Atlanta, GA on Jun 09, 2012

A/C question: My outside unit runs, but no air is being pushed through the vents in the house.

It has been about a year since my last tune up, and I am wondering if a tuneup might be all I need, in order to avoid a service call and diagnostic fee and any other charges that may come along with all that. Thanks as always for your input!

11 Comments

Walter Reeves Decatur, GA

Sounds like something amiss in the air handler (fan unit). Is it in a place where you can get close and listen to it?

on Jun 10, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

there may also be some clogging of the coil...time to look a bit closer at the fan / coil area.

on Jun 10, 2012 · Like 0
Woodbridge Environmental ... Colonia, NJ

The inside fan is not running it can be one or two things. Fan that blows in house has a burnt out motor, or the relay that controls both the outdoor unit and the interior fan system is not turning the inside unit.
Normal operation is to turn on inside fan and a few seconds the inside turns on.
Check to see if the filter has not been sucked into the fan inside causing it to freeze.

on Jun 11, 2012 · Like 1
Alan W Dallas, TX

Go to the indoor unit, that is where your problem is. Remove the panels and then manually press the interlocking switch and see if the motor turn. If so the problem is that the squarely gage assembly has come loose from the motor. If the motor does not turn on, then you most liked need a new blower motor. To check it remove the leads from the control board to the motor, and apply 110volt leads to the black and one other color wire. If the motor runs you need a new control board, if not you need a new blower motor.

on Jul 11, 2012 · Like 0
Sandra M Rocky Mount, NC

My outside unit sometimes does not run when even though air is coming through the vents. When I flip the breaker switches off and on a time or 2 the outside unit will then come on. (The breakers are not flipped off, I just turn them off and on myself.) I just replaced the condenser (or compressor??) last summer. I can't tell if I have another a/c problem or whether it is an electrical problem. Can more power be added to the electric box? Sorry the terms not being right...

on Jul 13, 2012 · Like 0
Sandra M Rocky Mount, NC

My problem is the opposite! Don't know if I should call a/c guy or electrician.

on Jul 13, 2012 · Like 0
Woodbridge Environmental ... Colonia, NJ

Ok, if the inside is working and the outside is not there are a few things you can check on your own.
The electrical power that feeds the outside unit has either a fuse or disconnect switch. If the fuse blew then you simply need another one. To check that you need to open up the little door where the wires exit on the wall of the house. There should be a little handle there. Pull that out to ...»
see if there are fuses on the other side of it. No fuses, simply put it back in the same way it came out. If you look at the handle it may have a off and on logo imprinted on the face. Be sure you can read On and place it in that way.
If there are no fuses on the outside, you need to check your breaker panel or fuse panel in the house that feeds the unit. See if the breaker has tripped or the fuse has blown. Reset if it did happen and you should be fine. Change the fuse if it blew.
What causes the fuse or breakers to blow is short cycles. If your in an area which the power has gone off and on quickly a lot that will in many cases cause the breaker to trip or fuse to blow.
If you ruled out the breaker or fuse, then you need to see if the system is calling for cooling on the outside. Have someone inside the house turn the thermostat up and down. Listen for a click sound on the outside unit. If you have a set back type of thermostat you may need to wait about one min for the sound to happen. If it clicks and the outside unit does not hum or make any noise, then either the unit is low on refrigerant or the run capacitor is burnt out, Both are common issues.
in any case a AC person is all that is needed if you ruled out the breaker or fuse.

on Jul 13, 2012 · Like 0
Alan W Dallas, TX

if the outside unit is not working. It can be several things. first it can be the 24 volt relay that trips the 230 volt line. To test this, turn the inside thermostat all the way down and go to the outside unit and turn the power off to the unit (breaker box). Open the unit and see if the relay is engaging the 230 volt leads. If you are uncertain then take a wooden object and push down on the ceramic bar that connects the contactors. If it has play, you are not activating the 24 volt ...»
relay. To verify this, turn the 230 volts on, and again using a wooden (non conductive object) press on the ceramic bar and see if the unit starts. If so get a new contactor assembly. If it is o.k. then you either have a bad capacitor (the fan should turn slowly ) or a bad fan motor, If when you turn on the unit and it quickly trips the circuit breaker, you most likely have a bad compressor. In either case you should get professional help.

on Jul 14, 2012 · Like 0
Sandra M Rocky Mount, NC

Thank you so much for your help! Sounds like I need to call an A/C pro. August is almost here!

on Jul 14, 2012 · Like 0
Joan Good Marietta, GA

If the outside unit is running but no air is blowing inside, check that the returns aren't blocked, check that the filter is clean, and if that's not it, it's probably the fan or the blower motor (in my case, about a $500 repair) or the control board. If everything inside is working, warm air is blowing, but the unit outside isn't turning on, it may be as simple as a tripped breaker to the AC unit, or as expensive as a dead AC unit. An AC pro is the way to go with that! Sadly, we've had ...»
to deal with that as well and it was more expensive, but we were able to get a unit that was a better fit to the size of the house and more energy efficient than the old one that the builder had installed. If you have to replace, ask about rebates from the govt and the power company for installing new equipment!

on Jul 21, 2012 · Like 0
Christel J Duluth, GA

that just happened to me and it was the thermostat inside that needed replacing

on Aug 23, 2012 · Like 0