Found 2 on (removed link) Grainger's website after inputting all the info from the pace plate. RPMs are less by 25, so one of these might work. There's a branch nearby .. think I might pull it and run down there. The shaft's look longer than what the clearance on my unit looks like, but I haven't pulled the top... I'll just get the matching capacitor and swap it all out... might as well get new fuses while I'm at it.... if it all costs me 150, I'm still saving..

I turned the unit on a bit ago to check the sounds, and sure enough, squealing like the pig (no lipstick either ), but the fan was rotating. But there was definitely that 'ballsy rumble' sound like a bearing going.

While I was typing this, the service guy I had come out initially, called and said he'd do the swap for $250.00. He's going to call back after he checks with the office for scheduling... may have to pass on his services..

When I'm pulling this motor out, other than shaft lengths, what more should I look out for? I know marking the wires for correct re-install, anything peculiar with A/C units that I need to watch for?

Well the above link is not working, but the motors are listed at $65-70, but I haven't checked the local shops.

Thanks bradyf... with the $$ I'll save doing it myself, I can get someone else to do a pressure check..

Don't drop it on your condenser coils

I haven't worked on an A/C for 20 years so don't rip me a new one if I screw anything up. I wanted to underscore what WaterMutt (EDIT: and Brady...sorry repeating some stuff...took me a little while to finish this post.) wrote about the capacitor. Just b/c you turn off the electric doesn't mean there is not still a charge in the capacitor. Be very careful poking around in there if there is not a rubber cap on the the capacitor connection ends. We did just as WM described, shorted across the capacitor connectors with a screwdriver shank to discharge it (uhmm, don't be touching any metal part of the screwdriver either ).

As I recall both the fan and the compressor had a capacitor...the compressor's was larger. Try to isolate if the noise on start-up is coming from the fan or the compressor by listening...maybe us a rolled paper cone to hone in on an area. I seem to remember compressors making noise on start-up if the capacitor was not giving it a big enough boost. Sometimes compressors wouldn't start at all and sometimes, just make noise on start-up...a fresh capacitor or even a bigger capacitor would help. As mentioned though if it has been going on for a while, it may just be a temporary band-aid until the compressor gets harder and harder to kick-start and no longer will.

I also agree w/ Indy that it is very suspicious that the tech drained freon and now you are not cooling when the initial problem was noise, not cooling. I remember either under or overfilling w/ freon would cause compressors to frost over...can anyone remind me which?

Finally, I find it kinda funny that Grainger is still considered the most expensive...we only bought from them if we had to on short-notice...to their credit, they usually had it in stock.

Good luck.

athiker, thanks for the double-up on the capacitor info. And as far as the noise, I am pretty convinced it's the fan motor, as it appears to be coming from the top of the unit, just by being close enough to get what hair I have blown back. And the rumble from the fan after the squeal subsides sounds 'bearingy' if that makes sense.

I need to get going for a while with my daughter. She needs to get her car smog checked and a few errands. Please, if you can think of anything else I need to be aware of, let me know. You have no idea how grateful I am for all of you taking time to respond and help me out.... Indy, didn't mean to put such a hijack on your thread!

Underfilling causes the system to freeze up, overfilling causes it to slug. So I don't think Nu2 is in danger of ruining the compressor.

Grainger is expensive, but like you said, they generally have stuff in stock, and when the repairman bill is $300 and the DIY grainger part is $70 and the AC store price is $60 - it's not worth quibbling over the $10 difference - especially if Grainger is around the corner.

I find also that Grainger doesn't really like to sell to individuals, but if you have a company ID, they will take your credit card and give it to you.

unless the unit was in fact over charged to begin with, i.e slugged. They can actually go for quite some time slugging - eventually they wear down though and flat out burn up.

in any case, I dont think it was overcharged. and the high head would indicate that the condensor fan is going bad (or cap) Nu2, if my guages were still any good I would send them to you, you could put a box fan on the top of it and watch the pressures drop!! or put a sprinkler on it.. hehehe did that for about a year on a 60ton roof top before it all went kaput and the manager had to apologize for not listening to me.. heheheheh

If you are fairly electrically knowledgable, you can disconnect either the fan or the compressor from the contactor to isolate the two components.
Squeels are most likely the fan. If you don't have your unit serviced much, you probably burnt the bearings. Most condensing unit fans have little oil ports in the side to oil the bearings, twice a year. You can try oiling them now, but it may be too late.

Low refrigerant levels allow the unit to operate at low temperatures to a certain point. I think 68PSI on suction is at freezing, but I can't remember off the top of my head and that is for R22. If you run really low, then you don't have enough refrigerant to pull the heat out. So even though you are running low temperatures, the air movement will keep everything thawed.
One thing to remember about being extremely undercharged would be oil movement and compressor winding cooling.

Not seeing the guage measurements and fan operation and indoor temps and etc, I really would not want to fathom a guess at why the guy took out refrigerant or what is going on with your unit now. Good luck, and keep us updated.

Managed to get the old motor and capacitor out with no problem. No brown caps on the capacitor, so I was a bit paranoid working around it. Once I had it off tho, I crossed the connections with a pair of pliars and no snap or spark at all.. The fan was bee-itch to get off, but managed to work it off. At first I thought it may have been pressed on, but with a set screw, discarded that idea.

Got the new motor from a local little shop.. Riverside Electric Motors.. deepv probably knows this place. A little hole in the wall but the guy fixed me right up. Tested both motor and capacitor and the motor was shot... the shaft extended about an inch and wabbled pretty bad. Capacitor tested fine. He even cut the new motor shaft to length, spliced my old connection to the new motor, and tested the rotation. All for $93.00! If you're ever in the Riverside area and need a motor, this IS the guy!!!! Great customer service!

I had initially set up a will call order at Grainger's but when I got there, the motor and capacitor didn't match up. The counter guy was real helpful in pulling several of both, but still no match. Too many additional wires for a non-electrical person like me to figure out, and the counter guy had no clue!. The exact match was out of stock and cost $142.00 on order... told him thanks for the time and trouble, but no thanks, and hurried over to the little shop!

The motor purrs and is real quiet compared to what it used to sound like. And re-assembly was less time than what I thought. Total time about 1.5 hours... A/C guys make too much money! LOL!
Unfortunately, there is no cool air from the vents..

Thanks bradyf! Appreciate the offer! Wouldn't be quite sure what to do with them! But it is interesting that you said the high head pressure would indicate a fan going bad. This guy should have known that... afterall the reason I called him was to check the noise from the fan!

I need to get on the phone and get this guy back out here to re-check the system now that the fan is good... We'll be getting hot weather this weekend and need some cool air flowing! Thanks again for all the help and advice.. More later!

Nice work.

I'm betting the first guy let freon out of the system, and now it doesn't cool. You'll probably be fine once it gets charged up.

yep, tell him that he needs to put the recovered stuff BACK into your system and to make sure that he uses the right guage set LOL!!!
and if it IS low on charge, make sure that you do NOT pay for the service call OR the gas!!!!!

when the fan isnt functioning properly, the pressures arent released making for the high head that you (or rather HE) was seeing.
The unit should have been tripping on high head though.. - or was it, I am to lazy to read back in the thread

not sure what tripping means in this case, but if you mean cycling off and on, no it wasn't.
I called the company back a bit ago and told him what was happening. Spoke with the owner personally and he will be out tomorrow to check the charge. If it is low and needs charging, he will add freon at no cost to me. But if the pressure reads correct, I agreed to a 'service charge' call of $49.95.

As a point of reference, what is 'normal' operating pressures I should look for when he comes out tomorrow? It'll probably be in the hi 70's low 80's when he'll be here...

pressures should be about that which is stated in the quote you provided.
Low side around 68-72 and high side about 275 or there abouts.


Good job by the way in the repair of the condenser..!!!

Tripping on high head would mean that the pressures were getting higher then normal and the compressor safety would have stopped all together until it was reset ( by the stat on/off or by internal overload.) they have a ton of safetys on them to protect them...

Thanks bradyf. Hopefully, it will be alot lower when he first attaches his gauges.... that way, I no pay! LOL!

I'll let you know tomorrow!

if you get a chance, run to a local HVAC supply house and grab a pressure/temerature chart ( "PT Chart" ) it will give you the proper pressures for the high and low sides. they should be free or very cheap