Cooling fan inop - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
Original message
| otis
 |  "Cooling fan inop"
, posted Fri 23 May 22:51  
I have an older HEIL 3ton package unit w/gas heat. Got back from vacation and no A/C. Checked and replaced a weak capacitor, checked and replaced contactor. I don't think that the compressor is bad b/c I checked it for grounding and it also runs when called for. I first found a tripped breaker, now my cooling fan won't come on. Compressor starts up and runs fine but no cooling fan?????
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Replies:
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| Houston204
| "Re(1):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sat 24 May 00:25
What is a cooling fan? A blower motor or a condenser fan motor.
They would each have a capacitor.
Does the motor spin freely when power is removed?
"Tip of the Day" Remember to remove power first.
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| | otis
| "Re(2):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sat 24 May 07:03
I'm sorry it is the condenser fan motor. I have not noticed any excess drag when spun by hand.
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| | Houston204
| "Re(3):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sat 24 May 10:07
If your getting proper voltage to your motor (230VAC) and you have a good capacitor, but it will not run, replace your motor.
Verify 230 volts to the motor with cooling demand present.
"Tip of the Day" Remember to remove power first.
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| | otis
| "Re(4):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sat 24 May 19:23
Well I swapped in a diff. fan motor and still nothing. Other than no power to the fan from the contactor ( believe that is the only source of power ) are there any other things I should be looking for. I have not verified power to the fan as I want another set of hands in order to switch the breaker, not close to the unit.
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| | theduke03
| "Re(5):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sat 24 May 19:57:
How could the compressor be running if there's no 230v from contactor? You won't need another set of hands at the breaker, If you get whacked you won't be able to say "shut it off" until your done! If you feel that way about electricity you probably shouldn't be playing with this stuff.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
[this message was edited by theduke03 on Sat 24 May 20:00] |
| | otis
| "Re(6):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sat 24 May 20:22
I feel pretty confident around electricity but I thank you for the "help." The second pair of hands will limit the amount of time that the compressor has to run w/no fan. I am pretty certain that I wont get electrocuted as I have plenty of experience w/ it. If you really wanted to help you could have simply made a suggestion not a piss poor comment. I know that the compressor is running and you asked me the same thing that I was trying to find out. How can the compressor be running w/no fan?
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| | theduke03
| "Re(7):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sun 25 May 08:07:
Isn't there a disconnect at the unit? If you want a suggestion I suggest wiring the fan motor correctly. Did you get the right capacitor for that motor? If not then that's probably the problem.
Also not trying to be a jerk, but You said " Compressor starts up and runs fine but no cooling fan" which means there is 230v to fan and compressor(if wired correctly).
Then you said "no power to the fan from the contactor" which means no 230v to fan and compressor.
So which one is it?
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
[this message was edited by theduke03 on Sun 25 May 09:10] |
| | Houston204
| "Re(8):Cooling fan inop" , posted Sun 25 May 12:08
I'd have to agree with Duke. If you have replace the cap and motor (with the correct replacements) it is likely that you have miswired your motor.
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"Tip of the Day" Remember to remove power first.
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| | otis
| "Re(9):Cooling fan inop" , posted Mon 26 May 09:49
What would cause a new capacitor to go bad? I looked at it this morning and it looks like the "prongs"( not sure of a better word) where the leads hook in are slightly angled away from each other. I have seen this many times w/ a bad capacitor. Unfortunately I dont have my tester @ home. I did verify 230 to the contactor and on the other side of the contactor when pulled in. From memory I have a four wire fan, a small ground wire to the cap holder, a black lead all the way back to the contactor, one lead to the "fan" plug on the capacitor, and one lead to the "C" (common) side of the capacitor. I hooked the new capacitor up on friday just like the previous capacitor so I am lost at this point.
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| | theduke03
| "Re(10):Cooling fan inop" , posted Mon 26 May 10:15
Your new motor is a 3 wire motor(ground doesn't count). Is it wirred as Houston shows the 3 wire motor above? Is L2 from contactor connected to C on the capacitor? Is the brown wire connected to Fan on capacitor? If the answer is no to any of these questions then correct it so the answer is yes. Your contactor terminals being angled should not affect anything.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | otis
| "Re(2):Re(10):Cooling fan inop" , posted Thu 29 May 20:09
I finally got the correct fan motor, I had temporaily used another just to test. Anyhow I have a (from the contactor) a red wire to the common side of the capacitor, a black wire to the compressor, (it,s a single pole contactor and this is the side that pulls in); and on the other non pull side I have a black wire to the fan. The cap has a gray wire on the herm term. to the compressor, a brown wire on the fan term to the fan, and 3 reds on the c term ( one from the non pull side of the contactor, one from the fan and I think one from the fan)
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| | theduke03
| "Re(3):Re(10):Cooling fan inop" , posted Thu 29 May 20:41
We will need you to check that wiring again as you reported a red wire to C on cap from both sides of contactor. Also one of the red wires on that C terminal should be from the compressor. That would equal 4 wires on that terminal. It would also be a direct short that would trip the breaker immediately.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | theduke03
| "Re(4):Re(10):Cooling fan inop" , posted Thu 29 May 20:54
OK even though you seriously misreported, I've been able to figure it out. First let me say that you never checked for 230v to fan cuz if you did you would find 0v. Go ahead, put your meter on the black fan wire and the red fan wire at the same time. See? Just move that black fan wire to the other side of the contactor(to the same terminal as black compressor wire).
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | otis
| "Re(4):Re(10):Cooling fan inop" , posted Thu 29 May 20:47
My mistake, only 1 red wire goes to the cap from the contactor
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