The condenser fan motor on my central air unit has seized up (tried like crazy to turn it it, but no go). I'm not sure how old the motor is but I'm guessing it's original, so about 12 years old. I have located a universal motor that is listed as being compatable with my motor (same horse power, voltage, RPM's, etc) for about $100 online.
The installation looks fairly simple, looks like I will just need to pull the electrical wires out of the existing motor and connect them to the new motor in the same fashion that I did when replacing our garbage disposal.
I have 3 questions:
- Has anyone used a universal motor to replace an original one before and how well did it do?
- Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to do this myself? (Yes, I know to make sure and disconnect the power)
- If I did need a professional to replace the motor for me, would I be better off getting the motor myself and having them install it or allowing them to purchase the motor (maybe they can get a better deal) and have them install it.
Best Answer
First off, I vote for a new unit if you can swing it, but $100 is a lot cheaper and you are not likely to offset the cost of a new unit with the savings from a newer, more efficient unit for many years.
The condenser fan motor isn't that hard to change, you just need basic hand tools and a gear puller. It would also be a good time to replace the fan start capacitor as well.