u280 rear heater, bearing

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u280 rear heater, bearing

January 06, 2015, 12:12:05 pm

cr
Cxap it's supposed to be 3 below zero tonight and I think the bearing is out on the rear heater the one next to the burner tube.

I oiled it in october everything been going fine last week a little sweak and now more of a rumble.

Gotta leave it on what min temp setting will keep bay from freezing..

Guess bearings are availability?

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #1 – January 06, 2015, 12:48:25 pm

No, the fan motor is BUSHED-- there are no bearings. Never heard of bushings being available for it, though I am sure one could search for them.

I would re-oil, using a non-detergent light oil on the shafts next to the bushings. Rotate by hand and reoil. The oil will wick into the bushing area.

If that does not work long-term, motor replacement is the normal fix.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #2 – January 06, 2015, 01:04:27 pm

thanks Brett so it is bushings okay I will try the real part. Is that motor available?

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #3 – January 06, 2015, 01:12:44 pm

I'm sure you could find or make new bushings....but it probably isn't worth the trouble.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #4 – January 06, 2015, 01:17:03 pm

I looked at trying to replace the bushings but it was too much trouble. I replaced the motor. They actually last quite a while. I'm not full timing anymore but the replaced motor is still working. I would oil it again until you get a chance to do the repair. If it were me I would look at replacing the unit with a new 2 speed unit that is quieter as was posted about on some other threads reciently. If I remember correctly a new motor was about $120, verse new two speed unit around $600(?). I guess it depends on if the current unit is noisy to you.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #5 – January 06, 2015, 02:02:46 pm

One of the things that may be causing excess noise is that your blower wheel/s may be out of balance or disfigured. The older units used a metal blower wheel that was a bit wobbly on the motor in my furnace. One of the newer plastic wheels reduced the sound level a bit and took away the vibration. I did all of this while replacing the motor on my unit a year or two ago.

Furnace - Atwood Hydroflame - Repair Parts - RVeParts

My combustion wheel was already plastic so I didn't change it out. These things are actually pretty simple to work on and everything is fairly easily accessible, on my unit at least.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #6 – January 06, 2015, 02:10:05 pm

I suggest you replace the motor BEFORE you get into a situation where you NEED the heater. Ours had been squealing on startup after long periods (days or weeks) of remaining idle. It seemed to work fine after the first couple of starts. It started binding to the point of uselessness and danger during a night near 0F in Billings, MT. I paid a premium to Billings RV to find a motor when they did not have one in stock. I also paid a couple of hours of labor for the 20 minute job. They replaced motor, sail switch, and limit switch. I was pleased that they found a motor and got us fixed up the next day after I called them. It's a relatively small "family" outfit. I found them to be good folk to help out in a pinch.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #7 – January 06, 2015, 03:19:21 pm

Check your local Ace Hardware for a zoom spout oiler by Norvey,inc, it is the best turbine oil for electric motors.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #8 – January 06, 2015, 03:24:02 pm

I just ordered a new motor for my U280 rear heater from a supply house in Dayton, Ohio. On Ebay for $59.95

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #9 – January 06, 2015, 04:53:41 pm

Most of the heat'r motors I've had the joy of playing with needed a good cleaning and re-lubing.

Q-Tip's, grain alcohol and compressed air along with (correct) oil saturated (few drops) onto the fiber donut(s) will keep a little DC motors alive forever or until they start to squeak (again). pc

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #10 – January 06, 2015, 06:02:56 pm

Ok, grewt now where do I oil?

So it dosent run as much -3tonight where do I set temp 50? O do I need to worry, water temp from facuet is 50. 2 kight bulbs in closed bays.. temp says 45?

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #11 – January 06, 2015, 11:30:47 pm

so dad cause he says just reverse the flow son. What do you mean? Reverse the airflow.

so with a little 110 volt squirrel cage fan I forced air into the cold air return, which pushes air out side but also pushes air through the system I have to ducts blowing warm air from the heat pump!

87 and still smarter than I am.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #12 – January 07, 2015, 09:23:16 am

John,

Not sure I understand??

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #13 – January 07, 2015, 09:35:29 am

brat, so I covered the cold air return with the piece of cardboard and put a small squirrel cage blower cut in a hole and blew air through the plenum which comes out all the vents. using electric heat in the bedroom so the ambient air temperature is about 65 and it is pushing that air through the vents.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #14 – January 07, 2015, 09:36:23 am

brett, so I covered the cold air return with the piece of cardboard and put a small squirrel cage blower cut in a hole and blew air through the plenum which comes out all the vents. using electric heat in the bedroom so the ambient air temperature is about 65 and it is pushing that air through the vents.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #15 – January 07, 2015, 11:16:44 am

@John Clever but couldn't you just put the electric heater in the bay??

see ya
ken

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #16 – January 07, 2015, 11:43:23 am

can I'm talking about the wet bay.. I have a light bulb in each of them

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #17 – January 07, 2015, 12:53:30 pm

Bulb's or heat strip should do the trick.. pc

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #18 – January 07, 2015, 02:18:46 pm

Been thinking about backupw, since it looks like I will be in the cold thru eecember, maybe.

Is it more efficiebt to use a 12v heater or an electric resistance heater?

I have a 60w in the curb side but looks like water pump froze.. ill find out damage when it warms saturday

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #19 – January 07, 2015, 04:02:07 pm

If you are going to be in the cold long term, I'd really consider doing something more than putting light bulbs in the bays.

I've covered the water bay floor and inside doors with this reflective insulation and it has worked well.

Reflectix BP24025 24-Inch by 25-Feet Bubble Pack Insulation - Pipe Insulation...

I just put a bit of adhesive velcro in the corners and attached it. Easy to remove if you want it back out of there. Same with the floor and keeping all of the plumbing off the cold bay floors. I'd also wrap your pipes on the floor with foam insulation.

I'd also put heat tape on all of your bay plumbing that you can access before you put the foam insulation on it, including wrapping the water pump and covering it. Unfortunately as you've found, it is much easier to do all of this when its still warm out.

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Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #20 – January 07, 2015, 08:15:26 pm

I have a heat tape for the water spicket but I don't have anything in the bays, are you thinking just plug them into the bag outlet?... hmm simple

What pipes? The ones connecter to expansion tank?

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #21 – January 08, 2015, 09:58:07 am

What is your back up if you lose electricy?

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #22 – January 08, 2015, 10:27:41 am

Jimmy, generator I guess.. if it would start. It just sucks, should havevreplaced the darn motor when it was 40 degrees. Thats why I was looking at the 12v defrosters fir cars. 14ga wire, batteries close on both sides.

It would be a good backup if power went out.. for a while. Gonna use the hair dryer on the pump in a bit.mmyheat gun Iis in a frozen door.

Re: u280 rear heater, bearing

Reply #23 – January 08, 2015, 11:20:56 am

Yeah, you can just plug the heat tape into the bay receptacle. I would heat tape any of the plumbing that is in contact with the floor of the RV which means pretty much everything in the water pump bay (if its setup like mine is). If you've got an IR thermometer, you should make note of the how widely varying the temperature of the various surfaces are in those bays.

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