Extreme heat - AC fan motor goes out (Peoria: renter, to buy)

[john3232]

3.5 ton unit just under three years old. Properly maintained and filters regularly changed.

Renter calls in AC issue and vendor comes over this morning and tells me unit needs a new fan motor.

$575 which is steep but I pay and the unit is running again. I have a 10 year warranty on parts but the vendor tells me it's cheaper to replace the part with the one he has in his truck. If he has to pick up the part I'll be charged for the time it takes to get the part and then return. And the total cost would be more Which sounds like b.s.

Anyway, I asked the AC vendor why the bad fan motor? The unit is just three years old. The AC is a package unit on the roof and was cleaned earlier this year.

He told me the fan wasn't dirty but because of the extreme heat fan motors will break here. Even those 3 years old.

I put new AC units in my rentals 2-3 years ago. I personally make sure filters are changed and the units are cleaned once a year.

All to make sure they don't break down esp. this month.

But here were are in July... the hottest month of the year and a fan motor goes bad on a unit just under three years old. Aren't AC units esp. those sold in AZ designed to withstand extreme summers?

Is the AC vendor right: It 's not unusually for an AC fan motor to go bad during the summer... even one fairly new AC unit.

Thanks

[exit2lef]

I had a fan motor replaced this spring. It was seven years old and showing signs of wear, and I didn’t want it to fail during the summer heat. The technician said that was a pretty typical lifespan. Three years sounds too short.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

I had a fan motor replaced this spring. It was seven years old and showing signs of wear, and I didn’t want it to fail during the summer heat. The technician said that was a pretty typical lifespan. Three years sounds too short.

That's the way I feel.

I'm wondering what would cause this? I don't believe it was dirty.

.

[wit-nit]

My unit is 15 years old and never had a problem. OP if you have a 10 year warranty then call that installer that you bought the unit from. They should take care of it a n/c.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by wit-nit

My unit is 15 years old and never had a problem. OP if you have a 10 year warranty then call that installer that you bought the unit from. They should take care of it a n/c.

This is a rental property and during the summer I need it working. The person who installed the unit lives in Peoria. It was a mistake using someone so far away but he came recommended.

Originally the AC vendor I called yesterday came over this morning to look at the blinking cool light on the thermostat. I brought some batteries thinking the thermostat might need new ones. The renter also told me the AC would stopped before reaching the desired room temp and then start again 10-15 mins later.

New batteries were installed and the blinking stopped. The AC unit seemed to be running fine and cold air was coming from the various vents. I paid the AC vendor for a service call and the two of use walked out.

However, just as the AC vendor reached his truck the renter came out and said the AC had stopped again.

The AC tech then went on the roof and checked the unit (package system) and this is when he told the fan motor needed to be replaced.

The AC unit I have is Night and Day
https://www.bakerdist.com/heil-phj43...r410a--81970a7

I know Carrier and Trane are the big brand names but the person who did the installation told me AC units basically use the same parts. You're paying for the name and not necessarily a better unit.

[john3232]

Here’s what was recommended:

In your position, I might be tempted to buy one on my own and keep it on hand for emergencies like this. Here are a couple representative selections that I suggest as maybe better than what you may have gotten. They are rated at 70° C. and will stand up to the AZ heat better than a standard one.
https://www.grainger.com/content/com...D2PRA7%2C2PRA9

Any idea where I can buy a fan blower with Max. Ambient Temp.70 so I'll have one if needed.

These are the models I had installed 2-3 years ago:

R4A560AKB
N4A560GKC
R4A542AKA
PHJ442000KTP0A
PHJ436000KTP0A

[R J]

Originally Posted by john3232

Here’s what was recommended:

In your position, I might be tempted to buy one on my own and keep it on hand for emergencies like this. Here are a couple representative selections that I suggest as maybe better than what you may have gotten. They are rated at 70° C. and will stand up to the AZ heat better than a standard one.
https://www.grainger.com/content/com...D2PRA7%2C2PRA9

Any idea where I can buy a fan blower with Max. Ambient Temp.70 so I'll have one if needed.

These are the models I had installed 2-3 years ago:

R4A560AKB
N4A560GKC
R4A542AKA
PHJ442000KTP0A
PHJ436000KTP0A

Those are off the shelf multi use condenser motors and you're going to have to match the specs, as best possible, to what is currently installed in your unit. You may have to settle for specs that don't match precisely such as mounting or current draw. Also, these new motors may use a different run capacitor altogether. For this reason, I try to go with OEM unless it's a critical emergency.

I've only used ball bearing replacements in applications equipped with low ambient speed controls.


What was the brand of motor pulled out of your Heil unit?

[john3232]

Originally Posted by R J

Those are off the shelf multi use condenser motors and you're going to have to match the specs, as best possible, to what is currently installed in your unit. You may have to settle for specs that don't match precisely such as mounting or current draw. Also, these new motors may use a different run capacitor altogether. For this reason, I try to go with OEM unless it's a critical emergency.

I've only used ball bearing replacements in applications equipped with low ambient speed controls.


What was the brand of motor pulled out of your Heil unit?

Unfortunately, I don't know since the AC vendor hasn't returned my text messages.

Won't be using him again anyway.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by R J

Those are off the shelf multi use condenser motors and you're going to have to match the specs, as best possible, to what is currently installed in your unit. You may have to settle for specs that don't match precisely such as mounting or current draw. Also, these new motors may use a different run capacitor altogether. For this reason, I try to go with OEM unless it's a critical emergency.

I've only used ball bearing replacements in applications equipped with low ambient speed controls.


What was the brand of motor pulled out of your Heil unit?

As I mentioned above I am unsure the brand of fan motor pulled out from the unit or the brand of the replacement motor that was installed.

However, this morning I was told by AC vendor if I provide the model and the serial number on the warranty it shouldn't be a problem getting a OEM part or at least something close.

The problem yesterday was with the extreme heat I didn't have time to schedule someone else to come over. By 9:30 am it was already 90 degrees in the house.

I'm still surprised the fan motor went out. I know the unit was hosed down in March so it shouldn't have been too dirty. The AC filters are changed regularly so that's not an issue.

I'm thinking about having SRP come by and check the meter to make sure power is constant and not spiking.

[southernnaturelover]

I have always wondered why people in the Southwest put a/c units on the roof? You rarely ever see that here in the Southeast. It just seems to me that a hot rooftop would be the worst place to place an a/c unit, unless maybe you have a white roof.

As far as that fan motor, a lot of newer units now have cheap Chinese motors, and they don't last. Many units now also have Korean made LG compressors rather than Copeland, and I suspect they won't last either.