I need a little help please. I turned on the AC the other day for the first time this year and the air was not getting cool. I went outside to check and noticed that the fan was not turning. It would click and make a little hum like it was trying to come on or turn but to no avail. I checked the vents again and the air is blowing but again it is not getting cool. Do you think that my compressor is gone?

Thanks for your help and consideration.

Herc

 

The sound that you hear, is that a buzz sound from the contactor or the compressor of the outdoor unit? If it just a buzz sound from the contactor outside, make sure your breaker or fuse is not tripped/blown..

If the compressor is running, or not sure if it is running, put your hands on the line set on the back of the unit.. Feel the big line see if that's cold, and smaller line see if that is warmer/hot... if that is cold, and warm.. then your compressor is running, and the fan motor is not working...

 

Thanks Jay for answering my link and the answers to your questions are:
1) The big line is not cold.
2) The little line is not warm .
3) The fan is not turning. But I still here that sound.

Thanks for your help

 

The buzzing sound maybe is your contactor pulling... Did you check your breaker/fuse for the outdoor unit?

Do you have a meter to check your power going to the unit?

With CARE!! Take the meter and take a reading at the disconnect box next to your outdoor unit, see if you have 220v. If you have power there, then turn off power, and remove the over going into your controls in your unit. and turn power back on and take a reading at the contactor...


What brand of unit do you have, model? A/C alone or Heat Pump?

 

if proper voltage is present, i would think the capacitor could possibly be bad. can you locate it in tthe control panel? may be beer can shaped, if swollen it is the culprit. if not may still be bad, needs to be checked.

 

Now, with the selector set to cool, and the setting 10 degrees above room temp for at least 6 minutes, have someone zip it down to 60 while your outside, (with the side panel off) and listen for the tell tale click of the contactor pulling in, you'll be able to see it. Mind you, the power is still off outside! Take a long skinny screwdriver and try spin the fan blade. It should coast a good long while. If not, the fan is junk. Now, energize the disconnect switch and observe if the fan comes on. It and the compressor should, if you hear a bink sound, the overload is tripping due to excessive amp draw. To test the fan , you could pull the leads to the compressor and tape them up and apply power, the fan should come on. Sometimes a hard start will help kick it over.

 

THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!! It was the capacitor and it was swollen like you said. I changed it out today for abt $13.00 and now my air is not cold but is cooling. I guess it will take a little time for it to do that.

Again thanks for ALL OF YOUR HELP

Hercules