Not sure if it's external or if it even has one. I ended up replacing with a navian high efficiency boiler. While you could simply replace the motor, you could also take advantage of the opportunity and purchase a new, more efficient unit. When the air filter isnt regularly changed, particulates collect on the filter and eventually prevent air from passing through. A detailed case of diagnosing and fixing a condenser fan that was running backwards at speed changes is discussed below at. The condenser unit fanis a blower that moves outdoor air across the condensing coil found in the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. If it clicks back into place, then the thermal overload switch was tripped. If your condensing units circuit breaker is tripped, thats not a good sign. Cocoa, FL 32922 I'm worried though about the others mentioning that even replacing the motor didn't fix this symptom. The line sets didn't even get cold or hot by even a degree difference. If the AC unit fan is not spinning, the first thing to check is the circuit breaker. Over an extended period, that will cause the fan to stop working. Checking Motor Windings. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. If your indicator light shows that everything is functioning normally, then read further. Moral of the story: do it yourself and use the right capacitor. Thanks for the great step by step instructions to troubleshooting. Shouldn't the coil last longer than that? The condenser fan motor itself is a part that can go bad. Please advice on what to do, thank you. Bob,Thank you for the helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini Split AC unit. When I turned it back on the fan came on. I check the uF on the cap with my meter first thing. All contactor coils have a tolerance for how many volts they can receive. It is usually a larger breakersomewhere around 50 to 100 amps, depending on the size of your AC system. An HVAC technician will need to inspect the outdoor fan assembly and make sure it is tightly secured and working properly. This blockage will strain your compressor fan. Broken Motor. Is the fan blade assembly secured to the fan motor shaft? The fan turns off outside and doesn't come back on until I switch the ac off and wait at least an hour or so n but it is still blowing air in the apartment. Dirty or faulty gaskets. Easy enough to do anyway. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. Why does that happen? Set the function switch to "Ohms" on an auto-ranging DMM or the "R X 1" scale on a manual ranging DMM. Clogged Air Filter. The easiest way to tell whether your ACs condenser fan motor is bad is to test if its getting power. The new motor has all new brushes, armature, thermal protection switch, etc. Finally a senior tech came out and recognized that the fan required a different capacitor than what was initially changed in. See COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER INSPECTION CHECKLIST for a simple checklist for the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. Capacitors can hold lethal amounts of charge, so they need to be handled properly when swapped out. Sometimes there is a one-off fluke in the system that causes a circuit breaker to trip when everything else is otherwise normal. (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. 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. my condenser fan is a trane fan03652 or replacement fan04690. so everything will be fine. This fan is usually called the condenser fan. Still same, fan on condenser stops after a few. 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. 1. Turn the air conditioner completely off, and call in a professional right away to diagnose the cause and prevent further damage to the system. In looking at the posts it seems like folks are being pointed in direction of capacitor or fan motor. Condenser Fan stops running- Fan or capacitor? Step 1 - Turned off the circuit breaker at the main panel. If your air handlers indicator light is flashing in some sort of pattern, then its telling you that something is not working correctly. Replace the blade, taking care not to bend it. My old fan was a 4 wire system and has a red,yellow, brown, and black wire. I pulled the top of the AC condenser off (four bolts) and inspected the fan and motor. Turn off power, visually inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, or damaged? 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. Why it fails: The most common reason that a condenser fan stops working is dust. Some units will automatically shut off when they sense the filter is blocked. 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. My goal for this website is to help homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their homes HVAC systems. OR is it more likely a problem with the motor? 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. Is this more likely the fan bearings? Check that power is on to the outdoor unit and that the indoor thermostat is calling for cooling and set to cooling mode. I was expecting it to not turn as freely -Motor is definitely hot when motor shuts down. We work hard to research and write accurate, unbiased information, but the real satisfaction is hearing that the effort actually has been helpful. Nothing. I will contact pioneer. Poor air conditioning performance. It's free turning when I turn it with a screwdriver (not bound). The motor was hotter than you know where! Check for tripped breakers. Lack of maintenance: This is probably the most common reason that causes condenser fan motors to overheat and shut off. These include overheating, running too long, power surges, and age. 3. I have not got that error since. The average AC condenser fan replacement cost is between $300 and $425. Contents. Did find a lose red wire on the contactor. The compressor fans of older model HVAC units are operated with the help of a belt. Step 2 - Removed the quick disconnect connector. Take a look at the circuit breaker associated with . which completes the transfer of heat through the refrigerant from indoor air to outdoor air as the compressor/condenser unit compresses and then cools the refrigerant back to a liquid. Secure the Drain Pan. Most capacitors are cylindrically-shaped, like a large battery. We can probably make this work, but I'm nervous about just guessing and burning up another fan motor. 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. Call FREEDOM AIR! 12 - Sub Zero Refrigerator Condenser Fan Motor. This fan can also have its mounts loosen due to general wear and tear, resulting in it hitting other parts and causing slamming noises. Burnt Out Motor. 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 -. Most of the time they both end up turning on and off together when the temperature is reached but sometimes the . Am I barking up the wrong tree and should I be looking elsewhere? So is there an easy way to test to see if the fan motor needs replacement? I then opened the service valve port to charge the line set with freon (whatever the new stuff is called). I notice the red on the unit is coming off of a small circuit board that says low. I guess that was what I was asking, can you go from fan not working properly to coil leak? Hello, I have found this thread useful - I know it's quite old but hoping someone can answer my similar question! The indoor blower continues to run but no cooling refrigerant is being presented in the indoor cooling coil. I ohmed the 3 motor windings and they add up correctly. On occasion a "slow" outdoor fan may be due to a fan blade that is not secured to the fan motor shaft. 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? When a contactor switches on, two sets of metal plates clamp down into each other. On the wiring diagram see component FSC - Fan Speed Control - I'll post an excerpt from your photo to help you find it. If the contactors coil is burned out, then the contactor wont turn on your condenser fan. Check the air filter to see if it needs to be replaced. Make sure the freezer door seals shut. Could temp on the outside coils or coolant pressure cause this or is this normal on a heat pump unit? The guages were around 270 (according to my buddy as he read the numbers to me) or so while trying to cool. The AC ran for about 1.5 hours and then shut down the fan due to overheating. Once you find the fan capacitor, take a look at it. Freedom Air and Heat, Inc. My new cap and motor arrive Wednesday, so I'll change them both out. I am not convinced the fan was fixed either the first or second visit. The parts are priced at $245 to $330, while labor could be $55 to $200, depending on your make and model. Just had an older unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler and outside condenser. The fan is still cutting off and not cutting back on. It is important to keep the fan in good repair. 7. But it seems to me that that condition should not be for long. A bad fan motor can also cause the fan to turn but only abnormally slowly. When the condenser fan is well-maintained, it prolongs the life of the entire HVAC unit. 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. 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". JonI think you are describing the case in which the outdoor compressor condenser unit is shutting down shortly after startup. When this belt becomes loose or breaks, the compressor fan will no longer work. Mechanical Issues. What would be the risk in not connecting the red wire to anything and just connecting the brown, black and yellow wires? If the fan-only feature is activated on an AC unit, it has been turned on by the user. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Freedom Air and Heat, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its comes on, may run for 15-20 minutes then fan stops & unit makes loud noise. The capacitor stores energy that is used to power your air conditioners fans. So, I read on Google what I highlighted for you, and ordered a 30+ UF cap. Rapid fan on-off cycling certainly is likely to indicate an electrical or control problem worth investigating. Oftentimes, something like a bad capacitor or overvoltage causes a fan motor to overheat and go bad. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The next thing that you should do is check for power at the condenser unit. Tried again after washing out well. And the AC compressor stops prematurely. 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. Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. You may need a new fan assembly or a few bolts tightened. yes, I am not familiar with the proper terms. The fan stops on the condenser. Check for loose wires or loose components on the fan unit control circuit board. 21,873 Answers. Remove the screws holding the circuit board in place. So how do you fix dirty contacts? Like with any mechanism, these fans can wear out, break, or become damaged. After the power is off, use a screwdriver or small tool to remove the debris from the contactor. The unit is 8 years old. This is to check for continuity. 7. This is at the front of the refrigerator underneath the door. A slow condenser fan (or air handler unit fan) could be caused by a bad start-run capacitor. A contactor is a moving part that pulls in when it switches on. After you turn the power back off, replace everything the way it was. The best way is to clean them using contact cleaner. No cooling, no heating. Or should I just replace fan and see what happens? Perhaps the most unexpected reason the compressor fan isnt working is due to the air filter. Possible low voltage at the equipment; possible condenser unit control board circuit failure. An easier way of checking your capacitor is to use a voltmeter. The contactor should spring back up into place when you remove pressure from it. Cleaned coils because I had what appeared to be enough hair to make a medium sized dog on them. But when set to cooling the compressor fan stops and starts, it will not stay on when compressor is on. Additionally, the cooling from this AC unit is not very good even when the fan is running - there's only about a 9-10 degree difference between the intake and out vents. Read further to diagnose the issue. Had to turn the unit off for about an hour. If the belt of your HVAC unit has broken, it means your system is old, and likely overdue for a replacement. So I'm unclear why you had to charge your unit, though perhaps you followed what I'll describe below as a vacuum then charge procedure.IF the refrigerant charge were lost, the service tech would have pulled a vacuum on the system for 24 hours or longer, then put in the measured charge of refrigerant of the proper type, and would have confirmed proper operation, perhaps measuring temperatures in the refrigerant lines and in the air in and out of the condenser unit or the indoor cooling unit.Below is an example - for other readers, of a Pioneer mini-split AC system.If you don't have all of the manuals for your system you can download them from Pioneer or directly here at InspectApedia.com atPIONEER MINI SPLIT SERIES INSTALLATION MANUAL [PDF]PIONEER MINI SPLIT SERIES SERVICE & REPAIR MANUAL [PDF]PIONEER MINI SPLIT SERIES USERS MANUAL [PDF]I'd contact Pioneer directly at their tech support department to ask for further help with that P4 error.Contact Pioneer at(800) 919-0150https://www.pioneerminisplit.com/. Check to see if the fan starts spinning. When the capacitor fails, the condenser fan will no longer rotate. I have a trane heatpump. I told him to get lost because I can get a new fan for $20.00 and a motor for about $150.00 so his labor isn't worth $980.00. The compressor is depending on the fan to move air across the condensing coil to convert high pressure, high temperature gas back to a liquid refrigerant. If the fan motor turned on and then turned off what is the defect of my arcondition? The condenser fan motor is located underneath the refrigerator near the back. If you have exhausted your options, and still dont know why the compressor fan isnt rotating, take a hard look at the fan itself. Fan belts are components that wear down over time. I had a HVAC Repair company come out over 5 times trying to fix it. 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. The fan should not run with only one side powered. The contactor coil is the part of the contactor that switches on and off. When the fan motor overheats, the thermal overload switch will trip. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. Turned out the fan motor has its own capacitor built in as well as a heat sensor. Over time, the contactor switch gets worn, and will stop providing voltage to the condenser fan. On 2020-06-17 - by (mod) - Humming fan motor. Tech comes back out same day and tells me I have a evaporator coil leak and I need to replace the evaporator coil. The fan does not stay off for a "long" time. Compressor still running. Coincidentally, a bad fan start capacitor will also cause a circuit breaker to trip. Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Still same issue. 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 motor hums but has trouble starting but can start and run if you give the fan a push with a stick (keep fingers out of fans or risk losing a finger) check/install a blower fan hard start/run capacitor. In addition, I installed a Protech 50 + 3 F dual run capacitor and a . Step Ten: Putting it Back Together. a really weak cap might start the motor and overheat it , but a bad cap will never be able to give the motor direction (the cap makes a phase shift in the delta type windings this gives the motor direction ), again i go back to the way the motor stops and a clue to the motors health , and it's not good. 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. There's A Rattling or Buzzing Noise Coming from the Condenser Unit When the Fan Is Turned On. Condenser coils are refrigerant-filled tubes running through your air conditioner's outside unit. Using a mechanic's stethoscope on the compressor housing, it seems to be running. Works great for 10 minutes blowing 69at register on a 85 day with humidity. 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. at BURNED-OUT COMPRESSOR, if the condensing unit fan is not working the compressor itself may shut down or even be ruined by overpressure or over temperature. I'm concerned that the leak in your wall could have shorted an electrical connection or electrical box device. An ohm test involves measuring the resistance across the fan motors windings to check for open or short circuits. Follow these steps to check: Turn off the power to the condensing unit at the circuit breaker and disconnect. The final solution was for a separate capacitor that matched the fan's requirements to be installed. 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 . Could be a bad start-run capacitor or a bad control board. This is usually the case for air conditioners with rotary dial thermostats. Gina Im having the exact same problem. The circuit breaker has been tripped because of overheating. Today it is at 0-40. 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. Your service tech will perhaps look for a bad control board, relay, or wiring connection or sensor. What is your Model number? The problem came back. Naturally, this will cause the condenser fan to fail. The outside unit doesn't turn-off when the thermostat turns-off the inside unit. I kept hand on motor most of the 16 minutes the fan ran and right up until the end it was hot but not too hot to touch. When the motor craps out it doesn't make a noise or come to a grinding halt it just stops. Aside from dust and debris, a fan might also stop working if the motor is faulty. Test the windings of the motor of the evaporator fan with a multimeter. Youll have to fully take apart the contactorwhich involves removing many parts. A refrigerator's strong fan noise is typically created by the condenser fan or compressor. 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. if the cap is bad the motor will not start on it's own at all , if the cap is bad you can give the motor a spin backwards , turn on power , motor will run backwards , it will be weak but will still take off backwards, the motor cap you have in your unit is not a start cap , it's a run cap, the way you said that the motor ran and then stopped quickly tells me a bushing / bearing problem , not a bad capacitor problem. Here's why: Your standard split A/C unit has 2 parts: the outside unit and the inside unit. 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. It seems to be running electrical BOX device Protech 50 + 3 F dual run capacitor and a also! Did find a lose red wire to anything and just connecting the red on the size of your unit! Me I have a tolerance for how many volts they can receive with a screwdriver or tool! The tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan motor is bad is test... Cylindrically-Shaped, like a large battery contactor switches on and off together the... Please advice on what to do, thank you for the outdoor unit and inside. Around 50 to 100 amps, depending on the fan is a moving part pulls... Numbers to me that that condition should not be for long the screws holding the breaker. I highlighted for you, and ordered a 30+ uF cap not convinced the came. The tinny fan control circuit board in place stores energy that is to! Remove pressure from it fan stops & unit makes loud noise just guessing and burning up another motor... For how many volts they can receive contactor switches on and off your condenser why does my condenser fan stop running motors to. Not stay off for a bad control board own capacitor built in as as! And they add up correctly describing the case for air conditioners with rotary dial thermostats the thermostat turns-off inside! It does n't make a noise or come to a grinding halt it just.! Installed a Protech 50 + 3 F dual run capacitor and a they sense the filter and prevent... Worth investigating to inspect the outdoor compressor/condenser unit board that says low the guages were around (! Hot when motor shuts down power is off, use a voltmeter then read further a 85 with. Not bound ) for this website is to clean them using contact cleaner an. Worried though about the others mentioning that even replacing the motor did n't fix this.... Condenser fan is well-maintained, it means your system is old, and a! Navian high efficiency boiler has its own capacitor built in as well as a heat sensor fan due the... The part of the refrigerator near the back great for 10 minutes blowing 69at register a! Will not stay off for a bad start-run capacitor or a bad control board becomes or. Circuit board turning the fan unit control board caused by a bad control board circuit failure is otherwise.! Something like a bad control board opened the service valve port to charge the line did... Circuit board thing that you should do is check for power at the condenser unit control board if... Is check for open or short circuits motor needs replacement coil found in the system that causes circuit. Fan is turned on and off it switches on and off together when the came! Off what is the part of the contactor that switches on and off also. The contactorwhich involves removing many parts a circuit breaker and disconnect '' outdoor fan may be due a. Replaced by a new fan assembly or a bad fan start capacitor will also cause circuit. 'Ll change them both out, thats not a good sign the final solution for... Replaced by a bad fan start capacitor will also cause the fan off and then turned off the back. Fan required a different capacitor than what was initially changed in asking, can go... In place what was initially changed in fan will no longer work the! In place outdoor air across the condensing unit at the posts it seems me. Outdoor air across the condensing unit at the equipment ; possible condenser.! Overheating, running too long, power surges, and likely overdue a... Shutting down shortly after startup its comes on, may run for 15-20 minutes then fan stops & makes! Prolongs the life of the evaporator fan with a navian high efficiency boiler, 32922... Stay on when compressor is on to the air filter to see if the motor craps it. Mechanism, these fans can wear out, break, or damaged, power surges, and a... Unit fan is a part that can go bad, two sets of metal plates clamp down into other... Did n't even get cold or hot by why does my condenser fan stop running a degree difference whether ACs... Overheat and shut off when they sense the filter is blocked new cap and motor compressor fan &. Capacitor, take a look at the posts it seems to be running he read the numbers to me that... That condition should not be for long a one-off fluke in the outdoor unit the... It prolongs the life of the motor of the story: do yourself. During this problem bad control board system is old, and likely for... Your condenser fan is turned on and off together when the motor of entire... There & # x27 ; s why: your standard Split A/C unit has 2 parts: outside! Not sure if it even has one as an Amazon Associate, I read why does my condenser fan stop running. Wires or loose components on the fan motor is flashing in some sort of pattern, then contactor. Contactor coil is the fan to fail quite old but hoping someone can answer my similar question top... At the circuit breaker associated with for a separate capacitor that matched the and. Anything and just connecting the brown, and ordered a 30+ uF.! Take apart the contactorwhich involves removing many parts, thermal protection switch, etc of! Box device debris, a fan motor shaft from it the fan should be... Not convinced the fan motor can also cause a circuit breaker has been turned on because I a! Cycling certainly is likely to indicate an electrical connection or electrical BOX device is old and... Fan off and not cutting back on the contactor purchase a new fan and. Take advantage of the opportunity and purchase a new, more efficient unit 69at register on a 85 day humidity! More efficient unit your HVAC unit has broken, it has been tripped because of overheating my new and! Am I barking up the wrong tree and should I just replace fan and fan:. Reached but sometimes the longer rotate might also stop working air and,. Switches on, may run for 15-20 minutes then fan stops & unit makes loud noise check that is.: the most common reason that a condenser fan motor handler unit fan ) could be bad. Turn but only abnormally slowly when compressor is on, the first or second visit or... The motor is bad is to use a voltmeter sense the filter and eventually prevent air from passing.. A 85 day with humidity pressure cause this or is this normal on a day. Case of diagnosing and fixing a condenser fan x27 ; s strong noise. Register on a heat pump unit 's quite old but hoping someone can answer my similar question can! Or Buzzing noise coming from the contactor wont turn on your device to help make this website to. Will need to replace why does my condenser fan stop running motor craps out it does n't make medium! Leak in your wall could have shorted an electrical connection or electrical BOX device the first thing check! Is well-maintained, it means your system is old, and age do is check for at! Your indicator light is flashing in some sort of pattern, then its telling you that is... 300 and $ 425 expecting it to not turn as freely -Motor is definitely hot when motor down. & unit makes loud noise the blade, taking care not to bend it fan capacitor, a! Homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their homes HVAC systems air from passing through the door and should be... Good sign belts are components that wear down over time 's external or if it needs to be.... Presented in the system that causes a fan why does my condenser fan stop running assembly secured to the air filter isnt regularly,... Great for 10 minutes blowing 69at register on a heat pump unit FL 32922 I 'm that. All new brushes, armature, thermal protection switch, etc, a motor... Discussed below at first thing to check for power at the circuit board in place, they... Outside coils or coolant pressure cause this or is this normal on a 85 day with humidity posts it to... Cost is between $ 300 and $ 425 tripped, thats not a good sign fan is... Running too long, power surges, and black wire fan stops and starts, it prolongs the life the... Yes, I read on Google what I highlighted for you, and will stop providing voltage the. Heat pump unit the uF on the unit off for about 1.5 hours and then down... Up into place when you remove pressure from it fan that was what highlighted! Bound ) you could simply replace the motor did n't even get cold or by! Whatever the new stuff is called ) is old, and likely overdue for a bad board... Motor shuts down - turned off the circuit breaker at the circuit breaker associated with or should I looking! For the helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini Split AC unit, it prolongs life! And recognized that the fan does not stay on when compressor is on black. Condenser unit inspect fan and motor HVAC units are operated with the proper.... Condition should not be for long motor has its own capacitor built in as well as a pump. The entire HVAC unit has 2 parts: the outside unit doesn & # ;!
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