Whirlpool ACQ254XGO

[llky]

This ac comes on and starts to cool good,but after about 10 minuets the fan motor starts to get hot and smell,then it stops,(fan motor ) the compressor runs for a little bit longer then it also shuts off.After a while the compressor tries to start but just hums the fan motor does not try to start. If it sits for a few hours then it will come on again,both the fan motor and compressor and runs for about 10 minuets then shut down again.When both are running it is pulling about 14 amps.The fan motor pulls 5 amps and the compressor 9 amps. I checked the capacitor with a capacitor tester,it is a 35/7.5 370 vac capacitor, it test as about 28 and almost 6.What do you guys think?Bad capacitor and fan motor going out?

[RegUS_PatOff]

 

for reference:

ACQ254XG0 Wiring Diagram

[dkpd1581]

The capacitor is definitely outside of 10% name plate.  It seems the fan motor is pulling in excess of FLA.  Check on the name plate and see what its maximum ampacity is.  Odds are you are well above it and the internal overload is stopping the motor. 

After replacing the capacitor check your amp draw on the fan motor after about 5-10 minutes of run time.  While you are in there, tighten all the connections at the contactor and check to see if the contact surfaces are pitted or burning - if so replace it as well. If the fan is still pulling high amps, your bearings may be seizing or you could possibly have a winding related issue.  Most likely is the bearings may be going bad.

The compressor is over heating and either going out on a high pressure switch or an internal overload.  Either way it is starting against a high load if the pressures are not reduced or equalized in the off cycle and this may be causing it to struggle on start up with the humming.

Depending on the age of the unit, you may need a hard start kit to help the compressor start up.

Just a few things to keep in mind.

[llky]

Yes the fan motor is pulling almost twice the nameplate amperage.Thank you so much for this information.The unit is too old for any repairs,thanks you guys again.

[applianceman18007260692]

Try a different capacitor. I keep a sack of used ones laying around just for that. It really does sound like a bad cap to me with both the fan and the compressor over amping. have you cleaned up the unit? I was just working on one of these 2 weeks ago. The harness had a burned spot in it where the cap plugged in. Did you  check that?

[kdog]

[user=18568]llky[/user] wrote:

The unit is too old for any repairs

Those old things are built like tanks!! a small repair and a good cleaning make them worth their weight in gold