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-   -   Outside unit's fan will not turn, it hums (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=285160)

  • Nov 25, 2008, 01:37 PM
    AAC8183
    Outside unit's fan will not turn, it hums
    I have had the motor checked and it was good, I had the capacitor check and he said the fan side was reading 4 just like a new one, but the condenser side was supposed to read 35, but was only reading 30, I did not know if this was a big enough drop to keep the fan from running. Is there anything else that I could check myself?
  • Nov 25, 2008, 02:00 PM
    letmetellu

    Does this humming continue for a long period or does it stop after a few (3) minutes or so. Does the motor get extremely hot as it is humming?

    Are you sure that the humming noise if coming from the motor or could it be from another sourse like the contactor.

    While the motor is humming use a long stick and stick it down into the grill cover and against one of the fan blades and try to give it a whirll, is it hard to turn the motor? Mow do the same thing to see if the motor will turn easier when it is not humming.

    These are things that you can check yourself, it should give you some idea of what the problem might be, like it the motor does not turn and it does not get hot that means that there is not power getting to the motor. But let me know what you find and I will try to help you

    Please let me know one way or the other.
  • Nov 25, 2008, 06:00 PM
    MarkwithaK

    Check the contactor and make sure both legs of the 240VAC is getting through. Sometimes the contacts can get pitted, welded shut ot even just get a bug in them.
  • Nov 26, 2008, 05:24 AM
    AAC8183
    I put it back together and turned it on, the humming, it seems, is coming from the compressor in the middle of the unit. The humming continued as long as I had the heat on. Also, while it was on and humming, the fan blades were able to turn freely. I guess it is time to spend money I don't have and call a service to come out and look at it for me.
  • Nov 26, 2008, 03:53 PM
    MarkwithaK

    If neither the compressor or the fan is working you might have a bad capacitor.
  • Nov 26, 2008, 06:38 PM
    letmetellu

    I am quite sure that you have a dual capacitor, and I think it would be worth a trip to take it off and have it tested. But even before you do that open the unit (WITH THE POWER TO THE OUTSIDE UNIT OFF) look at the capicator see if you can see any swelling on the ends of the capacitor, they should be flat. If they are wwelled you need a capacitor, make sure you buy one with the same values that the one you take out has. Something like
    35uf X370 - 5uf X370. Lem me know if this helps you.

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