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Posted: Yesterday 5:37:35 PM EST
[Last Edit: Skid-Kid-0706][Edited]
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My home was built in 2004 and has the original Rheem unit. I know it’s going to need replacing sooner rather than later but I’d really like to get another 3-4 years out of it. Three years ago I had to take out a 15 year HELOC to pay for an attorney for child custody and primarily to help pay out home equity to my ex in order to keep my home during a divorce. I planned on paying that balance off in another 3-4 years so I can use it to replace my homes original roof and hvac system. But the hvac isn’t cooperating with that plan. I’m having issues with the heat pump high pressure switch tripping. I live in the transition zone so there’s a period in the fall and spring where the unit is constantly flipping from heat to cool every day/night due to 30-40 degree temperature swings. It first started two springs ago and I had an HVAC guy come check the system. He said the coils were not clogged, there were no leaks and the system was properly charged. He said it was common for systems nearing the end of their life cycle to have issues in this area when drastic temp swings cause the system to constantly flip from heat to cool. The following spring it happened again and I had to replace the capacitor, which was dead. After I replaced the capacitor I had to bump the fan to get it to start up. Now this fall the HP switch keeps tripping again and when I reset it I the fan seems seized and needs bumped to get going. I replaced the cap with a cheap Chinese unit from Ace Hardware, which was the only thing available locally to get the unit running immediately and cool the house off. I’m thinking the fan motor is the culprit that’s causing all the issues with the HP switch tripping due to heat build up because it’s seizing and not spinning as needed. The capacitor and compressor have both been replaced at some point but the fan motor appears to be the original which is now 20+ years old Is there a high probability that replacing the fan motor and capacitor with quality units will solve the issue? Anything else I should replace at the same time? Or am I just wasting money and need to swallow the cost and replace the whole unit? |
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If the condenser fan isn't coming on then high head pressure will certainly trip the unit. Like for like, can be another brand but all specs need to match. Get a new fan blade if you don't have the correct puller, it's not going to want to come off. Even with the correct puller, the motor shaft will need to be sanded to clean the rust off it and oiled afterwards to pull it. Motor and cap are replaced as a unit if you replace the motor. Do not assume the new motor will take the same cap, always check. If it's just the fan motor and it works fine and doesn't leak refrigerant, you may easily eke out another few years. [Just use a ''rescue'' brand fan motor, hardest part is switching the 2 directional wires around if it goes the wrong way. [blows into the unit and not up and out.] and setting the fan to the proper height which is actually pretty important if there is a blade housing so air is pulled thru the fins properly] |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Originally Posted By fxntime: If the condenser fan isn't coming on then high head pressure will certainly trip the unit. Like for like, can be another brand but all specs need to match. Get a new fan blade if you don't have the correct puller, it's not going to want to come off. Even with the correct puller, the motor shaft will need to be sanded to clean the rust off it and oiled afterwards to pull it. Motor and cap are replaced as a unit if you replace the motor. Do not assume the new motor will take the same cap, always check. If it's just the fan motor and it works fine and doesn't leak refrigerant, you may easily eke out another few years. This man knows, OP. |
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Originally Posted By fxntime: If the condenser fan isn't coming on then high head pressure will certainly trip the unit. Like for like, can be another brand but all specs need to match. Get a new fan blade if you don't have the correct puller, it's not going to want to come off. Even with the correct puller, the motor shaft will need to be sanded to clean the rust off it and oiled afterwards to pull it. Motor and cap are replaced as a unit if you replace the motor. Do not assume the new motor will take the same cap, always check. If it's just the fan motor and it works fine and doesn't leak refrigerant, you may easily eke out another few years. [Just use a ''rescue'' brand fan motor, hardest part is switching the 2 directional wires around if it goes the wrong way. [blows into the unit and not up and out.] and setting the fan to the proper height which is actually pretty important if there is a blade housing so air is pulled thru the fins properly] I’ll go with a Rescue brand motor. Any recommendations on a capacitor brand? The one I bought was $20 at Ace Hardware and Made In China and the first one I got was dead out of the box, so I have doubts it will last. It was the same rating as the one I replaced, but smaller physically, and required fabbing a mounting plate. Thanks for the info. I’m an aircraft mech and have infinite tools at my disposal at work so properly swapping the blades to a new motor shouldn’t be hard.   
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Titan pro is fine. If the cap is brand new and the mF ratings are the same then I'd probably use the one in it now, it's basically brand new. I read them anyways to make sure they are +-6% of rating even if new. |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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Originally Posted By fxntime: Titan pro is fine. If the cap is brand new and the mF ratings are the same then I'd probably use the one in it now, it's basically brand new. I read them anyways to make sure they are +-6% of rating even if new. Yes, they were the same mF and V ratings. Thanks for the help. |
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Originally Posted By Skid-Kid-0706: Yes, they were the same mF and V ratings. Thanks for the help. Originally Posted By Skid-Kid-0706: Originally Posted By fxntime: Titan pro is fine. If the cap is brand new and the mF ratings are the same then I'd probably use the one in it now, it's basically brand new. I read them anyways to make sure they are +-6% of rating even if new. Yes, they were the same mF and V ratings. Thanks for the help. Anytime! |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
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There is probably a contactor that turns on the fan. Measure and see if you get the correct voltage when it is under load. A set of burned out contacts can also cause issues and the voltage might look just fine when there is no load on it. You can measure right on the contactor but you just need to be sure you are on the load side. |
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Originally Posted By Ace-of-Based: There is probably a contactor that turns on the fan. Measure and see if you get the correct voltage when it is under load. A set of burned out contacts can also cause issues and the voltage might look just fine when there is no load on it. You can measure right on the contactor but you just need to be sure you are on the load side. If the compressor is coming on, I tend to figure the relay is good as that is, by far, the highest amp draw. A 240v rescue condenser fan motor is pretty reasonably priced and well worth the money. Just never forget to put the plastic seals in the motor before you install it.  I used to rat squirrel away every assembly bolt and nut I had as spares and used an awful lot of them over the years. Even good used ones got stashed away. The original acorns were always better quality then the standard nuts no matter the motor make including the ''OEM'' ones. I just killed power, manually closed the relay and OHMed them out, there should be no resistance. And I NEVER used open contactors if I could use a sealed one, 99% of the issue with open ones was a bug getting between the points contacts. |
Liberals are a curious mix of communism and fascism, they want to destroy you but want to use your own money to do it.
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
I'm getting down to the last box, the others have all been destroyed...
| I had the same issue with my Rheem AC that was over 20 years old. I used the model/serial number off the tag and found the factory replacement part numbers for the cap and fan on the web, then I went on Amazon and searched for those parts. I got the cap for 25$ and the fan for 250$. Both worked grate up until I replaced my system with a Bosch heat pump and propane hater a year latter. |
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Originally Posted By Ace-of-Based: There is probably a contactor that turns on the fan. Measure and see if you get the correct voltage when it is under load. A set of burned out contacts can also cause issues and the voltage might look just fine when there is no load on it. You can measure right on the contactor but you just need to be sure you are on the load side. I tested the contact when I originally replaced the capacitor and it was fine. Plus, every time I have reset the HP switch the compressor immediately kicks on so I don’t think the contact is faulty. But the fan usually requires giving a nudge with a stick to get it to start spinning, which is why I think it is causing the issues. I ordered a new cap and rescue brand motor this morning. Hopefully that fixes it and I can squeeze another 3-4 years out of the system. |
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Rheem/Rudd condenser fan motors are different. …They mount different… take the old one out and carry it with you to the HVAC supply house,… older ones-have small cables that hold the motor on the top cover… newer ones have holes in the motor that align with the holes in the top cover Like the other guy said the fan hub will be rusted to the shaft. Unless you do this every day, take the complete cover with motor and fan attached to the supply house and go ahead and get a comparable blade and hub motor and capacitor. I’ve been to where it takes two hours to remove the fan and hub but then again I am 40 miles from the nearest HVAC store. If it’s that rusted you will bend the blades if you bend the blades then when the fan turns at 1000 RPM you’re gonna have vibration and it will wear the motor out early For what it’s worth it’s all made in China now no more than a capacitor cost purchased two of them. |
