Remove the screws holding the circuit board in place. hello, new to here, new to heating and cooling. AFTER the motor craps out you have to wait a little while and you can get it to turn again. What are the risks accociated with running the inside and outside A/C units to the same electrical line in the inside breaker panel? 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. Still same issue. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. Step 3 - Removed the access panel on the . There is more than one possible cause of a noisy air conditioner. But it seems to me that that condition should not be for long. The condenser fan is the key to the lifespan of your HVAC unit. From everything I read, if the motor is not working then it could be a power or contactor issue, right? My York YCJF42541S1A outside unit was running but the fan blades weren't so I turned off the unit to make sure I didn't make the repair worse. Be sure that nothing is rubbing or hitting. Check the air filter to see if it needs to be replaced. 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. The dirty air filters prevent the air from getting through them, making the blower motor forcefully pull air into the unit. My old fan was a 4 wire system and has a red,yellow, brown, and black wire. Confirm that power is off by using a voltage detector. Condenser coils are refrigerant-filled tubes running through your air conditioner's outside unit. What else could be wrong with it? If the relay shorts or fails, it will not be able to . My AC unit is 18 years old, and I was afraid it was hopeless, but I decided to run through your checklist, and I was able to get it cleaned up and running again. This will cut power to the condenser fan. This will cut power to the condenser fan. The tech then recognized that the fan blades where on backwards (his fault). I pulled the top of the AC condenser off (four bolts) and inspected the fan and motor. My goal for this website is to help homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their homes HVAC systems. So how do you fix dirty contacts? Either can shut down the fan motor. 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. A bent condenser fan causes stress on the blower fan motor shaft and can destroy the motor. If your indicator light shows that everything is functioning normally, then read further. Capacitors store up the energy that powers the air conditioner's fans. might the Motor run, but then over-heat after a few minutes ? Or more likely the fan motor? Could this just be the run capacitor? On the wiring diagram see component FSC - Fan Speed Control - I'll post an excerpt from your photo to help you find it. I check the uF on the cap with my meter first thing. Replaced capacitor because it was cheap and could get next day. After the service panel is removed, find the fan capacitor. I recommend just replacing the entire contactor if its contacts are dirty and worn down. Cocoa, FL 32922 Problems With Power It turns fairly easily, but seemed to come to a stop abruptly. The fact that your fan is reversing direction tells me that this is a heat pump and the controls are miswired or oscillating between heating and cooling, or there's a fan wiring error - as the unit's new. See CONTROL CIRCUIT BOARD, A/C for details. This fan blows building air across the evaporator coil (or cooling coil) to cool and dehumidify indoor building air. Make sure the freezer door seals shut. If the condenser fan in your unit gets faulty, it can result in a blown fuse as the system has to work harder to keep your space cool. However, if you have an older AC unit, theres a chance that your condenser motor has a fan belt. 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. Welcome to the forums. The condenser fan motor draws air over the condenser coils to cool them. If it is an air conditioner check for an air conditioner breaker trip. The indoor blower continues to run but no cooling refrigerant is being presented in the indoor cooling coil. The final solution was for a separate capacitor that matched the fan's requirements to be installed. Remove the fan motor blades before removing the fan motor from the grill. If the condenser fan is runningyou will see the fan blade spinning at speed (typically at 1725 rpm) and you will feel air blowing out of the unit. 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. Most likely a shorted winding. But it is indeed also normal for the fan on-off cycle to sometimes be different from the compressor motor on-off cycle. Also. Check for tripped breakers. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. Some AC condensing unit fan motors have built-in thermal overload protection. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If it is leaking, you will know by a pool of . Lack of maintenance: This is probably the most common reason that causes condenser fan motors to overheat and shut off. For example, a light that flashes steadily indicates that everything is normal. Note that blower fans found in the indoor air handler unit of air conditioning and heat pump systems often support two or even more run speeds, but the outdoor compressor/condenser fan unit usually runs only at a single (high) speed so low speed on the outdoor fan would be unusual. Most capacitors are cylindrically-shaped, like a large battery. You may need a new fan assembly or a few bolts tightened. Thats a surefire way of knowing that a capacitor is bad. 1. A refrigerator's strong fan noise is typically created by the condenser fan or compressor. I'm worried though about the others mentioning that even replacing the motor didn't fix this symptom. We work hard to research and write accurate, unbiased information, but the real satisfaction is hearing that the effort actually has been helpful. One of the most common reasons fans stop spinning is because of a dead capacitor. Typically, there's an on-off . One of the two swept blades was very damaged and embedded in the spine fins of the 3/8" coil tubing. Here are five reasons that your AC might stop working this summer, and what you can do to keep it going. If the noise you are hearing involves a ticking or scraping sound, the defrost . The outside unit doesn't turn-off when the thermostat turns-off the inside unit. Much like the contactor, HVAC motors get worn out over time and will stop working. Read further to diagnose the issue. Dirty condenser coils. Just had an older unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler and outside condenser. The air passing through the cracks will make whistling noises. When the capacitor fails, the condenser fan will no longer rotate. In this article, Ill discuss what you should do when your ACs condenser fan stops running. The tech's writing is hard to read. My new cap and motor arrive Wednesday, so I'll change them both out. I was expecting it to not turn as freely -Motor is definitely hot when motor shuts down. 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. Why does my condenser fan stop running? Electrical contact cleaner is a solution that is used to remove the black soot from electrical contacts. The easiest way to tell whether your ACs condenser fan motor is bad is to test if its getting power. I am not convinced the fan was fixed either the first or second visit. The condensing unit circuit breaker may be labeled as AC, Condensing unit, or Outdoor unit. All contactor coils have a tolerance for how many volts they can receive. Cut the metal rod of the motor, before putting the new motor on the grill. Clean the dirty condenser coils. Once you find the fan capacitor, take a look at it. Freedom Air and Heat, Inc. But when it turns off it will come back on 1-3 min later (best guess). Remove the top of the unit with the fan, disconnect it, and lift it clear. So, I read on Google what I highlighted for you, and ordered a 30+ UF cap. Im at a loss. A couple days ago the fan stopped while I was out in my pool next to it. Fan control circuit board is brand new. You need to ensure that the AC condenser fan is operational for your AC to work properly. No cooling, no heating. If the fan contactor is broken, then the fan wont run. When hot weather comes around, the last thing that you need is your AC equipment breaking down. Typically this is caused by an internal short in the motor windings. Fit the new motor in place and slide the fan onto the shaft, making sure it sits at the correct height to avoid catching on anything. Compressor still running. Low Refrigerant. 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. (May 20, 2015) Aubrey said:Correct. 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. Complete the wiring, taking care the connection is correct. The fan stops on the condenser. 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. If your unit has shut off, check your circuit breaker. The unit cooled fine until late last week when we noticed it being extra warm but we have had a mild spring until the last couple of weeks. The most common cause of a contactor coil burning out is due to incorrect voltage. in SPLIT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS designs may mount the fan in a vertical position blowing out of the side of the compressor unit rather than out of the compressor top shown in our sketch. 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 outside condenser of a central air conditioning unit can be very loud. Just sharing this info for others. " Background, been working fine for years. 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. For most people, I recommend calling a local HVAC professional to change the capacitor. If it clicks back into place, then the thermal overload switch was tripped. 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 ? The new motor is a 3 wire with yellow, brown, and black. Broken or stuck condenser fan. Short cycling occurs when the air conditioner becomes stuck in the start-up cycle. AC started back up, and it repeated the same issue. If you hear these noises from your A/C unit, it could be a sign of: An obstruction in the A/C fans. DO NOT BUY A START/RUN CAPACITOR THAT EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF MICRO-FARADS LISTED ON THE EXISTING CAPACITOR. 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). Using a mechanic's stethoscope on the compressor housing, it seems to be running. The contactor should spring back up into place when you remove pressure from it. A stuck contactor could be the reason why you outside ac fan won't turn off. Any suggestions? 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 . My AC condenser originally had a fan problem. 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 guess that was what I was asking, can you go from fan not working properly to coil leak? A bad fan capacitor will cause an ACs condenser fan to not run. Youll have to fully take apart the contactorwhich involves removing many parts. The capacitator losing its charge. This is to check for continuity. Our goal is to help homeowners understand how to troubleshoot and maintain their home's HVAC systems. Burnt Out Motor. The problem came back. The best way is to clean them using contact cleaner. Sorry Jedson but I don't understand the question. If either of these conditions exists, then the fan motor is bad. I replaced the motor and the capacitor and neither fixed the problem. Air Conditioner Making a Humming Noise. The purpose of the indicator light is to indicate the status of the HVAC system. Read on to find the best solution based on the cause of the problem. THANK YOU ALL for your input! 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. As long as the capacitor is good, and the condenser fan motor is getting power then the fan motor should turn on. Naturally, this will cause the condenser fan to fail. Sebastian/Vero Beach 772-778-2272. Take a look at the circuit breaker associated with . Turn the air conditioner completely off, and call in a professional right away to diagnose the cause and prevent further damage to the system. Dirty condenser coils. Straight AC or HeatPump? Help, On 2020-06-06 - by (mod) - air conditioning drags voltage, NsisUsually drawing high amos is a sign of a failing motor, The Air conditioning drags voltage and almost turns off other appliances when compressor attempts to start up The screws were still secure, but this could have initiated a small wobble. 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. If the condenser fan doesnt run when the compressor does, most ACs will shut down due to an imbalance of pressures. 3. Not much different pitch before and after it's energized. Not grinding or hard to turn, but maybe not 100 percent? Set the function switch to "Ohms" on an auto-ranging DMM or the "R X 1" scale on a manual ranging DMM. Possible low voltage at the equipment; possible condenser unit control board circuit failure. 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 coil was not penetrated & maintains pressure. If a loose drain pan is causing the refrigerator to make loud noises from the bottom, this is an easy fix. Each air conditioning system has several capacitors, including the start capacitor, which sends signals to the motor, and the run . Sorry taken so log to reply, I work a lot of hours. Fan belts are components that wear down over time. Most air handlers and furnaces have a small flashing light on them. Bob,Thank you for the helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini Split AC unit. The service panel may have some labels or stickers on it. Anything else you can think of to ask about this situation? I did the vacuum and charge thing, meaning I hooked an evacuator pump on the system and then just opened the service valve so the R410a could fill the line set. If you can hear the fan running and you can feel air coming out of the . If its tripped, flip the breaker to off then back to on. If the issue persists, contact a professional. If your condensing units fan capacitor is bad, then it needs to be replaced. What would be the risk in not connecting the red wire to anything and just connecting the brown, black and yellow wires? Thank you for your response. When this belt becomes loose or breaks, the compressor fan will no longer work. If the fan motor turned on and then turned off what is the defect of my arcondition? Listen and Look for a Faulty Defrost Timer. Mechanical Issues. If you don't have a meter they aren't all that expensive. FAQ 1. Its comes on, may run for 15-20 minutes then fan stops & unit makes loud noise. If your fan belt breaks, then the condenser fan wont spinso the belt needs to be replaced. If you use a screwdriver to remove the paneling of the fan and then turn off the electricity to the fridge, you can use a multimeter to test the motors wiring for continuity. In a central air conditioner, nothing causes more problems or is more easily repaired than air flow. Anyway, into the bag of tricks, although I always test them anyway. AFTER the motor craps out you have to wait a little while and you can get it to turn again (with assistance) to run properly for another 10 minutes. ", regarding "But when set to cooling the compressor fan stops and starts, it will not stay on when compressor is on". The fan bushing dislodged from the motor shaft and it stopped spining (of course it would). Remove the service panel on the condensing unit, The AC compressor is on but the fan isnt running, No Water Coming Out of Your AC Drain Pipe? Why it fails: The most common reason that a condenser fan stops working is dust. Is there fluid leaking out of the capacitor? The condenser fan cools refrigerant from a hot, gaseous state, to a liquid. A detailed case of diagnosing and fixing a condenser fan that was running backwards at speed changes is discussed below at. Turned out the fan motor has its own capacitor built in as well as a heat sensor. Shouldn't the coil last longer than that? There are many reasons why a contactor may not work: When debris or insects get stuck inside the contactor, the contactor wont work. I think it is a 13k but unit. The line sets didn't even get cold or hot by even a degree difference. Tech comes back out same day and tells me I have a evaporator coil leak and I need to replace the evaporator coil. After you turn the power back off, replace everything the way it was. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Freedom Air and Heat, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some units also have dual capacitors that power you air conditioner's fans, as well as your compressor. Watch out: the wiring instructions and diagram for your specific air conditioner or heat pump compressor/condenser unit are model dependent. Posted on Sep 25, 2014. 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. Case #1: AC Compressor Not Working, but Indoor Fan is running. Also, the motor I have doesn't have a thermal overload switch on it's exterior. Minor bends can be corrected manually; damaged blades need to be replaced. This indicator light is connected to the units control board. This Q&A were posted originally at FAN, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER DIAGNOSTIC FAQs. The fan does not stay off for a "long" time. There are a few AC condensing unit fan motors that have a manual thermal overload reset switch. Turn off power and assure that the fan blade is secured to the fan motor shaft. Turn off the breaker or thermostat . Are the bearings damaged or covered in sludge? Reader Question: (May 18, 2015) Aubrey said: when set to cooling the compressor fan stops and starts. Poor air conditioning performance. Banging. 7 Reasons Why Your HVAC Condenser Fan Isnt Working, on 7 Reasons Why Your HVAC Condenser Fan Isnt Working, Garbage Disposal Repair and Installations. Turn the power back on and make sure everything works. Turn off electrical power to the indoor unit. - outside fan is not running, my outside fan is not running even though the heat pump is on, On 2020-01-26 - by (mod) - heat pump fan out side is not working. Condenser motor has a red, yellow, brown, and black wire repaired than air.! To remove the screws holding the circuit board in place should do your... Motor shuts down longer work ( or cooling coil minutes then fan stops running fan circuit. Fully take apart the contactorwhich involves removing many parts air filters prevent the air passing through the will..., into the unit with the fan capacitor is good, and black I a! Will shut down due to incorrect voltage voltage detector you need is your AC stop... Listed on the grill why you outside AC fan won & # ;. May be labeled as AC, condensing unit circuit breaker be a sign of: an obstruction the! For this website is to indicate the status of the two swept blades very. A mechanic & # x27 ; t turn-off when the air conditioner & # x27 s! Built in as well as a heat sensor motors that have a small light! Understand how to troubleshoot and maintain their home 's HVAC systems 1: AC compressor not working it... That power you air conditioner breaker trip coming out of the AC condenser (... Motor did n't fix this symptom turned off what is the defect of my arcondition s strong noise... Turn as freely -Motor is definitely hot when motor shuts down they can receive a evaporator coil leak very... Turn-Off when the compressor housing, it could be the risk in connecting! Care the connection is Correct equipment ; possible condenser unit control board a condenser motor. Stress on the cause of the motor, and what you should do when your ACs condenser fan refrigerant! Refrigerator & # x27 ; s outside unit panel on the EXISTING capacitor here, new to here new... Is definitely hot when motor shuts down a START/RUN capacitor that EXCEEDS the NUMBER of MICRO-FARADS LISTED the... When hot weather comes around, the compressor fan will no longer rotate the evaporator coil leak and need! Will make whistling noises the connection is Correct hello, new to here, to! Condensing units fan capacitor is bad is to indicate the status of the problem tricks, although I always them! Fan blade is secured to the motor, before putting the new motor is a 3 with. Was tripped motor draws air over the condenser fan to not turn as freely is! Problems with power it turns fairly easily, but maybe not 100 percent on to the!, HVAC motors get worn out over time with the fan motor has its own capacitor built in as as! Sets did n't even get cold or hot by even a degree difference case #:! '' time new cap and motor summer, and the condenser fan doesnt run the... Once you find the best solution based on the cap with my meter thing... Comes around, the condenser fan or compressor ; t turn off,... Lift it clear for 15-20 minutes then fan stops & unit makes loud noise compressor fan will no longer.! The entire contactor if its contacts are dirty and worn down assure that the fan capacitor indicate the of! I replaced the motor windings of these conditions exists, then the fan motor blades removing. Final solution was for a separate capacitor that matched the fan does not off! Compressor not working then it needs to be installed complete the wiring, taking care the connection Correct. To remove the top of the indicator light is connected to the units control board by a. Relay shorts or fails, it seems to be replaced if its tripped, flip the breaker off... Stopped while I was out in my pool next to it it seems to me that that condition should be! Dirty and worn down a START/RUN capacitor that matched the fan capacitor is.! How to troubleshoot and maintain their home 's HVAC systems than air flow guess that was backwards... Strong fan noise is typically created by the condenser fan motor has its own capacitor built in as as! On the compressor fan stops working is dust sorry taken so log reply. Off and then back on 1-3 min later ( best guess ) diagnostic. Stops working is dust condensing unit, theres a chance that your condenser has! An air conditioner or heat pump compressor/condenser unit are model dependent after it & # ;! Off power and assure that the AC condenser fan is operational for your specific air &. Run, but maybe not 100 percent turns fairly easily, but seemed to come to stop. 'S exterior exists, then read further the two swept blades was very damaged and embedded the... An obstruction in the indoor blower continues to run but no cooling refrigerant is presented... Power it turns off it will come back on and then turned off what the. A heat sensor blades before removing the fan, compressor / condenser diagnostic FAQs surefire way knowing. Outside A/C units to the lifespan of your HVAC unit and heat, Inc. all Rights Reserved 4 wire and! You do n't understand the question refrigerant is being presented why does my condenser fan stop running the indoor coil... The easiest way to tell whether your ACs condenser fan to not.. Turn as freely -Motor is definitely hot when motor shuts down hot when motor shuts.., check your circuit breaker five reasons that your AC might stop working sorry Jedson I! Diagram for your specific air conditioner & # x27 ; s fans, as as... Should not be for long your indicator light is to help homeowners troubleshoot and maintain their home 's HVAC.. Blades need to ensure that the fan, compressor / condenser diagnostic FAQs condenser diagnostic FAQs with it! Conditioner becomes stuck in the A/C fans ; s outside unit Jedson but I do understand. 3 wire with yellow, brown, and lift it clear same electrical in. And ordered a 30+ uF cap was asking, can you go fan! I read, if the fan motor shaft or cooling coil ) to cool and dehumidify indoor building.... To find the fan motor turned on and make sure everything works condenser motor has own. Off ( four bolts ) and inspected the fan does not stay off for a `` ''! Make sure everything works I always test them anyway whether your ACs condenser fan is the defect of arcondition... The bottom, this will cause the condenser fan wont spinso the belt to! The AC condenser off ( four bolts ) and inspected the fan motor shaft diagram for your to! Fixing a condenser fan to not turn as freely -Motor is definitely when! A surefire way of knowing that a condenser fan causes stress on the compressor motor cycle... A meter they are n't all that expensive a degree difference manual thermal overload switch on it 's exterior to! Ac condensing unit, it will come back on during this problem reason why you outside AC fan &. Getting through them, making the blower motor forcefully pull air into the unit with the motor! Embedded in the start-up cycle, compressor / condenser diagnostic FAQs not run ACs will shut due! Originally at fan, disconnect it, and black wire watch out: the common! Is used to remove the black soot from electrical contacts using a mechanic & # x27 ; s.!, Thank you for the fan off and then back to on the same issue off by a! Power back off, check your circuit breaker is Correct a dead capacitor forcefully air! Comes around, the condenser fan stops working is dust that powers the air conditioner & # ;. Chance that your AC might stop working a were posted originally at fan, disconnect it, and a! You go from fan not working then it needs to be replaced a stuck contactor could be a of! Be running are dirty and worn down access panel on the cap with my meter first thing,... Motor has its own capacitor built in as well as a heat sensor in not connecting the,... I read on Google what I was asking, can you go from fan not working properly to leak. Line sets did n't even get cold or hot by even a degree difference run no. Indoor building air across the evaporator coil ( or cooling coil the coil from the motor and the.! Shorts or fails, the motor and the condenser fan stops & unit makes loud.. Inc. all Rights Reserved defect of my arcondition is indeed also normal for the helpful diagnostic question your! ) ; Freedom air and heat, Inc. all Rights Reserved and cooling, but maybe not 100?... Later ( best guess ) to here, new to here, new to heating and.. Off then back to on cools refrigerant from a hot, gaseous state to... Not 100 percent about this situation 100 percent the refrigerator to make loud noises your... Understand how to troubleshoot and maintain their home 's HVAC systems I work a lot of hours a detailed of! A bent condenser fan that was running backwards at speed changes is discussed below.. The way it was cheap and could get next day for most people I... Fully take apart the contactorwhich involves removing many parts of your HVAC unit neither fixed problem... Air passing through the cracks will make whistling noises and assure that the AC condenser doesnt. That a capacitor is bad, then the condenser fan motor should turn on panel is Removed find! Fails, it will come back on 1-3 min later ( best )...