Unit comes on,tries to cool, kicks off, but fan keeps running

All the motors including the compressor on the outside unit have start/run capacitors. These can fail and when they do, the motors wont start

First of all, fan on the tstat (on or auto) is referring to the blower fan not the outdoor fan. For the outdoor fan to run system must be set on cool and the setpoint temp must then be lower than the room temp. So what you are saying is the unit begins to work when you kick it??? Possibly you have a lose wire somewhere, check all connections outside. What type of checks have you performed on the capacitor?

Let it stand and while you are clean the condenser coils, the dirt may be causing the system to overheat.

Hi,
No this sounds like a bad compressor....a bad capacitor would just be hard starting, not kicking the breaker after running..

heatman101

CHECK FREON LEVEL...IF GOOD CHECK FOR DISCONNECTED
THERMOSTAT OR COMPRESSOR OR CONTACTOR WIRE AT OUTDOOR UNIT WITH POWER OFF. CHECK FOR A BLOWN CAPACITOR OR UNIT GROUNDED OR BURNT WIRE. BAD BREAKER OR SEE IF OUTDOOR FAN COMES ON AND COMPRESSOR KICKS IN ( MAKES WHIRRING NOISE ) .

INSIDE CHECK BOARD FOR BLOWED FUSE, GROUNDED WIRE, MAKE SURE SYSTEM IS GETTING 24 VOLTS, IF NOT CHECK THERMOSTAT WIRES OR TRANSFORMER ON INDOOR UNIT.. IF YOU SET THERMOSTAT TO OFF AND ON AND THE INDOOR FAN COMES ON..YOUR GETTING 24 VOLTS.NOW YOU NARROWED TO THE BOARD OR LOOSE WIRE, FUSE OR THERMOSTAT. IF YOU TURN YOUR UNIT ON COOL AND AUTO AND THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR FANS COME ON AND THE COMPRESSOR KICKS IN
BUT IS NOT COOLING...CHECK AND POSSIBLY ADD FREON...
ALSO CHECK AND MAKE SURE INDOOR BREAKER IS ON.

Sounds like you have a problem with your compressor. If the beaker trips the second the compressor tries to come on hen it is shorted. If it takes a couple of seconds, then your compressor is locked up.
seth

check your breakers make sure when running unit this is the only thing on the breaker 15 to 20 amp be sure to keep a window cracked as well unit does freeze over so don't have all the way on cold

The first thing to check is your breaker box. There should be one double breaker for the air handler unit, that's the inside unit, and one double breaker for the compressor, that's the outside unit. Check both breakers. If you're not sure if they've be thrown, click them toward the outside of the breaker box (off position) and then click them toward the inside of the breaker box (on position). If the breakers are on and you still are not getting any A/C take a look at your compressor, (outside unit). If the fan is running at least you're getting power. However, your compressor down inside the unit may not be getting power or it may need to be replaced. The compressor has a start-up cap. If this cap goes bad or the wires from this cap fry or corrode away, this will also keep the compressor from starting but the fan will still run. If the fan is not running it could be caused by a faulty relay inside the compressor cabinet. This relay is supposed to open and close based on a low voltage signal from the thermostat. I believe it's roughly 24 volts. This relay switches on and off the 240 volts for the compressor and the compressor fan. Often this relay goes bad or the wires leading up to it fry. If you?re going to work on the unit yourself make sure all power is shut off. There should be a shutoff switch on the outside wall near the compressor. I?d also shut the breakers off.

This question is really to broad to answer. There are several things that could cause it to stop running. I think I would turn everything off, let it cool down for several hours and try it again. When you kick it back on, take note of what is running and what's not running. Inside fan, outside fan, compressor. If the outside unit will not run at all it could be as simple as a grasshopper caught in the contacts. If you hear the compressor running outside but no outside fan, The fan motor probably needs replaced. Please make sure that all power to the unit is TURNED OFF before removing cover plates on outside unit and before trying to remove insects from contact points. Check all wiring inside outside unit while it is open. Also check capacitors for swelling or leaking. If you don't know how to turn all the power off or open the outside unit, you need to call a professional AC technician. Hope this helps. kstfas