A common reason a condenser fan is continually running within a refrigerator is the thermostat. 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. So what do you do when the condenser fan in your AC stops running? Is there rust on the bottom of the capacitor? Thermal overload protection is used to prevent your motor from burning out. The AC's capacitors are small, cylinder components that send energy signals to power the fan motor and the rest of the AC unit. 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. -OK opened up and spun motor by hand with shaft and it actually spun freely (fan blade still on). if you go. So how do you fix dirty contacts? Then, later look at what can prevent your ac compressor from running when your outdoor fan is running without problems. Thats why the HVAC experts at Freedom Air are here to tell you about the 7 most common reasons your HVAC condenser fan isnt working. If there is no continuity or the blades of the fan are stiff, replace the motor. Compressor still running. Why does my condenser keep running? 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. The fan stops on the condenser. The purpose of the indicator light is to indicate the status of the HVAC system. After running fine for like an hour the condenser unit fan would stop but the compressor would continue working. The air flow is driven by a large fan (the "blower") inside the home. If you don't have a meter they aren't all that expensive. Replaced capacitor because it was cheap and could get next day. Now if the condenser fan runs in "heat" you may have a problem with the fan relay or the main controller. Power source switched off or unplugged. Sorry Jedson but I don't understand the question. Fan spun fine for a few minutes, the crapped out. Straight AC or HeatPump? This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. Turn the air conditioner completely off, and call in a professional right away to diagnose the cause and prevent further damage to the system. 12 - Sub Zero Refrigerator Condenser Fan Motor. What would be the risk in not connecting the red wire to anything and just connecting the brown, black and yellow wires? InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. Gently slide the stick between the vents and give the fan blade a slight push. DO NOT BUY A START/RUN CAPACITOR THAT EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF MICRO-FARADS LISTED ON THE EXISTING CAPACITOR. The problem came back. I've included pictures of the schematic as you suggested.Really hoping this new fan is able to be used. 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. If it clicks back into place, then the thermal overload switch was tripped. Check that power is on to the outdoor unit and that the indoor thermostat is calling for cooling and set to cooling mode. Problems With Power No heat pump or fan: The heat pump should be running, but it isn't, and the fan isn't working either. 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. Condenser fan motor runs backwards. 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. Took the temp at fan motor and it was over 200. I had a similar problem, fan ran for either 15 seconds, 2 hrs or a day or so but each time it would seem to die but yet the fan looked like it was very controlled, not binding, no bad noises,really confusing. Plumbing Lic.# CFC057957, Phone: When an outside fan fails, the most likely cause is a capacitor issue. Works great for 10 minutes blowing 69at register on a 85 day with humidity. Faulty electrical signals. New motor has same specs as old motor (TradePro TP-C16-1SP2 6-wire motor) except old motor was rated at 1.2 A. If I wait until way later (hours), the fan will start with the unit and run another 20-25m before turning off (while the unit is still running). The circuit breaker has been tripped because of overheating. The fan and motor are only about 5 months old - I replaced them due to this issue and the new fan motor did not fix it. Is it damaged? Broken or stuck condenser fan. The condenser fan is visible inside of the outdoor compressor/condenser unit such as the unit shown in our sketch at left, an in our other photos on this page. Any idea what this could be? This is usually the case for air conditioners with rotary dial thermostats. The best way is to clean them using contact cleaner. Is the drive separate from the compressor? Thought that AC wasn't cooling 100%, and low and behold went outside and condenser fan was not turning and fan was hot as well as entire unit. I use a multimeter to measure the resistance ac. Could be a bad start-run capacitor or a bad control board. 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. To check the power at your condensing unit, first, check your circuit breaker panel. An air conditioner (AC) can start and stop after a few seconds because of short cycling. Turn off power and assure that the fan blade is secured to the fan motor shaft. It starts by it self, and cools. Whether its changing an air filter, troubleshooting a blower motor, or just buying a new humidifier, I want to make sure that youre covered. 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. It turns fairly easily, but seemed to come to a stop abruptly. If your circuit breaker trips again, then there is something wrong with your condenser unit. There also may be a reset button on the outside AC unit that can be pushed. It's easy! Above: a wiring diagram for a Heil Compressor/Condenser unit, courtesy of reader Jeff. Immediately upon starting the car, the radiator fan begins to run full speed, even though the car is stone cold. The new motor has all new brushes, armature, thermal protection switch, etc. One copper line cold and one warmer like normal. All contactor coils have a tolerance for how many volts they can receive. Fan contactor isn't working. Compressor still running. Banging. What else could be wrong with it? 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. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. Low Refrigerant. The system won't cool your unless both sides of the system are working. But when it turns off it will come back on 1-3 min later (best guess). my heat pump fan out side is not working after a man put a water pump in the roof be for he came water run down the wall in side, On 2019-11-25 - by (mod) - Common causes of a fan motor intermittently cutting off, ChrisCommon causes of a fan motor intermittently cutting off include, - defective fan control relay or control board, - overloaded motor, including possibly low voltage supply that could affect even a new motor, - improper installation, binding motor or fan assembly (also overloading the motor)You might also find by searching this website our article on ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSIS. In addition, I installed a Protech 50 + 3 F dual run capacitor and a . Take a look at the circuit breaker associated with . Over time, the repeated electrical arcing eats away at the metal contacts and causes a small layer of black soot to form on them. The motor was hotter than you know where! Homeowners often report a heat pump fan not spinning. If the compressor/condenser unit is wired with 240V (or "220 volts") as most are, an overcurrent at compressor start-up may be tripping just one leg of a two-pole breaker or one of a pair of fuses, leaving the other circuit "live". The Unit Is Too Small or Has an Old Thermostat. Step 4. Our central A.C. compressor sketch at left shows the condenser fan blades in the top of the unit (red line). I really appreciate your help!!! After you turn the power back off, replace everything the way it was. Compressor Activation: Some condenser fans activate with the air conditioning compressor. Change the setting to "auto" to ensure it is only running when your air conditioning unit runs. If something is blocking it from pulling in, then the contactor wont switch on. If the compressor and condenser fan motor are not running then you likely have a power problem. Bob,Thank you for the helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini Split AC unit. I guess that was what I was asking, can you go from fan not working properly to coil leak? Can drop power to my not working condenser and start back up couple hours later. The AC is OFF. Make sure the door seals are properly sealed and tight. 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. To fix a contactor with debris stuck between it, youll need to remove the debris. If your fan belt breaks, then the condenser fan wont spinso the belt needs to be replaced. Or should I just replace fan and see what happens? If the fan contactor is broken, then the fan wont run. If your unit is blowing warm air from the supply vents in addition to running constantly, it may have frozen up. Step 3 - Removed the access panel on the . This indicator light is connected to the units control board. Still same, fan on condenser stops after a few. 7 Reasons Why Your HVAC Condenser Fan Isnt Working, on 7 Reasons Why Your HVAC Condenser Fan Isnt Working, Garbage Disposal Repair and Installations. The fan does not stay off for a "long" time. The condenser fan motor is located underneath the refrigerator near the back. The brand of the Unit is Heil with a GE motor. Insert the test probes in the connector on the fan motor leads . I had a problem with my Condenser unit. Replace the blade, taking care not to bend it. 7. Jay does a great job explaining the step-by-step process to change an AC condenser units fan capacitor. Is it possible that this issue could be caused by the capacitor? A couple days ago the fan stopped while I was out in my pool next to it. See the Capacitors link just below. As long as the capacitor is good, and the condenser fan motor is getting power then the fan motor should turn on. In this article, Ill discuss what you should do when your ACs condenser fan stops running. AC unit (old) has been running fine until couple days ago. Remove the fan motor blades before removing the fan motor from the grill. Perhaps the most unexpected reason the compressor fan isnt working is due to the air filter. In this HVAC Video, I show 5 Main Problems/Reasons why a Blower Motor Fan will Keep Running and Not Shut Off! 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. If these coils are dirty, then your air conditioner runs longer, causing the air conditioner to overheat. This blockage will strain your compressor fan. 21,873 Answers. This will shut off your unit. Or more likely the fan motor? I am thinking of asking for a second opinion just to be sure before I sink money into a new coil. This problem existed before and after the radiator was replaced. Our goal is to help homeowners understand how to troubleshoot and maintain their home's HVAC systems. Fan control circuit board is brand new. Then they replaced the fan motor. Fan in putside unit stops running in a halo hour. HVAC air filters should be changed every one-to-three months. 7. 2. Apologies for the delay. A bent condenser fan causes stress on the blower fan motor shaft and can destroy the motor. Replace or reset a faulty thermostat. Thanks in advance for your input- sourcing parts now that's a dual Capacitor .. two sections .. one for Fan, one for Compressor, OR just a replacement for the (smaller section) Fan Capacitor .. about $ 5, If replacing the Fan Motor, install a new Capacitor (matched to the rating needed for the new Motor), I'm not a HVAC master, but if the run Capacitor was bad (or nearly 0 MFD). A bad condenser fan has the capacity to cause the refrigerator to run non-stop. 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. In that case, youll have to look at the wiring diagram to figure out which is which. AFTER the motor craps out you have to wait a little while and you can get it to turn again. Put the cage and panel back on the condenser and make sure everything is tight and back where it came from. You can check the fan setting on your thermostat. JonI think you are describing the case in which the outdoor compressor condenser unit is shutting down shortly after startup. Also possibly there may be no power to the fan and fan blades are moving due to local breeze blowing through the unit. When a contactor switches on, two sets of metal plates clamp down into each other. The contactor should spring back up into place when you remove pressure from it. Air Flow. Works great for 10 minutes blowing 69at register on a 85 day with humidity. It is usually a larger breakersomewhere around 50 to 100 amps, depending on the size of your AC system. When I turned it back on the fan came on. Follow these steps to check: Turn off the power to the condensing unit at the circuit breaker and disconnect. If your unit has shut off, check your circuit breaker. In looking at the posts it seems like folks are being pointed in direction of capacitor or fan motor. . Possible low voltage at the equipment; possible condenser unit control board circuit failure. Welcome to the forums. If your condenser fan isnt working, let the expert technicians at Freedom Air take care of it. 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. 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. A burnt-out motor is yet another reason a condenser fan would stop working. The green line marks a common location for the fan control circuitry, and the blue line marks the fan motor. I can hear the coil from the tinny fan control circuit board turning the fan off and then back on during this problem. Typically refrigerant leaves the compressor and enters the outdoor condensing coil at about 100 psi and about 95 degF. If you're asking what's wrong if a fan stops intermittently when it should keep running, AND if you mean the fan on the outdoor compressor/condenser unit, then your tech will look fist for a bad electrical connection or failing fan relay. Humming fan motor usually means either a bad starting cap or a seized 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. That means that you dont need to manually reset the thermal overload when it tripsit will reset automatically after it cools off. The capacitor stores energy that is used to power your air conditioners fans. Sometimes it will stay on longer than other times. Step Ten: Putting it Back Together. 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. 2. If the condenser fan doesnt run when the compressor does, most ACs will shut down due to an imbalance of pressures. If it is an air conditioner check for an air conditioner breaker trip. Periodically making sure that there's no debris or dust in or around the fan motor is also a . Dirty condenser coils. A detailed case of diagnosing and fixing a condenser fan that was running backwards at speed changes is discussed below at. A capacitor may be used to start the fan and keep it runningas in a start/run capacitor. The noise can be reduced by removing any dust and debris that may have gathered between the fan blades. I ohmed the 3 motor windings and they add up correctly. A loose A/C fan. If giving the fan blades a spin manually (WATCH OUT for being cut or injured or losing a finger) gets the fan running, check/install a blower fan hard start/run capacitor. Contact us if you have suggestions. The new motor is a 3 wire with yellow, brown, and black. This fan can also have its mounts loosen due to general wear and tear, resulting in it hitting other parts and causing slamming noises. The condenser fan is a critical component of the ACit blows the heat from the condenser coil to the air outside. Why Does My Outside Condenser Keep Running? As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Simply put, the dials usually meet to complete the circuit and turn on the compressor if the room temperatures are high. Check for a fan blade hitting an obstruction in the unit; possible failing blower fan motor. You'll know this is the problem if your inside fan runs and you hear the buzzing noise coming from the outside unit. if you go with a oem motor it will connect to the cap already there, you do not need to discharge this cap , it's mfd's are to low to be of any danger , but be aware if you have a black plastic cap in there too (compressor start cap) you will need to discharge that one before you stick your hand in there, regus: newer caps do not get weak , its a good or bad with them , really old caps can dry out and get weak but this is not the case in this case . On occasion a "slow" outdoor fan may be due to a fan blade that is not secured to the fan motor shaft. There will also be a few wires connected to the top of the capacitor. If it is leaking, you will know by a pool of . Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response. See CONTROL CIRCUIT BOARD, A/C for details. The average AC condenser fan replacement cost is between $300 and $425. The fan would run for a while then stop. I installed that cap and the motor shut down in five minutes. Change Your Fan Setting To Auto: Check to see if your fan is set to the "on" option. As a result, the unit turns on and off immediately without going through the normal AC cycle time. See COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER INSPECTION CHECKLIST for a simple checklist for the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. Why does a condenser motor fan break? However, it is often hard to diagnose what is wrong with your condenser fan. Like with any mechanism, these fans can wear out, break, or become damaged. Unfortunately, most contactors today arent made to be easily cleaned. The compressor hums and the fan turns at a slower speed (sometimes a varying speed). I am not convinced the fan was fixed either the first or second visit. Turn off power, visually inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, or damaged? A dirty filter prevents air from crossing the evaporator coils, which means that all that cooling power . 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). Thermostat Issues. 1401 Clearlake Rd. Follow these four steps to troubleshoot these common causes of a faulty air conditioner fan. This article series discusses the outdoor components of air conditioners and heat pumps: how the air conditioning compressor-condenser unit works; the detection of defects in air conditioning compressor and condensing units, including It may be malfunctioning, causing the water to flow from the dispenser non-stop. The fan capacitor may also be labeled. Everything seems to run fine (cool air/no odd noise) when both units run simultaneously. First the capacitor was replaced. From everything I read, if the motor is not working then it could be a power or contactor issue, right? Am I able to wire a 3 wire fan into a heating pump that had a 4 wire fan? Was interesting to learn. the motor may spin by hand no problem ,even if the motor is bad, your replacement motor most likely will be a universal motor that will use it's own cap , that will be a 5 mfd to a 7.5 mfd . The line sets didn't even get cold or hot by even a degree difference. Secure the Drain Pan. Sorry taken so log to reply, I work a lot of hours. Thanks. 2. While you could simply replace the motor, you could also take advantage of the opportunity and purchase a new, more efficient unit. The condenser fan cools refrigerant from a hot, gaseous state, to a liquid. Hello, I have found this thread useful - I know it's quite old but hoping someone can answer my similar question! Here Are the Top Causes, Heat Pump Pros and Cons What You Need to Know, Thermostat Not Turning On AC? Heres What to Do. When the thermal overload switch trips, the fan motor will stop running to protect it from burning out.