When the temperatures rise, your RV AC helps you stay cool, but if the AC fan in your RV isn’t working properly, you’ll quickly notice the negative effects.
Since the fan is one of the most critical aspects of your RV’s air conditioning system, keeping it in good working order saves you time and money.
There are various reasons why your RV AC fan not working, like unbalanced blades or a motor problem. And if the blower isn’t blowing as much air as you’d like, it can cause problems.
However, if you look inside, you could find that other AC parts that help the fan run is causing your air conditioner fan not to work. (Learn How to Clean Camper Awning)
In our guide, we’ll explain why your camper AC not working. By the end, you’ll know if the problem is easy to repair or needs the assistance of an experienced technician.
What Causes AC Fan to Stop Working?
This can happen often, and there are a variety of explanations. Your fan may not spin because of bad bearings, or the fan may receive insufficient voltage; it could even be you need to RV air conditioner capacitor troubleshoot inside the unit.
Here are a few things to go through in your troubleshooting.
- Make sure the power to your RV AV unit is turned off.
- Head onto the roof and rotate the fan blade. Most often, the problem tends to be the capacitor rather than the control board. You can test for this so long as you are careful.
- Spin the fan as you have the power is turned off. Switch the power back on when the fan is spinning and check what happens. If the problem persists and the fan slows, your capacitor needs to be replaced.
Another issue is the fan shaft corrodes and sticks.
You may need to loosen the shaft; you need some pliers and penetrating oil. Use the oil and twist the motor shaft back and forth with the pliers, and the shaft should turn freely.
When your AC unit fan not running, most air conditioners have two capacitors. The first for the run time, while the second is used for the startup of your unit. The first is the one that controls your blower fan, and the other controls the operations of the compressor.
Resistance testing determines whether the capacitors are defective for the RV AC fan motor or compressor.
However, the capacitance test is more accurate. The run capacitor looks oval in shape, silver in color, and around 2 to 3 inches in length. Your start capacitor is a cylinder-shaped device measuring 3 to 4 inches in length and black or silver in color.
Both capacitors will be found in the capacitor case of the air conditioner’s top right corner. Both of these tests need a multimeter to find any failures.
Use a multimeter set to capacitance mode, and any results should match the capacitor’s specifications. Switch the multimeter to Ohms to carry out the voltage resistance test.
Why Is My AC Outside Unit Fan Not Turning On?
A capacitor stores a lot of energy like a battery and sends an electrical jolt to start a motor, the start capacitor. Then there’s the second, which is responsible for keeping the fan running.
In air conditioning systems, capacitors work with three different motors: the compressor, the indoor blower fan, and the outdoor fan.
It takes more energy for the outdoor fan to start than to keep running. Thus, it requires an extra boost from the start capacitor. (Learn How to Unclog a RV Toilet Holding Tank)
Here’s an easy way to test if the fan’s capacitor is bad.
- Slide a long, thin wooden stick through the fan grate to push a fan blade, so it spins.
- If the fan starts and then runs, you have a faulty start capacitor as it was you that started the fans spinning.
- If the fan doesn’t run, you could have a bad fan motor.
Here’s a second way to check for a bad capacitor.
Note: Capacitors store power and can give an electric shock, even when power is off.
- Shut off the power to the air conditioner at the disconnect or breaker control panel.
- Remove the service panel for your A/C unit.
- Locate the start capacitor for the fan. It’s a small, cylinder-shaped object with two or three prongs on the top.
- Visually inspect the capacitor. Common signs of a faulty capacitor are a swollen top, leaking fluid, or corrosion toward the bottom.
- You will need to leave your AC turned off and seek a professional to replace the capacitor.
Turn off the A/C unit and call in an HVAC technician to replace the capacitor as soon as possible.
If you let your unit run, the fan motor keeps trying and failing to spin. A bad capacitor strains the fan motor and could cause it to burn out.
Depending on your A/C unit, it may be a dual capacitor with three terminals on the top. One for the fan motor, one for the compressor, and one shared.
Your compressor may overheat if it keeps trying to access the faulty capacitor, which can lead to major damage such as a burned-out coil or control board components that over heat.
How Do You Reset an RV Air Conditioner?
- Press the “+” or “―” button to change the temperature set-point, displayed as two digits on the LCD.
- Press the “+” to increase and the “―” to decrease the temperature setpoint.
- “Off” Mode: When selected, the LCD is blank.
- “Cool” Mode: The system cycles the compressor On and Off based on ambient air temperature and the Single Zone LCD thermostat temperature set-point. The fan turns on first, followed by the compressor. You have three settings.
- Lo – (LOW): The fan operates at low speed as the compressor cycles ON and OFF.
- Hi – (HIGH): The fan operates continuously at high speed as your compressor cycles ON and OFF.
- Au – (AUTO): When the auto fan is selected, the fan speed varies based on the difference between the temperature set-point and the room air temperature. In the auto fan, the compressor and the fan will cycle On and Off with the thermostat.
How Do I Know if My AC Fan Motor is Bad?
The fan is found in the outdoor condenser unit cover, and it is the fan motor that turns the fan. If the motor is bad, it will affect the air conditioner’s ability to circulate cool air. (Learn How Does An RV Refrigerator Work)
Here’s a few tips to tell if your air conditioner fan motor is going bad.
Fan Blades Act Odd
When air conditioner is on, the fan blade should spin, and when off fan blades are stationary. If there’s a problem with your fan motor, it may cause the blades to act strange. The blades may not start when your air conditioner does or may not stop spinning as the air conditioner does.
Fan Blades Rotate Slow
Perhaps the fan blades are spinning but turning very slow. This is a sign of a fan motor problem.
Condenser Makes Strange Noises
Your condenser can make noise when on, yet a lot of noise isn’t good. Strange sounds indicate a problem with your air conditioner’s fan motor. (Learn RV Fiberglass Paint)
Fan Won’t Start
When an AC unit fan doesn’t start, it is a sign you have a fault with the motor. When an AC runs without its fan circulating air, it can cause the evaporator coils to get covered in ice.
Fan Keeps Running
The opposite problem also happens, and the fan continues running after turning off your air conditioner. It could be a faulty thermostat, so replacing the thermostat is one of the solutions.
If your thermostat isn’t the issue, it could be a stuck relay switch on the control board. Relays open and close electrical circuits, and if they stick, the circuit remains closed and running the fan continually and will require a replacement. (Read Dometic RV Air Conditioner Not Blowing Cold Air)
Fan Runs Intermittently
When a fan runs intermittently, it could be two problems. The motor could overheat and causing it to cut out, or a loose wire or connection is shorting. A short in the motor windings could also be the culprit. Electrical faults on an AC unit fan motor need addressing by a professional.
