Old GE motor (1/4 hp, 830 RPM, 208-230v) had 3 wires and was hooked to a 3 prong dual run capacitor (55/5 MFD, 370 VAC).
New Dayton motor (1/4 hp, 825 RPM, 208-230v) from Grainger has 4 wires and recommends a 2 prong single capacitor but since our unit was set up for the dual capacitor, we thought it would be okay to use a dual capacitor with same specs as the old one.
Motor calls for 2 prong 5 MFD/370 VAC run capacitor but we bought a 3 prong dual 55/5 MFD, 370 VAC run capacitor. The new motor has an extra wire (brown and white) and also has 2 sets of black and white wires that run to each other to select CW or CCW rotation. The diagram on the motor has a 3 wire option but it is for a 2 prong capacitor so we connected the wires the same way they were connected to the old capacitor and insulated the brown and white wire as suggested on the diagram. Since the black and white direction wires were not shown on the 3 wire optional diagram, we also disconnected and insulated them.

The compressor comes on fine and sometimes the fan motor comes on fine, spinning in the correct direction but other times the fan motor doesn't kick in at all until we spin it, and then other times the fan motors kicks in but spins in the wrong direction.? Any ideas?? We tried connecting the black and white wires in the way the diagram suggested for the direction we need but it still does the same thing. We paid $79 for an AC tech to come out and look at it. He checked and said the capacitor was the right size for the motor, the capacitor was good, the contactor was good, and everything was getting the volts it should so he couldn't find any reason the motor shouldn't be working right. His solution was that the new motor must be bad and he could order a new motor and install it for us for $616. We can't afford that and we already bought a new motor and would rather exchange the one we have if it is bad. The guy didn't seem too sure of his diagnosis anyway. He even said that the motor bearings may be tight and after a day or so of running it, it may start coming on by itself all of the time. It did start coming on 75% of the time without spinning it but sometimes it spins in the right direction and sometimes the wrong direction. Sometimes, it barely moves from one direction to the other for about 30 seconds (like it is stalled) and then it chooses a direction. Does this sound like a whacked motor or could it have to do with the capacitor? Can we not use a dual capacitor? I'm not sure where we'll put 2 capacitors if we have to have separate ones for the fan and compressor? Please help.

Didn`t read all of your story but it's a fact that anytime you replace a motor you need to purchase a new capicitor that matches the new motor,, a new capicitor that is for the motor won`t cost more than 8 bucks at the most . Hope you didn`t ruin the new motor,, on side of motor it tell you the size cap. Needed,, sometimes its on the box.

Yeah... we already knew that. We had a dual capacitor that is starting to swell though so we bought another dual capacitor instead of just a single. If you want to help, please read the whole thing so you know what we've done and what is going on before you answer. Thanks!

If you want help there is no need to write a full chapter for a book,, no need to tell what you already know just ask what you need to know, and if you can`t be nicer don`t bother to ask about something you don`t know

I didn't write a chapter for a book. I wrote everything I did because it was needed to explain the problem and I had to give details so people like you didn't say, "did you buy the right capacitor for you motor?" or what you said. I tried to answer all the questions people would ask me before they could give me an answer to avoid wasting anyone's time. By the way, you were the one being rude... not me. I'm seriously looking for help since the AC guy I paid $79 to was no help and I don't have money to pay another one. If you can help, then please help. Otherwise, please don't waste my time belitting me.

I would take the motor back and have them give you new one. Most likely it is a defective motor. Now, the motor may have failed from your attemps at wiring it in a trial and error sort of way, but they don't need to know that, just tell them what the motor is doing and ask for a new one. When you get the new motor, I would suggest hiring a different ac company, or even an electrician and have then wire the motor. You can install the new motor to save some time and money, but having the motor wired properly is very, very important here OK? A separate capacitor would be the best way to go, since that's what the wiring diagram calls for, but you can use a dual cap as long as its wired correctly. On a dual cap, one spade if for the compressor, one is for the fan, and the other is a common, or power into the cap. Now I would try to explain exactly how to wire this up for you, but Im not here to write a chapter in a do it yourself ac book, ha. Anyway, like I said, get the return the motor for a new one, install motor to save time and money on the service call, then have a pro come in and wire it up for you. Should be a quick and easy job for a pro. If you have a chance to be around when the pro is wiring the new motor and capacitor, watch closely and ask questions if you wish. Just remember, the longer you and the pro converse, the higher the bill will be because, well, quite simply, time is money. Good luck and please let me know how things work out..

It was a bad motor. We exchanged the motor and wired it up the same way as before, leaving off the extra brown and white wire as suggested in the 3 wire option on the diagram and it works like a charm.

Thanks for the update. Glad it working.