While each component in a central air conditioner is critical quite simply the unit will not work if the fan is not running.
Central air condenser fan not spinning.
Find the start capacitor for the fan.
Six reasons your air conditioning fan may not be running.
As we explain at burned out compressor if the condensing unit fan is not working the compressor itself may shut down or even be ruined by overpressure or over temperature.
Understanding the parts of your ac unit.
If you don t hear any sounds to indicate that the compressor is working and the fan isn t spinning the most common causes are a lack of power or a faulty compressor contactor.
As a result this puts more stress on your unit s fan as well as the other parts of the machine.
Inside your air conditioning unit the fans turn with the assistance of motors and capacitors.
You have a bad fan motor and or bad start capacitor.
The capacitor may have gone bad and therefore the fan won t start.
The contactor may be faulty.
One frustrating scenario the hvac technicians at a 1 mechanical heating cooling have seen many times is when an air conditioner s condenser fan stops spinning even though the actual system is running.
Condenser fan motor failure.
A capacitor stores up energy that provides power to your air conditioner s fans.
At a 1 mechanical we ve provided homeowners in grand rapids and lansing with reliable and trustworthy hvac service since 1983.
Do not proceed if you re not sure you ve properly shut off the power.
If the condenser fan is running you will see the fan blade spinning at speed typically at 1725 rpm and you will feel air blowing out of the unit.
If it starts spinning then the issue is the capacitor.
Run capacitor is weak or has failed.
Remove the service panel on the a c unit.
Shut off the power supply to the air conditioner at the disconnect or breaker panel.
It s located on the side of the building near the outdoor a c unit.
Gently push on one of the fan blades.
The dual run capacitor is defective.
A start capacitor is an electric device that gets the electric motor running at startup by providing a jolt of stored electrical energy.
To test it use a screwdriver or branch to poke through the condenser unit s vents.
However your capacitor can go bad for various reasons and stop working properly which will force one of your system s fans to stop spinning.
Fans in the central a c both pull air out of the room to be conditioned and have humidity removed and also push chilled air through the vents throughout the house.
5 common reasons why your central air conditioner fan is not working.
If you have a bad capacitor it may take a while for the fan blades to start spinning once you turn on the unit.
