Condenser Fan Spins in Wrong Direction


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Old 06-08-14, 02:33 PM
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Condenser Fan Spins in Wrong Direction

I posted a few questions recently about the compressor of my Trane XE 1000 3.5 ton unit, which is just dead. I came to the conclusion I would need to replace the condenser (unless I can find a suitable compressor to swap out).

Since then, I've left the thermostat in the "Off" position with the temperature turned all the way up. Today I noticed the fan on the condenser was spinning. I went over and pulled the disconnect out and it stopped (so it wasn't just from ambient wind). I reconnected the disconnect, then went back inside and turned the thermostat to the "On" position, and lowered the temp until I heard the inside fan start. I went down and check the condenser and saw the fan was spinning, much faster and in the opposite direction! I checked to see if it was blowing cold air (miracles sometimes happen) but it was blowing 74 F. I went back to the thermostat, turned it "Off" and raised the temp all the way.

When I went back to the compressor, the fan was slowing down, then stopped, then started spinning in the opposite direction.

Can somebody tell me what's going on? Is the thermostat bad?
 
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Old 06-08-14, 02:50 PM
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I don't think your stat is bad. I have have been doing this a long time, but I have never seen that happen. I'm sure someone has seen this and they will post something. I'm curios to see what they have to say. First think I would check is the capacitor and contactor.
 
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Old 06-08-14, 05:07 PM
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There was a recent post in this forum from someone who had a similar problem (condenser fan running backwards). He had recently changed the capacitor and upon checking the wiring, he found that the capacitor was wired incorrectly. After he corrected the wiring mistake, the fan spun in the correct direction.
 
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Old 06-08-14, 05:53 PM
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I seen it a time or two. It's kinda funny. Bad capacitor. The owner did not even realize it. Still cooled but not as well. Switching the wires on the cap. would change direction but for how long? Better to replace.
 
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Old 06-08-14, 06:02 PM
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A condensor fan could only spin with the contactor off if it was a single pole contactor. I've seen the windings in the fan short to ground and between that and one leg of the 240v still connected... the fan could spin.
 
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Old 06-08-14, 06:08 PM
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Just commenting on the backward spin which still makes me smile.
 
 

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