Does anybody know HVAC?

[Morella]

We have an old Lennox on the roof, a huge unit, and it keeps going through condensor fans. Every thunderstorm season, every year, one goes tits up. Why? The system sat there through 20 years or so of working just fine, and now all of a sudden, it has been redesigned so that the condensor fan (yeah, and the capacitor) goes out once a year?

I went up there and put some oil around it, because I thought that some water might have gotten in, although it's a sealed motor that I just put in there a year or two ago, and it blew nice cold air...for a few seconds, then started blowing hot air again. I'm sure I can go up there and give it a flip and it will go again. Is there something else, besides the cap, that can make condensor fan motors go out? There isn't anything wrong with the case, cover or wiring.

Fortunately, I have a window box in my bedroom, but that means no home theatre during the day, which sucks my big black ass.

Well, thanks if you've got a suggestion.

-denise

[Morella]

Don't you hate people who reply to their own posts? Well, the condensor fan is turning, but it seems a little slower than usual; however, the fins aren't hot. Is my compressor gone now? Do I have to budget $4k for a new HVAC system?

Life eats shit. I guess I have to shut down at least one of the two computers in here (I'm not counting this one...it can join me in the bedroom, where it's cool. I normally like it in the low 80's, but it's warmer than that...enough to screw up the computers.

-denise ( Species flambé )

[Highbars]

If you only go out during thunderstorm season... Then maybe the ground is bad and the unit is taking the spike instead of going to ground as it should.... I assume it is getting struck by lighting....

[randyaz]

hey...im in globe...have ancient lenox too...condensor fan keeps going out too...

the motor has a internal thermal switch and for some reason is getting to hot and shuts its self off. The compressor keeps trying to come on and sucks the life out of the electric meter. After replacing 2 motors i found a fix...

I get the water hose out and spray the whole unit down and it cools it enough and comes back on.

It seems to screw up when the temp gets over 100...second season doing this with same motor

[Morella]

I think that the problem is that the fan is out of track. This bends the motor shaft, and when it gets warm, the armature starts whacking the field. We had a hell of a time getting the fan off, and might have bent it. I think that we will limp it along through the summer, then I will draw some marks and use a laser pointer to check the tracking. Naughton's should have a new fan as well as the motor. The cap will probably be OK, since I replaced it a year or two ago.

Thanks. I asked this question on an HVAC board, and they told me that I was a do-it-yourselfer and kicked me off of the board. I didn't even get a chance to tell the moderator that we was an asshole, but he probably knows that already.

I was surprised that this unit was sold in 1993, but I found the paperwork. If the blade tracks OK, I'll try to find that switch.

thanks

-denise