Genteq Variable Speed Constant Airflow ECM Troubleshooting 101

[@jhowardmarkleyjr3335]

So which of the pins need power to test the motor without having to buy another product from you?

[@jonminnella4157]

Great technology however the price of the motor is a big problem

[@shifter8207]

I had a similar problem with a 2.3 and the Supco tradefox tester and the motor ran but not with harness. Not sure if some testers have different ways of testing the motor

[@Garth2011]

Are the modules still failing way too early such as the power in rush component? Seems that those ECM's are well over priced for the benefits they give as just one service call eliminates any savings on power for life.

[@dadlaponizil3687]

Hi and thanks for making this helpful tutorial. Where can I purchase a TechMate Pro and most importantly, where can I get documentation on the communication protocol--the command set-- it uses to talk to an ECM 3.0 module?

[@mercedessalazar8769]

Hi, When you connect the TechMate Pro does the motor run in full speed?

[@tlindsey9769]

What options are available to replace the ECM with a standard motor, which is far less expensive and easier to replace. Thank you for any info.

[@leslieabraham6074]

You can attach a fan relay wire green and common to the 24 volt, and then your fan speed tap to normally open, and a wire from line 1, and then line 2 or common goes to common of the transformer.

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

Perfect question.

[@tomtom1541]

@@leslieabraham6074 sure, but that means the fan will only work on 1 speed through that relay. The ECM motor can have up to 5 speeds depending on the model.

[@leslieabraham6074]

@@tomtom1541 yeah I think he's looking for a cheaper option. Like the PSC motor.

[@tomtom1541]

@@leslieabraham6074 well sure, but he's going to end up spending more money on electricity. So in the long run you haven't saved any money.

[@dyorneyman341]

Im waiting gor you to say the voltage ouput in the communication cable...

[@djmillerscountryshack1049]

WHY are the control modules connected to the motor and not just in some easy access panel?

[@mikhaelkozik6455]

Had problem with gentec ecm 3.0 motor yesterday. Got test tool(i think its called ecm pro from united). Had error on main logic board 68. Has to do with communication to motor. Used the tool and motor ran whole day till i ordered new board thinking motor was good. Replaced board and same error on new board and old motor. Replaced motor and it works fine. So control board on motor is bad, why did motor ran with the tool?

[@Jason-wc3fh]

So the tool is nothing more than sending 24vac to some specific terminals on the module of the motor that receives 24vac. That is all it does, nothing fancy, it's nothing but a set of jumpers. So most of the time when there's a fault, the 24vac does nothing to get the motor to run and then you're ok to change the module... In your case, you had a bit of an anomaly where the 24vac part of the module was fine, but there's also some communication wiring for controlling the speeds (which is usually through low voltage dc signals and what not)... That particular part of your module seems to be what failed. It's a little unusual, but that would be frustrating since the tool wouldn't recognize that issue. The tool is still far dumber and simplified for what the ecm control does. This is obvious by the fact you're not controlling any speeds of the blower except one fixed speed, yet the furnace board does ramp it up and down and has almost endless speeds.

[@bryantaylor9760]

I’ve had this same issue twice recently. Each time motor ran with tester, ended up being faulty modules for specific taps for cooling.

[@robchalmers]

​@@Jason-wc3fh 100% agree with this explanation. From what I've been reading, ECM motor technology has evolved over many years, with twists, turns, and dead-ends along the way. In some incarnations, motor speed is selected by applying a signal to the correct "speed tap" on the low voltage connector. In constant airflow (a.k.a. variable speed) applications, the desired speed is communicated on a single wire as a PWM signal. In constant torque applications, the desired speed is communicated via a serial digital signal. A diagnostic tool capable of recognizing each possibility and testing the various operating modes that it supports would necessarily be quite complex ($$$). The HVAC system in my home has a variable speed ECM motor (constant airflow) controlled via a PWM signal, but I've found no helpful information on how to determine whether a misbehaving blower is due to a faulty PWM signal from the OEM board or due to a problem within the ECM control module. Regal Rexnord must surely provide the HVAC OEMs with something equivalent to an ECM Interface Specification or API, but this information seems invisible to Google. Maybe it's all considered proprietary and the OEMs are forced to sign NDAs?

[@24rxman]

Is techinspect from supplyhouse the same tool as tech mate pro?

[@robchalmers]

Online info from Genteq says that their "new" TECHINspect diagnostic tool replaces all versions of TECMate. Perhaps TECMate Pro was too similar to the name of a diagnostic scan tool marketed by Rinda Technologies for diagnosing issues with marine engines. Their product, which looks like an OBD reader for boats, is called TechMate Pro.

[@vegaslowblower8781]

We ordered a UZ-1 tester, seems dated. Is this tester better

[@PBS-nm1uu]

great presentation, thanks

[@abashtari7336]

240 dont have white wire carrying viltage, 240 volt have colored current carrying wires

[@jeff3741]

Thanks for this great video. Do I need to get an EON "drop-in replacement" motor programmed? If so, what does that involve?

[@RegalRexnord]

Thank you for your message. Please give us a call and we can better assist: Customer Service: Induction motors Technical Support 800-672-6495 Electronically Commutated Motors (ECM) Technical Support: [phone], Option 3 Hours: 8am - 5pm CST (Monday - Friday)

[@jamesdaws3457]

Hey Jeff. Did you get an answer to this question? Do you need to get an Eon drop in replacement motor programmed?

[@jeff3741]

@@jamesdaws3457 Regal Beloit was hesitant to even talk to a DIYer about it. Nor could I get a straight answer from any forum. I eventually bought a reconditioned one from www.ebay.com/usr/unitedhvacmotors. It works fine. I had to switch a couple wires in the harness since my motor turned the opposite way. But they had instructions for that.

[@jamesdaws3457]

@@jeff3741 Thanks Jeff. We're you able to get one with the same model number or did one work with a different model number? I suspect the myriad of model numbers and programming codes are mostly a smoke screen.

[@jeff3741]

@@jamesdaws3457 I contacted the seller and told them what I had. They sent me the one that worked. I think the programming is based on the multiple speeds the fan runs. The RPMs for slow and fast are different for the various models. I tried an unprogrammed motor first and it didn't work at all. That's when I went with the e-bay seller.

[@minnesotasalamander5913]

Good video.

[@Powellandturnerinc]

clear instructions nice

[@bostonbruinsfanboy]

How to troubleshoot: buy our tool. Brilliant.

[@techfive7202]

Ive used this tool on a 16 pin trane variable speed. It ran great on full speed with the tool so I replaced the board and the motor still ran at like 100cfm lol.

[@robchalmers]

@@techfive7202 So, even if this tool finds a brute force way to spin the motor (which would at least confirm that the windings are okay), it won't help with determining whether the original problem is on the HVAC board or in the ECM control module? Seems too expensive for something that offers such limited diagnostic capability. A simple resistance check of the windings can determine whether the motor is okay, and while you're doing that, you also have the opportunity to examine that troublesome inrush current limiter, which is potentially an easy and inexpensive fix.

[@heethen112]

I’m old so you saying this is easier doesn’t work for me. I prefer to know exactly where when why how the problem is. Not offering a Corel module is dumb too. Now we have the even stupidest technology with Bluetooth will present many new problems.. too many to cover, but one I will say is, now people that shouldn’t be trying to fix things they don’t comprehend!! On top of it will take away from many aspects of technicians..??

[@dwayneflint8332]

just a piss poor design.. designed to fail.. planned obsolescence.. should be a class action lawsuit.

[@user-ty2uz4gb7v]

My genteq x13 died after 8 years

[@kevinmaxey5508]

10, 15 yrs? Which is it? You can't remember 5 yrs? I question your honesty by that one ridiculous statement 🙄

[@Garth2011]

Its a trend. I can understand how many people will quote $100 to $200 million or 3 to 5 years etc. Tells you very little except that they have no idea.