Viking refuses to answer our question because we're not professional installers.

Gotta love that. They had no problems taking your money though.

I'd suggest finding someone in management that's willing to satisfy a customer. While you have him (or her) on the phone, you might want to mention that their unwillingness to help a customer may have adverse effect on sales when someone like you recounts their experience in a online discussion forum such as this. I for one might think twice about buying something from Viking if they don't want to support their products.

I don't agree.... Though I understand your frustration I do believe there is a line when it comes to support.
I wouldn't expect to be able to call up my car manufacturer and have them walk me through how to install a new engine. It's not like Viking hoods are something you can just run down and pick up at a local shop and slap up. They are high end products meant to be installed by professionals.

I totally agree with hexus and disagree with Mike.

If you can afford a Viking hood you can afford to have it installed correctly by a professional.

It's not that they are not supporting their products. They are limiting their liability by not advising someone how to do something that should not be doing it in the first place.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but factually it is possible to buy a Viking hood and not be able to afford to have it installed.

In addition, I beg to differ on whether I have installed the hood correctly as I assure you that it is. The only question is how to get the motor in, a matter represented by Viking as extraordinarily simple. If Viking really wanted to "limit its liability" it would not provide any instructions at all.

As for whether I have any business putting in the motor myself, it is limited to three steps, none of which is rocket science: 1) get the motor in, 2) put on 4 hex nuts, and 3) plug it in. Other than the extreme tightness of the fit, this isn't something that's outside the realm of a non-professional.

But honestly, I was asking for help, not opinions on what I should do.

Fern, this is an internet message board. You should know that opinions are part of the game. Like it or not.

If you can afford a Viking hood you can afford to have it installed correctly by a professional.

Petey, whether or not the OP, who doesn't mention his financial resources, can afford professional installation is irrelevant. What he chose to do is install the motor himself. Is it really asking so much to support a customer? Had the OP said, "I'm Petey, an electrician, could I get some help with this motor?" would Viking have helped him? Or does it need to be some kind of "approved" installer who has received extensive training in motor replacement?

What it smacks me of is Viking wanting to maintain an air of elitism by keeping ordinary folks from touching their generally overpriced products. And keeping a network of installers and service agents employed.

What size unit? I've looked at the installation guide and it appears that the fan is already attached to the hood prior to installation on the wall.

"What it smacks me of is Viking wanting to maintain an air of elitism by keeping ordinary folks from touching their generally overpriced products. And keeping a network of installers and service agents employed. "

Yeah Mike, that's what it is.

Let's just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

weedmeister, it's a Viking Classic Chimney Wide Wall Mount Hood Designer Series (DCWH3644) with a DIV600 internal blower.

The installation guide doesn't actually have a picture or discussion of installing this particular model but it does say put the hood up first and then put in the motor. (There would be no way to attach the hood to the studs with the motor in place.)

I'm thrilled to have provided a forum for exchanging opinions but I have to admit I'd prefer to having a working hood.

Here are some instructions and schematics. (Did you installing the mounting plate separately?)

http://www.thefactoryoutlet.com/images/products_info/kitchen/m20178_f20251_installation.pdf

Good luck!

Thanks homebound; those are the instructions I'm using.

I'm just looking for someone who might have experienced rotating the motor inside the hood.

I wonder if you need to rotate vertically 90 degrees, as opposed to sideways (or vice versa). Anyhow, you might try the other way.

"As for whether I have any business putting in the motor myself, it is limited to three steps, none of which is rocket science"

yet here you are asking how to do it.....

I could say wiring a building only take 3 steps too (mount a service, pull in wire, energize) it isn't rocket science.

think you can do that too?

Hexus, is your entire purpose here to be nasty?

There are lots of things that people who are not professionals can do but about which they seek help, whether reading articles and books, taking classes, and asking questions of people with experience. Come to think of it, even professionals do all of those things!

from what I can tell, you attach the damper flange to the mounting plate, then put these into position inside the hood using the rubber washers. Then you lift the motor into the hood and attach it with the 4 hex nuts. Don't worry about rotating anything. The instructions are generic to both the island and wall styles. I'm going to guess that the squirrel cage axis points along the long dimension of the hood. You just need to make sure that the exhaust opening of the blower lines up with the opening in the mounting plate, and that the damper flange goes into the exhaust pipe above.

My opinion. Just make it work.

Thanks weedmeister. It isn't possible to get the motor up there without rotating it first, so that part of the instructions makes sense. It's rotating it back that just seems plain impossible. I have given up and called someone to do this. If they know what they're doing, it will take 5 minutes.

I do already have the openings all lined up, as you mention.

So, did you manage to finally get it installed?

Yes, thanks for asking! The installer was pretty frustrated. He had to take a piece off to get the motor in and then spent about 45 minutes trying to get two screws back in because there was no room. Installing the motor took well under the 5 minutes I predicted.

After everything was put back together he had to call Viking to find out how the filters were supposed to fit since everything was so tight they no longer fit. They told him he could adjust some pieces and that was that.

As he said: "this thing needs to be reengineered."

fern4-
Well, you must feel better. That sounds like it was well worth it to get professional help. And you should be glad it wasn't something simple... I hate to spend money and find out it was something obvious!

kudzu9, unfortunately the installer didn't hear the hum the motor makes. This is a Viking recommended company too. So, now we have to go to the distributor for help. So...I remain rather frustrated.

Sorry to hear that. Do you think the hum is something more than normal operating noise?

In any case, good luck. Please update on how this works out.