Air Conditioning - Newbie to A/C with issue

Hello Everyone,

I have a question that maybe you can help me with. I just purchased a house so have no real history on the A/C unit or motor.

I have a
Make: RUUD
Model: UGDB-10EQJR
Serial: SN3D102 M0984 1385

A night ago it made a loud vibration like noise and then stopped working. It is under warrantee so I called a Heating and Cooling company to take a look.

I am technical and love to learn new things so I checked it out a little while I waited for the schedule time.

1.) If I turn it on COOL, or turn the fan to ON (from Auto), it makes a wweerriing noise like it is trying to turn the motor over but never completes.
2.) I took off the panel and held the switch in to turn the motor so I could see what it was doing.... it started up and started blowing like normal.
3.) I let go, put the cover back on and it went back to the wweerrriing noise and then even cut off completely.

The gentleman came, took a look.. said the unit was from 1985 (can you tell the year from the serial number or Model number?)
I should get it serviced once a year, and that the motor was dead... since it is under warrantee he is going to get it and schedule a time to put the new one in.

I might have seen to many 60 minute shows but I then went back to the machine, TAPED the switch to the panel and started it and now have the blower sending cool air again.

I work in Tech Support so I troubleshoot all kinds of stuff but don't have the knowledge to know.. is it possible the covers don't push the switch in far enough to engage the motor? or did I do something bad by forcing the switch to be fully on?

Since it is under warrantee I can see them switching the motor, he said he woudl even look at the condensors after since he didn't think they have been touched in a long time since he saw sediment coming from the furnace area. But if they switch the motor and it was a fuse or circuit then the new motor should do the same thing as the old...

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thank you.

David

Look at your warranty good. You may be required to pay labor but the parts are covered. The serviceman may know this and the only way he can justify his time is to create a larger problem.

I suspect that the motor contactor is bad and he is going to replace both the motor and the contactor and charge you for the labor, charge the warranty provider for the motor, and keep the motor as a used replacement. (Be certain that you aren't getting someone else' used replacement.)


You can get a new contactor for about $20

Those door switches do go bad or the door over years don't push it in good.

With the switch taped down, put the cover on and see if it starts up good.