Air Conditioning - Fan not working - outside A/C unit

hello,

i just noticed the fan on the outside unit not spinning. the unit seems to be receiving power because it's buzzing as it normally does when it runs with the fan. could it be something as simple as freon? or something as major as the motor....?

the inside unit kicks on just fine, but is blowing warm air.

i just want an opinion before calling a tech who may overcharge me....

thanks for your help.

Considering that is winter, you probably live way down south (so your need for cooling)...or perhaps you have a heat pump. :cool:

I will assume your unit is for cooling only.
The buzzing is probably the noise compressors make when running.
The reason the fan is not running "could possibly be" that you have a cycling switch, whose job is to keep the fan from running when is cool or cold outdoors (this switch cycles the fan ON and OFF on either condenser pressure or outdoor temperatures). But the fan will likely come ON at some point...is unlikely that just stops working forever.

Now...if your condensing unit does not come fitted with a cycling switch then the fan is inoperative...and if so, you should turn your A.C. OFF else the compressor could overheat and burn-out.

What's the maker and model number of your outdoor unit?

yes, unfortunately we're in florida and it's getting hotter in here by the minute (82 degrees on the thermostat inside)!

i opened the panel on the outside unit and brushed away any webs/dirt. i didn't see a switch, but maybe you can walk me through trying to find out what's wrong...

we have a Carrier, model #38BRC036320

thanks for the help.

82F ain't cool nor cold...so it can't be the cycling switch (and if there is one, it is defective for sure).
If we're lucky it's a bad capacitor, else, you have a bad fan motor.

Either way, with the condenser fan motor inoperative, your compressor runs the risk of burning out if allowed to continue working without the help of the fan. Turn the thermostat OFF.

I've got to run but will be back online in less than an hour. Talk to you soon.

i turned off the thermostat hours ago when i read it may make matters worse...

let me know what to do next. i guess it wouldn't be the freon then?

thanks!

From what you are reporting, it does not look like the freon is the problem. This seems to be electrical. The picture below is the schematic for your unit.

The red arrow points at the outdoor blower motor and the blue the capacitor.

We can't do this unless you're comfortable and knowledgeable about electricity and have a good multimeter, capable also of testing capacitance.

Let me know.

http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.6b46f47c7a.jpg (http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?6b46f47c7a.jpg)

photos - capacitors & outdoor fan motor
Your unit has a "Dual Running Cap", it has 3 prongs...as the name tells, it's actually "2" capacitors in the same enclosure. The compressor uses one, the fan the other.

First time using photobucket so I'm not sure how this is going to come out.

The pic of the fan motor was sent to me, out of all places, from FLA, by a cousin of mine who I assisted over the phone and via e-mails.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii64/pflor_bucket/fondumatz2/fanmotor.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii64/pflor_bucket/fondumatz2/dualrunningcapacitor.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii64/pflor_bucket/fondumatz2/runningcapacitors.jpg

Lets do the all important stick test before we get to far along here guys. fondumatz find yourself a nice strong little stick and give that blade a push in the direction that it normally runs when it is on and should be running also be careful to note if it spins easily or seems to be kinda tight when you spin it. If it starts up and runs normally you need a new capacitor if it is is tight and does not want to turn you will nedd a new fan motor and capacitor Good Luck

:D Stick test? :D I like it!

Kind'a like the "pencil test" that comes so handy with contactors.

happy new year!

well - i hired a tech that was recommended to me to come out for $65 to see what was wrong.

he told me that the compressor is burned out. in turn, he told me we need an entire new system for $2600, which is completely unaffordable for me at the moment. he showed me that the breaker was tripping for the fan, but he was able to get it to come on.

any suggestions rather than buying an entire new system? it's only 10 years old and i don't think this should have happened. is there any kind of warranty for Carrier compressors? i tried calling them but they're closed for the holiday.

thanks for the help.

Man! not too happy of a New Year for you, huh?

If there is a Vo-Tech school nearby, sometimes the instructors are agreeable to help out and make it a learning/teaching experience for their students.

I'm not sure about Carrier warraties, but compressors usually have a 5-yr warranty. You're likely no longer covered here.

Man I guess it really is hard to do a diagnosis without being there LOL. I was assuming that the buzzing noise mentioned was the compressor running but apparently it was the reversing valve solenoid or something besides the compressor.
The tech is probably correct, the dang compressor took a dive. I would definitley check on that local vocational tech school gig that pflor mentioned, if no luck there you might even check with your local Sheet Metal Union Hall as most of them also have HVAC journeyman upgrade classes and are looking for Guniea Pigs. At the very least you might find a student that would be willing to work for Elcheapo for you if he does good and actually repairs it make sure and tip big LOL.

I am having the same trouble with my unit. I tried the "stick" test and the fan began spinning. However, I was wondering is it OK to allow the unit to run like this for a bit to cool my house off or should I go ahead and cut it back off. thanks

and to contimue on that note, I let the unit run for about 5 minutes after pushing the fan. The air coming from the vents never got cold, is this normal in this situation or could this mean I have a burnt out compressor. The unit stopped working sometime while I was on vacation, so it could have been broken and left on for as long as two days.

I had the same exact problem...loud buzzing noise coming from unit outside but outside fan not spinning. Tried the "stick" test, and to my surprise, the fan started spinning!!!! And we have cold air upstairs!! Woo Hoo!

I wish I had known about the "stick" test last night. The whole family had to crash downstairs for the night (downstairs A/C unit was putting out cold air okay). It was 89 degrees upstairs at 10pm last night, and 77 degree downstairs. Anyways, my Rheem A/C unit was manufactured in Jan 2003. The manual states that the unit has a 5 year warranty starting 6 months after the manufactured date. So that would mean the warranty expires this month, and tomorrow is the last day of the month!!

Do you think I still need to call a service rep to repair the unit?
I just stopped the unit and waited for 5 minutes and turned the unit on again, and the outside fan started up by itself so all appears to be normal now.

My wife thinks I still should call a service guy and get a pro to look at it before the warranty runs out. But I hate the idea of having to pay for a service call where the dude comes in, says there is nothing wrong with the unit, and sticks me with a hefty service charge. Maybe I will just call Rheem and have them note in their database that we had a problem with the unit while the unit was in warranty - that way if it occurs again, we can infer that it was part of the same problem call.

. Maybe I will just call Rheem and have them note in their database that we had a problem with the unit while the unit was in warranty - that way if it occurs again, we can infer that it was part of the same problem call.

That's what I would do. You may want to do some price shopping too, in case you do need to call someone out. The guy that came out to fix mine just replaced the capacitor. He charged me $400! He was at my house and gone in about 20 minutes. I found the same capacitor for my unit at the local hardware store for $40.

It was nice to have a trained tech look at the unit to insure nothing else was wrong, but $400 was a bit much in my opinion. I could have bought the tools and the part for less cost and done it myself. Of course, I would have been stuck if something else was also broken....sigh.

I have the similar problem, Compressor and Condensing FAN both comes on but after some time Condenser FAN stops but Compressor keeps on Buzzing. With pencil test the fan rotates freely. Tech is telling us FAN may be bad but he is not sure he recommends to change the unit. I have already spent $200 on Tech he only changed the capacitor and problem started again few minutes after the tech left. Fan stops but compressor keeps on. So I turned off the AC from Thermostat.

This thread is very helpful. Can you please let me know which store I can find the FAN F48F97A76 in New Jersey. I tried web pages but could not find any store. I like to replace the fan before I replace the whole unit.

I tried the stick test and the fan started running but i guess as soon as the house cools down and it shuts off I will have to do that again until I replace a capaciter.