Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - A/C Heat Pump not working... buzzzing

After a wide-spread power outage of about 30 minutes, our A/C Heat Pump failed to start cooling the house down. The inside Blower/Evap-Coil Unit starts and blows "air" out of vents. The outside condensor unit (Goodman Model #CPE36-1AB) trys to start (the fan spins about 2 times... thens stops) and the unit is buzzing.

I checked ALL the breakers - the 30AMP (labeled A/C) circuit trips OPEN when reset but I still have the buzzing sound at the outside unit. I found another 30amp circuit (unlabled) that stops the buzzing sound.

Note: The disconnect breaker box next to unit has no affect on stopping sound (30 yr old house with poorly labeled breaker box). Purchased house in '96 and outside compressor was replaced.

I pulled panel off outside unit, buzzing is from part: CONTACTOR, 25 AMP, 125 LRA, 1 POLE, 240 VOLTS, 24 VOLT COIL (found diagram on sears.com parts site)

I attached diagram and parts list from sears.

ANY SUGGESTIONS???

the buzzing you hear is probably the contactor pulled in from a signal from the tstat. check for burnt wiring, sounds possibly like a short....maybe compressor, need more details

Access to Diagram/Parts list on sears.com

http://www3.sears.com and lookup Part #CPE36-1AB

Thanks for the quick response. I doubled-checked and for sure the breaker trips with the compressor attempts to kick-in. The Buzzing stops when I turn-off breaker for inside unit/t.stat.

Did not find any burned wiring or items in outside unit.

Is the compressor something I can replace without having to mess with freon/pressurized system?? (probably not given the name). I repair everything else around the house but never worked on A/C systems.

Easy way to put a volt-ohm meter on outside unit to confirm compressor failure?? or perhaps a different failed electronic item?

Any insight would be great... thanks!!!

I spent some time reviewing the other posts. The information for
PHILLYFAN's "Outside A/C Unit Not Running" was perfect.

I will use SAME trouble-shootin method today to determine if the contactor and/or the dual capacitor are defective.

Thanks so much for the details... I'll be back in touch. Hopefully to say that a $20 part was the fix!!

Additional insight:

Worked on outside unit.

Replaced the Contactor and dual 440v Capacitor... getting 239 VAC to unit. When t.stat (or I force contact closed) the fan/compress startup then the A/C circuit breaker pops.

I can bypass compressor at contactor and get Fan to run like normal.

I'm thinking the compressor is bad. I checked ALL wiring and connections.. none are burned.

Any test I can do to confirm bad compressor??

Help! the Texas cool front from Storm Fay is leaving town today.

Originally posted by texas2002
Additional insight:

Worked on outside unit.

Replaced the Contactor and dual 440v Capacitor... getting 239 VAC to unit. When t.stat (or I force contact closed) the fan/compress startup then the A/C circuit breaker pops.

I can bypass compressor at contactor and get Fan to run like normal.

I'm thinking the compressor is bad. I checked ALL wiring and connections.. none are burned.

Any test I can do to confirm bad compressor??

Help! the Texas cool front from Storm Fay is leaving town today.
Yes turn all power off. Take the 3 wires that or on the compressor off it. Now ohm out each stab there on the compressor too the out case of it. If any say yes the comp is a dead one. It sure sounds like you have a dead one there. If your not EPA .C call an A/C man you will have to pull the gas out of it. ED

check for continuity from terminals on compressor to ground, i usually use the discharge or suction line. you will have to remove the cover on the compressor, and remove the wires from the terminals ANY continuity from ANY terminal to ground means comp shorted to ground. my money says you will find this to be the case.

Thanks to "Ed Imeduc" and "hvac4u" for your comments.

Yes... comp tested bad.. broke down and called A/C tech. Thinking about replacing vintage early '90's Goodman heatpump system with new Rheem 10SER Heatpump system (inside and outside units)... got a solid referral from friend to local tech.. got $2,500 total price for complete hardware/installation... getting new pad and inside disconnect switch as well.

Is that a resonable estimate??

Originally posted by texas2002
Thanks to "Ed Imeduc" and "hvac4u" for your comments.

Yes... comp tested bad.. broke down and called A/C tech. Thinking about replacing vintage early '90's Goodman heatpump system with new Rheem 10SER Heatpump system (inside and outside units)... got a solid referral from friend to local tech.. got $2,500 total price for complete hardware/installation... getting new pad and inside disconnect switch as well.

Is that a resonable estimate?? Go for the new one but but but go for a 12 or 14 SEER ED

you should also check with your home owwners insurance you may be able to get unit replaced under homeowners coverage do to storm/power failure. make sure you tell ins.co that the unit was in good working order until storm occured