I have a Payne heating and AC unit with the AC unit outside.

This problem involves the outside AC compressor fan. I noticed it making a squealing sound Saturday, so I turned the unit off and also noticed the fan itself was very warm/hot to touch when I went back out to inspect it. I waited a little while and turned the unit back on and the fan was very slow to start up (very very very slow). Anyway, I assume the fan is gone and needs replacing BUT, when I removed the fan, I noticed that it spun very freely with no resistance. I just thought that it should be frozen up if the the barrings were gone or whatever. Could the fan still spin freely and still be worn out? or could the problem be something else?
Thanks.

 

I just talked to a friend who works on heating/AC's and he said that the fan was definitely warn out so I'm on the way to get a replacement. I was just thrown by the fact that the fan blades turned so freely with no resistance...but I don't know anything about them.

Anyway, no need to respond...thanks.

 

I'm not familiar with Payne Condensers but it also could be your fan start up capacitor . What this does is jump start the fan to get it going up to speed . If this is failing and the fan is HOT this could be your problem . Costs 8 Dollars and better then spending big money on new fan .

 

The fan capacitor would be a run, not a start capacitor.

 

Correct , I was typing quicker then my brain could handle "Run Capacitor"