AC Repairs That Could Be Needed For A Bad Condenser Fan Motor

7 March 2023
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The fan in the outdoor condenser is an important part of your air conditioning system. Its purpose is to blow hot air out of the condenser and away from the coils. If the fan breaks down, heat accumulates inside the condenser, and that could strain the compressor and cause it to fail. The refrigerant won't cool down properly and your AC won't keep your house cool.

When the AC fan stops working, the problem could be the capacitor that sends power to the fan motor, a bad contactor in the condenser, a bad thermostat wire, or a bad motor. Here's how an AC repair technician might fix a problem with the condenser fan.

Test Parts To Find The Bad One

The AC repair technician can use a multimeter to test the parts in the condenser that help the fan work. They might check the power supply, thermostat wire, contactor, and capacitor. If all these parts appear to be okay, the problem is probably the condenser fan motor, and the repair technician can test it to verify the fan is bad.

Take Out The Bad Motor

A bad fan motor is repaired by replacing it with a new motor of the same model and size. Fan motors are different for each model of air conditioner, so it's important for the repair technician to find the right motor.

A fan motor is mounted just under the fan grille and above the fan blades. The technician has to unscrew the grille from the top of the AC unit to pull up the grille to get to the fan. However, the motor has wiring that attaches to the capacitor and condenser, so these have to be removed so the fan can be pulled out.

When the fan is free, the grille, motor, and fan can be pulled out as a single piece. The technician has to remove the blades and then remove the motor.

Put On A New Motor

The motor is screwed to the grille and then the fan blades are slid back on. The fan assembly is then placed back in the condenser and the grille is screwed to the top of the condenser cage. The wiring from the new motor is attached to the capacitor and contactor. When this is done, the technician can put the access panel back on the condenser and test the new motor.

Replacing a condenser fan motor is a fairly easy AC repair, and it's an essential repair that's needed for your air conditioner to make cool air. A new motor should last for years, so you may not have to replace it again. Reach out to an AC repair service near you to learn more.