The fan in the outside part of my AC doesn't run

If the air conditioner compressor runs all the time the main control board might be defective. The main control board provides the voltage to the fan motor and compressor. These boards are often misdiagnosed. Check all other components to be certain this is the cause of the problem.

Is the furnace fan (indoor fan ) running. If not the problem is with the inside unit. It supplies the control power to operate the entire system and has a control fuse on the circuit board. If it is running but not the outside unit then the problem is outside.

Here are some factors you can consider, when YOU DECIDE:
1.) Do you need fresh air in?-- (Like venting hot, or bad smelling air?)
Then open the vent for a few minutes--

2.) Is it hot and muggy outside?-
Then yo will be bringing in that muggy air--
OK for a few minutes, to freshen up things- but not for long term--
(For the humidity from outside, is going to overload your cooling capacity quicker.)

3.) As time goes by-- you are lowering the humidity inside the room--- Opening the vent will raise the humidity inside.

Does that help?

Mack B

Hello BWOOD Check the thermostat FAN button is in AUTO position not ON position.That might be it .The relay is in the blower unit but they RARELY become frozen/welded stuck on.

What you described 'shouldn't' be happening - "if" the outside fuses and the inside breaker are sized correctly for your air conditioner.

I would make sure that the fuses in your outside disconnect were the proper size (for your AC), and that the inside breaker was of suffienct size to handle the air conditioner, and whatever else might be on the circuit.

Note: You would never want the 'outside fuse size' to be bigger than the inside breaker.

For example: 50 amp fuses in the outside disconnect and a 40 amp inside breaker is a no-no.

Often, for whatever reasons - someone will put larger fuses in the outside disconnect than what is called for.

When this happens the inside breaker is the only safety on the AC.

The problem is - for whatever reason - your inside breaker should not be tripping off.

It's likely that the AC may be on a inside breaker "that also has other things i.e. dryer, electric range or Refrigerator," and therefore any of these components 'including' the air conditioner could be causing the inside breaker to 'trip.'

One way to check this would be to 'un-plug' whatever else you had on the inside breaker - and then run your air conditioner and see if the breaker trips. Let's say you have the refrigerator and the air conditioner on the same inside breaker. You suspect the refrigerator is causing the inside breaker to trip - so you unplug it - and then turn on the air conditioner. "Now" it does not trip the inside breaker and assuming you have the proper fuses in the outside disconnect - you could safely say the air conditioner is ok - but - the refrigerator might be on the blink.

It's also possible that you just have too much on the inside breaker and you need to plug the refrigerator in to another outlet.

Still, if it was me - I think I would really think 'hard' about calling a Service Tech out - and let him/her diagnose the problem.

Hope this helps.

There is an electrical box on the wall near the outdoor unit. open it and be sure that the circuit breaker is in the on position. Same in your electrical panel, be sure that the circuit breaker is turned on.

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.

You probably have a dirty condenser coil or the con den ser fan motor is bad or the blades are jam that's why it overheat and shut off by overload.

Hi wild 36.
I think the problem may be a bad run capacitor. If the outside unit is humming with no action, that may be it.

This could also cause the outside unit circuit breaker to trip.

Greg.

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])