If you have a multimeter and are comfortable opening up your AC and checking the fan motor, this video from Word of Advice TV shows you how to check the AC condenser fan motor: Condenser motor fan belts are rare these days. Is the fan blade assembly secured to the fan motor shaft? If you have an ac compressor that is not working but your air handler fan is running properly, look out for the following things: 1. Cut the metal rod of the motor, before putting the new motor on the grill. Air Flow. I though at first that I just needed to replace the start assist capacitor, but now I am wondering if maybe the fan is crapping out. Fan contactor isn't working. Or more likely the fan motor? If the compressor/condenser unit is wired with 240V (or "220 volts") as most are, an overcurrent at compressor start-up may be tripping just one leg of a two-pole breaker or one of a pair of fuses, leaving the other circuit "live". The unit is 8 years old. Fan motor free spinning but shuts down about 200. 7. Or see FAN, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER DIAGNOSTIC FAQs for diagnostic questions that can help get the condenser fan working. 7. I am not convinced the fan was fixed either the first or second visit. DO NOT BUY A START/RUN CAPACITOR THAT EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF MICRO-FARADS LISTED ON THE EXISTING CAPACITOR. A malfunctioning thermostat. Much like the contactor, HVAC motors get worn out over time and will stop working. Clean the dirty condenser coils. If there's something wrong with your air conditioner that makes it shut off after just 15 minutes, it's usually one of these issues: Unit is overheating: This often means there is simply a buildup of grime inside the compressor unit, but it could also mean there's a refrigerant leak or another problem. Ill also go over everything that you need to check in your AC condenserstep-by-step. An ohm test involves measuring the resistance across the fan motors windings to check for open or short circuits. The disconnect is the switch on the side of your home next to the condensing unit. Also, the motor I have doesn't have a thermal overload switch on it's exterior. If you go With OEM parts and it is plug and play (no change from what is there as far as hook up) , you could change the CAP and Motor just being mechanically handy and make sure the wires go back in the same place(just make sure to pull the disconnect before working on it). Your service tech will perhaps look for a bad control board, relay, or wiring connection or sensor. Step 1 - Turned off the circuit breaker at the main panel. Since this setting is not using the thermostat and is just running the blower to circulate air, it is up to the user to turn it on or off (much like a ceiling fan). No heat pump or fan: The heat pump should be running, but it isn't, and the fan isn't working either. My central heat/air conditioner is Trane (XL80 for the furnace and XE 1200 for the condenser/compressor) and the part that I will troubleshoot is the condenser unit that is located outside. Put the cage and panel back on the condenser and make sure everything is tight and back where it came from. A common reason a condenser fan is continually running within a refrigerator is the thermostat. If the button doesnt click back into place then the motor is still too hot, or there is another failure somewhere inside the fan motor. Sign up for a new account in our community. it depends. Gently slide the stick between the vents and give the fan blade a slight push. Broken or stuck condenser fan. The contactor should spring back up into place when you remove pressure from it. -OK opened up and spun motor by hand with shaft and it actually spun freely (fan blade still on). Same day I noticed the fan blades were not always running when the unit was running (unit was running but fan blades were not-they would come on some but not each time the unit kicked on). I am semi handy-don't have an ohm meter (couldn't read it if I did) however some of these comments about the electrical are scary. three post C, F and HERM. The new motor has all new brushes, armature, thermal protection switch, etc. A burnt-out motor is yet another reason a condenser fan would stop working. I then opened the service valve port to charge the line set with freon (whatever the new stuff is called). If the refrigerator runs constantly there might be something caught in the condenser fan motor blade, or the condenser fan motor might be defective. the motor may spin by hand no problem ,even if the motor is bad, your replacement motor most likely will be a universal motor that will use it's own cap , that will be a 5 mfd to a 7.5 mfd . Sebastian/Vero Beach 772-778-2272. Problem: Noisy air conditioner. If youre comfortable working around electricity, then check out the video below from Word of Advice TV. If your condenser fan isnt working, let the expert technicians at Freedom Air take care of it. More subtle would be a mis-adjusted or debris-clogged expansion valve or reversing valve.Note that Pioneer's mini split units come pre-charged with R410A in a volume sufficient to ccommodate refrigerant line lengths up to 25 ft. per circuit. I dried the lines and did the pressure testing and all held perfectly. Other compressor units such as those used. Any idea what this could be? The new 3 wire fan doesn't have this wire. if you go. Had to turn the unit off for about an hour. Make sure the door seals are properly sealed and tight. Blower Relay Switch has Malfunctioned. 21,873 Answers. Step 3 - Removed the access panel on the . We list this sequence of condenser fan troubleshooting checkpoints roughly in the order that an experienced service technician will try them, putting easy, cheap, or more likely causes higher in the list. Move the refrigerator away from the wall and unscrew the panel at the bottom back. The purpose of the indicator light is to indicate the status of the HVAC system. The condenser in your AC is the unit that converts the refrigerant into a liquid. Check the Evaporator Fan Motor. The average AC condenser fan replacement cost is between $300 and $425. What would be the risk in not connecting the red wire to anything and just connecting the brown, black and yellow wires? I use a multimeter to measure the resistance ac. The coil was not penetrated & maintains pressure. Check for a refrigerant leak. If the fan contactor is broken, then the fan wont run. The air conditioner or heat pump condensing coil (shown at left) receives high pressure refrigerant gas from the compressor and cools this refrigerant gas back to a liquid state. Many contactor contacts get dirty after a few years of use. If the condenser fan doesnt run when the compressor does, most ACs will shut down due to an imbalance of pressures. Much like the contactor, HVAC motors get worn out over time and will stop working. If you don't have a meter they aren't all that expensive. The system won't cool your unless both sides of the system are working. Am I able to wire a 3 wire fan into a heating pump that had a 4 wire fan? It's free turning when I turn it with a screwdriver (not bound). Capacitors store up the energy that powers the air conditioner's fans. The condenser fan is the key to the lifespan of your HVAC unit. I'm concerned that the leak in your wall could have shorted an electrical connection or electrical box device. So it seems to cool very slowly. Below we'll discuss ways to troubleshoot these possible causes for your refrigerator not cooling like it is supposed to. Its comes on, may run for 15-20 minutes then fan stops & unit makes loud noise. Meanwhile, I installed the old cap and the motor was cooled. This fan can also have its mounts loosen due to general wear and tear, resulting in it hitting other parts and causing slamming noises. Guest horn4life The fan motor and capacitor have been replaced. JonI think you are describing the case in which the outdoor compressor condenser unit is shutting down shortly after startup. This will cut power to the condenser fan. Hi, my name is Trey Lewis and Im the founder and chief editor at HVAC Training Shop. Thats a surefire way of knowing that a capacitor is bad. Filter,and coils clean; ventsare open. Turn off power, visually inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, or damaged? If either of these conditions exists, then the fan motor is bad. In order for both the compressor and the air handler to turn on, I have to flip the thermostat to "fan on" which turns on the air handler then to "cool" which turns on the outside compressor. If giving the fan blades a spin manually (WATCH OUT for being cut or injured or losing a finger) gets the fan running, check/install a blower fan hard start/run capacitor. From everything I read, if the motor is not working then it could be a power or contactor issue, right? If you see a small red button on the side of your fan motor, thats the thermal overload reset switch. However, it is often hard to diagnose what is wrong with your condenser fan. Minisplit ac condenser unit. Dirty or faulty gaskets. This can cause your refrigerator to run constantly to try to cool down. Figured I'd revamp all the cheap parts. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. PDo let me know what your service repair technician says. The air passing through the cracks will make whistling noises. Learn how to troubleshoot like a Master Samurai Tech MASTER SAMURAI TECH If the fan motor turned on and then turned off what is the defect of my arcondition? AC unit (old) has been running fine until couple days ago. I ohmed the 3 motor windings and they add up correctly. 1. Loacal AC guy came out for $89.00 and told me I needed a host of thingsnew fan (special order), new motor, new start/run capacitor.new type of freon$1,150.00! So what do you do when the condenser fan in your AC stops running? If the compressor won't start and if the unit trips a breaker or blows a fuse as soon as it tries to turn on, the motor is burned out and shorted. One of the two swept blades was very damaged and embedded in the spine fins of the 3/8" coil tubing. There's A Rattling or Buzzing Noise Coming from the Condenser Unit When the Fan Is Turned On. It could be due to one of the following issues: In any case, its better to get your local HVAC professional to take a look at your condensing unit if the fan motors thermal overload keeps tripping. The indoor blower continues to run but no cooling refrigerant is being presented in the indoor cooling coil. Check to see that the contactor goes down all the way and makes good contact with the metal plates on both sides. If the fan itself is balanced and undamaged and secured to the shaft and the fan motor buzzes or hums the motor may be damaged, overheated, have an internal bearing failure, or the motor may be hard starting. The fan would run for a while then stop. Typically, there's an on-off . The fan stops on the condenser. Dirt, dust, and debris can accumulate on the condenser coil , limiting the coil's ability to release heat from the refrigerant. One of the first symptoms commonly associated with a bad or failing cooling fan relay is an engine that runs hot or overheats. Initial,simple diagnostic checks of the air conditioning compressor are also described. Got up this morning and it was off, but the unit was still running. 5. If these coils are dirty, then your air conditioner runs longer, causing the air conditioner to overheat. ", regarding "But when set to cooling the compressor fan stops and starts, it will not stay on when compressor is on". Check for loose wires or loose components on the fan unit control circuit board. I then went online and bought a new fan for $22.00 and installed it. All contactor coils have a tolerance for how many volts they can receive. . I got everything hooked up and my buddy lent me his evacuator. Defrost or break down any ice buildup. Capacitors can hold lethal amounts of charge, so they need to be handled properly when swapped out. DISCLOSURE: We may earn a commission when you use one of our coupons/links to make a purchase. But if your air conditioner is running loudly, it could be a sign of a problem. Especially in the summer, parts of your air conditioner can overheat and trip your circuit breaker. This process converts hot refrigerant . Was interesting to learn. More likely there is an electrical or control problem. Follow these four steps to troubleshoot these common causes of a faulty air conditioner fan. The motor cost me $165.00 from Amazon, and the cap came from another supplier..so $180.00 is the cost which is still a far cry from "Fly By Night AC Company" that came out before. I don't want to spend the money if it is a capacitor. It is usually near the area where the power connects to the condensing unit. My unit is 22 years old! The AC is OFF. The tech's writing is hard to read. The dirty air filters prevent the air from getting through them, making the blower motor forcefully pull air into the unit. Not grinding or hard to turn, but maybe not 100 percent? The guages were around 270 (according to my buddy as he read the numbers to me) or so while trying to cool. When your system's air filter is full of . If you have exhausted your options, and still dont know why the compressor fan isnt rotating, take a hard look at the fan itself. Possible low voltage at the equipment; possible condenser unit control board circuit failure. Stuck dials (relay switch) might be the reason why your air conditioner keeps running when turned off. The fan should not run with only one side powered. Unscrew and lift off the top panel. See COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER INSPECTION CHECKLIST for a simple checklist for the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. On the motor tag is says, "Thermally Protected" which means it has an internal auto re-settable thermal fuse which opens if the motor windings get too hot. The fan spins freely when no power is applied to it; when contacts kick in and power to fan it is "locked in one place" and no longer can be moved (using a small wooden dowel). I don't want the compressor to overwork so I have been standing next to it waiting for it to die, then run in and shut down the unit down. The condenser fan has not stopped. Think this could be the fan motor itself? When an electric motor has an issue, it usually will overheat. After running fine for like an hour the condenser unit fan would stop but the compressor would continue working. Remove the access panel to the blower compartment. Dirty condenser coils. Not much different pitch before and after it's energized. 2. Most capacitors are cylindrically-shaped, like a large battery. Faulty electrical signals. In looking at the posts it seems like folks are being pointed in direction of capacitor or fan motor. Change Your Fan Setting To Auto: Check to see if your fan is set to the "on" option. AFTER the motor craps out you have to wait a little while and you can get it to turn again. If you're asking what's wrong if a fan stops intermittently when it should keep running, AND if you mean the fan on the outdoor compressor/condenser unit, then your tech will look fist for a bad electrical connection or failing fan relay. If the fan spins on the motor shaft and the motor shaft won't turn the motor may be seized and need replacement. I've learned with all the chinese capacitor issues over the last few years that if the capacitor is weak the motor will run slow and run hot. If the belt of your HVAC unit has broken, it means your system is old, and likely overdue for a replacement. Fan is still intact. A slow condenser fan (or air handler unit fan) could be caused by a bad start-run capacitor. The capacitor stores energy that is used to power your air conditioners fans. But when set to cooling the compressor fan stops and starts, it will not stay on when compressor is on. Heres What to Do. Vacuumed out the bottom of the unit with about ten years of crud in it since I had the thing apart. If it is an air conditioner check for an air conditioner breaker trip. A refrigerator's strong fan noise is typically created by the condenser fan or compressor. The fan capacitor may also be labeled. Mechanical Issues. This problem existed before and after the radiator was replaced. A faulty cooling fan relay can also negatively affect air conditioning (A/C) performance.The reason being, on most vehicles, is that the cooling fan doubles as a condenser fan.When the A/C is turned on, the fan moves air across the A/C condenser, thereby removing heat from the refrigerant, which changes from a vapor to a liquid state as it gives off heat it . Just sharing this info for others. " The inside unit uses . This will only directly affect your condenser fan. with power removed, try turning the Motor shaft by hand..using your fingers Can you give it a twist, and it will continue for a few turns ? I adjusted up the temperature setting from 0-37 to 0-40 yesterday. Just had an older unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler and outside condenser. Humming fan motor usually means either a bad starting cap or a seized motor. Fan motor is bad. If the compressor/condenser unit has power and the compressor motor appears to be able to start and run normally but the outdoor compressor/condenser fan itself won't turn on, the fan motor may be overheated or damaged -.