Yesterday I noticed my outside unit was covered in ice (it was around 45 degrees). I checked this forum and followed a recommendation that said to turn on the A/C to defrost. I did that, but the fan wasn't turning. I gave the fan a boost with a screw driver and that seemed to work. After it defrosted, I turned it off for awhile and turned the heat back on (forcast low of 22 overnight). Again I had to give the fan a boost, and was getting hot air. I checked it before I went to bed and the fan wasn't turning, but it sounded like the motor was trying to make it turn. Boosting it with the screw driver didn't work, so I turned it off. I tried again this morning with A/C and heat (different times), but can't make the fan turn. The unit is 20 months old. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

In AC or heat pump that out door fan has to run. Now if you gave it a push and it ran That means that the capacitor is bad on it 99% of the time. Now if you cant get it to move Id say a new condenser fan motor and capacitor. Dont try and run it with out the fan, go over to AUX or EM heat. Could that ice had been on the unit that it locked up the fan on you and burnt it out? Defrost yes ICE no ED

 

replaced the neighbors cap on his 3 yr old ruud last week, i am with ed, i believe it is the cap

 

Hmmm... I turned the unit on a few minutes ago and it seems to be working. Do capacitors work intermittently? Should I call out a technician or monitor it to see if it goes south again?

 

Its like what do you want to do could be a cold night next. Call a tech or you can get the new fan capacitor and put it in yourself. See if that does it . Cost just a few bucks turn power off it you go to do it . There also could be like a dead spot in the motor where it wont start ED