Is it possible to reverse the rotation of a fan motor by installing a new capicitor? The motor draws air through the top of the unit and forces out through the condenser, instead of drawing it through the condenser and out the top. The motor rotation is backward if you look from the rear of the motor. I have never noticed this before. I had a contractor put a new capicitor in today, and when he started it up, he noticed the motor was running backward. It is the motor the unit came with, and has only 3 wires and is not reversible. The unit ran for awhile, but the fan motor quit. After allowing the unit to cool down, it is running again. By the wiring diagram, it is wired correctly. The capicitor that went bad was a combination (1 capicitor) unit. They installed a large and small capicitor to replace it. I have never heard of a motor changing rotation unless it was a reversable motor. I have had no problems with this unit, and now it wont stay running.
Condenser Fan Motor
Jul 19, 2006
9 Replies
Ya know, man... if you'd have come right and said this was a DIY job and you needed some help... I probably would have obliged.
If a contractor did it.. the answer is simple... call them back.
If you chose to come clean and tell us another story, please do. This one doesn't fly...
I'm NOT a HVAC contractor, so don't start with the flames.
Jake
I wish it was a DIY job. This thing has been trouble free for 3 years. He told me that it would be 240 dollars to replace the motor with one that has the correct rotation. I can get a motor at grainger for 50 bucks. I would call them back, but my budget says no!!
$240 is cheap..... and FWIW, that supposed $50 motor is now $85.
Just bought this morning for 49.85. Maybe you should negociate a new discount.
Jake posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.
Jake, for my own info, could you tell me why in here or email this would happen?
Some folks just won't learn.... You can try to do it cheap, or you can get it done right. The supposed "tech" you had, needs to go back to school. FWIW, the price I pay for a motor is not about cheap, its about quality...you can't have both.
When your ready to tell us the truth about whats going on, then by all means do so. until then, go away.
I do not know what type of tech. you have used but if he did job for me he would be back to correct problem or he would not have got paid, what seems to me he is scam artist that makes rest of industry look bad. Fan motor will not change rotation if capacitor is install on right legs (wires) usually two browns, but some motors that use running Cap. will run in both direction if cap. is open some time all you need is little nudge to started it up, but it will run in either direction. Good luck from dido
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Katy-West Houston Air had written this in response to
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: The RUN and START windings are reversed on the run capacitor. The run capacitor has 2 wires comming from the motor, and there is a power wire also attached to the capacitor. Leave the power wire connected to the capacitor and reverse the other 2 wires....the motor will now run in the right direction.
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