Condenser fan starts up then slows and stops
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Condenser fan starts up then slows and stops
Hello all! New here, I did some searching in the forums and I cannot seem to find a similar situation to the one I am having. I apologize in advance if there is a post on here about what I am experiencing.
So, the other night I notice that it is getting warm in the house, air coming from vents is not cool. I go outside and the compressor is running but the fan is not. I replaced the condenser fan last spring 2017 and it has been fine since. I figured that the capacitor was bad since the fan is fairly new. I replaced the capacitor and the fan kicked on. It made some strange noises while it was coming up to speed. It never seemed to come to full speed though. And then it started slowing down and then just stopped. The compressor was still running so I just shut it off. For the very few minutes the fan was running my wife said that it was blowing cold inside, so that yelled me the compressor is ok. I think that covers the issue I am having. The question is, is the fan motor already crapped out after 1 year? The capacitor is brand new and did what it was supposed to do by kicking the fan on, so it can’t be bad? Before I replaced the capacitor I got the fan to run with me doing the “stick” test. So that made me think it was the capacitor. When I picked up the new capacitor they checked the old one and said it was not reading what it should have been. It was not bulged out indicating it was bad, but they said it was not reading what it should have been. So anyways, I feel I was all over the place with this post. But, why would the fan kick on and then slow down and stop? Bad fan motor? Something else I just don’t know about?
I am not a HVAC professional but I like to figure things out and fix them myself.
I appreciate any help or guidance y’all can offer up!!
Thanks so much,
***Ryan
So, the other night I notice that it is getting warm in the house, air coming from vents is not cool. I go outside and the compressor is running but the fan is not. I replaced the condenser fan last spring 2017 and it has been fine since. I figured that the capacitor was bad since the fan is fairly new. I replaced the capacitor and the fan kicked on. It made some strange noises while it was coming up to speed. It never seemed to come to full speed though. And then it started slowing down and then just stopped. The compressor was still running so I just shut it off. For the very few minutes the fan was running my wife said that it was blowing cold inside, so that yelled me the compressor is ok. I think that covers the issue I am having. The question is, is the fan motor already crapped out after 1 year? The capacitor is brand new and did what it was supposed to do by kicking the fan on, so it can’t be bad? Before I replaced the capacitor I got the fan to run with me doing the “stick” test. So that made me think it was the capacitor. When I picked up the new capacitor they checked the old one and said it was not reading what it should have been. It was not bulged out indicating it was bad, but they said it was not reading what it should have been. So anyways, I feel I was all over the place with this post. But, why would the fan kick on and then slow down and stop? Bad fan motor? Something else I just don’t know about?
I am not a HVAC professional but I like to figure things out and fix them myself.
I appreciate any help or guidance y’all can offer up!!
Thanks so much,
***Ryan
#2
Welcome to the forums.
A motor requires a certain sized capacitor. When you replaced the motor...... the existing cap would have needed to match the new motor requirements. If it didn't match..... it should have been replaced.
A motor requires a certain sized capacitor. When you replaced the motor...... the existing cap would have needed to match the new motor requirements. If it didn't match..... it should have been replaced.
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Thanks for the welcome and the quick response!!
Yeah, it is the correct capacitor for the fan motor. I checked that earlier trying to get to the bottom of this issue. I checked a website that carries parts for my condenser unit and the fan motor it suggests is what is in it now and the capacitor it suggests is what I have also. That make sense? I was thinking that maybe the fan and capacitor did not match but the seem to, as far as I can tell.
I am trying to figure out how to upload a picture of what I have.
Yeah, it is the correct capacitor for the fan motor. I checked that earlier trying to get to the bottom of this issue. I checked a website that carries parts for my condenser unit and the fan motor it suggests is what is in it now and the capacitor it suggests is what I have also. That make sense? I was thinking that maybe the fan and capacitor did not match but the seem to, as far as I can tell.
I am trying to figure out how to upload a picture of what I have.
Last edited by Free5oh; 07-30-18 at 10:48 PM.
#4
Ok..... so you were using the correct sized capacitor.
Unfortunately that leaves you with a bad motor. When it warmed up and slowed down.... that's a sign of bearing problems. Many of those motors have one or two drain plugs in them. You would have needed to remove the lower one for water to drain out.
Did the specs on that motor match the ones on the one it replaced ?
Sometimes suggested replacements fit fine and seem to work ok but they are running stressed.
I know you said it should have been a factory replacement but maybe it was actually smaller.
Unfortunately that leaves you with a bad motor. When it warmed up and slowed down.... that's a sign of bearing problems. Many of those motors have one or two drain plugs in them. You would have needed to remove the lower one for water to drain out.
Did the specs on that motor match the ones on the one it replaced ?
Sometimes suggested replacements fit fine and seem to work ok but they are running stressed.
I know you said it should have been a factory replacement but maybe it was actually smaller.