Testing An Attic Fan

If the fan turns on the motor is still good.

Testing an attic fan.

Place the black probe on the white wire. Once done test that the motor still works by plugging the motor into an extension cord that is connected to an outlet. Step 1 test the fan motor. If there s a problem with the belt replace it with a new one.

Sometimes you face an issue where the attic fan s motor comes on but the fan blades don t move. They include rafters and ceiling joists that are damp or blackened with mold. Note down the wiring before proceeding to remove it. You may need to replace a circuit breaker an electrical outlet or one of the wire connections.

Reverse the leads on the capacitor. You ll need to take out the outer casing of the fan and look to see if the belt is cracked sagging worn out or broken. One static vent style is the turbine vent which uses wind to power its enclosed fan all it takes is a light breeze to rotate the blades and suck heat out of the attic view example on the home. If the attic fan is plugged into an outlet use a voltmeter to make sure that the outlet is working.

The cause of the problem could be the belt. Fan motor runs but not the blades if the motor is working but the fan blades are not moving the problem may be the belt. Step 2 test the thermostat. Place the leads of the ohm meter on the wires that run from the capacitor to the motor.

Inspect the attic if your attic is not sufficiently vented you probably won t have to look very hard to find signs. Turn the attic fan off and unplug the motor from the thermostat. Look for movement of the needle on the meter toward infinite ohms. Note down the temperature settings for later reference.

Switch off the power of the attic fan and remove the power cord. Count to three while the leads on the meter charge the capacitor.