How to Bypass a Blower Switch on an Oreck Heater

Opening the Oreck

• Before you can bypass the blower switch, the heater must be unplugged from the power for safety. The back plate comes off the heater with a screwdriver for removing the Phillips-head screws. Save the parts and set the plate out of the way.

Locating the Blower Switch

• The fan motor and blower assembly is at the bottom of the heater in the center. Locate the two wires attached to the top of the motor on the blower assembly and follow their path to the points where the wires connect at the other end. This is the blower switch.

Running the Bypass

• To bypass the switch, remove the two wires from the motor off the switch terminals. Slide off the other pair of wires from the opposite side of the switch. Press together the two metal contacts on the black wires and tape them loosely with a piece of electrician's tape. Splice the red wires in the same way.

Test the Bypass

• Remove your hands and any tools or metal objects from the heater before plugging in the appliance to the wall socket. Turn on the Oreck at the control knob in the usual way and adjust the heat setting to the highest point. If the fan blower switches on after a few minutes and it had not worked before, the switch is defective and must be replaced. Do not operate the heater with a defective switch. If the blower motor still does not activate after bypassing the switch, the motor itself my be burned out.