source for home A/C relay

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
Aparently today sometime the relay for our home fan control took a crap. I was kind of expecting it sooner or later... it's been popping out of the socket from crappy connectors.
Anyhow... where/how could I acquire a replacement? Last time this thing died (~20 mo ago) it was umemr and I was desperate... local Carrier service guy charged me $115 for this POS "control unit" which is basically just the transformer and relay.
I'd rather just replace the relay if possible and avoid botehring w/ a service guy... good grief its a $7 peice of electronics.
Standard deal, 24V switching 120v SPDT config.
Aparently the whole unit is a 4011FC, prob made by Jard - like this guy here
http://www.jard.com/fan_centers.html
 
Does it pug into a socket or is it a direct wire deal? You might try the newark catalog. I can look around and see if I have anything laying around. I kind of collect junk like that.
 
It plugs into a socket.
Pretty basic looking relay. 5 pins - 2 on each end, one just offset from the middle. One in the middle is a ground (I guess? It was tied to nothing), 2 on one side are for the 24v switching signal, other two connect 120V.

Just so I'd could have heat last night (upset wife) I stuck a jumper wire in to ocnenct the 120 line directly... so teh fan just ran as lon gas the circuit was open... (of course only left that way until house warmed up).
 
[RANT MODE ON]

This teh most f@#king infuriatiung thing in the world. I have foudn 2 different places in winston that HAVE teh relay, but wil lnot sell it "to teh general public" b/c I don't have an HVAC license. I notehr words I HAVE to pay a $75 visit fee to some guy to come to my house and pay whatever he wants to charge for the part... last time it was $115 for a freaking transformer and relay (thats just the part).
This is dmn rediculous. I mean I udnerstand that these guys have soem degree of liability, but coem on. Basically what it coems down to is that they are just protecting their busines by NOT LETTING YOU DO IT YOURSELF.
I just want to buy a $15 relay!!!!!!
 
try Granger they should have all of that kind of crap. Also get me the manufacture and part number of the relay I will see if I can find it.
i am Sure it is just a relay and nothing special to the A/C system.
 
Relay itself has no MFR # on it. However the transformer/relay unit has a sticker labeled Fan Control 4011FC. Googling found me the link above - suggests it is made by Jard.
I did find a parts place in town that will sell to me and has a similar "fan control unit", both TF and relay... but they didn't hav any of just teh relays layin garound that the parts lady could find. Her old-hand service guy had split already but will call me 1st thing in the AM.

And yeah, t's just a relay... like we'd use for headlights but beefier.
 
Well problem resolved. I'm holding in my hand 1 relay.
For future reference, if yer in the Triad, Reedy's A/C on Brookstiown is the place to go. Carie was very super cool. This morning they retrieaved just the relay for me from osmeplace else (prob their wholesaler?). Cost me $15, and came with a smile and friendly service.
They openly sell to "teh public"... when I told her how much Iappreciated that, she just laughed and nodded. Surely b/c now they have a customer for life.
 
Glad to hear you found a resolution. I've been watching this thread because I've got a similar issue with a heater relay. Where exactly is the place you went?

Anyone know if there's an "amature friendly" place near Charlotte?

Jeff
 
khokhonutt said:
Glad to hear you found a resolution. I've been watching this thread because I've got a similar issue with a heater relay. Where exactly is the place you went?
Anyone know if there's an "amature friendly" place near Charlotte?
Jeff
Click to expand...

you just need to buy the relay or something?

assuming the translation of 'amateur friendly' was 'open to the public'...

I know of at least one member here that does that stuff for a living and might be able to handle it for you...

Greg
 
bigwaylon said:
you just need to buy the relay or something?
assuming the translation of 'amateur friendly' was 'open to the public'...
I know of at least one member here that does that stuff for a living and might be able to handle it for you...
Greg
Click to expand...

Cool. Yeah, my heater has been flakey this winter. I'm 99% sure it's the relay, based on what I've been able to figure out. I'd love to be able to at least try replacing the parts on my own, but was not sure where I could go to buy the parts.

Jeff
 
BW PMed me about this thread, I do appliance repair so HAVC stuff I don't have. Try Cashwell's on Graham St or CC Dickson, I don't know where in Charlotte they are but the yellow pages will tell.
 
2offroad said:
BW PMed me about this thread, I do appliance repair so HAVC stuff I don't have. Try Cashwell's on Graham St or CC Dickson, I don't know where in Charlotte they are but the yellow pages will tell.
Click to expand...


cool...

wasn't sure exactly what your "range of expertise" was...but thought you might have some contacts...

Thanks!!
Greg
 
khokhonutt said:
Cool. Yeah, my heater has been flakey this winter. I'm 99% sure it's the relay, based on what I've been able to figure out. I'd love to be able to at least try replacing the parts on my own, but was not sure where I could go to buy the parts.
Jeff
Click to expand...

Why do you think it is the relay? I am just curious. On my stsem, there is really only 1 "big" relay, it is used to switch on the fan blower motor. it's a 24 volt signal fed off of a transformer, when the voltage comes across it connects the leads to allow the fan (120v) to turn on.

When you say "flaky" what do you mean?
 
RatLabGuy said:
Why do you think it is the relay? I am just curious. On my stsem, there is really only 1 "big" relay, it is used to switch on the fan blower motor. it's a 24 volt signal fed off of a transformer, when the voltage comes across it connects the leads to allow the fan (120v) to turn on.
When you say "flaky" what do you mean?
Click to expand...

There have been a couple of times this winter when we woke up to a cold house. We keep the place pretty cool at night, so you didn't really notice til the morning.

When that would happen, you could hear the thermostat flipping power and you could hear the relay clicking like it was getting power, but not quite kicking on. Manually turning on the fan, either from the thermostat or on the blower itself always works.

After anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours, it would just kick on and start working again. It happened twice and both times it was the weekend and I wasn't willing to call in for weekend help and by the time the weekend was over it was working.

I'm assuming relay from that because the behavior is very similar to a/c issues I've had where the relay contacts would get dirty and it would cause similar behavior on the a/c side. I also figure since the rest of the system seems to work okay and the only parts I can see that would control the switched power (2 of them) are the relay looking things in a power box on the fan.

Just so you know, the a/c heating system consists of a heat pump for the a/c side and an electric furnace for the heat side. I'd welcome any other ideas, but replacing those electrical parts seem to be a good first step that would allow me to at least eliminate them as part of the issue.

Jeff
 
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