Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - condenser fan not turning

the condenser unit outside doesnt work. the fan doesnt tun it's completely stopped.

there is a type of box located near condenser that is connected to condenser with cables/wires outside; can someone tell me if there is something within that box that i could check or reset and how?

the rest of the AC is functioning (blower) of course the air coming out of ducts is warm.

AC circuit breaker is okay as are all circuit breakers located in basement.

Thanks a bunch

felice:

The box you are referring to could be a disconnect switch. Make sure it is turned on. There are not normally any resets in the outdoor unit.
To check the controls you will need an electrical test meter and know how to use it.

Thank you. here are more questions embedded...it is a carrier ac system. the box doesnt appear to have any on/off switch. when i open the cover and look inside...

I've since checked this box and inside it has two fuses(?); one on each side of a small handle which you can pull out, to open a circuit (i suppose). the handle has four prongs which go into a coupling inside the box. i believe i made sure it was seated properly in its coupling/recepticle.

the fuses (maybe 4" - long and and inch diameter) - i popped them out trying to see if maybe they are burned out....upon shaking them it sounds to me like they are almost full of some sand-like material. anyway...i put them back. i couldnt tell of their status, other than the 'sand.' (?) could this be the problem?

i should add that the condenser stopped working since around the time some plumbers completed their work for the day. (they are in the process of installing gas lines for a fireplace on our ground floor and in the top floor of the house.) my brother doesnt think that the plumbers would have turned off some electrical device for safety while they worked -- they simply cut off the gas supply...i'm not too convinced it is all they would do though.

im wondering if a test meter is expensive, and also if 'the controls' means the areas where the fuses close the circuit to determine if elec/volts are reaching certain points...thanks for your patience and help.

okay the service guy came out...
he found that two wires were broken ('not cut'). the wires were near the blower unit, inside of the funace unit.

at first the guy was by the condenser and checked for AC Voltage but was getting none...

thanks. as you could tell i tried, not really knowing about what was going on even interms of tools and electricity. anyway...thanks.