# Outside condenser fan motor stops



## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

Is this a heat pump?


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

Yes, it is a Trane heat/ac pump. Typical 2000sf Jacksonville, FL single level home. Outside condenser and fan unit with air handler in the garage. Condenser runs off of it's own capacitor with the fan motor running off it's own capacitor.

Just before replying to your post, Master of Cold, I heard the condenser running again without the fan motor running. Again, I went outside and gave the unit one good shove/shake and the fan started turning again.

The hvac parts/service company said that they have never experienced this type of problem.

Thanks for your help!


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## JJboy (Oct 12, 2010)

Fan Motor/Capacitor wires are connected to contactor or controller board?

Model of the HP?????


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

Sounds like the fan relay on the defrost board is sticking open.


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

Take the black wire out of the defrost boad and put it on top of the contactor (the black wire from the fan).
See if the problem persists.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Master of Cold said:


> Sounds like the fan relay on the defrost board is sticking open.


Or its going into defrost.


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

beenthere said:


> Or its going into defrost.


He is still in cooling..


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Master of Cold said:


> He is still in cooling..


Defrost boards go into defrost if the defrost stat is closed, weather in cooling or heating mode.


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

To answer a couple of questions:

1. The black wire from the fan is plugged into a little square box
2. The 2 brown wires from the fan are connected to the small capacitor
3. The white wire from the fan is connected to the contactor
4. Still in cooling mode here in Jacksonville, FL (unfortunately!)

Problem persisted all day yesterday (Sunday). I would hear the condenser running without the fan, go outside and bump the unit, and the fan would start turning. Yet later in the day, I would have to stand there a few minutes because I would bump the unit, fan would run for a minute or two, then stop; hence I would bump the unit again with the same result; finally after about 3 times bumping the unit the fan would stay on until the air temp inside was reached and the whole unit would shut off.

Last night I slept in the bedroom where the unit is located right outside the window. It ran fine until 5am wherein I just shut off the air when I heard the condenser running without the fan. Yet this morning when I turned the unit back on, wherein the fan normally starts up along with the condenser, the fan did not. Hence, after waiting a few minutes to see if the fan would start running, I went outside and bumped the unit (I feel like Fonzi at this point!:thumbup.

Master of Cold, that is a good suggestion for taking the black wire out of the defrost board (which is the little black box I assume?) yet the 1st time after installing the 1st new motor that this happened, the hvac company I bought it from told me to do the same thing. So I did move the black wire to the contactor yet after a couple of days, the fan stopped while the condenser ran, of which the hvac company had me bring in the new motor and swap it out with the 2nd motor that, as we all know, is still doing the same thing.

I have 3 more days to swap out this motor under the 30 day exchange policy. Should I swap out or should I replace the defrost board?

All your help is very much appreciated!!!


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

OK guys, instead of waiting on some feedback from my last post this afternoon, I went ahead and moved the black motor wire from the little square box, which I assume is the defrost panel, to the contactor.

The condenser and fan both started up at the same time upon re-start at 4:50pm. Fast forward 15 minutes to 5:05pm and the fan motor stopped.

Hence, did the Fonzi bumb again and the fan started moving.

You guys gotta figure this out for me as it is still quite warm here in Jacksonville!

Thanks!!!


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

Do you have an XE or an XL model?

Im in orlando..yes its still hot. These no heat questions on here are a little unnerving.


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

Hi Master of Cold.

You're definitely a little warmer in Orlando than we are in Jax!

The outside unit is a Trane XE 1000.

I appreciate the help!

This problem is getting crazy!:furious:


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## rookie2012 (Sep 6, 2011)

Did u try replacing the relay box?


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

I have not tried replacing the relay box. You think that would solve the problem of the fan stopping and then starting back only after I bump/shake the unit?

Thanks!


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## Houston204 (Oct 18, 2009)

It sure sounds like a loose connection (though an amp reading would be great). There is usually a separate connection shown where red meets purple in this diagram that I would check. Could the condenser fan motor wires be pinched? What make and model motor did you install?


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks for the wiring diagrham! I'll have to use it this afternoon as when I turned the system on for the first time today, only the condenser came on. When I went out to bump the unit, the fan motor did start running yet only for a minute or two. YET, this time when I bumped the unit, the fan did not start turning and when I continued to bump the unit several more times, it would not turn at all. Hence, I would assume the loose connection is at the defrost board or relay board as the 2 new motors that I hooked up over the past 30 days ran quite fine (meaning I hooked up the motor wires correctly). Does that make sense?

Thanks for the much-needed advice!!!


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

I believe there is a wire splice behind the defrost board.


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

Ok, I checked all the wires and connections this time yesterday and then turned the system back on afterwards and it has been running like a champ ever since.

Now, here's the only issue I think may have been "The Issue" (not to be confused with "The Situation" from Jersey Shore:laughing:

While checking the wires/connections, I got to thinking about what was the common link with the fan motor stopping and then realized that it was the defrost board and contactor in that it did not matter if the fan motor black wire was plugged into the defrost board or the contactor, the fan eventually stopped running. Hence, when I looked at that link, it turns out that I a black and blue wire (whatever that is for) was continuously hooked up to the contactor and defrost board. YET, the contact point that it was hooked up to on the contactor and of which I would also hook the black fan motor wire to, slid back & forth because the wire screw that held it in place was not fastened in all the way. So, I screwed it in all the way to keep that contactor point/prongs from moving.

Which brings me to my hypothesis: The fan motor would stop running because the contactor point would lose contact due to sliding back & forth due to the vibration of the unit when the fan motor was running and hence would explain why the fan motor would start running again after I bumped the unit each time which would make the loose contactor point move and gain the neccessary contact!

Since I am but a rank amateur and not a highly experienced hvac technician, please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks, again, for all your feedback (especially yours, Master of Cold!)!


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

That is a very plausable situation. The terminal connections bolt (screw) to the copper contact plate. So I could see this causing an intermittent connection.

Now, make sure you check the zeuberater shaft, and muffler bearings.


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## tatums4 (Apr 4, 2011)

Master of Cold, you know it's all ball bearings these days!

Sincerely,

Fletch


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## Master of Cold (Aug 7, 2011)

Ah, Fletch. That's a blast from the past. Intellectual humor....lost on todays youth.


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