Large Scale Central

Electric Motor Query

General Discussion
#1

This has nothing to do with our hobby. I am hoping that someone might be familiar with air conditioning, condenser motors.

I have a motor from a condenser. The brand name is First Choice. The model # is Y4958. I believe it is a 220 volt motor. It is made in China. I did a search and was only able to come up with items for sale on Ebay and Amazon. I was hoping to see a review of the motor, but none showed up in my search.

Hopefully someone here might be familiar with the motor brand and can shed some light on their quality.

#2

Dan -

If you have not done so, try using Google and type in Review: First Choice electric motor. Or, varied combinations of the brand name and questions.

#3

Dan,

Are you interested in a replacement motor? Or have a use for said fan motor? These PSC motors are inexpensive, sleeve bearinged and generally last for years in their intended purpose. Generic or like compatibles can be had for $70.00 from numerous sources. Specific motor data is readily available too. FWIW: Nothing special herein.

Michael

#4

Thanks guys. I found the information I needed. Long story short. My 90 year old uncle had his air-conditioning system serviced a few weeks ago. New condenser motor and fan blade. I’m not sure why, but a different service company was out to his house recently and told him the motor that was installed was junk. So the took it out and put another motor in. I have the First Choice motor, that was taken out, at my house and want to check with the A/C technician that I sent to my uncle’s house to see if there is indeed something wrong with it.

First Choice motors are sold exclusively by Lennox, which produces higher end A/C equipment. I think my uncle was sold a load of BS by the second company.

#5

sounds like co.#2 duped him in to replacing something that was perfectly fine. Junk motor is subjective at best, keep all parts and contact someone in fraud department and go from there. Best case should be company #2 giving money back. Check BBB ratings too.

#6

Well, the “condensor motor” is normally just a motor and fan.

It should be pretty obvious if the fan is not turning or operating well.

Sounds iffy…

Greg

#7

Dan,

I looked up First Choice motors, better than average quality motors it seems and they suggest all there offerings use ball bearings verses sleeve bearings (which are bushings effectively). Sounds like the old guy got hosed to me. Out here in California you file complaint with Contractors State License Board.

I’ve probably changed out several hundred condenser fan motors in my youngers days as an HVAC. Bottom line is even the cheaper motors work fine for years, to suggest the First Choice motor was junk and should be replaced prior to failure is wishful thinking at best!

Michael

#8

As mentioned, I have the motor at my house. The shaft turns extremely freely by hand and keeps spinning for quite awhile. This to me is a very well balanced motor. I’m going to pursue the second contractor as I get more info from Uncle Frank. That will be another chore as he forgets everything.

#9

I’ll bet they replaced it with a poorer quality motor.