GE Constant Airflow ECM

ECM-Driven Systems Industrial Systems
How’s the GE ECM™ Motor different than an Induction Motor?

• Operation • Construction
• The ECM’s Electronics
The ECM's Benefits and Advantages in HVAC

• Efficiency • Constant Airflow • Sound
• Tailoring to the Customer • Programmability
Installation and Serviceability

• Troubleshooting ECM-Driven Systems • Set-up
• Replacing the Control Module • Troubleshooting Guides
• Frequently Asked Questions
GE ECM Motor is a trademark of the General Electric Company

What's an ECM?
The highest efficiency motor there is! … A DC Motor
 Without mechanical Brushes and
Commutator
Permanent Magnet Rotor

 Rotor losses are nearly zero
Stator is driven from an Inverter, which,

in turn, is powered from the AC line
 The “Electronic Inverter”

 “Commutates” the stator magnetic fields
 Synchronous machine
 Speed and torque controlled
 Interfaces to the HVAC controls
How’s an ECM Different Than a PSC Motor?
The Rotor
 Stator current produces magnetic  Stator current produces magnetic
field that acts on rotor: field that acts on rotor:
 Permanent magnets on rotor  Rotor “slips” in stator-produced
oppose stator field field, inducing currents in rotor
 No current flows in rotor  Rotor currents create magnetic
field to oppose stator field
 Rotor losses are very low  Current in rotor causes I2R losses
and heat
 Torque is controlled by adjusting  Limited torque control
current in stator
 Resilient isolation from shaft
How’s an ECM Different Than a PSC Motor?
Operation and Application
 Controlled by low voltage inputs  Controlled by AC line
 Permanently connected to AC  Start-up by contact to AC line
line
 Motor starts softly, ramps to  Abrupt turn-on stress, noise
speed
 Wide airflow range between hi  Motor speed taps are inefficient
and low taps and produce only minor speed
adjustment
AC Power ECM
Power AC to DC
Inverter Blower AC Power PSC
Conditioning Conversion Relay
Motor Blower
Contacts
Motor
HVAC System Control
INPUTS
24Vac
Fan On
Motor HVAC System Control start/run
Rev Valve Control capacitor
INPUTS
Compressor Call 24Vac
Heat Call
Capacity Select Compressor Calls
Delay selects low/hi//off
Trim/Adjust Continuous fan Motor
Humidistat Heat Calls
low stage Control
Available Outputs
RPM hi stage
OverSpeed aux/emerg
UnderSpeed
Block Diagram - ECM Motor & Control
CFM Demand Block Diagram - PSC Motor & Control
The ECM’s Benefits in HVAC
Constant Airflow
 In a series of tests the motor is “taught” the relationship between
speed, torque, airflow and external static pressure.
 “Airflow” is Programmed by the HVAC OEM and is specific and
unique to the motor and air mover combination
 Airflow is easily set up and trimmed at the installation
 Uses an “Interface/Tap Board” and jumper or dip-switch settings
 No other motor offers so many ways to control comfort and efficiency
 Be sensitive to your customer …. “tailor” the airflow for him/her in
his/her unique installation
Capitalize on the unmatched flexibility of ECM-driven air

movers ….. Offer “Tailored Comfort”.
ECM Airflow Control PSC
 Constant airflow over wide  External pressure change causes:
external pressure changes  airflow variation as filter loads
 Greater customer comfort and  reduced performance
satisfaction  poor latent/sensible capacity control
Set the airflow level

and go!
PRESSURE
System airflow is starved
Overblowing the system

• poor moisture removal
• high power
consumption
Efficiency
 PSC motor:
 optimized only at rated 550
design conditions 500
3 speed PSC
Induction Motor
 highest operating cost 450
under most applied

Input Power (Watts)
400
Induction
conditions. 350
280 Watts motor needs
over 100 Watts
300
more power
250 than GE ECM
 ECM: 200
Cut speed in half, cut
power by a factor of 8.
 At 0.15” ESP (DOE rating 150
100 35 Watts Variable Speed

point): 2x the efficiency of GE ECM
50
the PSC 0
250 300 350 400 450 500
500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000
1000 1050 1100 1150 1200
 At 0.5”ESP (typical applied Motor Speed (RPM)
condition): 40% greater
than PSC
Constant Airflow - How does the motor know what to do?
1200
E
1000
D
High Static Pressure
Speed (RPM)
C
800
B
600
400 Low Static Pressure
A
200
Constant Airflow Profile (800 cfm)
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Normalized Motor Torque (%)
How the GE ECM™
Makes Airflow Constant
Unlike a conventional induction motor, GE’s ECM If static pressure changes (for example, a clogged
motor regulates itself by automatically changing air filter, or different installation), then the blower
torque and speed to maintain a programmed level of speed will increase to Point B (see High Static
constant airflow over a wide range of external static Pressure Curve, blue line). This increase in speed
pressures. This is accomplished through several occurs when any blower––whether equipped with
steps. an ECM or AC induction motor––encounters an
increase in static pressure. The reason is that the
First, the air-moving system is characterized in an clogged filter restricts airflow in the system
airflow chamber for its torque and static pressure meaning there is less air for the blower to propel
operating range. That characteristic is then through the system. (This is akin to a car's wheels
programmed into the motor. Then the motor's losing traction on ice and spinning freely).
control is programmed with a set of desired airflows
(e.g. 800 cfm). That constant airflow is defined by The airflow at Point B, however, is lower than
the ECM's speed and torque, which is expressed in required to remain on the desired Constant Airflow
the graph nearby as the orange line. Point A on the Profile as expressed by the orange line. The motor
orange line, for instance, represents an airflow of will not operate at Point B because its programming
800 CFM at the initial level of static pressure in the does not allow this combination of torque and speed
system, here called Low Static Pressure (see the for this particular system. As a result, the GE ECM
green line). patented algorithm will increase torque and speed to
find a new stable operating point on the High Static
As long as the pressure remains constant, the ECM Pressure Curve. Increases in torque will continue
motor will continue to deliver 800 cfm to the until the speed and torque converge with the next
system. This is referred to as a stable operating stable operating point, which in this case is Point E
point which is defined as any point where the on High Static Pressure Curve. When operating a
system profiles intercept the ECM constant airflow point E, the blower is delivering higher torque,
profile. Points A and E in this example are the only higher speed, but the same airflow as in point A.
stable points for constant airflow in the graph.
© 2000 General Electric Company
The ECM’s Sound Advantage
 Air noise dominates at high Tone levels of ECM & PSC motors
airflow, but ECM still has a 60
slight advantage (free discharge)
50
 ECM can get to lower
Sound level (Db)
airflow than PSC 40
 At ~70% of rated airflow 30

ECM is ~6 times quieter
20
than at max airflow
 Overall DBA: 10
• PSC motor at rated 0

airflow - 58.4 100Hz 125Hz 200Hz 250Hz 500Hz 800Hz 1000Hz 1250Hz 1600Hz 3150Hz 6300Hz
Frequency (1/3 octave avg.)
• ECM motor at rated ECM@1106RPM PSC @1050RPM ECM@512 ECM@600
airflow - 58.1
• ECM (512rpm) - 39.4 At low airflow, ECM has clear sound advantage over all
• ECM (600rpm) - 44.0 other motor technologies (>14db quieter at ~1/2 capacity)
The ECM’s Advantages
For the Equipment Manufacturer

 Improved system performance
 Optimum performance and efficiency at design and rating conditions
 Customer-tailored airflow at part load
 Standardized motors and controls leverage volume and reduce
inventory
 Reduced engineering development time
 Programmability
 GE-supplied development system simplifies application
 GE application support
For the Contractor

 Flexibility
 Used with conventional 1-stage, 2-stage or variable capacity T‘stats
 Conventional 24VAC interfaces
 Field adaptable and serviceable
 Wide cfm selection …. PLUS trim
 Constant cfm simplifies installation
 Capable of delivering proper airflow into applications with higher
restriction
 Replaceable controls make ECM repairable for the same price as
replacing induction motors
 Satisfied Customers
 Perceptible, Saleable performance and comfort
 Tailor airflow to the customer’s preferences
 Improve latent/sensible control
For the Homeowner

 Lower operating cost
 Greatest applied efficiency of any system
 Low stage and continuous fan airflows cost pennies to operate
 Higher comfort
 Low sound level
Soft start-up
Virtually silent low stage in 2-stage systems
 Precise airflow gives better humidity/discharge temp control

 Better filtration
 Satisfaction in quality
 Perceptible performance and comfort
Installation and Service
ECM Connections
 5-Pin power connection

 16-Pin control connection
 Connector housing and control
openings are “keyed” – properly
insert connectors
 Don’t let water run into connectors
or openings
 Be careful when probing connector
and motor pins
 Familiarity with ECM-to-system
interface aids troubleshooting
5 AC Line
4 AC Line
Power Connection TIPS 3 Gnd
2 Lines 1&2 will be connected
1 for 120Vac applications only
 ECMs connect directly to the line  Make sure power is OFF before
 Do Not insert contactors/relays in inserting or removing power
series with either AC line connector
 Control is powered continuously  Verify and re-verify connector
 insures reliable start-up orientation before applying power
 maximizes reliability
 Plug is Polarized
 Pins 1&2 are jumpered in harness  Do Not force plug into motor
for Furnace (115V) operation
 Line voltage should NEVER be
applied to pins 1 or 2.
5 AC Line
4 AC Line
Power Connection TIPS 3 Gnd
2 Lines 1&2 will be connected
1 for 120Vac applications only
 Furnaces/115Vac applications
require series inductance in AC line  True RMS meters should be used
 All 3/4 and 1hp applications will use to measure line current
inductor, 1/2hp may not  Some clamp-on ammeters may not
 Reason: read line current accurately.
AC line currents are non-
 Remember -- the ECM’s current
sinusoidal
Inductor reduces peak line
will be very low at off-load
current conditions because of its high
Maintains circuit “ampacity” efficiency.
 Inductor should always be in line
(HOT) side.
Low Voltage Connections Through the 16-Pin Connector
for cooling mode

latent/sensible capacity control
Control Connection Tips

 24 VAC Inputs operate motor - like a
conventional system
 Functions G, Y, Y1, Y2, O, W will
activate from 24Vac (R)
• Jumper R to G to activate fan at
fan-only speed
• R to G to Y will activate fan to
cooling speed
G, Y, Y1, Y2 are on a threshold of 1/2 the

“R” voltage.  Don’t apply high voltage to control
 Stats that “steal” power through Y or pins
other functions are NOT compatible
 Some solid state relays cannot turn  Don’t apply 24Vac to Out+ or Out-
off G and Y.

 Make sure connector is fully seated
 Make sure pins from harness are
fully inserted into connector
 Make sure transformer common(C)
is tied to C1 and C2
 Pins 5, 11, 7, 4 access four Tables
programmed into the motor:
• Heat Airflow
 Don’t apply high voltage to control
• Cool Airflow
pins
• Start/Stop ramps and delays
• Airflow Adjust or Trim
 Don’t apply 24 Vac to Out+ or
Out-
Set Up TIPS
 Use the manufacturer’s service and

installation documents to set-up the
system
 Airflow VALUE (based on
system capacity) must be set by
switches
 Adjustments to the cooling
airflow are made
 All of the motor connections
should be understood
Equipment Manufacturers use a variety of interface and

set-up techniques:
Shunts/Jumpers Dip Switches
Set-up must be done for ECM-driven systems to operate properly.

Set Up TIPS
 Changing:
 Heating airflow
 Cooling Off delay
 Cooling airflow
require the unit to be cycled off
before the change takes effect
 Cooling Adjust or Trim changes

take effect immediately

 Interface/tap boards select the system’s
airflow capacity and operating profiles.
 Heating airflow @ pin 11 of ECM
 Cooling airflow @ pin 5 of ECM
 Profiles/Off-delays @ pin 4 of ECM
 Airflow trim at pin 7 of ECM
These settings must be made for the system to operate properly.

Control Signal
Measurement Tips
 True RMS meters should be used
 Presence of half-wave signals from
interface board can be determined
What If…
 … “Y”, ”G”, ”W”, ”W2” are all off but the

ECM is still running? ... Now what??
 … the changeover valve signal (“O”) is not
connected in a conventional air handler, so why is
is it in an ECM-driven Air Handler?
 … “Y” is not connected in the blower’s low voltage control box.
What will the cooling CFM be?
 … the dip-switch settings on the interface card are not changed
at installation?
 … dip-switches controlling cooling and heating capacity are changed
but the CFM doesn’t change!
 … there is no 24Vac on pin 12 of the ECM’s 16 pin connector?

What If answers…
 … “Y”, ”G”, ”W”, ”W2” are all off but the

ECM is still running? ... Now what??
The system is probably being controlled by a thermostat that uses solid state
relays or triacs as output switches. The current leaking through such
switches can cause a voltage level to appear on the ECM Motor’s terminals
that make it react as if the thermostat is actually calling.
Another cause could be a high impedance compressor contactor or fan relay
coil that causes a voltage above one-half the control transformer output
voltage to appear on terminals “Y” or “G” of the motor.
 … the changeover valve signal (“O”) is not
connected in a conventional air handler, so why is
is it in an ECM-driven Air Handler
Unlike induction motor-driven systems, ECM driven systems tailor airflow

in heating and cooling with separate airflows for each. The ECM needs to
know the mode in which the system is operating to select the proper airflow.
What If answers…
 … “Y” is not connected in the blower’s low voltage control box.

What will the cooling CFM be?
If “Y” is not connected, the ECM-driven blower will only respond to the “G”
terminal in cooling. This means the blower will only operate at the “FAN-
ONLY” air volume and will not change to the “Cooling” airflow required
during compressor operation. The system will probably trip-off on high
compressor head pressure or, if there is sufficient airflow to prevent that, the
system’s capacity will be seriously degraded and will cause system reliability
degradation and comfort complaints.
 … the dip-switch settings on the interface card are not changed at installation?
The dip switches on the interface card select airflow to match the size of the
system installed. If they are not verified to be in the position matching the
size of the condensing or heat pump unit, the indoor airflow will be grossly
over-blown or under-blown. Also, the DELAY and TRIM functions will
remain in factory default positions and may not be appropriate to the
customer’s home, preferences or lifestyle.
What If answers…
… dip-switches controlling cooling and heating capacity are changed but the CFM doesn’t change!
In all probability, the switches were changed while the ECM-driven blower
was running. The blower must go through an off-cycle for the new settings
to take effect.
… there is no 24Vac on pin 12 of the ECM’s 16 pin connector?
Without 24VAC from the low voltage transformer present at pin 12 of the
ECM, the motor will not respond correctly to most of the control functions;
specifically, “O”, “Y1”, “Y/Y2”. It is important that in all systems
depending on these inputs that “R” be connected to pin 12 of the ECM. The
“Analyzer” troubleshooting tool can pin-point that problem, if it exists.
Constant Airflow TIPS

 ECM airflow programs are specific to Air Volume vs Ext SP
1-ph PSC Lo 1-ph PSC Med 1-ph PSC HI ECM
the motor, blower and cabinet 1700
combination — DO NOT 1600
1500
EXCHANGE ONE MOTOR
Cu Ft/min
1400
MODEL WITH ANOTHER 1300
• Don’t exchange between different 1200
1100
OEM products 1000
• Don’t exchange between furnaces 900
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
and air handlers Ext Static Pressure (" H2O)
 CFM - NOT SPEED - is commanded

by the controls -- G, W, Y, Bk, etc…
 Speed and torque change to hold CFM constant over a broad range
of external static pressure
 Low static, high quality ducted

applications will run slowly, quietly
and efficiently….. while delivering
the correct airflow.
 High static applications will run

fast, be noisy and power
hungry…. The ECM may still
provide the correct airflow, but at a
price!

 The motor program limits torque
when a certain speed is reached
 High static pressure will activate
 The ECM can help a distribution the torque limit
problem, but BEWARE of  The motor will slow and airflow
EXTREME CASES! will fall off
 In extreme cases huffing may
 Sometimes a problem can only be occur
fixed at its source!
 Solution -- Reduce the restriction!!!
• Talk to homeowner  Take out high pressure drop
about his ductwork filters
 Look for a problem in the #1
problem site in HVAC systems -
the air distribution system
TIPS on Isolating the problem
 Verify blower wheel is free and tight.  Use the HVAC SYSTEM and
ECM ANALYZER to isolate the
 Verify line voltage at control connector problem to the motor or controls.
-- both lines and ground.
TIPS on Replacing the Control Module
 If the motor doesn’t run ...
 Check out the motor per the procedure in the equipment
manufacturer’s literature
or GED7161
 If the motor’s good, replace the
Control only...
 It’s cheaper and it’s faster!
 Use the correct replacement module
 While you’re there, look for other evidence -- Any Water?
 If replacing an ECM2 control, use the Thru-Bolts and locater TAB that come with
the replacement control
 Make sure the control housing is centered and flush with the motor end-shield
 Don’t over tighten - snug will do!

GE Constant Airflow ECM

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GE Constant Airflow ECM

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ECM-Driven Systems Industrial Systems

How’s the GE ECM™ Motor different than an Induction Motor?

The ECM's Benefits and Advantages in HVAC

Installation and Serviceability

GE ECM Motor is a trademark of the General Electric Company

Permanent Magnet Rotor

Stator is driven from an Inverter, which,

 The “Electronic Inverter”

Capitalize on the unmatched flexibility of ECM-driven air

Set the airflow level

System airflow is starved

Overblowing the system

under most applied

 At 0.15” ESP (DOE rating 150

100 35 Watts Variable Speed

400 Low Static Pressure

 At ~70% of rated airflow 30

• PSC motor at rated 0

For the Equipment Manufacturer

For the Contractor

For the Homeowner

 Precise airflow gives better humidity/discharge temp control

 5-Pin power connection

Low Voltage Connections Through the 16-Pin Connector

for cooling mode

Control Connection Tips

G, Y, Y1, Y2 are on a threshold of 1/2 the

Control Connection Tips

 Use the manufacturer’s service and

Equipment Manufacturers use a variety of interface and

Set-up must be done for ECM-driven systems to operate properly.

 Cooling Adjust or Trim changes

Control Connection Tips

 Cooling airflow @ pin 5 of ECM

 Profiles/Off-delays @ pin 4 of ECM

 Airflow trim at pin 7 of ECM

These settings must be made for the system to operate properly.

 … “Y”, ”G”, ”W”, ”W2” are all off but the

 … there is no 24Vac on pin 12 of the ECM’s 16 pin connector?

 … “Y”, ”G”, ”W”, ”W2” are all off but the

Unlike induction motor-driven systems, ECM driven systems tailor airflow

 … “Y” is not connected in the blower’s low voltage control box.

Constant Airflow TIPS

 CFM - NOT SPEED - is commanded

Constant Airflow TIPS

 Low static, high quality ducted

 High static applications will run

Constant Airflow TIPS

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