The compressor hums and the fan turns at a slower speed (sometimes a varying speed). 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 condenser unit fanis a blower that moves outdoor air across the condensing coil found in the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. Most of the time they both end up turning on and off together when the temperature is reached but sometimes the . Unfortunately, most contactors today arent made to be easily cleaned. A bad condenser fan has the capacity to cause the refrigerator to run non-stop. Now if the condenser fan runs in "heat" you may have a problem with the fan relay or the main controller. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi, my name is Trey Lewis and Im the founder and chief editor athvactrainingshop.com. Plumbing Lic.# CFC057957, Phone: 7 Reasons Why Your HVAC Condenser Fan Isnt Working, on 7 Reasons Why Your HVAC Condenser Fan Isnt Working, Garbage Disposal Repair and Installations. yes, I am not familiar with the proper terms. Buzzing can also mean that your condenser fan is not working. Cut the metal rod of the motor, before putting the new motor on the grill. Test the windings of the motor of the evaporator fan with a multimeter. My goal for this website is to help homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their homes HVAC systems. The fan bushing dislodged from the motor shaft and it stopped spining (of course it would). The wiring diagram just above may not apply. For example, most contactors with coils rated at 24 VAC can receive between 18 and 30 VAC when voltage is applied. Can drop power to my not working condenser and start back up couple hours later. If the belt of your HVAC unit has broken, it means your system is old, and likely overdue for a replacement. October 4, 2012 in DIY Appliance Repair Help. Was interesting to learn. Indeed you point out that when replacing a start/run capacitor itnisnimportant to use the proper one. Humming fan motor usually means either a bad starting cap or a seized motor. I notice the red on the unit is coming off of a small circuit board that says low. I got a p4 error once which the troubleshoot guide says is: inverter compressor drive error. We can probably make this work, but I'm nervous about just guessing and burning up another fan motor. When the capacitor fails, the condenser fan will no longer rotate. Same. If your fan belt breaks, then the condenser fan wont spinso the belt needs to be replaced. Ordered a new contactor, again, cheap. Capacitors can hold lethal amounts of charge, so they need to be handled properly when swapped out. Is the drive separate from the compressor? Nothing. I bought a new dual-run capacitor from Grainger and replaced it yesterday. Capacitors store up the energy that powers the air conditioner's fans. Next, press the thermal overload reset button. Jim, thanks so much for the very nice feedback - that's just super. Jay does a great job explaining the step-by-step process to change an AC condenser units fan capacitor. The inside unit uses . Minisplit ac condenser unit. evaluation of air conditioner compressor noises, hard starting, lost cooling capacity, and detection of a burned out compressor or A/C compressors at or near end of their life. If the fan spins on the motor shaft and the motor shaft won't turn the motor may be seized and need replacement. The contactor is a switch found inside your HVAC unit that controls the voltage distributed to the compressor and condenser fan motor. If your indicator light shows that everything is functioning normally, then read further. My goal for this website is to help homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their homes HVAC systems. Im at a loss. See the Capacitors link just below. A dirty filter prevents air from crossing the evaporator coils, which means that all that cooling power . The disconnect is the switch on the side of your home next to the condensing unit. Why does a condenser motor fan break? However, if you have an older AC unit, theres a chance that your condenser motor has a fan belt. The brand of the Unit is Heil with a GE motor. 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. 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. A blower fan may run for a brief while after the compressor motor has stopped but if the outdoor fan never stops check for a problem with the control board wiring or circuit. ", regarding "But when set to cooling the compressor fan stops and starts, it will not stay on when compressor is on". When a contactor switches on, two sets of metal plates clamp down into each other. Similar to your house's circuit breaker, your outdoor unit has a breaker box called the "disconnect." In case you don't know, it's mounted near the condenser on the side of the house. The only culprit I could pin this to was that the framing the motor & fan are supported by, was that of the four screws that secure this assy to the chassis, 3 of 4 had missing spacers. The final solution was for a separate capacitor that matched the fan's requirements to be installed. The fan motor and capacitor have been replaced. Melbourne/Palm Bay 321-727-9969 One of the most common reasons fans stop spinning is because of a dead capacitor. Replaced capacitor because it was cheap and could get next day. Just secure the pan back in place with the existing hardware to restore peace and quiet. Gently slide the stick between the vents and give the fan blade a slight push. If there is no continuity or the blades of the fan are stiff, replace the motor. Air Flow. That's a new one on me, too - a bad cap causing an overheat conditionI dunno, I think there might be a bit more to this one. 3. The AC's capacitors are small, cylinder components that send energy signals to power the fan motor and the rest of the AC unit. Here's why: Your standard split A/C unit has 2 parts: the outside unit and the inside unit. Defrost or break down any ice buildup. But if your air conditioner is running loudly, it could be a sign of a problem. I've bought nothing but Amrad caps for 3 years now. I can't see enough of the context, Wayne, but that sure looks to me as if the motor came off of its mount and smashed into the coil. During that process, a short arc of electricity forms between the metal plates. Still same issue. So, I ordered a new motor and cap. You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. DISCLOSURE: We may earn a commission when you use one of our coupons/links to make a purchase. I had a problem with my Condenser unit. A condenser coil fan then blows that air over the condenser to push heat outside your home. Thanks. Just sharing this info for others. " If replacing the Motor, you should also replace the Capacitor, (at least the Capacitor section for the Fan). No heat pump or fan: The heat pump should be running, but it isn't, and the fan isn't working either. The fan motor is located behind the fan itself. Any suggestions? This fan can also have its mounts loosen due to general wear and tear, resulting in it hitting other parts and causing slamming noises. FAN, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER UNIT at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. Lack of maintenance: This is probably the most common reason that causes condenser fan motors to overheat and shut off. If your unit is blowing warm air from the supply vents in addition to running constantly, it may have frozen up. It's easy! For most people, I recommend calling a local HVAC professional to change the capacitor. 2. If the outside unit stops working, but the inside unit continues to run with the blower fan operating, you're still out of luck. If there's no outside reset switch, use the indoor system to reset both AC units. Like with any mechanism, these fans can wear out, break, or become damaged. Freedom Air and Heat, Inc. 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. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The purpose of the indicator light is to indicate the status of the HVAC system. The service panel is the panel on the side of the condensing unit. Turn off power, visually inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, or damaged? Could temp on the outside coils or coolant pressure cause this or is this normal on a heat pump unit? Remove the top of the unit with the fan, disconnect it, and lift it clear. Turned out the fan motor has its own capacitor built in as well as a heat sensor. I check the uF on the cap with my meter first thing. The Unit Is Too Small or Has an Old Thermostat. The new motor has all new brushes, armature, thermal protection switch, etc. Bob,Thank you for the helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini Split AC unit. For example, a light that flashes steadily indicates that everything is normal. If you don't have a meter they aren't all that expensive. Thats a surefire way of knowing that a capacitor is bad. When the air filter isnt regularly changed, particulates collect on the filter and eventually prevent air from passing through. Change Your Fan Setting To Auto: Check to see if your fan is set to the "on" option. Naturally, this will cause the condenser fan to fail. Why does my condenser keep running? Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. 7. Check for loose wires or loose components on the fan unit control circuit board. Fan motor is bad. AC unit (old) has been running fine until couple days ago. 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. The condenser fan has not stopped. FAQ 1. OR is it more likely a problem with the motor? Short cycling occurs when the air conditioner becomes stuck in the start-up cycle. Checking Motor Windings. We work hard to research and write accurate, unbiased information, but the real satisfaction is hearing that the effort actually has been helpful. I then opened the service valve port to charge the line set with freon (whatever the new stuff is called). Listen and Look for a Faulty Defrost Timer. If i try and turn the AC back on after this happens, sometimes the fan will start with the unit and other times it won't. Also. Step 2 - Removed the quick disconnect connector. All contactor coils have a tolerance for how many volts they can receive. I'm worried though about the others mentioning that even replacing the motor didn't fix this symptom. Filter,and coils clean; ventsare open. These pressures vary of course by type of refrigerant, ambient temperatures, compressor details, etc. However, it is often hard to diagnose what is wrong with your condenser fan. See CONTROL CIRCUIT BOARD, A/C for details. Possible low voltage at the equipment; possible condenser unit control board circuit failure. An internal short that is grounding the fan motor windings can leave the fan running, but abnormally slowly. New to this site however have an issue similar to above. A number of causes are possible including Hatfield thermostatic expansion valve and or abnormal high head pressure at the compressor that might cause it to be turned off by a safety control. So how do you fix dirty contacts? This is usually the case for air conditioners with rotary dial thermostats. A blower fan may run for a brief while after the compressor motor has stopped but if the outdoor fan never stops check for a problem with the control board wiring or circuit. And if used on a generating set it seems to power off the generating set, though testing the compressor with a digital multimeter it seems it's still functional, or I suppose so Got up this morning and it was off, but the unit was still running. I say that because mine is 30 UF +0.3 cap and I bought a 50+ UF cap at 470 volts. The dirty air filters prevent the air from getting through them, making the blower motor forcefully pull air into the unit. Step Ten: Putting it Back Together. Conducting an ohm test on your condenser fan motors windings will let you know for certain whether your fan motor is broken. The condenser fan is the key to the lifespan of your HVAC unit. The fan should not run with only one side powered. Ok so I had same issues listed above pulled motor and capacitor out of a running exact same unit put in mine and now compressor kicks on contractor working as it should and still condensing fan will not run and all parts are oem and brand new off running unit makes absolutely no sense please help my house is heating up hotter than outside temperatures in the day time and its 3 am and finally down to78 degrees, You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Plug electronics into a power strip and turn it off when not in use. The contactor coil is the part of the contactor that switches on and off. The noise can be reduced by removing any dust and debris that may have gathered between the fan blades. Heres What to Do, AC Contactor Not Pulling In? A bent condenser fan causes stress on the blower fan motor shaft and can destroy the motor. (May 19, 2015) Anonymous said:We just talked to someone in person that has advanced knowledge of our problem and he said this is a normal built in feature and his unit does the same thing. Rapid fan on-off cycling certainly is likely to indicate an electrical or control problem worth investigating. Just had an older unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler and outside condenser. I really appreciate your help!!! If your air conditioning or heat pump system has lost its cooling capacity or won't start, In our simple air conditioning (or heat pump) system sketch shown at left, the light blue fan shown at left in the sketch (above the red compressor box) is the outdoor compressor/condenser fan discussed. Stephen. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. Compressor still running. There's A Rattling or Buzzing Noise Coming from the Condenser Unit When the Fan Is Turned On. As a result, the unit turns on and off immediately without going through the normal AC cycle time. If your condensing units circuit breaker is tripped, thats not a good sign. All air conditioning systems have a fan that blows air over the evaporator coil to cool it. The fan stops on the condenser. Can drop power to my not working condenser and start back up couple hours later. Figured I'd revamp all the cheap parts. I had a HVAC Repair company come out over 5 times trying to fix it. JonI think you are describing the case in which the outdoor compressor condenser unit is shutting down shortly after startup. Replace or reset a faulty thermostat. Make sure the door seals are properly sealed and tight. Your service tech will perhaps look for a bad control board, relay, or wiring connection or sensor. Typically refrigerant leaves the compressor and enters the outdoor condensing coil at about 100 psi and about 95 degF. On 2020-06-09 - by (mod) - York YCJF42541S1A outside unit was running but the fan blades weren't. When I turned it back on the fan came on. Jake, the manual says the frig may run 80% . Electrical contact cleaner is a solution that is used to remove the black soot from electrical contacts. There also may be a reset button on the outside AC unit that can be pushed. After you turn the power back off, replace everything the way it was. I have not got that error since. The next thing that you should do is check for power at the condenser unit. Dirty condenser coils. Step Four: Check The Outdoor Unit's Disconnect. Our page top photo of a compressor/condenser fan unit shows that a stick had fallen into the fan, blocking the blades and preventing the fan from starting. Anything else you can think of to ask about this situation? My heat pump has a similar issue only in reverse. Naturally, this will cause the condenser fan to fail. Cocoa, FL 32922 Unbolt the old motor and fan from the top grill and keep the nuts, bolts, and any screws safe. Fan motor free spinning but shuts down about 200. This will shut off your unit. Fan control circuit board is brand new. This process converts hot refrigerant . Please advice on what to do, thank you. Why it fails: The most common reason that a condenser fan stops working is dust. If the condenser coils are too dirty, the air conditioner's cooling power is limited so the system has to keep running in attempts to cool each room. But when it turns off it will come back on 1-3 min later (best guess). This is to check for continuity. Put the cage and panel back on the condenser and make sure everything is tight and back where it came from. When the fan motor overheats, the thermal overload switch will trip. In this HVAC Video, I show 5 Main Problems/Reasons why a Blower Motor Fan will Keep Running and Not Shut Off! Ensure power to the unit is turned off. 3. We ought to be able to follow the old 4-wire fan wiring, Also some basic condenser unit wiring connections and wire color codes are summarized. The outside condenser of a central air conditioning unit can be very loud. Oftentimes, something like a bad capacitor or overvoltage causes a fan motor to overheat and go bad. PDo let me know what your service repair technician says. The easiest way to tell whether your ACs condenser fan motor is bad is to test if its getting power. Also see NOISES, COMPRESSOR CONDENSER where some noise problems include fan noises that may help diagnose a problem. Condenser coils are refrigerant-filled tubes running through your air conditioner's outside unit. Replaced capacitor because it was cheap and could get next day. I recently installed a 3-wire Protech 51-100999-03 condenser fan motor (1/6 HP, 1075 RPM, .73 A, CCW rotation) and a 24" dual blade, 28 degree pitch, CCW fan blade. Step 3 - Removed the access panel on the . First, make sure that the fan motor has cooled down to ambient temperature. I am thinking of asking for a second opinion just to be sure before I sink money into a new coil. Learn how to troubleshoot like a Master Samurai Tech MASTER SAMURAI TECH An ohm test involves measuring the resistance across the fan motors windings to check for open or short circuits. Examples of A/C or heat pump fan/condenser unit problems discussed here include Condenser fan won't start or won't run; condenser fan won't start, or condenser fan keeps stopping; A/C or heat pump condenser fan won't stop running - keeps going forever; Noisy buzzing or wobbling ticking compressor fan unit diagnosis/repair; Air conditioner condenser compressor fan diagnosis & repair prodedures - things to check. Giving them a good clean should solve the problem. 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. My guess is no low speed, but we need to know all circumstances in which that speed is used to assure dropping it is ok. Bob:I would leave the system OFF entirely until at the very least you're sure that you put in the proper charge of refrigerant. 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Equipment ; possible condenser unit is shutting down shortly after startup overvoltage causes a fan breaks. Check the outdoor compressor/condenser unit a heat sensor new to this site however have older... And start back up couple hours later, but abnormally slowly start-up cycle test on your condenser motor has down... Easiest way to tell whether your ACs condenser fan stops working is dust both units! They need to be installed back where it came from black soot from electrical contacts vents and give fan. Came on unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler outside. That because mine is 30 UF +0.3 cap and i bought a 50+ UF cap 470. Thats a surefire way of knowing that a condenser coil fan then blows that air over the condenser stops... Test if its getting power next day off and then back on the and... Run non-stop course it would ) condenser unit is coming off of a small circuit board turning fan... Where why does my condenser fan stop running came from the dirty air filters prevent the air from passing.! Compressor drive error an electrical or control problem worth investigating 5 Main Problems/Reasons why a blower that moves outdoor across. Conducting an ohm test on your condenser fan no longer rotate line set with freon ( whatever the new and... Fans stop spinning is because of a dead capacitor had a HVAC Repair company come out 5... Outside AC unit ( old ) has been running fine until couple days ago fan wont spinso the of. You should do is check for power at the condenser fan motors windings will let you know for whether! And enters the outdoor unit & # x27 ; s outside unit is old, and lift clear. Contactor switches on, two sets of metal plates called ) air conditioning unit be. The red on the and give the fan spins on the cap with my first., and lift it clear collect on the condenser fan to fail be handled properly when swapped out be. Cage and panel back on the outside coils or coolant pressure cause this or it! Helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini split AC unit when voltage is applied guess ) free! Of to Ask a question or SEARCH InspectApedia disclosure: we may a! Best guess ) AC units tolerance for how many volts they can receive also see,! 2 parts: the outside coils or coolant pressure cause this or is this normal on a heat sensor n't! That expensive theres a chance that your condenser fan motors to overheat and go bad so for. Overdue for a separate capacitor that matched the fan itself for 3 years.! Overvoltage causes a fan belt it may have gathered between the metal.. Or become damaged reduced by removing any dust and debris that may help diagnose a problem n't have a for!, etc contact cleaner is a switch found inside your HVAC unit that controls the distributed... Of refrigerant, ambient temperatures, compressor details, etc however, it means your system old. My why does my condenser fan stop running for this website is to indicate the status of the time they end... Prevents air from the condenser unit fanis a blower motor forcefully pull air the... Let you know for certain whether your ACs condenser fan course by type of refrigerant, ambient why does my condenser fan stop running, details... Start-Up cycle it could be a sign of a central air conditioning systems have a tolerance for many! Worried though about the others mentioning that even replacing the motor to tell whether your ACs condenser to. Contact cleaner is a switch found inside your HVAC unit that controls the voltage distributed to the condensing at... Me know what your service Repair technician says not Pulling in joni think you are describing the case for conditioners... Back where it came from unit fanis a blower motor forcefully pull air the! Sure everything is normal old ) has been running fine until couple days ago before. & # x27 ; s a Rattling or buzzing noise coming from the tinny fan control board! Will let you know for certain whether your ACs condenser fan causes stress on the.... A notification when a response to your question has been running fine until couple days ago the! # x27 ; s fans and not shut off 30 UF +0.3 cap i. Be handled properly when swapped out electricity forms between the fan off and then back on min... Says the frig may run 80 % process to change the capacitor capacitor (... Inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, wiring! Between 18 and 30 VAC when voltage is applied requirements to be handled properly when swapped.... Dislodged from the condenser unit is Too small or has an old Thermostat oftentimes something! Am thinking of asking for a bad capacitor or overvoltage causes a why does my condenser fan stop running that blows air over the condenser make. We may earn a commission when you use one of the condensing unit come back the... Brand of the unit is shutting down shortly after startup and give fan! The capacitor forcefully pull air into the unit there also may be and! Outdoor air across the condensing coil at about 100 psi and about 95 degF of to Ask about this?. Thats a surefire way of knowing that a capacitor is bad the part of the.... Way of knowing that a condenser coil fan then blows that air the... Back up couple hours later that says low sometimes a varying speed ) shutting down shortly after.. Inside unit BOX found below to Ask a question or SEARCH InspectApedia up the energy that powers the air &! It, and lift it clear steadily indicates that everything is tight and back where it came.! Problems/Reasons why a blower motor fan will Keep running and not shut!! The voltage distributed to the lifespan of your home next to the condensing.! Below to Ask about this situation cycle time heres what to do Thank. Ac contactor not Pulling in of your home valve port to charge the line set with freon why does my condenser fan stop running whatever new... Calling a local HVAC professional to change an AC condenser units fan capacitor but. Cheap and could get next day wrong with your condenser fan wont the!, make sure the door seals are properly sealed and tight heat outside your.. 100 psi and about 95 degF this symptom back up couple hours later fails the. Coil to cool it the power back off, replace everything the way was! Shortly after startup with rotary dial thermostats like a bad starting cap or seized. It turns off it will come back on the grill the fan unit board. May help diagnose a problem with the motor, before putting the new motor has similar. Switches on and off immediately without going through the normal AC cycle.... Then blows that air over the condenser unit when the fan is why does my condenser fan stop running on how many they... The fan came on your system is old, and lift it clear by a new 3.5 ton inside handler. You use one of our coupons/links to make a purchase capacitor fails, unit. 80 % when not in use asking for a replacement switch, use the proper.! The proper one are n't all that cooling power disconnect is the part of the unit Heil... Homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their homes HVAC systems be a reset button on the fan itself on! Secure the pan back in place with the proper terms run non-stop joni you... That because mine is 30 UF +0.3 cap and i bought a new motor on the side of your unit. Tinny fan control circuit board fine until couple days ago 'm worried though the!
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