AC Condenser motor will stop at 1pm but inside unit is still running but no AC. If I turn the AC unit breaker unit off and then an hour later turn it back on. The unit runs fine all day until 1pm. Had a tech out and he checked the system and it's fine. He said I may have a thermostat problem and he would need to see the manual. My theromastat is programable (Carrier, 4 zone, Comfort II) with 3 remote temp sensors. How do I troubleshoot this?

The condenser fan relay is stuck and needs replacing.

When you say the 'condenser' stopped running - I'm 'assuming' you are talking about the outside unit, and I'm also 'assuming' that when you say it stopped running you mean 'nothing' runs on the outside unit - fan motor OR compressor. The fan motor will drown out the compressor running noise which is a 'low rumbling' sound - often not heard by the layman because of the noise the fan motor puts out.
Assuming you are talking about the outside unit and 'nothing' is running either fan motor or compressor then you might be 'in luck.' Because the most likely reason for the outside unit to be totally off will be a 'blown fuse' or a 'tripped breaker.' The good news is that in 'hot weather,' especially the kind of hot weather that has been present this summer (especially in the south) - blowing a fuse or tripping a breaker is not necessarily an expensive repair.
Indeed, it's not uncommon for a AC unit to blow a fuse (or trip a breaker) on occasion, although it must be noted that doing so is also is sign on something seriously wrong with your AC, i.e. a fan motor breaking down electrically or even a Compressor, both being expensive items to replace.
But, as I said, it's not uncommon for a fuse to blow once in awhile.
I would check my fuses (and breaker) and see if this is what has happened.
If you have fuses (usually located outside close to the condenser) and have no way to check them (you check them with a ohm meter looking for continuity) - then just 'replace' them with new ones. Note: always put 'time delay/dual element' fuses back in - even if the ones that are in there now are 'one time' fuses. 'Time delay' fuses do just what they say they will do - (they hold for just a second or two during that initial start up (of the compressor) without blowing).
If a blown fuse/tripped breaker is your problem then "most" of the time the AC will run ok and you will not have any more problems.
However, if after replacing the fuses and turning the AC back on - the fuse(s) blows instantly, or a short period thereafter (say a few minutes or an hour) then you probably have a problem that is causing it - i.e. the fan motor or compressor is going bad.
Note: one thing that you can fix that might be causing the fuse to blow is a dirty condenser. So, check the condenser coil (think of it like a car's radiator). It 'must' be clean to run properly and when it gets 'really dirty and clogged with dirt it will cause high head pressure and can cause the unit to blow fuses and trip breakers.
Good Luck!

Sounds like you have dirty condenser coil or bad condenser motor if it runs fine in the night

Hi, here is the theory on the reset button on Air Conditioners. They reset via the breaker panel box in your house. Check that first before anything else. However if your unit is popping breakers, it is because the rating for the breaker is incorrect, or there is something that needs servicing usually in the outside unit called the condenser. That piece contains the compressor. A faulty compressor and pop the breaker. Or If the condenser fan that blows over the coils of the outside unit stops (common failure) The compressor will overheat and shut down. That may not trip the breaker but the house will get hot anyway. Usual action for this is to replace the condenser fan motor and starting capacitor. Make sure the speed rating and directional rotation for the replacement motor is the same as the motor removed.
There are other reasons why the system won't come one fully. If the wall thermostat is digital and does nothing. including turning on the fan. There will be a small fuse located on the circuit board of the air handler (part of Air Conditioner mounted inside the house. It houses the circulation fan). That fuse could be blown. That one shuts down just about everything.
On air handlers mounted up into the attic crawl space there is an overflow pan. This pan is mounted directly below the air handler. This pan can fill with water when the drain pain contained inside the air handler starts to overflow because the drain system to that is clogged.
There is a "float switch" mounted in the overflow pan wired to the system in such as way as to shut down the entire AC system if that pan fills.
The handling is to clear the obstruction in the Drip Pan inside the air handler. Then remove enough water from the overflow pan and the AC will run as though nothing has happened.
If you have more questions, write to me on this site.
One thing more. The capacitor alone in the Outside condenser unit can fail and that will stop the condenser completely if it is of a "split" design and used for both the compressor and fan. When replacing this unit alone, ALWAYS find the same specification part.
I hope this helps,
Have a Happy New Year,
Mark

Hi!!

This means that the condenser fan motor (outside unit) failed, this caused to build hi pressure and either activated a safety valve to release the extra pressure or blew a line and R22 Refrigerant escaped from system.

The fix is to replace motor fan and capacitor find the leak and refill system with R22 Refrigerant Gas. It is safe to turn on the Fan Only mode on the Thermostat until a HVAC Tech arrives.
To perform this job parts and labor included will cost: about $300 -.$400. Look on the Yellow Pages for a Tech in your neighborhood.

Good Luck!! Don't forget to Rate this post!!

A circuit breaker 'tripping' everytime the AC unit kicks on 'most always' indicates a direct short (somewhere in the condensing unit), although it is possible that the breaker itself is bad - (but not likely).

Usually the cause of this 'short' will be - either the condenser motor in the condensing unit (outside unit) or the compressor - also in the condensing unit.

If you're mechanically inclined - and "very careful" around electricity - there is a fairly simple way to find out which component is causing the short.

Step 1 - Make sure the condensing unit (outside unit) is completely disconnected (electrically) , i.e. pull the fuses/turn off circuit breaker on outside unit and turn off thermostat.

Step 2 - disconnect the condenser motor (this is the outside fan motor). Note: when you disconnect the wires of the condenser motor "be sure" you mark/write their location, and wrap them in electric tape.

Step 3 - start the AC unit. If the breaker trips again you can pretty much rest assured it's the compressor that is shorted.

To prove it (without a doubt) - go to next step.

Step 4 - "be sure circuit breaker and thermostat is turned off" - and - 'reconnect' the condenser motor - and - then disconnect the compressor wires (mark wires and tape them).

Step 5 - Start AC.

If breaker doesn't trip - you know it's the compressor that is shorted.

If breaker 'does' trip again - then it's possible the breaker itself is bad (not likely) or there is a 'short' in the condensing unit's "wiring" somewhere (not likely).

My guess is that either the condenser motor or compressor is shorted.

Hope this helps.

Good Luck!

electric motors (when they start to break-down) will run normally for hours (and read amps within the tolerance level).

Then after a long run time - the amps will 'spike' and trip the breaker.

This is a fairly common occurance - although there are other things that can cause a similar problem (though less likely), i.e. a dirty condenser coil, an improperly charged unit - or a bad breaker.

Bottom line. I think you need a Service Tech to take a look at the AC.

hope this helps

Sounds like the capacitor..

Don't run it until the problem is fixed..


IF and only IF - you are pretty handy and have knowledge,,
Perhaps you could try this...

BE SURE POWER IS OFF to the ac unit..
Cut the breakers OFF in the breaker box !!
IF YOU CAN NOT GET THE BREAKERS OFF AND/OR CUT THE POWER TO AC - DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER !!
IF THERE IS ANY POWER GOING TO UNIT - YOU COULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED...

Inside the unit – the capacitor is metal & looks kinda like a can (round or oval) & has 3 wire connections at the top..

Do not remove capacitor until you have a new replacement to put in..
Be careful to not mix up the wire sequence..
Change one wire at a time and be very sure..

A capacitor is cheaper than a fan motor - and makes the most sense to replace..

If you are not at all comfortable trying this - get a ac company with a trained tech out to do it..

Hope this helps !!

Is the condenser fan (outside) turning? You mention that it's hot but don't say if it's turning or not.

These fan motors normally run pretty hot, but not so much that they shut down due to internal thermal overload protectors.

Both the compressor and the fan have termperature overload protectors to keep them from burning out the motor in the event of an overheated condition. The condenser fan must be running or high freon pressure will put an excessive load on the compressor and it will 'kick out' the high-temp overload protector.

Turn off the unit by pulling the outside disconnect (in a small box near the outside compressor unit) or flip the AC breakers in the breaker box. Wait about 30 minutes for the unit to cool off and turn it back on. If the compressor and fan both run for awhile then kick back off, or the fan motor seems to be working under excessive strain, you've probably got a bad motor start condenser (inside the unit) that little round can that is connected through the fan motor wiring. If it's swollen or leaking, it's almost surely defective and even if it's not, excessive load on the motor is a classic sign of a bad start condenser.

You can usually find these at electrical supply stores, well-stocked hardware stores, or most certainly at an HVAC parts house. Be sure to replace the old one with one of the EXACT same value (in voltage and Microfarads (mF) capacity. The shape may be a little different, but as long as the electrical characteristics are the same and is rated at the same or higher voltage than the original, it will work.

Connect the new condenser, mount it to the frame, and restart the unit. This should take care of the problem.

Hope this helps.

Whats the amp breaker? Is this for the inside unit or the outside condenser? If the inside and gas heat you have a bad fan motor, If its an electric furnace , the same, but if its the outside unit, the fan could be going bad, locking up and the compressor still runs and pulls high ampsand tripps breaker or the compressor is just pulling too many amps due to plugged coils with dirt , grass or weeds blocking airflow.([email protected])