So I read through some forumn threads but I am an extreme newbie (smart enough but no experience with fix-it-up stuff and I'm a new home owner).

The other day the fan stopped spinning on the outside unit. I openned it up today and it spins freely. When I turned circuit back on still same thing, buzzing, no fan moving.

I DID take off the entire casing and cleaned out a sheet of dust that had completely encased the fins that surround the pipes that surround this fan.

The fan of this Rheem Classic X is attached to the lid of the ac... I can easily unscrew this lid and lift it up. Wires from the fan go into "other" side of ac unit and I can get in there easily too and see that the 3 wire config (black, orange, and red) are all spliced into the power source.

Is this the fan motor? IS THE FAN MOTOR THE ROUND THING JUST ABOVE THE FAN BLADES? (told you I'm not too experienced here). What the heck is the capacitor -- (I know in computers they hold charges.. uh... not sure where they are in an ac or if mine has one or whatever).

I've tried in vain to find an owners manual. I don't mind paying a pro -- I mind just playing dumb about anything I don't understand (as I too often do). My dad went on about how confusing his computer is and I thought... geez.. do you want to be that guy about your ac.

Any assistance?

THANKS!

 

Might be only a bad capacitor, it's what boost the fan motor to begin to run, turn on the unit, give the fan blades a little push using a stick, don't use a screwdriver, put the stick through the grill on top of the unit,give it a little push, if it starts it's a bad cap., if not the fan motor might be bad.
([B]CAUTION:, BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO HARM YOURSELF BY ASSISTING THE FAN MOTOR BY GIVING IT A PUSH, IF YOUR NOT SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT IT CALL IN A TECH)
The fan motor is below the fan blades.

 

I'll give that a try. Now let's just say that it DOES start spinning. Where might I find that capacitor? Also I assume I shouldn't touch it because it will discharge into me? Oh... I AM full of questions. I appreciate your reply!

-dan

 

Any hvac supply store, electrical supply store or electric motor shop will have the cap you need.

 

Let me restate that you shouldn't use your fingers to give the motor a push. You'll be missing them if you do.

As above poster said, you can get the caps at a electrical supply store, or other places that might carry them.

 

Well... of COURSE I didn't push it with my fingers as I do adore my fingers.

I turned the breaker on, went outside and it was buzzing. I pushed it with a stick and WHOOOOM! The fan started.

BUT even as the fan was turning at speed the whole unti kept buzzing PERIODICALLY. By periodically I mean about every 20 seconds I'd hear a loud odd buzz.

So does it sound like a capacitor? Note that the sound did NOT sound mechanical (so it didn't sound like a bearing was out or anything like that) -- a distinct electrical buzz.

Am I looking at a cap?

THANKS FOR ALL THE TIME, FOLKS! IT IS REALLY APPRECIATED.

-dan

 

A capcitor is cheap enough that you would be safe to replace it 1st and see if it runs ok then.

there is an access panel right there probably just above where thr refrigerant lines enter and near where the electric lines go in. Turn off the power and remove that cover. The capacitor will look sort of like http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/medi.../1499-4461.jpg this.

It may have 3 sets of connectors but reguardless mark down how it's wired and take it with you to get it matched up properly.

Discharge it by shorting across the terminals with a well insulated screwdriver.

MAKE SURE THE ELECTRIC IS OFF!

 

Holy cow! I did it! I had to track down the Capacitor and they charged me $30 bucks (then they INSTANTLY began telling me what a great deal I was getting which made me think they were charging me $25 too much BUT... no matter).

I put that new sucker in, started it up and WHAMMO! I actually fixed something by myself! And I think the coolest thing was as I talked to various HVAC guys around town, I could acutally talk about the basics which brought an odd change in them -- they talked to me like I knew what I was doing. It was the oddest feeling

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP! Now I've got to fix that all that water condensing on my ducts -- flood like rains in KS, water in basement... suddenly cold air not blowing out... I fear the moisture did something to the blower? Well... that's for another thread.

THANKS!

 

Glad to hear of your success.

 

Glad to hear it was only the capacitor...