[CQ-Contest] [MWA] New furnace... off topic, but related to contesting

[NR0L Neill Johnson]

Greg,

 

I should have read your post before submitting my reply to Bob.  

The inducer motor is an issue for many people.  I found the link (below) applicable.  The photographs show the same Trane furnace (XV90) that I have and I think I'll try tossing some split beads on the wires.  The furnace itself is way out of warranty so I'll try the home-fixit first.  

 

Last year I would just turn the furnace off with the service switch.  Sometimes I'd forget to turn it back on and wonder why my house was so cool at 5am.  Hi!

Neill


 
> From: gwfields at comcast.net
> To: k0rc at citlink.net; mwa at w0aa.org; cq-contest at contesting.com
> Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:12:56 -0600
> Subject: Re: [MWA] New furnace... off topic, but related to contesting
> 
> Bob,
> 
> I put in a new Trane furnace last year that caused S7 noise. First I had 
> help from Ron N0AT finding my noisy power pole then I had an S7 noise that 
> kept coming and going before I figured out I had another noise problem. Here 
> is what I posted to the MWA last March.
> 
> It took me two months to figure out what the intermittent noise source was. 
> It finally dawned on me one day when I had the radio on as I worked on some 
> paper work. Sure enough, the noise came on but, I realized it coincided with 
> my new furnace going into it's heat cycle. I then waited until the next 
> heating cycle of the furnace to start and sure enough, the noise started 
> again. I quickly threw the power switch on the side of the furnace and guess 
> what? The noise went out instantly!
> 
> A quick search of the Internet for my new Trane XV95 furnace picked up posts 
> on eham documenting the same problem. Apparently the inducer motor, which is 
> used to vent gases, is the culprit. I found a very good write up on it by 
> N9SZ at:
> 
> http://homepages.udayton.edu/~zabarnic/RFI.html
> 
> I emailed my sales rep from Total Comfort who got the fix from Trane, which 
> is a filter of some kind, a new wire for the inductor motor, and two split 
> beads. The fix and installation was provided under warranty so it didn't 
> cost me a thing, which made me very happy. However, after the fix was 
> installed last Tuesday I noticed no difference. I took the next step and 
> ordered type 43 split beads from Surplus Sales of Nebraska as N9SZ had. Like 
> N9SZ I took 14 split beads this morning and put them all over the wires in 
> the furnace.
> 
> I am happy to report the noise is gone now. I don't know if just the split 
> beads would have fixed it or if I needed the Trane fix and the split beads. 
> The bottom line is my noise is gone and I am hoping next Fall's contests can 
> be heard in the clear without straining to hear through some sort of noise 
> again. If you get a new high efficiency furnace from Trane make sure you 
> insist they put in the RFI fix when it is installed.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Greg K0OB
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Robert Chudek - K0RC" <k0rc at citlink.net>
> To: "Minnesota Wireless Association" <mwa at w0aa.org>; 
> <cq-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 3:18 PM
> Subject: [MWA] New furnace... off topic, but related to contesting
> 
> 
> The serviceman just left after installing a new furnace controller. I am 
> considering replacing the P.O.S. furnace that has kept the repair department 
> in an unforecasted revenue stream the last 5 years.
> 
> There has been advancements in technology in the past 17 years. This 
> includes a variable speed DC blower motor upgrade from a multi-speed AC 
> motor. Does anyone have any experience in the newer technologies in regard 
> to my HF gear? Specifically, a variable speed DC motor sounds like it might 
> be an RFI generator.
> 
> 73 de Bob - KØRC in MN
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