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View Full Version : Condenser fan motor turned the wrong way after capacitor changeout


Lectricfixer
Aug 25, 2007, 01:17 PM
I had a dual capacitor for the compressor and condenser fan fail. Since I could not find one on Sunday, I contacted an a/c repair to fix what I already knew was bad. They replaced the capacitor and noticed the condenser fan rotating in the wrong direction after the repair. Their fix was to turn the fan blade over. The wiring connections appear to be the same as before the capacitor was changed, What could cause this 1/6 hp fan motor to rotate in the opposite direction?

Also, since the repair, the condenser unit seems cool at the bottom but very hot at the top without much air flow from the top of the unit. I suspect the blade is not designed to be installed in this orientation. The only difference I can see other than the reversed blade is the replacement capacitor has a rating of 35 / 5 mfd rather than 40 / 8 mfd. Is this significant enough to make the diference that I am seeing? Any help would be appreciated.

hvac1000
Aug 25, 2007, 02:01 PM
You paid the repair people to fix your A/C unit. Did they change the wiring that went to the capacitor? Is the wiring reversed? Actually I would make them come back and fix it correctly. Motors do not run backward without a reason and a upside down fan blade will not work correctly due to the couping of the blade and forward swoop.

acetc
Aug 25, 2007, 03:41 PM
The wrong capacitor is not only detrimental to your compressor but is the probable cause for the motor running backwards. If you cannot find a dual capacitor with the correct rating, then you can replace it with two capacitors, a 40 and an 8 mf capacitor. The fan blade will not move the air properly reversed. Get a full refund, call some one else and have it fixed properly. Good luck, Mike

KC13
Aug 26, 2007, 10:46 AM
I had a dual capacitor for the compressor and condenser fan fail. Since I could not find one on Sunday, I contacted an a/c repair to fix what I already knew was bad. They replaced the capacitor and noticed the condenser fan rotating in the wrong direction after the repair. Their fix was to turn the fan blade over. The wiring connections appear to be the same as before the capacitor was changed, What could cause this 1/6 hp fan motor to rotate in the opposite direction?

Also, since the repair, the condenser unit seems cool at the bottom but very hot at the top without much air flow from the top of the unit. I suspect the blade is not designed to be installed in this orientation. The only difference I can see other than the reversed blade is the replacement capacitor has a rating of 35 / 5 mfd rather than 40 / 8 mfd. Is this significant enough to make the diference that I am seeing? Any help would be appreciated.
Sounds like the technician reversed the fan motor common and capacitor leads where they connect to the capacitor. I would not recommend operating the system in this manner as further damage is likely.

biggsie
Aug 26, 2007, 12:18 PM
Switching the leads on the capacitor should reverse rotation... I think I would

Get the person who installed it to come back and correct the problem... He

Should have checked to make sure it was working correctly before he left the

Job... I would mention this when you call to get it fixed... They should not

Charge you to correct the problem -- their bad!!

Missouri Bound
Aug 26, 2007, 08:55 PM
Turning the fan over? That can't change anything. Whoever suggested that is certainly not capable of repairing your HVAC

bdolph
Jul 29, 2013, 03:34 PM
You just swap u1 and u2 inside the motor connector box. To swap caps leads will not change anything

KidChaos
Sep 29, 2013, 03:02 AM
Sounds like the technician reversed the fan motor common and capacitor leads where they connect to the capacitor. I would not recommend operating the system in this manner as further damage is likely.

Yes the run capacitor gets the Run and Start windings, power goes in the motor on Common and the Run winding, If you send power to Start rather than Run it will run backwards, this is how we break loose stuck compressors.

Steve jacksonvi
Jun 9, 2014, 04:55 PM
Wired wrong, just repaired that today. READ THE SCHEMATIC probably T1 goes to the capacitor and the fan. Here is where your issue is.