What to look for troubleshooting central AC tomorrow?

[greybeard]

Any HVAC people out there?
Nothing runs like a Trane--till it don't.

Just before dark, I noticed the condenser unit of my 6 yr old Trane central air conditioning unit sounded a little odd when it kicked on and noticed it didn't stay on very long, which isn't unusual--it's a good unit. I was busy and didn't go look at it, but after I did come in and eat, noticed it was warm in the house. Thermostat was set for 75 and it said temp in the house was 82 so I knew something was wrong. Didn't take but a minute to find out the fan on the condensor wasn't running, but the compressor was.
Tomorrow is Saturday, it's been dang hot for 2 months now so I know it's going to be a crapshoot finding someone that can come out tomorrow.I stuck a rod down thru the vent and rotated the fan easily, so I know the bearings aren't froze up.
An electrical malfunction of some kind...thermostat and wiring seem to be ok since it turns the compressor on. (not a heat pump)
What am I looking for?
bad fan relay?
Open windings in the fan motor?
Ants in a relay?

 

[fenceman]

As can be seen by below thread I'm no electrician. But I've stumbled my through this one a couple of times. Once was easy fan motor was seized up. Second time I replaced a fan motor and it didn't fix it. i grabbed a fan blade and gave it a spin and it ran. Another trip to town to buy a capacitior fixed that one. If memory serves me there is a set of contacts in there to. I could push mine closed with a screwdriver .
Somebody will be here in morning to tell , proper diagnostic method.

 

[M-5]

Starting capacitor is the likley culpret . or at least thats where mine has always given me trouble

 

[lavacarancher]

What M-5 said.

 

[bbirder]

What M-5 said.

+1

 

[Kingfisher]

Ants or start capacitor

 

[greybeard]

Starting capacitor is the likley culpret . or at least thats where mine has always given me trouble

WINNER!!
Fixed but it was a long hot night. The electricity also went out for the whole area sometime around midnight, due to the usual suspect and they didn't gt it restored until after 7am this morning..
I hate trees.

 

[M-5]

Starting capacitor is the likley culpret . or at least thats where mine has always given me trouble

WINNER!!
Fixed but it was a long hot night. The electricity also went out for the whole area sometime around midnight, due to the usual suspect and they didn't gt it restored until after 7am this morning..
I hate trees.

Reminds me I need to get a spare. I used it last year and still ain't replaced it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Starting capacitor is the likley culpret . or at least thats where mine has always given me trouble

WINNER!!
Fixed but it was a long hot night. The electricity also went out for the whole area sometime around midnight, due to the usual suspect and they didn't gt it restored until after 7am this morning..
I hate trees.

Reminds me I need to get a spare. I used it last year and still ain't replaced it.

My spare is another unit.
If the one upstairs or downstairs goes out just stay
in that part of the house until my AC guy gets here.

 

[greybeard]

My spare is another unit.
If the one upstairs or downstairs goes out just stay
in that part of the house until my AC guy gets here.

Simple enough, except my house is mostly all one big room except the bathroom. Designed like a log house--the upstairs is one big bedroom and has no partition walls. I do have one small bedroom downstairs, which is my computer room/office/junk room.
I probably should invest in a small window unit for that room in case the central unit quits again.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cousin went with the Mitsubishi AC system when his central died.
Works really well not trying to keep the whole house set on one temp.
We usually keep the upstairs unit set on 80 unless we are having company.
Now the downstairs stays on about 72.

I bet the AC has to work really hard with just one unit for
a 2 story house.