I have a late 60's Gibson AC that i acquired not to long ago and it works fine, BUT, on the low cool setting, the fan speed drops off to the point that the fan barely turns. I know it should not drop off that much or turn that slow. Why ? What is causing this ? The fan on "high" speed is fine. Usually the difference between hi and lo speed on AC's is rather subtle.
"tolivac" might have answer .......
- Thread starter gregm
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Does the fan motor have oil or grease lube fittings-If it does try lubing it.At the hi speed the motor has enough power to overcome this-but a lo speed it may not.Does the motor growl or hum loudly at the low speed and get hot-If that the case the start-run cap may be bad.sometimes a separate cap may be used for the lo speed winding.The worst case is the lo speed winding could be bad.That motor should run faster at the lo speed.Hope this helps.
GregM said -- Usually the difference between hi and lo speed on AC's is rather subtle.
Not always. I have no way to know if what you describe is the correct low speed operation for that unit, but we had a 1960s RCA Whirlpool window unit that had a VERY slow low fan speed. Barely blew at all, sort of like a trickle of air. Nothing was wrong with it, that's just how low speed operated.
Interesting thing is that we actually had TWO of these units, almost identical. They were small units, 6,500 BTU as I recall. Both of them had the inside-out style fan motor. The older one was original to the house that my parents built in 1964, installed in their bedroom, and it had a 'normal' low speed. The other was a little newer, my father bought it used from his uncle to put in my bedroom, sometime in the late 1960s, maybe 1968. I rarely ran it on low speed because it was too quiet on low, didn't block the ambient noise very well.
Having grown up in a house with window units, I cannot sleep if the room is too quiet. I must have a fan running as a source of white noise.
Not always. I have no way to know if what you describe is the correct low speed operation for that unit, but we had a 1960s RCA Whirlpool window unit that had a VERY slow low fan speed. Barely blew at all, sort of like a trickle of air. Nothing was wrong with it, that's just how low speed operated.
Interesting thing is that we actually had TWO of these units, almost identical. They were small units, 6,500 BTU as I recall. Both of them had the inside-out style fan motor. The older one was original to the house that my parents built in 1964, installed in their bedroom, and it had a 'normal' low speed. The other was a little newer, my father bought it used from his uncle to put in my bedroom, sometime in the late 1960s, maybe 1968. I rarely ran it on low speed because it was too quiet on low, didn't block the ambient noise very well.
Having grown up in a house with window units, I cannot sleep if the room is too quiet. I must have a fan running as a source of white noise.
I need a fan going while I sleep as well-had to do it while living in the apartment houses.Worked to cover noises made by neighbors.Now I need it to cover the noise of my neighbors barking dogs.I don't hear them-I really have two fans going-an air purifier unit and a fan.The air purifiers fan at lowest speed is barely audible.On the Whirlpool AC-does the compresser cut back when you set the blower to low speed? I would think the evaporater could would ice up if the fan speed was too slow unless the compresser was slowed down or unloaded.
The compressor in that old RCA Whirlpool window a/c ran at normal speed with low blower. It never iced up, must have been engineered to handle that lower fan speed.
I had expereinces of Evaporator coils icing up from low airflow-a friends unit(central unit)The air filter was plugged-looked like the inside of a vac bag.He replaced it-the icing defrosted.-and the unit was OK.Happened to me once or twice in the unit in my apartment.(Wash DC area)Had to turn on heat for a little while to defrost it.For my friend-he didn't misuse the unit-the other owners never changed the filter!!
hmmm, interesting ....
gheeez, Glen, maybe the "lo" speed that slow is OK; all you really here is the compressor at that point, it still seems to slow to me, but maybe it is me ......... and rex, there is no hum or bad noise from the fan at all, I will check for "oil" port/hole, the "hi" fan is rather noisy, lo would be better in the bedroom, is the capacitor visible ?? on the outside portion right ?.......... ON A SEPARATE NOTE, we had a '68 Carrier that would always "ice up" on the max cool therm setting especially during the evening when the temps would drop some, but what a workhorse that was ....... my brother through it out .......... uuggghhh, it was MINT !!!
gheeez, Glen, maybe the "lo" speed that slow is OK; all you really here is the compressor at that point, it still seems to slow to me, but maybe it is me ......... and rex, there is no hum or bad noise from the fan at all, I will check for "oil" port/hole, the "hi" fan is rather noisy, lo would be better in the bedroom, is the capacitor visible ?? on the outside portion right ?.......... ON A SEPARATE NOTE, we had a '68 Carrier that would always "ice up" on the max cool therm setting especially during the evening when the temps would drop some, but what a workhorse that was ....... my brother through it out .......... uuggghhh, it was MINT !!!
Gregm: If the motor isn't making strange noises or overheating-its probably OK.Caps in AC's are usually in an area behind ar where the controls are.They may be oval in shape or rectangular.They do not fail very often.If it has any-good things to check.If the caps aren't leaking or getting hot-they OK.The caps of this type would be in metal cans.They would have the two terminals on the top or end of the case.You can trace the wires to the motor-The fans motor and compressor would use them.Sometimes they are for the compresser only.You would have to check the unit to see.-Pull the chassis out of the cabinet.(sounds like you have done this)its even possible the fan motor may not have caps.Some did not.
kenmore1978
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icing up
It could be that some units cut out the thermostat on Max Cool, in which case icing can occur. Early AMC cars with A/C had a "Desert Only" setting that made the compressor run continuously, and the owner's manual warned about icing if used under less than desert conditions.
It could be that some units cut out the thermostat on Max Cool, in which case icing can occur. Early AMC cars with A/C had a "Desert Only" setting that made the compressor run continuously, and the owner's manual warned about icing if used under less than desert conditions.
Sounds like the "Desert ony" setting was also for Hot dry areas.If it was humid-would definetly cause the evaporator to ice up.I am surprized AMC would do that.
