Replace AC condensor fan as preventive maintenance?

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Nov 29, 2009
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Anyone replace their outside condenser fan as preventative maintenance on their house HVAC system? I think a lot of older systems don't have any kind of fail safe, so I imo if the fan fans outside, then the unit is going to keep running until the head pressure goes insanely high and probably starts leaking out. I believe my dad just replaced the whole system once shortly after he had someone put a new fan in. I guess it had problems after that.
 
Unless it's not running correctly, I'd leave it. Condenser fan motors have been known to run 20-30 years or more. I do check the capacitor every spring.
 
I keep a spare capacitor on hand, but other than that, no. If the compressor is running with no fan it should slam right into the thermal cutout to save itself. Probably not the best thing for it, but it shouldn't burn up.
 
Ridiculous.
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Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman
Anyone replace their outside condenser fan as preventative maintenance on their house HVAC system? I think a lot of older systems don't have any kind of fail safe, so I imo if the fan fans outside, then the unit is going to keep running until the head pressure goes insanely high and probably starts leaking out. I believe my dad just replaced the whole system once shortly after he had someone put a new fan in. I guess it had problems after that.

The motor's current draw will determine its condition. They last a loooong time. The only item I have changed as PM when my outside unit hit the ten year old mark was the multi section capacitor. For roughly $89 you could have a qualified person pay you a visit and perform a P.M. on your system.
 
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Originally Posted by Amkeer
10-15 years is when the whole system should be replaced.


Negative. If a system has been reliable, run it until it dies unless you just want to upgrade and have money to burn or you have an R-22 leaker. The power savings going from say a 10 SEER to a 14 isn't as great as a lot of companies promise.
 
I have oiled the condenser fan. The unit stopped turning and was hard to turn manually. I oiled it and spun it by hand until it kept spinning when turned by hand with the power off. It has been at least 5 years ago. My daughter has since sold that house but I assume it is still running. So non detergent oil either through an oil port or directly where the shaft meets the motor body. You could open up the motor and clean and grease/oil the bearings.
 
Originally Posted by Amkeer
10-15 years is when the whole system should be replaced.

Nope. Mine is running like a champ at 20 years. A sales person might say something like that. At 13 Seer, cannot justify replacing a working system just because it is old. You won't realize a ROI for many years.
 
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I had the a.c. guy out a last month and he said the motor was leaking. Isnt it just a sealed bearing with grease? He also said he's seen them leak for years and be fine. The voltages and pressures looked fine when he hooked up to the condenser unit.
 
Originally Posted by Lubener
Originally Posted by Amkeer
10-15 years is when the whole system should be replaced.

Nope. Mine is running like a champ at 20 years. A sales person might say something like that. At 13 Seer, cannot justify replacing a working system just because it is old. You won't realize a ROI for many years.


Yeah they consider the newer units to be old and due for replacement after only like 12 or 13 years now, so I prefer the old one just stay running. The electric bill during the summer is only like 80 bucks.
 
Fan replacement no, if it's that far gone that you need to change the fan, then change out the whole unit. Otherwise, lubricate the shaft seasonally, or spring/fall if running a heat pump, since it will run year round. As long as an electrical check-up tests fine, lube the fan and forget it.

The last condensor problem I had was the capacitors gave out. Cheap fix.
 
Originally Posted by PowerSurge
Originally Posted by Amkeer
10-15 years is when the whole system should be replaced.


Negative. If a system has been reliable, run it until it dies unless you just want to upgrade and have money to burn or you have an R-22 leaker. The power savings going from say a 10 SEER to a 14 isn't as great as a lot of companies promise.


I'm with you....I have R22 and so far it still cools so I pray each and every June!!!!!!!! Where I'm at I need it June July August and a week or so into September.
 
My r22 system is getting old, 4 ton unit.
16 years on the compressor, the attic coil is 24 years old.
 
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My Lennox 12 SEER (R22) heat pump only made it 14 years before the coil started leaking. Everything else was still ok, but I opted to replace instead of repair. Repair quotes were in the $2k range, replaced with a 15 SEER Ducane unit for $4900.
 
The problem with not doing a planned replacement on a critical piece of equipment, especially in Florida, is it will break at the worst possible time. When that happens you are stuck and at the mercy of not only the person repairing but the people selling the system. Right now if your system breaks and needs to be replaced its about 2-3 weeks out for the new install. Being that everyone is busy you will not get a good deal on a system unlike planning it.

I get the same responses with people with the roof. They believe if they don't see a leak don't replace it. By the time you see a leak in a home it has been leaking a long time. Roof leaks combined with wood equals rot, mold and termites.

If I pay $6500 for a new efficient system that lasts 12 years at a planned replacement that works out to $542 a year or $45 dollars a month. If you take the savings of efficiency in a 10 seer, 13 seer to a 17 seer system you will save about $15-$30 per month depending on use. Since system will degrade over time and efficiency is lost lets just use $12 a month. If you use $12 a month you would realize a savings of $1728 over a 12 year period which equates to the system that is $6500 actually being closer to $4742.

The newer systems are more efficient, keep the air cleaner and are a better value over the long term. Trane has a Hyperion cabinet that is built like a refrigerator box with 1" foam core. The advantages of this setup is huge especially if the air handler is in the attic or garage.
 
Originally Posted by Amkeer
The problem with not doing a planned replacement on a critical piece of equipment, especially in Florida, is it will break at the worst possible time. When that happens you are stuck and at the mercy of not only the person repairing but the people selling the system. Right now if your system breaks and needs to be replaced its about 2-3 weeks out for the new install. Being that everyone is busy you will not get a good deal on a system unlike planning it.

I get the same responses with people with the roof. They believe if they don't see a leak don't replace it. By the time you see a leak in a home it has been leaking a long time. Roof leaks combined with wood equals rot, mold and termites.

If I pay $6500 for a new efficient system that lasts 12 years at a planned replacement that works out to $542 a year or $45 dollars a month. If you take the savings of efficiency in a 10 seer, 13 seer to a 17 seer system you will save about $15-$30 per month depending on use. Since system will degrade over time and efficiency is lost lets just use $12 a month. If you use $12 a month you would realize a savings of $1728 over a 12 year period which equates to the system that is $6500 actually being closer to $4742.

The newer systems are more efficient, keep the air cleaner and are a better value over the long term. Trane has a Hyperion cabinet that is built like a refrigerator box with 1" foam core. The advantages of this setup is huge especially if the air handler is in the attic or garage.

Your figures are just generalizations. There's no way you can figure out ROI for someone without seeing their home. Insulation, window quality, home location and home style all come into play. I believe your proposed savings are on the inflated side.Your calculations wouldn't apply to most who only use their A/C for four months out of the year. In most cases with an A/C system upgrade is a furnance up grade too which has to be figured in. I would have to do some hard thinking to renew an A/C system onto an old furnance.
 
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Originally Posted by Lubener
Originally Posted by Amkeer
The problem with not doing a planned replacement on a critical piece of equipment, especially in Florida, is it will break at the worst possible time. When that happens you are stuck and at the mercy of not only the person repairing but the people selling the system. Right now if your system breaks and needs to be replaced its about 2-3 weeks out for the new install. Being that everyone is busy you will not get a good deal on a system unlike planning it.

I get the same responses with people with the roof. They believe if they don't see a leak don't replace it. By the time you see a leak in a home it has been leaking a long time. Roof leaks combined with wood equals rot, mold and termites.

If I pay $6500 for a new efficient system that lasts 12 years at a planned replacement that works out to $542 a year or $45 dollars a month. If you take the savings of efficiency in a 10 seer, 13 seer to a 17 seer system you will save about $15-$30 per month depending on use. Since system will degrade over time and efficiency is lost lets just use $12 a month. If you use $12 a month you would realize a savings of $1728 over a 12 year period which equates to the system that is $6500 actually being closer to $4742.

The newer systems are more efficient, keep the air cleaner and are a better value over the long term. Trane has a Hyperion cabinet that is built like a refrigerator box with 1" foam core. The advantages of this setup is huge especially if the air handler is in the attic or garage.

Your figures are just generalizations. There's no way you can figure out ROI for someone without seeing their home. Insulation, window quality, home location and home style all come into play. I believe your proposed savings are on the inflated side.Your calculations wouldn't apply to most who only use their A/C for four months out of the year. In most cases with an A/C system upgrade is a furnance up grade too which has to be figured in. I would have to do some hard thinking to renew an A/C system onto an old furnance.


Actually the figures I gave are fairly conservative. If you have the same windows, insulation, etc. with the old system and the new it applies. As mentioned my calculations are based on a home in Florida.
 
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