In AC units, motors are used to move the air and the refrigerant. This movement provides air conditioning. Without proper maintenance or because of prolonged use, HVAC motors may develop faults. The resulting damage may cause the entire AC unit to stop working. AC technicians are trained to check, repair, and replace any damaged parts.
Signs That Your AC Unit Needs a Tune-up
- Cooling fans will not turn on
- Fan blades rotate slowly when AC is on
- Rattling noise coming from the condenser unit
- Burning smell
- Blown fuse
How Long Does It Take a Professional HVAC Technician to Replace an AC Fan Motor?
It typically takes one to four hours for the technician to replace the AC fan motor. Normally, good technicians will check for other issues during this replacement. If more problems are found, they will be repaired as well. This means that a full repair may take a little longer. If the repair is going to take longer than expected, the technician will likely inform you of the issue. There are other factors that may affect the amount of time it takes to repair the system. These potential details include:
- The position of the AC Unit
- The weight of the AC
- Cause of damage
How Does an AC Technician Determine the Condition of the AC Fan Motor?
To establish if the issue with your air conditioner is the fan motor or another component, an AC technician will check:
- The circuit breaker panel
- Whether anything is obstructing the fan
- Whether the capacitor is still working
Common HVAC System Motors
To understand potential issues with your HVAC system, it is important to know the common parts that may need to be repaired or replaced.
1. Condenser Fan Motors
Condenser fan motors always have a capacitor. Original motors have dual capacitors, while replacement motors have a single capacitor. On a condenser fan motor, the major cause for concern is most often a faulty capacitor. This issue usually comes about when the temperatures are high. The AC technician measures the height of the fan blade before removing it. This is due to the vital role the positioning of the blade plays in the operation of the condenser. Moreover, the AC technician has to keep the replacement fan blades at the same height. Getting the blade height wrong can make the compressor overheat and burn out, causing additional problems.
Other important information AC technicians consider when dealing with condenser fan motors include:
- Revolutions per minute
- Size of the frame
- Condenser motor HP
2. Blower Motors
In blower motors, the blower features ventilation that allows air to pass through. Failure of the motor is usually caused by dirty air accumulating at the vent hole. This causes the motor to overheat. Normally, dirt particles should be trapped by the air filter before reaching the motor. A blower motor may also experience capacitor failure, which would cause it to rotate in the opposite direction. When the capacitor fails, the evaporator coil freezes after a few hours, and the house overheats.
3. ECM Motor
As opposed to most AC motors, ECM motors are highly efficient on different speed scales. ECM motors use an electronic control module. Due to their high price and complicated nature, any tune-ups to ECM motors must be done by a qualified AC technician. Lucky for you, our highly skilled AC technicians at TS Heat & Air are experts at repairing and replacing ECM motors.
4. Compressor Motors
Due to their sophisticated nature, compressor motors are quite costly. They can also be difficult to replace. AC technicians cannot tell whether the motor is damaged visually because the motor is sealed. The AC unit technician, however, can use a meter to test the three exposed terminals. If there is any charge to the ground, it is faulty.
When dealing with compressor motors, AC unit technicians have to disconnect the power first. The compressors come with a safety switch that automatically shuts the motor down when it overheats.
5. Combustion Fan Motors
Combustion fan motors don’t feature a capacitor. It is easy for an AC unit technician to tell if a combustion fan motor is damaged. When a combustion fan motor is supplied enough power and still does not run, it is usually damaged.
No matter what your air conditioning needs may be, TS Heat & Air has your back. We offer a wide range of HVAC installation and repair services. Moreover, we offer annual tune-ups of your home heating and air conditioning systems, and our team can connect you with indoor air quality solutions. For more information, contact TS Heat & Air today.
