Richmond XR90 Inducer fan noise.

[hansgrego]

I have a Richmond XR90 water heater from 2012 with an inducer? fan. The fan pushes exhaust when the gas burner is running.
My problem is that for quite some time (probably months) when the inducer fan starts, it will buzz as if the blades are hitting something, it will also stick and not run at all. If I go to the water heater and wiggle the fan cage it will start turning and the heating cycle will work.

I have played with the fan, but can not get it into a position where it will start everytime. I can not completely remove the fan, I'm guessing that the entire exhaust shroud must be removed to gain access to the fan. I can't tell what is making it stick...

Do I just replace the fan if that is possible?

 

[Fitter30]

Being 13 years old and the way the fan is built with the fan itself is in the exhaust replace the whole assembly after checking motor voltage.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hansgrego]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to find a fix without spending $400 on the entire shroud. Not sure what the voltage should be on the fan. I was hoping that someone else had seen the same problem. To me it doesn't seem like the bearings are failing on the fan. If the fan is in a certain position it runs quiet, otherwise it sounds like the blades are hitting something, so it must be the exhaust blades are hitting the walls of the exhaust shroud. Im pretty sure I had the entire shroud off a year or so ago and didn't see any marks from the blades hitting.

 

[Fitter30]

If you pull it off again just wonder if there is shaft play up and down. Normally a motor once started will center the armature unless the wheel is to heavy which would increase the temperature of the motor.