# different capacitors?



## chriswall (Jun 24, 2009)

so i bought a new fan motor and it's a bit different. it has one extra wire. there are two browns for the capacitors and a black and white for the contacts. old one had no white but that was easy enough to figure out. it came with a new capacitor but it's different from the old one. the old one has 3 sets of terminals on top and the new one has 2. there is also a torque multiplier connected to it. ( the old one ). i'd like to use the new one but not sure what to do. when i use the old one it starts fine but is kinda loud and then shuts off after a couple minutes. it feels kinda hot but not super hot. any ideas before i pay the big bucks for an ac guy?


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## kok328 (Jun 24, 2009)

sounds like you may have purchased the wrong fan/cap combo.
most fan motors are what I refer to a "commissioned motors"  built by a motor co. specifically for a particular customer i.e.- the maker of the a/c unit.
these motors typically have an odd spec or two that makes replacement a headache trying to find one w/o having to have a contractors license to order the oem motor from a hvac supply house.
if you have one around, take it to a Graingers outlet and they will hook you up with their specialist to help identify and procure the appropriate motor.
don't be surprised if they can't find an exact match for the same reason that I mentioned above.  best of luck.


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## chriswall (Jun 25, 2009)

thanks for your replies. i had an ac guy come out and it was my capacitor. the place i bought my motor at said it was a universal motor but that wasn't the case. it doesn't matter anyway because i was told my compressor is going out so it looks like i gotta shell out some cash and just replace the whole unit.
thanks again for your help though.


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## kok328 (Jun 26, 2009)

he'll have to pull down the system to replace the compressor so make sure he installs a high-pressure cut out switch on the new install, this will prevent the compressor from drving itself into the ground if the fan goes bad or cottonwood clogs the airflow to the condensor coils.  It's cheap insurance.


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