Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Compressor / Condenser Wiring Repair FAQs

Condenser unit wiring Q&A
Diagnose & Fix damaged compressor / heat pump wiring

Damaged Air Conditioner or Heat Pump Wiring FAQs

The puppy chewed on an electrical wire, now our air conditioner won't run

My central air conditioner stopped working. My husband noticed an electrical wire that runs from the outside unit through the wall and inside which was slightly chewed by our puppy on the outside of the home. Can this be causing the air conditioner to not work?

Please help us, as we know that the cost to fix air conditioners can be very expensive. Thanks. On 2011-06-06 by Alessa

by (mod) -

Alessa:

If the chewed wires were shorted by the puppy's biting or even if the chewing just allowed moisture to enter the wire cabling, it could be shorted and certainly is unsafe. It needs to be replaced.

If there was a short circuit, other components such as a control board could have been damaged.

Watch out: live electrical voltage is a shock hazard that could kill someone.

Condenser Fan Wiring FAQs

Reader question: Pioneer heat pump fan reversed direction

I'm new to heating and cooling. Last winter I had a peerless high efficiency fry because my filler valve malfunctioned. I ended up replacing with a Navian high efficiency boiler.

Was interesting to learn. Since then, I bought a mini split pioneer seer 19? I think it is a 13k btu unit. I installed it following the install instructions to the letter.

I got everything hooked up and my buddy lent me his evacuator. I dried the lines and did the pressure testing and all held perfectly.

I then opened the service valve port to charge the line set with freon (whatever the new stuff is called). I could hear the lines charging and again, no leaks.

The gauges were around 270 (according to my buddy as he read the numbers to me) or so while trying to cool.

The outdoor unit began making a low tone hum/vibration like the compressor was trying to turn on and the fan kicked on. Nothing. No cooling, no heating.

The line sets didn't even get cold or hot by even a degree difference. The reversing valve must be working (im guessing) because when i call for heat, the fan will come to a stop, pause and then reverse direction.

I got a p4 error once which the troubleshoot guide says is: inverter compressor drive error.

I have not got that error since. Any idea what this could be? Is it just as simple as the compressor drive error? Is the drive separate from the compressor? On 2020-09-09 by Bobrosss

Mod reply:

Bob,

Thank you for the helpful diagnostic question about your Pioneer brand Mini Split AC unit. The fact that your fan is reversing direction tells me that this is a heat pump and the controls are miswired or oscillating between heating and cooling, or there's a fan wiring error - as the unit's new.

More subtle would be a mis-adjusted or debris-clogged expansion valve or reversing valve.

Note that Pioneer's mini split units come pre-charged with R410A in a volume sufficient to ccommodate refrigerant line lengths up to 25 ft. per circuit. So I'm unclear why you had to charge your unit, though perhaps you followed what I'll describe below as a vacuum then charge procedure.

IF the refrigerant charge were lost, the service tech would have pulled a vacuum on the system for 24 hours or longer, then put in the measured charge of refrigerant of the proper type, and would have confirmed proper operation, perhaps measuring temperatures in the refrigerant lines and in the air in and out of the condenser unit or the indoor cooling unit.

Below is an example - for other readers, of a Pioneer mini-split AC system.

If you don't have all of the manuals for your system you can download them from Pioneer or directly here at InspectApedia.com at

PIONEER HVAC MANUALS Air Conditioners, Heat Pumps, Split Systems, Inverters

I'd contact Pioneer directly at their tech support department to ask for further help with that P4 error.

Contact Pioneer at (800) 919-0150 Web: pioneerminisplit.com/

Reader follow up:

Yes, I am not familiar with the proper terms. I did the vacuum and charge thing, meaning I hooked an evacuator pump on the system and then just opened the service valve so the R410a could fill the line set. Thank you for your response. I will contact

Pioneer. ugh, I mean I did those 2 tasks separately hehe.

Reply:

Bob:

I would leave the system OFF entirely until at the very least you're sure that you put in the proper charge of refrigerant. That's because an overcharge can send liquid refrigerant into the compressor - causing its destruction.

 

Reader question: fan is blowing hot air out the sides

I had a new comparator and fan motor put on my Trane compressors/condenser outside. The fan is blowing hot air out the sides and you feel cool air on top Is it running in the right direction On 2020-07-22 by Joanne

Mod reply:

Joanne

On most units that would be backwards

New fan motor gets very hot and stalls - wrong horsepower or fusing or capacitor?

Air conditioner guy changed the fan motor on compressor, and it's getting very hot to where it starting to burn up and stall, I looked at it and it's a 3/4 hp instead of a 1/3hp and a 5.2A I stead of a 5.0A, he also deleted a little transformer and added 2 different capacitors, so is that the problem? On 2021-07-24 by TJ

Reply by inspectapedia.com.moderator

@TJ,

I don't feel safe diagnosing this one from your text alone, but it certainly sounds like there's a wiring error if not a couple of errors.

You might want to call the service manager and ask for an experienced service tech.

In the meantime you want to leave that system turned off to avoid fire.

 

York YCJF42541S1A outside unit was running but the fan blades weren't

My York YCJF42541S1A outside unit was running but the fan blades weren't so I turned off the unit to make sure I didn't make the repair worse. Inside the house is warm and could have been blowing warm air. Tech came out and replaced the fan motor.

Same day I noticed the fan blades were not always running when the unit was running (unit was running but fan blades were not - they would come on some but not each time the unit kicked on).

Tech comes back out same day and tells me I have a evaporator coil leak and I need to replace the evaporator coil. Does this seem reasonable? The unit is 8 years old. Shouldn't the coil last longer than that? I don't want to spend the money if it is a capacitor. Help 2020-06-08 by Denise

Mod reply:

Denise

There is probably something here that we don't understand. I'm not sure how refrigerant leak would make the fan run intermittently.

Seems more likely that it's a wiring or control board or motor capacitor problem there may also be a refrigerant leak and which case we would have The Coincidence of two different problems occurring at the same time.

Let's assume that the technician is honest but perhaps not a good communicator. You might ask for an explanation and let me know what you're told.

Follow up:

Ok, I am not sure about the model number of my unit either. The tech's writing is hard to read. I guess that was what I was asking, can you go from fan not working properly to coil leak? I am not convinced the fan was fixed either the first or second visit.

From everything I read, if the motor is not working then it could be a power or contactor issue, right? The unit cooled fine until late last week when we noticed it being extra warm but we have had a mild spring until the last couple of weeks.

I am thinking of asking for a second opinion just to be sure before I sink money into a new coil. Anything else you can think of to ask about this situation? I really appreciate your help!

Condenser fan wiring nicked by a fan blade

Wire of my AC outside the house has been knicked by the fan. AC does not work. How to repair the damage. Thanks. (June 16, 2014) Nick

Reply:

Nick

If the wire didn't short out (which would damage equipment or trip a breaker) it can be spliced & waterproof-taped, or replaced completely.

WATCH OUT: for fatal shock hazards. Don't try working on live equipment. Hire a trained professional if you are not qualified to make this repair.

 

Refrigeration condenser unit fan not working - changed from 12V to 220V fan motor

I have a Samsung refrigerator model RS22FLMR that has a problem.

First the condenser fan (12 volts) is not working I replaced but it is still not working ,

I replaced it with a 220 volt fan. It works good but the compressor started once when I powered the refrigerator on then it would not start again until I un-pluged and re-pluged in the power cable

What should I do?

Is it because of DC 12 V fan not connected to board so compressor wont start again? or board problem or what u think about that . - On 2019-05-21 by Farid -

Reply by (mod) - high head pressure: compressor can't start

Farid

When a compressor motor has trouble starting in the manner you describe I suspect a refrigerant metering device clog - such as a clogged cap tube.

If the compressor is facing high head pressure on its outlet side it can have trouble starting.

Watch out: I'm very concerned about your switching fan motor types going from 12V to 220V. Start by reviewing the manual and wiring diagram for your Samsun refrigerator. I'm doubtful that you can simply change a fan or fan motor between those voltages.

For example, if controls in a refrigerator expect to be switching on and off a 12-Volt motor, they may not work with a 220V motor, and worse you could be risking shock or an electrical fire.

Compressor / condenser unit fan wiring: the hvac tech left wires sticking up out of my fan unit

I just had a new fan motor installed....$569.98! Also is it standard procedure to have wires sticking up from the top,,,,? These were told to me to be so he could reverse the motor if need be? - Vicky Cummins 6/18/12

I have a red and white wire coming into my house for the thermostat from the AC unit. in the furnace I have red, white, green and yellow. which wires should I connect the red and white wires from the air conditioner to? (Apr 28, 2015) Anonymous

Reply:

Vicky,

No not in my opinion. It is a poor and dangerous practice to leave live electrical wires protruding out of any appliance - it's a shock and electrocution hazard. Perhaps the tech intended this as a temporary measure to be sure s/he could correct a wiring error. But electrical wires should not be left exposed.

Anon: see

THERMOSTAT WIRING COLOR CODES

at inspectapedia.com/heat/Thermostat-Wire-Color-Codes.php

New condenser fan motor, cap, but compressor hums

Condenser fan motor, new, all capacitors, new, Works fine cools house for 1/2 hour then new fan motor shuts off and compresses hums, wait 1/2 hour and it does it all over again. help - Mike Nichols 5/2/12

my unit outside will not come on but it does inside what can be wrong - Larry 5/21/12

Reply:

Mike it sounds as if you are describing a bad compressor motor, bad starting capacitor, or wiring error, not a bad condenser unit fan motor, especially if you are dead certain the start/run caps are OK.

See COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER REPAIR where we list diagnostic articles.

Larry: same advice as for Mike. If you are sure the controls are calling for the equipment to run and voltage is present, start by checking the diagnostic articles in the order listed

at LOST COOLING CAPACITY.

 

Question: risks associated with running the inside and outside A/C units to the same electrical line?

What are the risks accociated with running the inside and outside A/C units to the same electrical line in the inside breaker panel? Just had an older unit replaced by a new 3.5 ton inside air handler and outside condenser. Thanks. On 2020-08-31 by Andrew R.

Reply:

Electrical overload, loss of cooling.

 

Heat pump fan outside is not working after water leaks

My heat pump fan outside is not working after a man put a water pump in the roof before he came water run down the wall in side. 2020-01-25 by joyce

Reply:

Joyce

From the very little we know about that situation that you described it would make sense to leave the circuit off completely for safety. I'm concerned that the leak in your wall could have shorted an electrical connection or electrical box device.