AEG extractor fan not working.

[Ron Martin]

Can anyone advise. AEG HC5960M extractor unit - 3 speeds + 1 intense speed + 2 lights.

Extractor been working perfectly for past 17 years. Six months ago the fan would fail to turn on Low speed. Mid and High speeds working fine. Solution was cycling thru the speeds back to Low speed and fan would operate. Until yesterday that is, now fan not working at any speed. Only buzzing sound coming from unit. Both lights work as normal.

Dismantelled the whole assembly. Loads of grease, have cleaned everything up. Had to undo most of the wiring in the control unit to release the fan for inspection. The motor itself looks OK, took the rotor out - doesn't look as if it's burned out. Re-connected the various parts - I haven't connected the fan to spindle ( to eliminate the fan as causing the motor not to turn ).

Switching unit on and same buzzing sound is heard but motor not turning. Can hear the system click when I select each speed setting and the volume of buzz increases, but again motor doesn't turn.

This is where I need some advice. I guess only the control panel, circuit board, capacitor or the motor itself can be at fault ( perhaps more than one? ). The control panel appears to be working and given I hear clicks each time a different fan speed is selected, I'm assuming the circuit board is OK. Could something as simple as the capacitor be at fault or do you think it's just the motor? Is there anything else I can check?

Cheers.

 

[jj4091]

aeg fan speed controller for cooker hood

 

[Ron Martin]

Thanks for your reply.

As per above. The controller panel appears to work. The button back lighting illuminates, the power on/off switch works and I can switch the downlights on/off. And when I press each of the three speed settings LOW / MEDIUM / HIGH, I can hear clicking from the circuit board.

One thing is different this morning tho, when I use the 'I' (intense) speed setting, the fan rotor spindle works!

My problem is I don't know how motors work. For past 6mth the 'LOW' setting has never spun the fan motor but if I used Medium the fan spun. I'd then set it back to LOW and the fan would work. It's as if the motor needed some extra juice to get going. Almost same thing happening now. LOW / MEDIUM / HIGH not spinning the fan but the Intense speed will spin the fan motor.

Could motor be seized in some way and it only works when it's given more power? Dunno. Could that point to capacitor issue?

 

[jj4091]

A capacitor is cheap enough to just buy one & try it, but your description suggests to me there is a problem with the outputs from the speed controller. You would need to check those with a multimeter if you are competent to work on live equipment.

 

[Ron Martin]

Many thanks again. I have a multimeter, I've found out what colour wires from the motor to the controller are ( I had to remove them to disassemble the motor from the housing ), so I'm almost there. I can use the multimeter, trouble is I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for.

The capacitor, according to the various spares for my particular hood are around £35. A replacement motor is £130 and a replacement controller board around the £100 mark. Replacing all three would be an option but I can buy a AEG replacement hood for £280, albeit a more basic model. I'll go for the latter option.

Wish I knew what I was looking for - so near yet so far. Thanks for your help.

PS - when I re-attached the fan to the spindle, that 'intense' speed setting wouldn't spin the motor. It'd try to start, you can see the fan trying to move but nothing. As per my previous description, it's as if the motor needed more power. Removing the fan, and the spindle would rotate again - but only on 'intense'. 3 Speed fan and the 'intense'. When looking at replacement motors, I assume that's what's meant when a motor is listed as a 3+1?