The AC's capacitors are small, cylinder components that send energy signals to power the fan motor and the rest of the AC unit. Also, noticed the old fan wire actually has a quick connect coupler for all four wires to connect into a circuit board. Sebastian/Vero Beach 772-778-2272. If the relay shorts or fails, it will not be able to . The service panel may have some labels or stickers on it. 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 ? AFTER the motor craps out you have to wait a little while and you can get it to turn again. 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. Here are the 3 possible problems: 1) Condensing Unit Frozen Wont Turn Off - The first thing is the condensing unit will freeze up if the air handler blower is not running when the condenser is on. 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. Sometimes there is a one-off fluke in the system that causes a circuit breaker to trip when everything else is otherwise normal. Replace a faulty evaporator fan motor. That could also mean that its bad. Could temp on the outside coils or coolant pressure cause this or is this normal on a heat pump unit? All of the above-listed air conditioner or heat pump components are discussed in detail throughout this website using the links at the left of these pages. Within this unit, a fan blows cool air over the condenser to keep it cool. There are several reasons the capacitor of your HVAC unit can fail. These include overheating, running too long, power surges, and age. Read on to find the best solution based on the cause of the problem. Clogged air filter. When I turned it back on the fan came on. It's free turning when I turn it with a screwdriver (not bound). When there's a loud banging as your unit runs, it's broken and needs . Check the Evaporator Fan Motor. The compressor fans of older model HVAC units are operated with the help of a belt. More likely there is an electrical or control problem. First, make sure that the fan motor has cooled down to ambient temperature. That identifies what each of the wires are. Minisplit ac condenser unit. An HVAC technician will need to inspect the outdoor fan assembly and make sure it is tightly secured and working properly. Freedom Air and Heat, Inc. 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. This fan is usually called the condenser fan. Thermal overload protection is used to prevent your motor from burning out. ugh, I mean I did those 2 tasks separately hehe. Check to see if the fan starts spinning. Remove the screws holding the circuit board in place. Check to see that the contactor goes down all the way and makes good contact with the metal plates on both sides. 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. 7. If you hear a loud rattling noise, it could be a minor issue like loose stones or debris that's caught in the condensing unit. Moral of the story: do it yourself and use the right capacitor. Seems more likely that's a wiring or control board or motor capacitor problem there may also be a refrigerant leak and which case we would have The Coincidence of two different problems occurring at the same time. The condenser in your AC is the unit that converts the refrigerant into a liquid. Inside the house is warm and could have been blowing warm air. Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. yes, I am not familiar with the proper terms. 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). Burnt Out Motor. Jay does a great job explaining the step-by-step process to change an AC condenser units fan capacitor. Below we'll discuss ways to troubleshoot these possible causes for your refrigerator not cooling like it is supposed to. 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. Sorry Jedson but I don't understand the question. 2. Im at a loss. Turn off power, visually inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, or damaged? In looking at the posts it seems like folks are being pointed in direction of capacitor or fan motor. Turn off power and assure that the fan blade is secured to the fan motor shaft. Or see FAN, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER DIAGNOSTIC FAQs for diagnostic questions that can help get the condenser fan working. Let's assume that the technician is honest but perhaps not a good communicator. I am thinking of asking for a second opinion just to be sure before I sink money into a new coil. My heat pump has a similar issue only in reverse. If there is no continuity or the blades of the fan are stiff, replace the motor. You may also need to take a look in the IO manual for your condenser unit to understand each of the features or functions indicated by the wires. Naturally, this will cause the condenser fan to fail. AC Noise Photo 1: Open the unit. Could be a bad start-run capacitor or a bad control board. my condenser fan is a trane fan03652 or replacement fan04690. Step 2 - Removed the quick disconnect connector. It is usually near the area where the power connects to the condensing unit. One copper line cold and one warmer like normal. This will cut power to the condenser fan. 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. Your service tech will perhaps look for a bad control board, relay, or wiring connection or sensor. Compressor still running. The new motor is a 3 wire with yellow, brown, and black. I ended up replacing with a navian high efficiency boiler. Shut off your AC and check the fan capacitor, contactor, and motor if the condenser fan isn't running when the compressor is on. Clean the dirty condenser coils. Was interesting to learn. If it is set to "On" it means it is running constantly while if it is on "Auto" it will stop when the heat pump stops. If you have exhausted your options, and still dont know why the compressor fan isnt rotating, take a hard look at the fan itself. It comes about every 10 minutes or so. Conducting an ohm test on your condenser fan motors windings will let you know for certain whether your fan motor is broken. As long as the capacitor is good, and the condenser fan motor is getting power then the fan motor should turn on. Or more likely the fan motor? If you get infinity readings coming from any of the connections, the motor is faulty and . Each air conditioning system has several capacitors, including the start capacitor, which sends signals to the motor, and the run . Cocoa/Merritt Island/Rockledge 321-631-6886 On occasion a "slow" outdoor fan may be due to a fan blade that is not secured to the fan motor shaft. Step Four: Check The Outdoor Unit's Disconnect. What is your Model number? If there's no outside reset switch, use the indoor system to reset both AC units. I have not spent time with a stopwatch, and the duration is variable not consistent. 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. A slow condenser fan (or air handler unit fan) could be caused by a bad start-run capacitor. -OK opened up and spun motor by hand with shaft and it actually spun freely (fan blade still on). To check the power at your condensing unit, first, check your circuit breaker panel. Could a bad capacitor be the culprit to explain the stopping during operation? Posted on Sep 25, 2014. If it clicks back into place, then the thermal overload switch was tripped. Gently slide the stick between the vents and give the fan blade a slight push. The capacitator losing its charge. However, if they're stuck, the compressor . You'll know this is the problem if your inside fan runs and you hear the buzzing noise coming from the outside unit. I think it is a 13k but unit. AC started back up, and it repeated the same issue. Shouldn't the coil last longer than that? Upon testing the condenser motor, it runs and spins true. If the condenser unit fan won't start at all, check for power to the unit and to the fan motor and that all of the controls are calling for cooling (or heat pump operation); check for loose, disconnected wires; Check for a frozen fan motor (motor won't turn manually when power is off). replace with OEM motor if you can afford it and can still get it . The label reads, "THERMAL SWITCH" which is inside the motor and will shut the motor down if it overheats. Are the bearings damaged or covered in sludge? The condenser fan motor itself is a part that can go bad. Same or similar situation. When the air filter isnt regularly changed, particulates collect on the filter and eventually prevent air from passing through. 7. 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. The thermal overload reset switch is a small button on the side of the fan motor that pops out when the thermal overload switch trips. Just had an older unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler and outside condenser. Does this seem reasonable? Condenser fan motor has a loss of lubricant, Off-balance/improper rotation of fan or incorrect fan blade, Presence of moisture, dirt or debris in fan motor. might the Motor run, but then over-heat after a few minutes ? Turned out the fan motor has its own capacitor built in as well as a heat sensor. We work hard to research and write accurate, unbiased information, but the real satisfaction is hearing that the effort actually has been helpful. Powered by Invision Community. Am I barking up the wrong tree and should I be looking elsewhere? There is more than one possible cause of a noisy air conditioner. Works great for 10 minutes blowing 69at register on a 85 day with humidity. 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. The motor was hotter than you know where! If the fan spins on the motor shaft and the motor shaft won't turn the motor may be seized and need replacement. Check that power is on to the outdoor unit and that the indoor thermostat is calling for cooling and set to cooling mode. This will only directly affect your condenser fan. About the time it got really hot the motor shut down.. -After cracking open the control box I discover there is a single capacitor that runs both the compressor and the fan, do I need to also change out this capacitor? I had a problem with my Condenser unit. Much like the contactor, HVAC motors get worn out over time and will stop working. The circuit breaker has been tripped because of overheating. 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. A bad condenser fan has the capacity to cause the refrigerator to run non-stop. 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. The fan bushing dislodged from the motor shaft and it stopped spining (of course it would). Tried again after washing out well. If the water dispenser on a Frigidaire refrigerator keeps running, check the water inlet valve. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. The fan should not run with only one side powered. Typically this is caused by an internal short in the motor windings. See COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER INSPECTION CHECKLIST for a simple checklist for the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. Capacitors store up the energy that powers the air conditioner's fans. 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