Forced Air Heater Fan Slows Down Intermittently

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pastorerik

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I have a fan forced electric wall heater in my bedroom, that I installed new when I built it (about 10 years ago).
(Fahrenheat/Marley FZL4004B, 4000 Watt) Recently it started doing something strange. Intermittently the fan will slow down, almost like it was on a speed control turned way down and then back up. Only for about 3 seconds or so. I checked the breaker, I checked the connection inside the heater, everything was good. Sometimes it goes a few days without doing it. When it does do it, it will happen every 30 seconds to 5 minutes or so. It is so intermittent, it is impossible to test, thought maybe someone on here may have experienced the same thing...Thermostat maybe? (It has a built in one). Thanks in advance.
 

pastorerik

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The thermostat should control the heating element NOT the fan, since the fan should stay up to speed to carry the heat out of the unit.
Not sure exactly how this one works, but it is set up so that the fan does not come on until the heating element is up to temp so that it doesn't blow cold air. Plus all of the fan forced heaters I have seen (I have a couple of different ones) the fan shuts off (as well as the heating element) when the room is up to temp. So I am thinking that it could be the t-stat, as I don't know if both the heating element and the fan are shutting down or just the fan. I hate intermittent problems. If it was just broke, I would be able to figure it out and fix it.
 

Jadnashua

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THere's probably a wiring diagram on the inside cover of the thing, and should be in the owner's manual, if you still have it, or can find one online. IF there is a relay controlling the fan, the relay's contacts may be corroded, and sometimes, it closes and provides a good connection, and sometimes, it doesn't. Fix, replace the relay. But, arbitrarily replacing parts can get quite expensive and annoying, and electrical parts cannot generally be returned. IF the bearing(s) in the fan are starting to go, that could be it as well. That's often not all that hard to check. WIth the power off, try turning the fan manually and both feel how it turns, and listen to see if it makes any noises. Until they get really bad, the fan running can cover up some until it's ready to fail. I'm assuming this is a direct drive fan motor, and there isn't a belt involved, but if there is one, check that, too.
 

ActionDave

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I have a fan forced electric wall heater in my bedroom, that I installed new when I built it (about 10 years ago).
(Fahrenheat/Marley FZL4004B, 4000 Watt) Recently it started doing something strange. Intermittently the fan will slow down, almost like it was on a speed control turned way down and then back up. Only for about 3 seconds or so. I checked the breaker, I checked the connection inside the heater, everything was good. Sometimes it goes a few days without doing it. When it does do it, it will happen every 30 seconds to 5 minutes or so. It is so intermittent, it is impossible to test, thought maybe someone on here may have experienced the same thing...Thermostat maybe? (It has a built in one). Thanks in advance.
If you are handy enough to get to the fan put a couple drops of 3 in 1 oil on both ends of the fan motor where the shaft emerges from the iron. If there is a bunch of dust and crud blow it out with an air hose or canned air first.
 

pastorerik

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If you are handy enough to get to the fan put a couple drops of 3 in 1 oil on both ends of the fan motor where the shaft emerges from the iron. If there is a bunch of dust and crud blow it out with an air hose or canned air first.
Thanks for the replies....I will check and lube the motor.
 

WorthFlorida

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... Only for about 3 seconds or so. I checked the breaker, I checked the connection inside the heater, everything was good. Sometimes it goes a few days without doing it. When it does do it, it will happen every 30 seconds to 5 minutes or so. It is so intermittent, it is impossible to test, thought maybe someone on here may have experienced the same thing...Thermostat maybe? (It has a built in one). Thanks in advance.

Sounds like the fan motor is failing. Check the motor to see if there is any way to oil the bearings of the motor. You might get lucky with a few drops of oil. Here is the link to the manual www.marleymep.com/en/assets/pdf/5200-2335-003.pdf I attached a picture of the wiring diagram and there is no speed control. There is a limit switch so should the fan completely fail and the unit gets too hot it should turn off to prevent a possible fire source.
 

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