“Over the last 20 years, our products have redefined what is achievable in HVAC systems by introducing advanced features that just aren’t possible with conventional motors,” said Paul Selking, Industry Leader for Residential ECM Products. “With the ECM ThinkTank™ motor, innovation moves outside of the motor to give manufacturers diagnostic tools that will allow them to advance all aspects of future HVAC technologies.”

Design engineers are well acquainted with the features made possible by ECM motors such as the ThinkTank™ 2.5 (the AirKom-based communicating predecessor to the ThinkTank™ 3.0), which has been the only serial-communicating motor used in the field for more than six years.

For contractors, the new motor is a response to input from field technicians and manufacturers who work with the ThinkTank™ 2.5; their suggestions and technical feedback continue to contribute to next-generation motors that are even more reliable and easier to service. In addition to offering the same service features of the ThinkTank™ 2.5, including error reporting, the ThinkTank™ 3.0 will also be fully compatible with all versions of the TECMate™, the service tool used to test ECM motors in the field.

Said Selking, “Moving beyond laboratory conditions, the ThinkTank™ 3.0 will allow design engineers to give contractors extraordinary access to real-world performance data. In addition, designers can look forward to a series of innovations that will maximize comfort and installed efficiency. The upshot is that this information will produce a quantum leap in HVAC technology over the next ten years.

Patented BlaKBox™ Technology
BlaKBox™ addresses a major obstacle to improving HVAC systems: the problem of the unknown. With the data collected by BlaKBox™, system designers will be able to pinpoint unique application problems with existing products and use this information to build a new generation of HVAC equipment that is more efficient, more reliable, and more comfortable.

“Like a flight data recorder on an airplane, BlaKBox™ gives manufacturers a look at the system’s performance history so they can better diagnose exactly what happened in the air handler or furnace leading up to a service call,” explained Selking.

Paving the Road to the Future
Since 2001, ThinkTank™ motors have also featured the built-in ability to digitally communicate with external system controls, such as an OEM’s furnace board. The ThinkTank™ takes communication to the next level with its third generation of AirKom™: a proprietary operating system that allows manufacturers to program, send data, and receive feedback from the motor.

“Like Apple’s OS X, or Microsoft’s Windows Vista, the AirKom operating system gives design engineers everything they need to easily collect performance data and give commands to the motor. For more than six years now, our products have been the only motors in the field with this built-in ability for communication. Combine it with BlaKBox’s diagnostic abilities and you end up with a powerful tool for creating more effective and reliable HVAC equipment,” said Selking.

Using AirKom™ to send information to and from the motor, manufacturers are able to create HVAC equipment with advanced features such as plug-and-play installation, performance reports, easier field diagnostics, more sophisticated airflow programming, and real-time performance changes based on ambient conditions.

The AirKom™ operating system gives the ThinkTank™ 3.0 an ability to talk and listen, while BlaKBox™ stores motor performance data, even in the event of a failure. For contractors, a self-aware motor means that existing equipment will also become even more reliable as manufacturers use the collected field data to refine manufacturing processes, make modifications to existing products, and create features that will simplify service.

For example, using AirKom™’s communication protocols, an ECM 3.0 motor can pass along error reports, warning messages and service requests to consumers or contractors. A motor that suddenly begins running 30º F hotter could notify the homeowner or technician that the equipment requires attention in order to avoid a costly system breakdown later.

Proven Technology
GE ECM technology has led the residential HVAC industry since its introduction in 1987 and is employed in millions of installations across North America. Building on this legacy, the standard ECM X13 motor was introduced in 2006 and is used by all major manufacturers to meet the government-mandated13 SEER air-conditioner requirement. Now the ThinkTank™ 3.0 has set a new benchmark for premium ECM motors with its BlaKBox™ diagnostics technology.

For benefits such as variable-speed, climate profiles for advanced humidity management, and constant airflow without using external sensors, ThinkTank™ premium ECM motors (including the ThinkTank™ 2.3 and now the ThinkTank™ 3.0) continue to set the industry standard for the highest efficiency, field-proven reliability and most feature-rich equipment.