Remove “Weep” Plugs on Motors

 

In this 60-second tech tip video by Brad Hicks with HVAC in SC, he shows us how and why to remove the weep port plugs on a condensing fan motor. I know from experience that motors can fail prematurely when this practice isn't followed. Remember that motor orientation dictates which weep port plugs are removed. Generally, the ports facing down need to be removed, and the ones facing up stay in place.

Transcript

What's going on, guys? Here is a quick 60-second tech tip—it's on changing condenser fan motors. Whenever you're changing them, most all condenser fan motors have plugs that are supposed to be removed, depending on the orientation of the motor. These—since this shaft is facing down into the unit—these need to be removed. And basically, what they do is they open the weep holes, so any condensation or moisture that can get into the motor doesn't stay in there to corrode the windings and, in turn, prematurely make the motor fail. So, make sure you take those plugs out. If you don't, like that motor over there, you'll be back within a couple of years to replace it again. So, just a quick tip. Make sure you take those plugs out. Like I said, this motor is oriented this way, so you want to take the plugs out of the bottom like I just did, and your motor will last much longer. So, there you go. Thanks for watching.

—Brad Hicks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Tech Tips

Four Ps of IAQ
The Four Ps of IAQ I’m not the first, second, or probably even the thirty-second person to write about improving indoor air quality problems using the four Ps approach. It’s a well-known thought process in the building science community—not sure if that’s the case in HVAC circles. The first P is for pollutants. In this […]
Read more
Evaporative Cooling Basics
You may have heard about “swamp coolers” before. Surprisingly, we don’t see too many of them in Florida—even though the state is famous for its swamps.  Contrary to their name, swamp coolers are common in arid (dry) climates. They’re also called evaporative coolers because they use the evaporation process to cool the air.  This article […]
Read more
Careful With That 40VA Transformer
A 40VA transformer is rated for 40 VA or volt-amps on the secondary. For a typical 24 volt secondary, this is simply using Watt's law to calculate amperage. (For more information on Watt's or Ohm's laws, please check out this article HERE.) 40 ÷ 24 = 1.666666 ∞ (round up to 1.67 already) So, you […]
Read more
loading

To continue you need to agree to our terms.

The HVAC School site, podcast and daily tech tips
Made possible by Generous support from