A/c fan in condenser locking up

[warrington]

We have an old a/c compressor. It works and the will shut off. The top cowling that it is attached to will be very hot once it locks up. You have to let it cool down before it will start again. It wil try to start up, fan turn a little , then lvl up. The fan is free turning all the time.

Is this a compressor or just the fan motor going out

[Bryan2014]

Sounds like maybe the capacitor to me, i would check that first

[Pedernal]

Check the starting capacitor for the fan. carefully try to spin the fan with everything switched on… if the fan runs/works after that it’s probably the capacitor going out

[warrington]

Brand Capacitor has been changed out. It is good and has been tested

The top cowing gets very hot when it is not working

What does it cost to get a smaller outdoor unit to replace. It says r22. If we switch out outside unit do I have to switch out inside unit as well

[Mission408]

Brand Capacitor has been changed out. It is good and has been tested

The top cowing gets very hot when it is not working

What does it cost to get a smaller outdoor unit to replace. It says r22. If we switch out outside unit do I have to switch out inside unit as well

If going to 410a yes. They make a 422 that will substitute for r22.

[Briar Friar]

Im confused. What exactly locks up if the fan blade os free spinning all the time?

I noticed on a rental condenser cowling that it was super hot the other day when I placed my hand on it. All that motor heat goes straight up to that cowling plate and gets trapped.

My buddy keeps trying to get me to install a jump start kit for my condensers, like he did when his fan motor started acting up. He swears he hasnt had any problems since he installed the jump start kit a couple years ago.

Maybe skeet some PB Blaster or other lube on the bearings.

Good luck MrWarrington.

[Kingfisher789]

Brand Capacitor has been changed out. It is good and has been tested

The top cowing gets very hot when it is not working

What does it cost to get a smaller outdoor unit to replace. It says r22. If we switch out outside unit do I have to switch out inside unit as well

If it just needs a fan motor why not just put a new fan motor on it? Does it blow cold air when it works?

[TeamAmerica]

You can probably get a fan motor for $200 and easy DIY project. Probably worth a short if compressor is blowing cold when it does run.

[warrington]

When it turns it produces cold air inside
I use the word lock up meaning stop turning. It isn't that I won't spin just stops working

I watched a video on installing a replacement and didn't look to bare

Only herd part is that it's in college station now and I'm in Dallas


Well, I'll see if my nephew can maybe change it out

[basschsr]

Replace the fan motor and capacitor as new motor may not use same capacitor. Also, a hard start kit does nothing for the fan motor. It is for the compressor. Be sure to match the amp draw and the rpm of the old motor. Hp is sometimes misleading. If old motor is a 1/8hp and 3 amp the new motor may be 1/4hp 3 amp

[warrington]

Yep it's an old unit and uses a 1/5 ho and 1.3
Amp motor

[warrington]

How much is replacing the outside unit provides air to 1000 sq ft

[basschsr]

You can probably figure somewhere in the neighborhood of 2500-3000 per ton for replacement and you will have to replace the whole system. If it cools fine I would suggest replacing the cond fan motor to get unless you just want a new system now. If you do a new system, don’t let them talk you into anything over 16 seer. The payback on the energy savings is not worth the extra upfront cost. Do a 15-16 seer matched system with a txv and you’ll be fine. If you don’t have gas heat consider a heat pump so you’re not using electric heat all winter. Compressor heat is much cheaper to run than elect strip heat