[cjmrdm]

I had an Ac guy out here and he said I needed a new condenser fan motor. He said it reading/drawing 1.3 amps. He said allowed is 1.4 max amps. He said it was like running your car in the red zone. It could go bad tomorrow or next month.

I am wondering if he is telling the truth or if he is just trying to sell us something.

Lastly, if this is true what are symptoms the CFM is going bad. I ask because I want to try to have my home warranty cover it.

Thanks

[hvac1000]

If the home warranty will cover it then by all means get a new motor but if not just wait till it goes bad if it does. As long as it is under the max reading you are OK. BTW a dirty outdoor condenser coil will cause a high amp rate so it could just be a dirty coil causing the high reading.

[ma0641]

The 1.3 is amps. CFM is airflow -cubic ft per min. No relationship.

[mygirlsdad77]

Call in a different tech. Hopefully he will be able to check for other things that would cause high amp draw as hvac1000 suggested. If the amp draw is near the max, that is okay, as it isn't over the max. It is nothing like running your car in the red zone, no way to make a comparison with that. I say run it as it is, and if it is working properly, don't pay to have it replaced. If and when it fails, then pay to fix it. For heavens sake, it may last another ten years, who knows. I certainly don't.

[cjmrdm]

Cfm is condenser fan motor

And what are symptoms that indicate a failure?


This tech told me that if this goes bad (rather than fixing it before it fails) then it with damage other components. Is this true?

[ma0641]

Gotcha. This is what happens when you do airflow testing!

[cjmrdm]

Gotcha.! This is what happens when you do airflow testing!

What?

[ma0641]

what?

In airflow testing. CFM is a volumetric measurement. I used to to airflow testing for hazardous material hood design.