PSC Or ECM? Advice From Your Heating And AC Repair Technician On The Best Motor Type | Flower Mound, TX
From powering your blower fans to compressing the refrigerants, the HVAC motors are responsible for almost the most basic but critical functions, which allow the heating and air conditioning system to cool or heat your Flower Mound, TX home effectively. With a motor, the heating or cooling will be stable if possible. The motors are designed to power many devices and components, which aren’t all designed equally. A heating and AC repair technician can generally use two main types of motors as replacement components whenever the one installed on your HVAC system fails PSC and ECM motors. While they will have the same role, they go about it differently. This article will examine the two types of motors and which are superior.
PSC Motors: What Are They?
Permanent Split Capacitor or PSC motors are designed with only two functionalities in mind, they turn off and then turn on. Due to their primitive design and limitations, the speed of these motors cannot be altered or controlled. When powered on, these motors run only at full capacity. Hence, while the constant means that the HVAC motor performs powerfully, it does not do this efficiently, resulting in a waste of energy. Have you witnessed this with your HVAC system? Consider consulting your heating and AC repair about replacing the motor with a variable-speed one.
What’s an ECM?
Electronically Commutated Motors, or ECMs, are designed to perform similarly to a permanent split capacitor motor (PSC). However, these motors run at a variable speed. ECM motors can be controlled and modulated to manipulate their behavior to meet the condenser’s call for airflow. Unlike the permanent split capacitors that only have two stages, ECM motors feature varying speed settings, allowing them to decrease or increase gradually instead of abruptly starting at full capacity. Their design makes them more effective and efficient, saving you great energy. Hence, you should have your heating and AC repair technician replace the existing PSC motor with an ECM motor if your unit consumes lots of energy.
Difference Between PSC and ECM Motors
Do you still use a PSC motor with your HVAC system or a furnace? Then you could blow money off your vents when your HVAC system operates. As you noticed above, the difference between these two motors is their operating speeds. PSC motors only have one speed. Whenever the HVAC blower motor is on, it runs at full force.
In contrast, the ECM motors have variable speeds. This allows them to adjust the airflow to optimum levels depending on the desired temperatures of your home. Hence, having a heating and AC repair technician replace the PSC motor with an ECM will save you considerable money in energy utility bills. Below are other advantages of replacing the PSC motor with an ECM motor.
Variable Speeds
Unlike the off/on PSC motors, HVAC ECM motors can run at different output ranges between 0-100%. You can adjust the motor’s output through a controller or even program them permanently to advance via different speeds during every HVAC cycle. Unlike just switching on at full speed, a common HVAC program instructs the motor to increase the speed gradually throughout the initial stage. This method uses less energy. The motor gradually builds up to the maximum output appropriate for the particular thermostat setting before gradually reducing output to transition to a soft stop rather than an abrupt off. Hence, having a heating and AC repair technician replace that old PSC motor with an ACM will ensure that your Flower Mound, TX home is heated or cooled effectively.
Energy Savings
ECM motors deliver between 65-75% efficiency, depending on the output. On the other hand, a PSC motor has an efficiency of only 45%. While the upfront cost of purchasing an ECM motor is usually higher than having a heating and AC repair technician replace it with another PSC motor, you will save more on operational costs. Hence, you will recoup the benefits in due time.
Longer and Lower Maintenance
True ball bearings used in ECMs lessen or eliminate the requirement for lubrication. The smooth pauses and gradual increase to maximum output minimize strain on the motor’s internal parts. Additionally, ECMs are less likely to overheat. A PSC motor installed by a heating and AC repair technician for any HVAC application should typically last about 90,000 hours or roughly ten years. Only 50,000 hours, or eight years, are anticipated from a PSC motor before it needs to be replaced.
Increased Comfort
ECM motors run a loner cycle at a low output most of the time. Hence, the cooling and heating are more consistent, and your indoor space averts the temperature surges and sags common with off/on PSC blowers. Whenever the HVAC system shuts completely off, a rising hot air layer accumulates over the ceiling and does not even provide warmth to those living on the lower floors of your home. The low-output, longer cycles of the ECM blower breaks up the stratification of the heat at your ceiling and keeps warm air circulating throughout your Flower Mound, TX home. Therefore, if you need more comfort, you could have a heating and AC repair technician replace the PSC motor with an ECM motor.
Better Air Quality
Those air filters in your HVAC system and furnace require airflow in your air ducts to happen effectively. The air filtration also stops whenever the airflow stops in the off cycle of your PSC blower motor. During these periods, airborne particles and other contaminants will accumulate in your living space. Since an ECM motor can maintain a longer circulation period in your air ducts at lower outputs, resulting in improved indoor air quality and effective filtration. Hence, one way of ensuring effective air filtration is by having a heating and AC repair technician install an ECM HVAC motor.
Call Us!
Do you want your PSC motors replaced with ECM motors? Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas.