Easy fix of my screeching furnace motor - Bad connections!
A summary for you who don't want to read the gory details -- Clean up your electrical connections. Low voltage due to bad connections can lead to problems that are easily avoided by maintaining good electrical connections.
For those of you who want the long story, here goes:
I bought a used 1999 Winnebago from a private seller at a great price. All was well. Until last week, far from home, the furnace's squirrel cage fan motor started making a horrible screeching sound. Maybe the bearings needed lubrication? Opening up the panel, I saw that the motor has sealed bearings. But, optimist that I am, I sprayed lithium-based motorcycle chain grease on whatever looked like it might penetrate to the bearings. No difference.
I called the friendly on-site RV repairman who showed up on time. and was knowledgeable to boot. He told me that this problem can occur when the motor's bearings are shot (not likely, in his opinion), have some grit in them (again, not likely) or when the motor receives a low voltage current for some reason.
I told him that we were hooked up to shore power when this started, so, the low voltage hypothesis was unlikely.
He just rubbed his chin and then set about checking the wiring connections--jiggling here, unplugging and re-plugging there.
Well, bad connections, developed over the years since 1999, in a coach that sat for far too long without use by the previous owner caused the problem. Who would have thought wires that worked for weeks would start having problems?
With the electrical connections cleaned up, the furnace works just like advertised, and all is well. DW is happy, and I cheerfully paid the service charge without having to spring for parts and labor. (And friendly RV repairman even gave me a break on the service charge.)
So, my free advice is that I recommend you check and clean up electrical connections before you call the friendly on-site RV repairman to come look at your rig. Especially those connections under or outside the living area of the coach. I now know that low voltage caused by bad connections on the 12 volt systems just may be a problem you can fix yourself. And friendly RV repairman can then stay home.
My 2 cents, based on experience.
For those of you who want the long story, here goes:
I bought a used 1999 Winnebago from a private seller at a great price. All was well. Until last week, far from home, the furnace's squirrel cage fan motor started making a horrible screeching sound. Maybe the bearings needed lubrication? Opening up the panel, I saw that the motor has sealed bearings. But, optimist that I am, I sprayed lithium-based motorcycle chain grease on whatever looked like it might penetrate to the bearings. No difference.
I called the friendly on-site RV repairman who showed up on time. and was knowledgeable to boot. He told me that this problem can occur when the motor's bearings are shot (not likely, in his opinion), have some grit in them (again, not likely) or when the motor receives a low voltage current for some reason.
I told him that we were hooked up to shore power when this started, so, the low voltage hypothesis was unlikely.
He just rubbed his chin and then set about checking the wiring connections--jiggling here, unplugging and re-plugging there.
Well, bad connections, developed over the years since 1999, in a coach that sat for far too long without use by the previous owner caused the problem. Who would have thought wires that worked for weeks would start having problems?
With the electrical connections cleaned up, the furnace works just like advertised, and all is well. DW is happy, and I cheerfully paid the service charge without having to spring for parts and labor. (And friendly RV repairman even gave me a break on the service charge.)
So, my free advice is that I recommend you check and clean up electrical connections before you call the friendly on-site RV repairman to come look at your rig. Especially those connections under or outside the living area of the coach. I now know that low voltage caused by bad connections on the 12 volt systems just may be a problem you can fix yourself. And friendly RV repairman can then stay home.
My 2 cents, based on experience.
