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Furnace Limit Switch

posted Dec 22, 2020, 7:23 AM by Ly Vuong

The temperature upper limit switch was broken yesterday, and the house is at 60F today. 

Ordered online with Trible's: B1370145 : Goodman Furnace Limit Switch


Furnace Control Board

posted Oct 26, 2020, 6:25 AM by Quoc-Anh Vuong   [ updated Oct 26, 2020, 6:59 AM ]

Once again, we have to fix the heater! 
The fan blower motor is overheated every 5min or so. After taking the motor out, cleaning the squirrel cage blades, oil the bearing, and reassembled everything back, same thing! It's overheated and shutdown, while the gas heater is still going full steam. I even opened up the condenser coil to clean it up, thinking that it's dirty and block the air flow, causing the motor to lack of air cooling it, which in turn overheating the motor. But the condenser coil is clean except for small weird looking blob of dirt.

After researching the internet, reading all about AC blower motor overheating issue, there is one guy mentioned about testing the control board, perhaps the motor draws too much current, which causes it to overheat. It was 11pm when I open up the furnace again (for the 15th time today), put my volt meter on the Heating tab make sure everything is working the way it should, then move the test probe on the Cool, there it is! Both Heating & Cooling tab have a solid 120V, pumping more current to the motor. In the Heating mode, only the Heating tab should have 120VAC, thus by providing additional 120VAC on the Cooling tab, the control board spins the motor at highest speed (Cooling fan speed), and also current now travels in parallel, providing additional current. 

So, just by moving the black wire (highest fan speed) to the M2, which is reserved/parking, the motor now runs smoothly, and no more overheating.

I also ordered new control board on Amazon, which should be here in few days. It's a White-Rodgers 50T35-730/743

White-Rodgers 50T35-743

LED light bulb

posted Oct 11, 2019, 1:35 PM by Quoc-Anh Vuong

The LED light bulb installed in the TV room has been flickering for 15min before remain lit.This bulb was installed on Sept 16, 2016; which means it last only about 3 years. Let's say we use it 10hrs each day, or 3650hrs a year; the bulb last only 10950hrs. The box says that it should last 35000hrs to 50000hrs. 

AC again

posted Aug 29, 2018, 4:12 AM by Quoc-Anh Vuong

The rooms above the garage are cooled by a separate AC unit, and they are warm! So, the main AC unit has been running extra hard.
The refrigerant line is cool, but not cold. 

Washer (again)

posted May 25, 2018, 5:12 AM by Quoc-Anh Vuong   [ updated May 30, 2018, 4:07 AM ]

It has been years, the washer had not giving us any trouble until last night! The water did not drain and the rinse cycle cannot start. It was late last night, so I did not remove the clothes & water ... will try to fix it again today

Turns out to be the capacitor is broken, the terminal fell off. So, we placed an order on Amazon, for only $8.75 and will be delivered in 2 days using Bảo's prime account.
PMJ270 - Packard Aftermarket Replacement Motor Start Capacitor 270-324 MFD 110 125 Volt

On May 28th, found out that we still have the same issue: water did not drain. So, I jumped the lid switch, and run a load to test. It was the lid switch!

Ordered a new one, and it will arrived on Thursday. 



Ceiling fan

posted May 25, 2018, 5:10 AM by Quoc-Anh Vuong

The ceiling fan in the master bedroom stopped working for several months, and we did not have time to replace until about couple weeks ago.
The new ceiling fan we bought from Costco for $99, and it even has a remote control!

Range heating element

posted Apr 17, 2018, 8:21 AM by Quoc-Anh Vuong

The heating element broke, so I bought this one from eBay for $15 including shipping; and replaced it today! It works. 

The model for this is: Kenmore Frigidaire Stove Element W10823711 W8523698

Thermostats

posted Jul 9, 2016, 1:30 PM by Quoc-Anh Vuong

Honeywell RTH221B
We replaced both thermostats today. The old one is a mercury control temperature switch, and it's not programmable so we put in the one which we can program to turn on/off 4 times a day, and this is to save utility money. It's a basic Honeywell RTH221B.

Washer machine, again!

posted Jun 18, 2016, 12:32 PM by Quoc-Anh Vuong   [ updated Jun 18, 2016, 12:38 PM ]

Washer Machine Lid Switch
It's Saturday afternoon, and the washer machine did not drain! So, after Thuy. & I removed all the wet clothes, using small buckets to empty out all the water, we opened up the machine. We removed the drain hoses & inspected the pump, we found nothing wrong! The hoses are clear, and we even tested the pump. When we about to put everything back, we also notice the lid switch, and turned out attention to it. That's the culprit! The lid switch busted open, and because of that, the SPIN cycle did not get trigger, thus did not turn on the pump.

Oh well, took us about 1/2 hour to put everything back together, and made a "jump" to bypass the lid switch, then the washer machine is back in operation.

Here is the replacement switch.

Whirlpool 3949238 Washer Lid Switch Replacement, we bought it at Speedy Appliance Parts

To remove the Whirlpool Series 80 washer machine:
  1. Remove two plastic end caps, just pop it out with a small flat tip
  2. Remove two Phillip head machine screws
  3. Tilt the control panel up & back, this exposes the two metal spring clips which hold the shell to the back panel
  4. Remove the spring clips by using a big flat tip insert into the spring's J end, and pry outward
  5. Open the lid, hold the underside and lift the cabinet shell up & back

Notes: when putting the shell back, make sure the side edges are under the black metal base.


Halogen Light

posted Apr 4, 2016, 5:32 PM by Quoc-Anh Vuong

We have a desk lamp, which use the halogen light bulb, which was burned awhile ago. Home Depot sells the replacement for about $8, which only last for about several months. A week ago, I found a place eBulb.com which sells 12 bulbs for only $5.99, and here is the bulb specification: JC50/12V/G6.3

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