I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

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Raymond wrote:

I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make
a noise that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only
starts when the rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of
metal ring to the wall space between the motor and heat exchanger and
that solves the problem. But I'm afraid of the negative pressure and
gas leak from the gap. Is there any better idea ?

Sounds like a bad motor bearing / bushing or a loose fan. Depending
upon the furnace it shouldn't be too hard to check all of those things.

On 12/30/2017 7:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

It seems the inducer motor would create a low pressure inside the heat exchanger.Â* If so, wouldn't the airflow thru the gap be from outside the furnace to inside the heat exchanger?

Regardless, I suspect your inducer motor is about to take a ****.Â* I'd check for bad bearings and/or loose blower wheel on shaft if possible.Â* FWIW, I've never had an inducer last more than 8-10 years and they have all been fused together so hardly worth
the effort to repair.

On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.

The one here vibrates against something occasionally but can't as yet
tell just what...it's tight against the mounting bushings so isn't
actually that interface. So far, putting a little pressure on it to
sorta' readjust keeps it quiet for a month or two so that'll probably be
the fix until it quits...

--

On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 12:06:37 PM UTC-5, dpb wrote:
On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.



No issue other than that it's failing that is. Not sure what he means
by when the RPM is high. They are fixed speed, AFAIK, unless it's a
two stage furnace, then it may have two speeds. If it's varying RPM,
maybe it's because it's binding up. But I agree, I don't
see any gas leakage issue, it's all fresh air through the blower.
I'd probably look around and get a replacement to have on hand.

On 12/31/2017 11:19 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 12:06:37 PM UTC-5, dpb wrote:
On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?
I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.


No issue other than that it's failing that is. Not sure what he means
by when the RPM is high. They are fixed speed, AFAIK, unless it's a
two stage furnace, then it may have two speeds. If it's varying RPM,
maybe it's because it's binding up. But I agree, I don't
see any gas leakage issue, it's all fresh air through the blower.
I'd probably look around and get a replacement to have on hand.

Â* Fresh air thru the blower ? On my furnace the inducer fan is on the
exhaust side , pulls air thru the burner side of the heat exchanger and
exhausts it to the vent pipe .

--
Snag
Ain't no dollar sign on
peace of mind - Zac Brown

On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 12:28:45 PM UTC-5, Terry Coombs wrote:
On 12/31/2017 11:19 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 12:06:37 PM UTC-5, dpb wrote:
On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?
I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.


No issue other than that it's failing that is. Not sure what he means
by when the RPM is high. They are fixed speed, AFAIK, unless it's a
two stage furnace, then it may have two speeds. If it's varying RPM,
maybe it's because it's binding up. But I agree, I don't
see any gas leakage issue, it's all fresh air through the blower.
I'd probably look around and get a replacement to have on hand.

Â* Fresh air thru the blower ? On my furnace the inducer fan is on the
exhaust side , pulls air thru the burner side of the heat exchanger and
exhausts it to the vent pipe .


You're right, my mistake. So there is a potential issue with flue gas
leakage if the blower shaft isn't sealed.

On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 11:06:33 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.

The one here vibrates against something occasionally but can't as yet
tell just what...it's tight against the mounting bushings so isn't
actually that interface. So far, putting a little pressure on it to
sorta' readjust keeps it quiet for a month or two so that'll probably be
the fix until it quits...

I fished a dead bird out of mine. It was making quite a racket.
A chimney cap solved that problem.
Why don't you take the vent pipe off and take a look inside the casing?
A chimney cap solved that problem.

On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 11:06:33 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.

The one here vibrates against something occasionally but can't as yet
tell just what...it's tight against the mounting bushings so isn't
actually that interface. So far, putting a little pressure on it to
sorta' readjust keeps it quiet for a month or two so that'll probably be
the fix until it quits...
The inducer fan on my Tempstar started "chirping" while still under
warranty - but due to my dealer having gone TU, and local dealers niot
being able to get parts in a timely manner, I did the troubleshooting
and repair myself. The "web" of the squirrelcage was "fretting" in the
hub (indicated by fine rust particals showing at the joint) so I
brazed the web to the hub and it's been quiet now for about 12 years.

On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 1:15:58 PM UTC-5, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 11:06:33 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.

The one here vibrates against something occasionally but can't as yet
tell just what...it's tight against the mounting bushings so isn't
actually that interface. So far, putting a little pressure on it to
sorta' readjust keeps it quiet for a month or two so that'll probably be
the fix until it quits...

I fished a dead bird out of mine. It was making quite a racket.
A chimney cap solved that problem.
Why don't you take the vent pipe off and take a look inside the casing?
A chimney cap solved that problem.

Does any furnace with an inducer have a chimney? Thought they were all direct vent.

On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:41:59 -0800 (PST), trader_4 wrote:

On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 1:15:58 PM UTC-5, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 11:06:33 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.

The one here vibrates against something occasionally but can't as yet
tell just what...it's tight against the mounting bushings so isn't
actually that interface. So far, putting a little pressure on it to
sorta' readjust keeps it quiet for a month or two so that'll probably be
the fix until it quits...

I fished a dead bird out of mine. It was making quite a racket.
A chimney cap solved that problem.
Why don't you take the vent pipe off and take a look inside the casing?
A chimney cap solved that problem.

Does any furnace with an inducer have a chimney? Thought they were all direct vent.

You thought wrong.

On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 15:19:44 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:41:59 -0800 (PST), trader_4 wrote:

On Sunday, December 31, 2017 at 1:15:58 PM UTC-5, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sun, 31 Dec 2017 11:06:33 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/30/2017 6:14 PM, Raymond wrote:
I have a gas furnace with inducer motor. Recently it started to make a
noise
that I suspect is some kind of metal grinding noise. It only starts when
the
rpm is high. I tried to fix it by putting a piece of metal ring to the wall
space between the motor and heat exchanger and that solves the problem. But
I'm afraid of the negative pressure and gas leak from the gap. Is there any
better idea ?

I see no issue, but use gasket material or some sealant if you're concerned.

The one here vibrates against something occasionally but can't as yet
tell just what...it's tight against the mounting bushings so isn't
actually that interface. So far, putting a little pressure on it to
sorta' readjust keeps it quiet for a month or two so that'll probably be
the fix until it quits...

I fished a dead bird out of mine. It was making quite a racket.
A chimney cap solved that problem.
Why don't you take the vent pipe off and take a look inside the casing?
A chimney cap solved that problem.

Does any furnace with an inducer have a chimney? Thought they were all direct vent.

You thought wrong.


Correct - my "medium efficiency" furnace is a non-condensing furnace,
so uses a chimney - yet also has an inducer fan. (An inducer fan is
used on ANY furnace with an "enclosed" burner)