How to Check if AC Fan Motor is Bad? A FL Tech Answers.

This nifty part is what makes cool air circulate through your AC system. It’s easy to locate: Walk outside your home to the air conditioner condenser unit. You’ll be able to see it right through the vents on top of the condenser. If your air conditioner is turned on and the blades aren’t turning, there’s an issue.

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How to Test the Fan Motor on an AC

If the fan isn’t turning, it could be for several reasons:

1. Tripped Circuit Breaker

If you’ve recently been using too many appliances at once, the power overload may have caused a breaker to trip. Simply locate the breaker panel. Each switch should be labeled with a description of the appliance it powers. Turn the one that says “air conditioner” back to the “on” position.

2. Obstructed Fan Blades

If the breakers are on and the fans aren’t turning, turn off the breaker and try to manually stimulate the fan to move. You can do this by inserting a stick or tool through the fan vents. If they don’t rotate easily, remove the top of the condenser unit with a screwdriver and check for any debris that may be obstructing movement.

On the other hand, if the blades move freely, the issue may be the capacitor.

3. Test the Capacitor

If you don’t have a capacitor tester at home, you can buy one from any hardware store. Once you have it, always remember to turn off the power source to your air conditioner. We can’t stress this enough. Your safety should always be a priority.

For more information, check out our blog: How to Tell If Your AC Capacitor is Bad

Regardless of whether the issue is a faulty fan motor or a faulty capacitor, both problems can be prevented by conducting regular maintenance on your air conditioner unit. This is important for several reasons:

• An HVAC professional will foresee problems before they happen.
• Maintaining your unit will ensure a greater lifespan for your air conditioner. Considering this is one of the biggest investments in your home, it makes sense to make it last as long as possible.
• Providing maintenance is often required by many manufacturer’s warranties. If your air conditioner stops working because you failed to schedule maintenance checks, you may have voided your ability to claim repairs under warranty.
• Making sure your air conditioner is running optimally saves energy and decreases your electricity bills.

Climate Design Can Help You

At Climate Design, we provide AC installation and HVAC services all over Tampa Bay: Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor, South Tampa, St. Pete Beach, Eastlake, Tarpon Springs, Safety Harbor, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, New Port Richey.

If you’re having AC issues, we can help! Call us today.