Central Air Conditioning Compressor FAN Motor REBUILD???

My compressor fan motor started making this terrible squealing sound, a new motor 1/6 HP 825 RPM costs $280.00, according to a part inquiry over the internet. OUCH!! Anyone ever replace the bearings on these motors? Seems easy to me, just got to take it to a bearing shop, maybe they can do it for me, pull the bearings out and replace them. Perhaps there even exists a rebuild kit for these types of motors. Just curious if anyone else ever dealt with this, give me a heads up.

FYI ...I cannibalized a slightly smaller motor out of a unit that was set at the side of the curb a few blocks away, fan works great until it shuts off after about 10 minutes, I am pretty sure the overtemp switch is prematurely opening. The shaft turns freely, so I suspect the switch is shit, probably what screwed that particular a/c unit, killed the compressor. I TRIED!!

Reply to
Paul
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take the motor to an electrical motor rebuild shop in your area.... dont know the cost, but they can tell you and do the rebuild correctly...... if you are not in the electric motor rebuild business you probably dont have the tools to do the job correctly.. and if a new motor cost that much you can get it rebuilt for alot less than that price..............

Reply to
jim

No..they are not worth rebuilding..not as cheap as they are, but you DO have an odd application...and its going to cost a bit more than $29..more like $90 for the 825RPM...

prematurely

You screwed up.. You ALWAYS usethe same HP, RPM andSF motor as what was on the unit..the fan must be located in the EXACT same position as well, or else the unitwill not work as designed....and using a smaller motor, even if the RPM are higher, will overwork the motor and its not going to work..

You are paying not only for the correct motor when you call your local licenced HVAC tech, but also for a competent repair..and the knowledge to know the right way to replace it.

Reply to
CBHvac

Garbage lube...and had you serviced it like it was supposed to be, it might still be running.. Lube HOLE?? There are normally two....but you have to know where the other one is..

Grainger is overpriced as hell, just so you know. and I have never charged that much for ONE condensor fan motor...installed...provided the motor itself was not over $300 and there are a few that are. So..everyone can stop with the blanket AC guy pricing bull.... Grainger..LOL...what a joke..

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Reply to
CBHvac

Well, it lasted 15 years so I'm hardly complaining.

Yes, there is a bushing or bearing at each end. I lubed them both. It isn't magic.

When you don't have an HVAC license, you can't buy from anywhere you want to. It is part of the gimmick; make the parts hard for joe blow to get.

Well, my sister had one done. All that was wrong was the start cap but that is hardlly worth your trip right? So he convinced her the motor was bad and the bill was just over $300 for a motor and cap installed.

$65 for that motor was a bargain too me. The joke is, you didn't get paid to install it.

Reply to
Bruce

This is Turtle.

Your my kind of customer. You say $300.00 for a condenser motor change out. If i could get $300.00 for a condenser motor change out. I would take the rest of the day off and go fishing. Keep the good work up here by telling the prices being this and I would only have to work a half day and then go fishing the rest of the day. I get for a 825 RPM 1/6 HP motor about $165.00 installed and a 1 year warrenty parts and labor. The 825 rpm motor is a little high wholesale but i got to live with the cost.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Yes I have replaced the plain bearings in my condenser cooling fan motor. They were pressed in thinwall babbit type which came out with a properly sized drift and a few hits with a hammer (the fan has to be removed and the motor housing disassembled). I took the bearings to a bearing supply store and they were able to match them in bronze. Before reinstalling the bearings I also cleaned the felt oil reservoir and relubed it with ~10 wt machine oil. I also took the opportunity to install a small tube from the inaccessable bearing oil hole and ran it around to the other side where both are easily serviced together.

Regards,

John

Reply to
JTM

How apropos.

Actually, not. I'm 41 and I've NEVER needed an AC man in my life, home or auto.

Why not work a full day and make twice as much so that you can make a decent living?

So, I saved myself a Ben Franklin by calling Grainger instead of you? Sounds like a good deal too me.

Reply to
Bruce

Umm..no EPA card, and you added refrigerant, you did...

Wait till the fines go up again...and wait till 134a is illegal to sell to a non licenced person..

LOL.. we do.. and if we work a full day, we make a damn good living....

That motor runs about $25 at the local parts house...you still got screwed... Oh... I installed one Sunday..SUNDAY for $75...go figure...ten bux more than you spent.. We really rip people off on Sundays...cant you tell?

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Reply to
CBHvac

Screw the EPA. I've got R-12, R-22 and R-134a in my garage, though I don't need the R-12 anymore.

I bet you can't wait. I'll have a case or two before that happens.

Good for you. I thought you were going to quit after grossing $300 on a motor install. I don't consider that a "damn good living."

Whatever dude! You just HATE it when folks do their own repairs don't you?

I have no idea whether you personally rip people off or not but there is no doubt your field is FULL of ripoff artists. I see it everytime Dateline clips the thermostat wires and calls them out. Usually 8 of 10 will screw the home owners over.

Reply to
Bruce

this is Turtle.

awwwwww , i got a quote from granger on a 1/6 hp with a 825 rpm totally inclosed without capasitor on a contractor discount program and here is your results. motor cost $95.95 + $7.77 tax + $11.00 shipping and handling = $114.72 . I would go broke paying these kind of prices and selling the motors installed for $165.00 completely installed + warrenty with new capasitor . You had said you could get the granger motor that cost $65.00 that would fit but it would be the 1075 rpm and not work at all. Granger does not have any condenser fan motors with 825 rpm under $95.95 for while i was there i had then try to cross over any cheaper motor that they had. they said No cheaper on the 825 rpm motor types in stock.

Now you saing $65.00 for a 825 rpm motor from granger is kind of pushing the trueth a little. Now you must have bought the 1075 rpm and got it for $65.00

  • tax + capasistor + shipping & handling. You probley paid about 0.00 for it and done it yourself. i change these type out for 5.00 Completely. I buy in bulk and the 5.00 job will bring me a smooth 0.00 clear.

You need to price some motor from them but tell them you want the 825 RPM speed to have. You will get surprised to find out that motor cost you North of $100.00 to get it without capasitor.

Son don't start to talk prices with a hvac company owner and start telling him what motors cost. As a kid i can remember condenser fan motor + capasitor costing $8.90

Oh , yea, i don't buy from granger at all for they are just too high for me. i use fasco , Emerson , or G/E from my warehouses.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

This is Turtle.

No son the joke is on you by letting your sister pay $300.00 for a condenser fan motor change out and you knowing how to pop those motor right in there and it being so easy to change and cost only $65.00. Oh, that is right she wouldn't let you work on her unit anymore after the blower motor fire inside. Yea another point here Bruce. the condenser fan mjotors don't have start capasitor but they are different and call a running capasitor. now if you knew the capasitor bad and not the motor. Why didn't you tell the service man to stop and just change the capasitor. Things are not adding up here Bruce.

Yea, Bruce, Buying fan motors for anything has nothing to do with having HVAC licences. A 10 year old kid can go to any appliance store and buy a condenser fan motor but you will not get a warrenty with it.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Hope you reported it..LOL...we did. the Texas EPA division loves this stuff..

Hurry the hell up then...go buy a truckload...

Had a few that are $1000+...

Nope...actually people like that help us in the long run to make a damn good living...really..

Actually, you see the few that came and ripped the customers off...what good would a show be that showed every tech doing the job right? Its pretty damn boring actually. I make sure that our people know whatsgoing on, and as farasripping people off...well...IF you knew anyting about me, you would know that we report more people to the state licence board for that than anyone..I just follow the laws....and the laws are clear...no licence, no work. Period. If you had followed my posting history, you would also realize that over the years, I have helped more on their AC stuff and getting a decent contractor out than most...I also try to help them understand why we charge what we do at times. This biz does not have a magic money tree in the back yard, and you can thank the government for addiing all the regs in place that we have to follow...

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Reply to
CBHvac

I'm so scared, I'm gonna throw it all away right now, NOT. Fuck you.

I see two weeks of history of you assuming changing a fan motor is rocket science and that if I do it myself, I'll get: A. ripped off B. Start a fire C. Poor cooling D. Damage the entire unit

You are using a tactic IBM called FUD. Fear Uncertainty Doubt. I have no respect for people that do that, sorry.

Reply to
Bruce

this is Turtle.

Hey CB , See if you can get a address on this bruce fellow and we can make some money off the Back taxes they will collect from him. i have been told you can get 20% of the taxes that is owed on the freon bought years ago if you still have it. Freon 12 has about $25.00 a pound on it now and if he bought it 5 to 8 years ago. he will owe about $20.00 a pond on the r-12 he has. they 22 is not much but 12 brings big money.

Email me and see about get a % of taxes as a reward or bounty on tax owed. He is dumb telling us this. Texas is big on these taxes.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Then you really got hammered.... LOL

GOOD for them..

Reply to
CBHvac

Hi Paul, hope you are having a nice day

On 13-Jul-03 At About 01:57:19, Paul wrote to All Subject: Central Air Conditioning Compressor FAN Motor REBUILD???

P> From: "Paul"

P> My compressor fan motor started making this terrible squealing sound, P> a new motor 1/6 HP 825 RPM costs $280.00, according to a part P> inquiry over the internet. OUCH!! Anyone ever replace the bearings P> on these motors? Seems easy to me, just got to take it to a bearing P> shop, maybe they can do it for me, pull the bearings out and replace P> them. Perhaps there even exists a rebuild kit for these types of P> motors. Just curious if anyone else ever dealt with this, give me a P> heads up.

P> FYI ...I cannibalized a slightly smaller motor out of a unit that was P> set at the side of the curb a few blocks away, fan works great until P> it shuts off after about 10 minutes, I am pretty sure the overtemp P> switch is prematurely opening. The shaft turns freely, so I suspect P> the switch is shit, probably what screwed that particular a/c unit, P> killed the compressor. I TRIED!!

The problem may not be the motor but the application. you must replace a motor with the same horse power, RPM and, amp draw or it will be overworked. as for the bearings. it usually costs more to replace them than the motor is worth as the shaft could have also been damaged.

-=> HvacTech2

Reply to
HvacTech2

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