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Question

My A/C unit is not working.
The fan in the unit outside is not working, I hear a loud humming noise (sounds like electricity type humming) at the outside unit.
I live in San Antonio, TX and the last few weeks we have have temperatures that are over 100F, and I think the unit has been over worked.

The unit is 4 years old.

Submitted: 133 days and 6 hours ago.
Category: HVAC
Value: $17
Status: CLOSED
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Posted by Drcool 133 days and 6 hours ago.

Info Request

Hello,

Can you make some resistance test using a meter? Do you have an analog meter? The one with needle?

Turn the breaker off and turn the fan blade of the condenser fan. Feel if there is any binding at all.

Does it rotate freely?

133 days and 6 hours ago.

Reply

Dr Cool,

 

I do not have a meter per say, I do have one of the things that can detect if there is an electrical current is running thru a wire, it looks more like a pen, and the end lights up.

 

I will have to open the unit and see if I can turn the fan.

 

Let me go out there and test it out.

 

Would that pen hing work for what you are looking for. It is not an analog meter.

Accepted Answer

I am afraid not. It can not test your capacitor. If the fan spins freely, then it could be a bad capacitor but we can not tell unless we test the capacitor.

Picture
Expert: Drcool
Pos. Feedback: 96.2 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 7/12/2009

HVAC Technician

i have been an A/C tech for the past 12 Years. working on window types, split type, and package

133 days and 5 hours ago.

Reply

How much does a (cheap) analog meter cost? I could run to Lowes and buy one this morning?

Posted by Drcool 133 days and 5 hours ago.

Info Request

You can get one for less than $20.00

133 days and 5 hours ago.

Reply

Guess I'll buy one, always handy to have.

Where do I test once I have it?

Accepted Answer

Turn the breaker off. Now trace the capacitor of the fan by removing the wires( Remember where the wires are connected, It would be harder to trace it back).

Now set the analog meter to measure resistance in the 1Kilo ohms range. Now put the leads of the meter to each terminal of the capacitor.( If the capacitor has three terminals, use C and F.)

As you touch the leads, observe the needle, it should swing to the right then slowly goes back to the left. Then reverse the leads of the tester, it shoudl adain swing to the right then slowly goes to the left.

If it does not swing to the right nor does not go back to the left but stays on the right, then the capacitor is bad.

Replace the capacitor.

Picture
Expert: Drcool
Pos. Feedback: 96.2 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 7/12/2009

HVAC Technician

i have been an A/C tech for the past 12 Years. working on window types, split type, and package

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