The outside fan on my central air unit doesn't come on. I was able to take a screwdriver and spin it now...?

Question

that doesn't work either. It is set on auto so when i would spin it, it would spin til it clicked off then i would have to go spin it manually again when it tried to come back on. It is humming like it should be but no spinning. Help please!!!!

Answer 1

The motor or the cap is bad, if the motor is hard to turn then it should be replaced. If the motor turns free try replacing the cap first.

Answer 2

As long as the fan blades move freely and without noise it's  most likely  the capacitor that kicks the fan on and off went bad.

That's a fairly inexpensive fix. Take the model # make and serial # of the unit and the fan motor to a HVAC parts supply house and they can point you in the right direction.

If you handy and comfortable with removing screws and wires than this is a DIY job. If not then you need to get some one that is; whether a friend or a contractor.

If that doesn't fix it than it's either a relay switch or the fan motor and your best bet would be to call a contractor to diagnose the problem .  

Answer 3

As above...but a caution -- don't run that thing until you sort this out, without the fan the unit will develop high temperatures and pressures, gonna be real hard on the compressor.  Plus it will use extra power and you won't get much cooling anyway.

In a pinch if you are really hot under the collar, spin it up with the screwdriver but keep a constant eye on it.