In a quick nutshell, this is my problem...

We have a 10 seer heat pump

1. Fan motor on outside unit has to be "jump started." Once I spin it, it runs on its own.

2. Not blowing cold air inside. Kinda room temp air....

3. Usually the air coming off the fan on the outside unit is warm, right now, its not....fairly cool?

Reversing valve? capacitor? freon?

Any suggestions????

The problem with the outside fan motor could be a bad run capacitor or the motor could be going bad.  If the unit tried to run without the outside fan motor operating it could have either tripped the high pressure switch(if it has one) or the compressor could have overheated and gone out on overload.  If the high pressure switch is manual reset you will have to find it and reset it.  

If you can't find a manual reset high pressure switch, let the unit sit for a day or overnight to let the compressor cool down.  Then have your wife start the unit at the tstat inside the house while you spin the fan motor immediately on start up.  Listen for the compressor to run.   Also,  feel the large refrigerant line.  If the unit is cooling the large line will get cold.  If not, you will likely need to pay a repairman.  If your unit cools OK, you may get by with just solving the outdoor fan motor problem.  If the capacitor is swelled or bulging it definetely needs to be replaced.  If not, you will need a repairman to determine the problem.  Good luck.  PM me if you need further help.  I will try to check tomorrow night.

I appreciate the heck out of the advice. I'm going to check after I get home this afternoon. Luckily, its not miserably hot yet....

The problem with the outside fan motor could be a bad run capacitor or the motor could be going bad. If the unit tried to run without the outside fan motor operating it could have either tripped the high pressure switch(if it has one) or the compressor could have overheated and gone out on overload. If the high pressure switch is manual reset you will have to find it and reset it.

If you can't find a manual reset high pressure switch, let the unit sit for a day or overnight to let the compressor cool down. Then have your wife start the unit at the tstat inside the house while you spin the fan motor immediately on start up. Listen for the compressor to run. Also, feel the large refrigerant line. If the unit is cooling the large line will get cold. If not, you will likely need to pay a repairman. If your unit cools OK, you may get by with just solving the outdoor fan motor problem. If the capacitor is swelled or bulging it definetely needs to be replaced. If not, you will need a repairman to determine the problem. Good luck. PM me if you need further help. I will try to check tomorrow night.

X2. Replace both the capacitors (if it has two)

Sell the car... buy a new one. A/C Problems SUCK!!!!

My compressor and clutch went out on me, infact they broke off and are no longer on the car. I've had them quote me at over $1,000 :'(. I'm ready to sell it and get something else!!

It is his home's AC genius.

Sell the car... buy a new one. A/C Problems SUCK!!!!

My compressor and clutch went out on me, infact they broke off and are no longer on the car. I've had them quote me at over $1,000 :'(. I'm ready to sell it and get something else!!

It is his home's AC genius.

Man, you keep up that attitude and you're going to lose Miss Congeniality title.  

Sell the car... buy a new one. A/C Problems SUCK!!!!

My compressor and clutch went out on me, infact they broke off and are no longer on the car. I've had them quote me at over $1,000 :'(. I'm ready to sell it and get something else!!

It is his home's AC genius.

Your so smart   :-[ :-[

Posted by: fourbizz Posted on: Today at 9:38am

Branuss04 wrote on Today at 9:35am:

Sell the car... buy a new one.  A/C Problems SUCK!!!!

My compressor and clutch went out on me, infact they broke off and are no longer on the car.  I've had them quote me at over $1,000  .  I'm ready to sell it and get something else!!

It is his home's AC genius.  

Ten minutes have passed and I'm still laughing.

I would bet dollars to donuts its the capacitor.  Had the exact same thing happen to me last year but on my air conditioner, not heat pump. Fan would run but no cool air, only warm. Compressor wouldn't kick on. Checked the capacitor and the terminals had burned off.  New one= working fine. Easy to fix, but don't forget to pull the disconnect out first!

Here's an AC tip - NEVER let your dog pee on the outside unit (specifically the condenser coils).

Spring of 1996, wife is pregnant, wife hates heat with a passion. First hot spell. Wife turns on AC. Nothing but hot air. Wife calls husband at work to complain. Husband says "Whaddya' want me to do about it now ?". Wrong answer.

Husband calls friend /AC contractor Dan, begs Dan to move us up on list. Meet Dan at house. 30 minutes later Dan shows me cooling fins and tubes turned to dust. Asks me "Does Butkus pee on the unit ?" "I dunno, I'll ask him" One coil in the United States, it's in Texas. Whole new unit 20 minutes away. You know how this ends.........$$$$$$$

Apparently, the ammonia and other compounds in dog urine have no problem eating through the paper thin tubes and fins on modern AC units. If you've got a four legged friend, heads up.

Here's an AC tip - NEVER let your dog pee on the outside unit (specifically the condenser coils).

Spring of 1996, wife is pregnant, wife hates heat with a passion. First hot spell. Wife turns on AC. Nothing but hot air. Wife calls husband at work to complain. Husband says "Whaddya' want me to do about it now ?". Wrong answer.

Husband calls friend /AC contractor Dan, begs Dan to move us up on list. Meet Dan at house. 30 minutes later Dan shows me cooling fins and tubes turned to dust. Asks me "Does Butkus pee on the unit ?" "I dunno, I'll ask him" One coil in the United States, it's in Texas. Whole new unit 20 minutes away. You know how this ends.........$$$$$$$

Apparently, the ammonia and other compounds in dog urine have no problem eating through the paper thin tubes and fins on modern AC units. If you've got a four legged friend, heads up.

I've seen a lot of coils corroded away from the salts in fertilizer, but I never thougt about dog urine.  I guess it has salt too.  Don't let the mower throw grass on the coil because the grass has the fertilizer in it too and will corrode the fins and tubing.  It will also clog up the fins, reduce efficiency and capacity and make compressor work harder and run longer.  Bigger power bill :'(.

Thank you all so much. Bad run capacitor was the culprit. You guys saved me at least 100 bucks.

I was scheduled to have a service guy come out today which would have been $80 just to pull in my driveway, then you know he would have charged me $40 for a $20 capacitor. I went early this morning and paid the $22.92 for the new one and put it on myself-the thing runs like a dream now.  

Thanks again.

I just got the 2 heat pumps hooked up for my home I am building.  Man, what a difference a few years can make on HVAC technology.  Mine are 12 seer American Standard if I am not mistaken, and those things are as quiet as they can be.  Thank goodness for that too, because the outside unit is on the outside wall of my bedroom.

I hadnt thought of that and apparently the HVAC guys didn't think enough to mention it.  Although there wasn't too many choices, they will be protected a little from the sun throughout the day where they are located.

After all the trouble I have had with this, I probably won't go back to them other than a possiblye warranty issue.

I will have to check my paperwork, but I am pretty sure I have 10 year coverage thankfully.