Why Is My Ac Unit Fan Hot
The condenser fan is needed for the fan blades to turn and for air to move across the condenser coil. This is key for cooling the refrigerant, which is necessary for it to become a liquid solution. When the condenser fan isnt working as it should, your air conditioner wont be able to function. If the condenser fan isnt working correctly, the top of your AC unit will be very hot. If you touch the top of your unit and notice it is hot, there is a strong chance your condenser fan isnt working properly. If you think this might be the case, contact a professional AC repair company.
When the motor is hot, there could be a problem with the capacitor or centrifugal switch. Problems with the centrifugal switch or capacitor can usually be repaired for a small fee. If there are damaged windings, this will usually mean you need to replace the machine.
Other potential reasons that your AC fan motor is overheating is that the motor is simply worn out. Old motors will eventually give out due to lack of maintenance or excessive use. Its also possible that debris is stuck inside the unit or there is overgrown vegetation restricting airflow.
Overall, without regular maintenance done by a professional, your AC unit fan motor will wear out quicker than it should.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Fan Not Working
Modern air conditioning… its a wonderful thing in the heat of summer when you can go inside and feel the relief from a hot, sticky summer day. Thats why its so upsetting to crank up your AC only to find the air conditioner fan not working, and the temperature in your home rising. But before you totally lose your cool, take a few minutes to troubleshoot and see if its a problem you can fix or if its time to call your local Carrier HVAC expert for professional air conditioner service.
First, youll need to know where to look. Assuming you have a standard split-system central air conditioner, there are actually two main fans one inside your home and one outside. The indoor fan, or blower as it is often called, is housed inside your furnace or air handler unit. It is responsible for blowing cold air out to your living areas, and pulling return air back into the system to be cooled by the evaporator coil. The outdoor fan, also called the condenser fan, is found in the outdoor unit. It is responsible for pulling air through the outdoor condenser coils to help remove heat from your home. If either of these fans quits operating, be sure to get the issue resolved to help prevent more serious and expensive issues down the road for your cooling system.
Compressor Is Not Working
Many of the malfunctions already discussed can ultimately damage the compressor. Your AC systems compressor is mounted inside the outdoor unit and is responsible for circulating refrigerant through the systems copper tubing and coils. If the power to your AC unit is on, and the thermostat is set properly, yet there is no noise coming from the unit, the problem may be a damaged or malfunctioning compressor. Replacing a compressor is a major operation, which should be performed by a licensed and experienced HVAC technician. This will likely also raise the question of whether it is time to replace the entire unit or do the repair.
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First Whats A Capacitor And What Does It Do
A capacitor is a small, cylindrical object that stores a lot of energysimilar to a battery. Capacitors send an electrical jolt to starta motor or to keep one running In an air conditioning system, capacitors work with three different motors: the compressor, the indoor blower fan, and outdoor fan.
It takes much more energy to get the outdoor fan going than it does to keep it running. It needs that extra boost from a start capacitor. So, if the capacitor attached to your fan motor is bad, the fan wont start spinning.
Burnt Out Condenser Fan Motor

If the fan blades seem to be ok, turn the system back on and check that the outside condenser fan motor is operating properly. Vibration or noisy operation would signal the fan blades are likely out of balance. If the fan blades dont spin at all, its likely the condenser fan is not working and possibly burnt out, requiring replacement. In either case, we recommend calling a professional HVAC technician to diagnose and remedy the problem.
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What Does An Hvacs Condenser Fan Motor Do
The HVAC systems condenser fan motor, compressor coil, and condenser coil are all located in the outdoor condensing unit. This unit is responsible for keeping the AC unit cool while its running. The condensing units motor is crucial to the cooling process, as its what turns the fans that blow air across the condenser coil. When air blows across the condenser coil, it cools the refrigerant, transforming it from a hot gas into a liquid. If the motor itself overheats, it will stop working, and the HVAC system will have no way to cool itself, eventually causing the system to fail.
Condenser Fan Blades Loose Wobbling Bent Or Loose
Turn off power, visually inspect fan and fan blades: are blades cut, bent, or damaged? Is the fan blade assembly secured to the fan motor shaft?
A bent condenser fan causes stress on the blower fan motor shaft and can destroy the motor. Minor bends can be corrected manually damaged blades need to be replaced.
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The Importance Of Maintenance
As you can see from our laundry list of diagnostics, poor maintenance is a common culprit in many AC problems. Setting up a routine maintenance contract with a trusted HVAC professional can keep your air conditioner in working order, preventing costly repairs down the road. A professional can also advise you of the maintenance tasks youll need to perform yourself, such as changing filters. Proper maintenance will also make your air conditioner more efficient, cutting down on your power bill and helping extend the service life.
Capacitor Contactor Is Bad
In limited cases, the bad capacitor itself is not the issue its the capacitor contactor.
The contactor that may cause the AC fan to prevent from spinning is located in the outdoor unit, next to the capacitor. It is a small switch that can go bad in older units.
If this happens, the fan will stop spinning or will spin in short bursts the fan starts and stops spinning even if the capacitor, compressor, fan motor, and everything else work just fine.
Without the working AC contactor, the signal relay to the fan will be obstructed. With a misbehaving contactor, that message will go through for a few seconds this can cause the fan to start and stop quickly afterward.
What to do if you have a bad contactor preventing the AC fan from spinning?
Solution: You will have to either attach the contactor tightly or replace the contactor. On your own, you can try to fix the contactor to be in contact with the capacitor. If that doesnt work, the contactor is dead and you will have to replace it.
Bad contactors are usually replaced by HVAC professionals. It seems like a small thing but a lot can go wrong if you want to DIY AC contactor replacement.
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Ac Fan Motor Hot And Not Spinning
We are all guilty of this. Of course, it is a good thing to not let the fan motor get warm if it is not spinning. However, it is also a bad thing to start the motor when it is warm. That means it is not spinning.
The fan motor in the new Deathloop trailer is not spinning. However, the fan motors function is to make the fans blades spin and it is not spinning when it is not spinning. It is the fan motor that is the source of the fans heat. When the fan motor is not spinning the fan is not hot and it is not safe.
Of this. I am sure someone has the answer to this, but it is only because this is a first for me and it is easy to understand. That is, if the fan motor does not spin, then the fan motor does not spin and that means the fan motor is not spinning.
There is only one fan motor, the fan motor is a different fan motor, so it is the same fan motor. The fan motor can be made to spin when it is not spinning. In fact, there is a whole world of differences in how it works. Of course, it is only because your mind is too busy to focus on the details of how it works that we can start to make it more manageable.
Superconducting motors are those that require a magnetic field to be present in order for them to work. They are also known as flux motors or magneto-resistive motors. They are the only motors that can actually be used to make a moving object.
Can You Replace A Faulty Capacitor Yourself
If you want to do it by yourself, it will only cost you somewhere between $13 and $55.
However, most people probably shouldnt replace a bad capacitor on their own. Youd be dealing with a high voltage system that you need to be able to interact with safely. Even a small mistake could result in a serious injury or even death.
If you choose to replace it yourself, you can read the necessary steps here.
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A Broken Or Worn Belt
Like many engines, some AC fan motors use a belt to connect certain parts together and help them run smoothly. Generally, HVAC systems use a simple V-belt that connects two cogs. If you know anything about cars, youll likely recognize the belt its similar to the kind used to connect automotive AC systems to the cars engine. Much like car engine belts, HVAC fan belts will wear out from use, and require maintenance. As your AC motor runs, the belt will gradually stretch to be longer. This causes a problem because belts require a very specific amount of tension to run properly. Too much tension can damage the parts of the motor, and not enough tension can cause the belt to slip. As the belt stretches and slips, one side can become more smooth, which causes more slippage. If the belt slips off completely, the motor will stop running. The best way to avoid this problem is to check your belt regularly to make sure its not wearing out or stretching, and replace it when you notice any problems.
Its worth noting that most modern AC systems have moved on from belt-powered fans, so youll only run into this problem if you have an older unit. If youre having problems with the belt, we recommend just upgrading to a more current system that wont have the same issues.
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When the fan blades stop spinning as the air conditioner runs, one of the causes below are typically at fault. 1. Motor Issues. As mentioned, the fan is linked to a motor which allows it to rotate. Bearings inside the condenser fan motor can go bad due to wear and tear as well as lack of maintenance, or the entire motor may fail. Without the. Even though fanmotors don’t contain oil ports nowadays and thus don’t need lubrication, they still need to be replaced from time to time. Replacing your AC unit’s fanmotor isn’t as expensive as you might think. This repair can range from $450 minimum to about $650, depending on your unit. Nothing to sneeze at, but also not as bad as.
An ACunit humming but not turning on properly can signal several things. First, you may have a faulty capacitor. The capacitor is the small metallic object on the side of your outdoor unit. You can kind of think of it like a battery that boosts your air conditioner. When the thermostat clicks on, the capacitor kick-starts the compressor and fans.. 2014. 7. 26. ·It is a big deal when the air conditioning goes out on a hot summer day, but there is no need to wait for help to come to you. Many air conditioning malfunctions are not difficult to identify and repair. The following test.
Heat Pump AC Condenser Fan Motor Not Turning. At first, you may notice a problem with the system performance. It doesnt cool correctly, or in some cases, with a heat pump, it doesnt.
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How To Test The Capacitor
To test the capacitor, follow the steps below.
- Turn the AC unit back on if you have turned it off.
- Go outside to the outside unit and bring a large stick or some sort of safe piping.
- With the AC unit turned on, go ahead and try to spin the fan with the large stick or pipe.
- If the air conditioner fan begins spinning on its own after you gave it a kick start, then the capacitor is the problem.
- If the air conditioner fan is not spinning on its own, then its likely another problem other than the capacitor.
You Have A Faulty Contactor
If you find that both the fan and the compressor arent running, you probably have a worn or damaged contacctor. The contactor controls the flow of power to the condenser and fan motor, so if its broken, its likely that both the fan and the compressor wont run.
While its possible to test the voltage on the contactor, or to shut the power off and remove the contactor and take it to a local parts store for testing, we recommend calling in a pro to do this for you. AC systems require high voltage to run, so doing a live voltage test is a risky venture at best, particularly if youve never done something like this before. You can also get hurt attempting to remove the contactoryet another reason to rely on the experts.
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Bad Or Faulty Ac Capacitor
An AC capacitor is a battery that stores energy to charge your AC motor. Usually, it is a small cuboid or cylindrically-shaped device that helps to turn on the motor.
Without it, the motor wont run, and the AC fan will not spin either. Consequently, no cool air will be blown to the desired rooms of your house.
But how do you detect a bad AC capacitor?
- Your AC has trouble starting
- Your AC keeps shutting down
- A humming sound is coming from the AC
- The AC doesnt blow cold air into the house
Testing a failed capacitor is also easy. If you notice any of the signs mentioned above, take a screwdriver and gently slide it between the vents to reach the fan. Try to jumpstart the fan by pushing the fan blades a bit. If it starts to spin, then that means the capacitor is bad.
From here, you can call a professional to help you fix the problem.
Inspect The Fan Capacitor
Once you find the fan capacitor, take a look at it.
- Is it swollen at the top? Thats a surefire way of knowing that a capacitor is bad.
- Is there fluid leaking out of the capacitor? That also means its bad.
- Is there rust on the bottom of the capacitor? That could also mean that its bad.
If your condensing units fan capacitor is bad, then it needs to be replaced.
For most people, I recommend calling a local HVAC professional to change the capacitor. Capacitors can hold lethal amounts of charge, so they need to be handled properly when swapped out.
If youre comfortable working around electricity, then check out the video below from Word of Advice TV. Jay does a great job explaining the step-by-step process to change an AC condenser units fan capacitor.
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Specifications. Carrier HB32GQ230 – Fan Motor 1/12HP. Replaces: HC31GE229. Description. Factory Authorized Parts – HB32GR229 Condenser Fan Motor.Factory Authorized Parts are designed to meet exact Carrier® Corporation specifications, ensuring optimum system performance, proven reliability, easy installation and maintenance and safe system.. Find many.
This is by far the most common post-transaction question that we receive from customers that have recently purchased replacement condenser fanmotors. Simply put, no – you did not buy the wrong condenser fanmotor. While most original condenser fanmotors only have three wires, it’s very common for replacement condenser fanmotors to have four.
The most common causes for ACfan blower motornot working in Lexus LX are blown fuse, bad relay, resistor or control module malfunction and faulty blower motor. However, a bad electrical connector or broken wire, or a defect in the climate control unit can also cause the blower motor to stop working. 1.
Not having the fan blades installed in a correct position can result in a lack of airflow and cause the motor to overheat. Lack of maintenance. If the motor has not been lubricated, or the unit kept clean, this can lead to overheating problems. You can easily tell if your condenser fanmotor is overheating by placing your hand on top of the unit.
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Solution: Check The Air Filter
Like the car AC, the air conditioner unit at home has an air filter that catches dust and other outdoor particles. If the capacitor breaks or you can’t get the fan in your AC unit to blow at its normal speedespecially after a manual interventionthe problem is likely a clogged air filter.
When an air filter is dirty, the fans in your unit must work harder to push air through it. It makes the fan motor consume more energy and run hot. Eventually, youll have a bad fan motor on your hands if you don’t catch the problem early.
A dirty air filter can cause your AC to short cycle as well as cause your evaporator coil to freeze up, which are both tell-tale signs you have an issue.
While our HVAC technicians will check the air filters in your home during maintenance, regularly checking these filters yourself helps considerably.
Replacing a clogged air filter is as simple as replacing a capacitor for our professionals. It prevents outdoor contaminants from causing system AC problems and circumvents more serious issues with the compressor.
A bad fan motor fix can be an expensive service, so due diligence pays in this scenario.
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