My electric furnace is having issues-Need Help

cathntr

cathntr

New member
My furnace has been having issues here lately and I cant figure out what it is. I don't think its anything too serious and have some ideas of what it could be from searching on the internet. I thought if I posted the problem im having here someone might be able to help me out. Its a Rudd electric furnace for starters. Sometimes it will run fine for days and then shut off not to come back on. Other times it will make it through one cycle and do the same thing. I can kill the breakers and then turn them back on and it will work again. Seems as if turning the breaker off is resetting the unit allowing it to function properly. Hopefully someone on here has some ideas before I call the repair man. Thanks in advance
 
Saw one like this and after MUCH diagnostic work? Found the bushing on the fan blade end of the fan motor was badly worn; causing the rotor to drag on the field and trip the breaker. Shimmed that with some brass shim stock and its worked fine ever since. The motor used a brass bushing as a bearing. Wore it out. Hope this helps.
 
I found a very similar situation. Replaced both fan bushings and cleaned fins. Not long after had to replace motor.
Certainly worth a check
 
Mine was doing that, I thought it was the thermostat and replaced that, didn't fix anything. A friend of mine is an electrician, I told him what it was doing and he just smiled and told me what it was. Now I can't remember the name of it but it was an electrical control part that wasn't expensive and easy to replace. Seems like it was something like a sequencer but I may have the wrong name.
 
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Sequencers will bring the stages of electric heat on one at a time. Could be that, thermal snap disc some self reset once cooled others need a manual reset. Relays, etc. could be several things. If fan isn't blowing fast enough could cause thermal discs to over heat. Check and oil Motor if it is not sealed, clean air filter.
 
Lots of sensors and electronics in the newer units. If the air gets too hot, or cold, it will shut down. Killing the power, just resets it. Most need a special meter that you plug in to the unit's computer, and they will tell you what is wrong. Just like your car. Call your repairman.
 
And some control boards will have a light that Will flash in a certain sequence. Like say 3 flashes and the a pause and then three flashes etc. then you can look up what that means for your furnace.
 
According to the cover on the front of the furnace it is a Ruud Model UBHA-17J14MFDA. It is also making a humming noise like it is trying to work but the fan is not running. Once I turn the breaker off and back on it works fine, sometimes for days and other times for a few hours. Once it works it does heat the house like its supposed to and will shut off and come back on once the temp drops back below what the thermostat is set at. Other times it will shut off and make the humming noise once the temp drops but no air is being blown. I can open the cabinet and see that the fan is not spinning
 
We had a similar problem at the hunting property, just as an extreme cold was approaching. It ended up being the blower/fan motor. We called in the pro & he was able to put a new fan unit in place, fine after that.

It would humm, but not turn the fan. Does the fan spin freely? If you do have to call a service guy, start by giving the symptoms & model number. Maybe they can bring a few likely parts over, save one trip($$).
 
I can freely spin the fan by hand. Im leaning towards the fan/motor being the problem but I don't understand what turning it off and then back on would do to make it work right for a few days and then quit again. Seems to me it would be some sort of relay pertaining to the fan.
 


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