They
do have a online catalog and search....its worth a try but like I said
you are going to have to have the correct pitch blade.... you could try
just any blade...and any blade might work but normally you need the
pitch. Wrong blade can overwork the fan...not move enough air...best to
have the correct blade.

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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?



The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.


I would not mess around trying to fix the blade, it will be unbalanced
and if it breaks apart while running it can do a lot of damage and be
dangerous.

Take the blade and motor assembly to a service place and let them
replace the blade onto your motor in their shop, then you can
re-install it. That will save you a service call bill etc.

Mark

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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

Take blade too Graingerb they will match it up.

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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

"Mark" wrote in
ups.com:



The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want
the expense of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.


I would not mess around trying to fix the blade, it will be unbalanced
and if it breaks apart while running it can do a lot of damage and be
dangerous.

Take the blade and motor assembly to a service place and let them
replace the blade onto your motor in their shop, then you can
re-install it. That will save you a service call bill etc.

Mark



...if it breaks apart while running it can do a lot of damage ...



Seeing a fan blade through the coil tubes and fins from the outside of
the unit will not be fun.
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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 16:25:48 -0400, wgd wrote:

I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg



Now of course I would focus on just replacing the fan blades. In the
mean time, I would do one of my expert repairs using duct-tape.

Just to be sure, maybe even a little jb weld.

Now this is just me, but if time is a concern, call around to HVAC
guys, with the unit make/model and serial number and ask if they have
the part. Time isn't as replacable as money is.

imho,

tom @ www.BlankHelp.com






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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

On 14 Aug 2006 14:07:06 -0700, "George"
wrote:


If your A/C guy is honest he should be able to replace the blade for a
pretty reasonable price. If you know someone with an account at
Grainger you could get one and replace it yourself, they average about
$32.00 each and are quite simple to replace.

Good Luck
George


Now I feel good that when my neighbors identical compressor was
replaced, I went over and removed all the parts that weren't too big
from the old one. I only needed the plastic rain? shield, because the
collar of mine was broken and it rattled a lot when the compressor
started, and sometimes later, but I also took the contactor, the
condensor, and the fan blade. I was going to throw away the fan blade
to make space, but now I'll keep it.

I realize this is not available to everyone.
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wgd wgd is offline
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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

In article . com,
says...

wgd wrote:
I have a 20+ year old York heat pump. It's working pretty good although I
noticed that one of the fan blades in the outside unit has cracked.

I'm going to have the unit serviced soon. I don't know if a replacement
for the fan blades for this motor is available. The motor has been
replaced a couple of times over the years. I seem to remember one of the
service guys saying the current electric motor was made by G.E.

Probably the only option I'll be presented with is a complete motor
replacement. I think it cost something like $250 the last time it was
replaced several years ago. No doubt it will be more expensive now.

The outside unit motor is currently working fine. I don't want the expense
of replacing it just for a cracked fan blade.

How would you go about repairing the crack, if that is possible? Or could
the fan blade unit be replaced with a generic blade assembly with a
similar size?

The photo link below shows the outside motor, if that is any help. Thanks,
in advance, for any information you can provide.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...-fan-blade.jpg


If your A/C guy is honest he should be able to replace the blade for a
pretty reasonable price. If you know someone with an account at
Grainger you could get one and replace it yourself, they average about
$32.00 each and are quite simple to replace.

As it turns out there is a Grainger near where I live. However, like you
said, they don't sell retail.

I went ahead and made a service appointment with a local A/C company which
has serviced the heat pump in the past. In fact, five years ago they put a
new electric motor in the outside unit but did not replace the fan blades.
It's possible that the fan blades are the original ones nearing 25 years
old!

The unit needed a routine maintenace check before winter anyway. In case
anyone is interested I'll update this thread with the cost of the fan
blade replacement by the local A/C company.
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Default Possible to repair a cracked heat pump fan blade?

Yes, please do.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"wgd" wrote in message
.net...

I went ahead and made a service appointment with a local A/C company
which
has serviced the heat pump in the past. In fact, five years ago they
put a
new electric motor in the outside unit but did not replace the fan
blades.
It's possible that the fan blades are the original ones nearing 25
years
old!

The unit needed a routine maintenace check before winter anyway. In
case
anyone is interested I'll update this thread with the cost of the fan
blade replacement by the local A/C company.


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