A squealing ***

[njknowledge77]

3 days ago I had a tech. (a friend of a close friend- owns an HVAC company) repair my Trane XE 1000 (manuf. 1995). It was only blowing cool air. He replaced the capacitor, repaired a burned wire, cleaned coils, and adjusted the refridgerant charge. Cost $ 214.00. Today the fan (so I think) is squealing so I shut it down. Before I call him back I wanted to know if the last price for service is * Also, could doing the above work have afected the fan * What price might a replacement of said motor *

Any feedback would help. Thanks

[nomadpeo]

the price sounds reasonable. if freon was added, ask him to find the leak. it is probably in the evaporator. the system is getting old and some explanation of industry changes should be explained so you can make informed decisions about how to continue spending your money. if there is a leak in the evaporator, it can only be corrected with replacement. r22 refrigerant is being phased out and you may want to consider upgrade. you don't have to do it now, but plan for it in the future. the service he did did not cause the fan bearing problem. it is just another sign that the system has seen its better day. that said, a motor replacement is minor. if you don't want to upgrade right now, replace the motor and have him install pressure controls and a time delay relay on your system. at least the system will have some monitoring and the compressor will have a degree of protection. the upgrade could run anywhere between 5 and 15 k depending upon the system size, efficiency rating, level of difficulty and whether ducts are replaced. weigh your options and be happy if you have someone referred to you that won't cheat you. good luck.

[heatseeker]

If he was such a friend why are you asking about the price. Also he missed the mark on the troubleshoot, the fan was probably over amping because of the bad bearing. Did he check the amp draw on the fan * When was the last time you put freon in the * Alot of company"s say they add freon but really don"t just to get a little more money out of you. I'm not saying that's what he did but it's possible. Now as far as new equipment Trane is a hell of a product depends on how its working. As far as a leak in the evap coil that is a wild guess. The "friend" who worked on the unit should replace the fan minus what you already paid with the exeption of the freon if he stands behind his work, of coarse that is if he shows back up at you house.

[njknowledge77]

Thanks for the info. At the same time- as I wrote- the tech is not a friend of mine. He was recommended by a friend. I ask about the price because, as you seem to imply, not all individuals do honest work. If I was an HVAC tech, I wouldn't have to ask.

Thanks again.

[heatseeker]

let us know the outcome

[njknowledge77]

Update- came back out. Turned unit on, checked amps, heard no noise - listened for over 30 min. Drawing correct power. Said it was my decision to let it go or assume it's the motor and he could replace it then for 300. Decided to let it go and see.what happens. So far, so good. No charge.

[Freon]

It is possible, although unlikely, you can oil the fan motor. Most come with sealed bearings but it's worth checking... an ounce of prevention. You can tell if the bearings are going by wiggling (gently) the fan blades paying close attention for any 'wiggle" where the shaft enters the motor. Needless to say, if you check for play, be sure all disconnects and power are turned off.

The other thing to check is the capacitor that was replaced. I assume it was the exact same microfarad value as the condenser motors (fan and compressor) called for. Possibly he had a "close" match and used that. PSC motors are designed for a very specific capacitance and any deviation may have consequences.