[jsabe]

I have a 10-15 yr old Goodman unit in a rental home. Last summer, the condenser fan stopped running. The dual run cap was bulged so I replaced it. A few weeks later, the condenser fan stopped running again. So, I replaced the fan. It worked for a good three months (end of summer '08 and including end of spring '09). Last week it quit again and I found the cap was bulged. So I replaced it just to get it running again but I'm sure there is more of a deep rooted issue here.

I'd like to get an HVAC service person out there to do a full inspection, but was hoping to get advice from members of this forum on what I should expect them to find - given the prior sequence of events. What should I make sure they check specifically?

Would a hard start kit help in this situation? Is installing a hard start kit a DYI type project?

Thanks in advance...

 

[yuri]

Capacitors these days are CHEAP and you may have just got unlucky and had another bad one or a power surge. A hard start kit is only for the compressor. Make sure you take a garden hose (no pressure washer) and flush the outdoor coil thoroughly. Lack of air flow will overheat the motor and could fail a capacitor. Make sure they check the freon level and the contactor for burnt and pitted contacts which can cause a low voltage issue.

 

[jsabe]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Speaking of air flow, the people that lived in the house before me put a shed about 2 ft away from the condenser unit and on the other side of it is the house. Do you think I should take that shed down?

 

[yuri]

Probably not. Post a pic of it here so we can see it.