Window Unit Just Died

Appliance411 Sponsored in part by

Forum Archive

Window Unit just Died

Jake -- Monday, 6 August 2001, at 2:37 p.m.

I have a 14 month old Frigidaire 5200 btu window AC that just stopped working last night. At first it would not start after letting it rest a a few minutes it now starts and the fan goes on but shuts itself off in a few minutes ? Any thoughts ? Any help much appreciated. Thanks, Jake

Re: Window Unit just Died

Dan O. -- Monday, 6 August 2001, at 4:47 p.m.

: I have a 14 month old Frigidaire 5200 btu
: window AC that just stopped working last
: night. At first it would not start after
: letting it rest a a few minutes it now
: starts and the fan goes on but shuts itself
: off in a few minutes ?
Does just the fan shut off or does the compressor too?
If just the fan, the motor may be defective and need to be replaced. If the motor uses a capacitor, the capacitor could be defective but it would be fairly unusual for one to be intermittent.
If both compressor and fan stop at the same time, check to make sure there's still power at the outlet. There's also a slim possibility that a loose wire in the unit somewhere could cause such a symptom.
Dan O.

Re: Window Unit just Died

Jake -- Monday, 6 August 2001, at 4:53 p.m.

: Does just the fan shut off or does the
: compressor too?
The Compressor never turns on, just the fan and that only for 2 minutes. Thyanks for your help.

Re: Window Unit just Died

Dan O. -- Monday, 6 August 2001, at 7:49 p.m.

: The Compressor never turns on, just the fan and
: that only for 2 minutes.
You may have several problems with the unit.
If the motor runs then stops all by itself, its bearings could be tight or windings partially shorted causing it to heat up and cut out on its overload protector. In those cases, the motor would usually have to be replaced.
What is causing the compressor not to run would have to be checked out.
Dan O.

Re: Window Unit just Died

Jake -- Monday, 13 August 2001, at 1:46 p.m.

No chance it could be the thermostat ? thanks again

Re: Window Unit just Died

Dan O. -- Monday, 13 August 2001, at 9:04 p.m.

: No chance it could be the thermostat ?
The thermostat normally only controls the on and off cycling of the compressor. Since you said only the fan is affected, I think doubtful.
On some models with an energy saver switch that allows the fan motor to cycle on and off at the same time as the compressor the thermostat could cause the fan motor to stop but only when the compressor cycles off, which you claimed didn't occur on your unit.
From the information you provided, the only thing I can think of that would cause the fan motor to shut off prematurely is a defective motor or possibly its capacitor (if used) or a fault in the fan motor's wiring. The fan motor itself being the most likely.
Dan O.

Appliance411 Sponsored in part by