All induced draft, forced draft aerators, degasifiers, and odor control scrubbers rely on some type of air blower to enhance removal efficiency or move air flow. When a change in performance is noticed in water effluent quality the first thing to inspect and troubleshoot is your blower.
An induced draft inspection at times can be a bit more tricky due to the fact that it is located on top of the unit and normally requires some type of access ladder to allow for an inspection. You must always follow proper OSHA safety guidelines when attempting to inspect. Larger units often come equipped with an attached access ladder and handrail system, whereas small units with limited space do not.
The forced draft units have the blower typically mounted on the ground or on top of the clearwell/catch tank so that access to inspect a forced draft blower is less complicated. Once reaching the blower, if the noise of other operating equipment prevents easy listening then place your hand on top of the blower housing to detect if the motor is running. You will feel a vibration from the housing. If the water is flowing to the unit but the blower is off and not running you will be able to determine that the motor is not operating.
Blower Motor Not Operating Procedure
After making this determination inspect the most obvious items first:- Chec
k the control panel and make sure that the blower switch is in the “on” or “auto” position. - Next using proper safety protocols and OSHA guidelines inspect the electrical circuit breaker panel to ascertain if the breaker has tripped.
If after these first few steps you have not identified the problem you will need to have the proper training and or certifications to go to the next step and perform an electrical inspection. If there are no other in line fuses that provide power to the blower then you will need to run diagnostics on the blower motor starter located within the control panel using an electrical testing meter.
For the reason of safety this blog is not going to provide you with the step by step procedure to perform this test because only qualified and or certified electrical technicians should venture into the control panel.
Verify that the power is being provided to the starter and it is “engaging”. Next verify that power is flowing from the starter properly. If your diagnostics has not identified an electrical problem the next step is to perform a diagnostic on the electrical motor located within the blower unit.
- Using proper OSHA guidelines turn off the power and secure the electrical.
- Open either the access panel or remove the blower housing to expose the motor.
- Next perform a diagnostic test on the motor to identify if the motor has failed and needs to be replaced. If it has failed then contact the unit manufacturer or your local supplier and replace the motor with an identical unit.
Blower Motor Operating and Not Performing Procedure
If your blower was operating when you performed the first inspection then it may be an indication that the blower motor belt has been worn and damaged and needs to either be tightened or replaced.
- Follow the same procedures identified above and secure the power in the off position properly using a “lock out- tag out” OSHA procedure.
- Then remove the housing and inspect the belt. If it is very loose than adjust the belt to tighten. If the belt if very worn or off or broken then replace the belt.
Blower Motor Running and Belt Is Operation Procedure
If you have inspected the blower and its key components and determined that the blower is fully operational and it is still not moving air or the unit is not performing, this can be an indicator of a more severe problem within the unit itself.
- First verify if you have a screen on the blower and that it is clean or on the discharge screen of the unit.
- The next step will be to contact a factory representative and schedule an internal inspection and/or cleaning of the equipment since the internal media may be fouled so severely that the airflow is being blocked. Some units come equipped with a pressure gauge so if proper record keeping has been maintained a review of pressures records may help identify the problem.
For more information or to learn more contact the professionals at DeLoach Industries Inc. at (941) 371-4995.
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