Well that explains that

[SeaCat]

The last time I tried to run the A/C it didn't work. It pumped out cold air for a short while then stopped.

This morning I went out and started checking things out. Of course when I turned on the A/C it ran just fine. Then after about five minutes the compressor fan motor stopped spinning. (It hadn't been running very fast before that but now it just plain stopped.)

Well that a sign of something being wrong. I started checking things out.

After checking this and that, disconnecting this and reataching it then running things again it came down to the electrical motor in the compressor fan.

Several things told me this was the problem. The first was everything else was checking out just fine while the second was the motor was getting too damned hot to touch.

While I let the motor cool off I hit the phone books and the Internet. I found a place that sells parts to A/C units to the general public. (A rare thing here in this county. Most places will only sell to licensed HVAC Techs.)

AFter finding this place I went back out and pulled the motor. That was when I saw the results of time and wweather on the motor. I'm honestly surprised it has run as long as it has.

Now tomorrow I'll head up to the place I found and get me a replacement 220V 1/4 HP 1100 RPM motor. I'm wondering how much this is going to cost me.

Cat

 

[Katyusha]

AFter finding this place I went back out and pulled the motor. That was when I saw the results of time and wweather on the motor. I'm honestly surprised it has run as long as it has.

Well? Don't give us just that...what did it look like?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Well? Don't give us just that...what did it look like?

Yeah, we demand pix! Was it full of those outsize Florida beetles?

 

[SeaCat]

Ask and you shall receive. Sorry about the quality of the picture but I took it with my phone.

This is after removing it and cleaning it a bit.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj79/Seacat_01/Motor.jpg

This doesn't show the conditions inside the motor or the corrosion on all of the connections.

Cat

 

[Katyusha]

Beautiful. Yeah...I'm not surprised it's dead now.

 

[unregistered]

 

[SeaCat]

Not knowing the specifics of manufacturer, frame, or OEM specific costs; it should run you between $200 and $400 USD.

$200-$400 for an electric motor that is smaller than most coconuts? Why am I not surprised?

Maybe I'll have to do some mods? I have a couple of high speed 110V motors in the back room I can modify to suit my needs. (Hey I'm the cat who made a multi use stand for my father. On one hand it's a Disk Sander. On another it's a horizontal Drill Press and on the third hand it's a Wood Lathe.)

Cat

 

[bronzeage]

I had the same thing happen to me on a Saturday morning. There was no way to get a new motor before Thursday and it was early July.

I took the motor out of the compressor cabinet and wire my garden hose to the frame. With two fine mist nozzles, it sprayed water on the condenser coils and kept the house cool until the motor came.

 

[TE999]

$200-$400 for an electric motor that is smaller than most coconuts? Why am I not surprise

Cat

A service call would cost you easily twice that. As you know, having an A/C repair service down here is like having a license to steal.

 

[SeaCat]

Called a well established family run corp. here in south Florida that advertised parts for D.I.Y.'ers.

They had to call me back after checking if they had the motor. When they called me back they claimed they didn't have an exact match but they did have what they call a Rescue Motor. (You can supposedly change the H/P and Speed Ratings on this motor just by how you hook up the wires.) They wanted $235.00.

I asked when I could pick it up and they started in about how they prefered to have one of their techs install it. I insisted I could install it and they finally told me they would call me when someone was going to be at the shop. That was at 1300.

Starting at 1430 I started trying to call them and haven't been able to get through. I always get the answering machine with no call back.

Seeing as it's now 1745 I get the feeling they don't want to sell me the motor.

There's one other place about half an hours drive to the south of us. I'll call them tomorrow. (I tried calling this evening but they closed at 1700.) If they don't have the motor then I suppose I'll have to start looking in other counties.

Cat

 

[Handley_Page]

If I could suggest a possible remedy ?

Can you actually connect one of your 110v motors to whatever-the-shaft-connects-to ?

1/4hp is only about 200w, so there is a chance it will run.
From this point you can do one of two things:
1 get a 220-110v 300VA transformer and wire that in.
2 use a drill-speed controller, pre-setting the output to about 110v
Note (you may have to adjust the voltage to get the right torque).

Hope this helps

HP

 

[SeaCat]

If I could suggest a possible remedy ?

Can you actually connect one of your 110v motors to whatever-the-shaft-connects-to ?

1/4hp is only about 200w, so there is a chance it will run.
From this point you can do one of two things:
1 get a 220-110v 300VA transformer and wire that in.
2 use a drill-speed controller, pre-setting the output to about 110v
Note (you may have to adjust the voltage to get the right torque).

Hope this helps

HP

Looking through my meager supply of electrical motors in the back room I found a nice little one that may fit the bill if it comes down to it.

110V 60 Hz 1500 RPM. (1500 RPM is a bit higher than the original but I think I can work with that.)

The shaft is a tad smaller than the shaft on the original motor but I can fix that easily enough.

I know where I can find a transformer that will step down the 220V to 110V.

I just have to check the HP and Amp ratings on the motor and work with that.

We shall see what happens. This A/C shall run again.

Cat