How to Replace a Condenser Fan Motor on Vending Machine

I have a location and called me to fix a noisy soda pop machine. It comes to mind that if the soda pop machine is noisy there are three problems.

  1. The Condenser Motor Fan blades is sometimes loose and connections are loose.

Solution : You have to take a look on the actual soda pop machine when the condenser motor fan is moving and see if there are loose screws that needs to be tighten which does not cost any money and free.

2. The Condenser Motor Fan is sometimes making a very loud squeaking sound like the bearing motor does not have lubrication already and dried up. Im sure you know how it sounds like. Its like a sound from an old electric fan motor without oil lubrication and very loud squeaking sound.

Solution : You have to change the condenser motor but you can still use the blade. The blade normally does not go bad and it can still be used on a new condenser motor.

Here are the following steps on How to Replace the Condenser Motor Fan in less than 30 minutes. You will have saved a lot of money by calling a technician.

  • If you call a technician visit is $125 just to take a look and diagnose the vending machine unit
  • Technician bring back the condenser motor fan which costs $50 to $100
  • Technician second visit and time to install the condenser motor fan costs about $125
  • Technician charges some parts like electrical tape, tie wraps and some screws

Save some money and DIY! You total cost is less than $50 or less if you can get a cheap condenser motor fan plus your time of 30 minutes or maybe 1 hour.

Below are the steps that you have to follow and the related pictures.

  1. Unplug the soda pop machine
  2. Remove the screws on top of the plastic part when the soda cans chute drops
  3. Remove the screws on the condenser
  4. Remove the clip near the thermostat
  5. Pullout the condenser unit

Remove the screws connected to the condenser fan motor

Replace the condenser fan motor and reuse the old blade

Reinstall the condenser fan

Sometimes there are problems when putting back the condenser fan, it may hit the housing and it may hit the bottom part of the machine and there maybe noise.

To fix the bottom part that the blade is hitting on the new motor is simply put 1 or 3 washers at the bottom for a height increase so that the blade will not hit the bottom part.

To fix the blade hitting the housing the condenser then just drill out the housing and remove it completely, you do not need a housing for the condenser motor fan to work

Below are the pictures i took while installing the a new condenser motor fan

Remove the clip near the thermostat
Old condenser fan motor that is very noisy due to out of lubrication on the bearings, very noisy!
You have to cut the 2 wires of the condenser motor fan since the new condenser motor fan comes with a long cord
this the housing that you need to get rid if the blade is hitting the the housing which you do not need it
housing
new condenser fan motor with old blade which can still be used
if the blade is hitting the bottom, then install 2 or 3 washers, see the picture which shows that i put 2 washers so that there is enough clearance so blade will not hit the bottom part
that is the housing that im removing, you have to drill and it will be loose and can be removed easily
housing
new condenser fan motor for installation without the housing. You see the housing is removed so that the new fan motor does not hit anything
the new condenser motor fax is fully installed already. I still have to secure the 2 exposed wires and put electrical tape and tie wrap so that the condenser fan motor will not hit anything.

Before you put back everything.

Try to plug the soda pop machine to see that the condenser fan motor is working fine without hitting anything and normal.

If everything is fine, then unplug soda pop machine.

Just do the reverse order where you put back everything back into place again.

In case it is your first time, try to take a picture on all the steps, even when you are taking out the screws 1 step at a time!

Take pictures and just go thru all the pictures again to put eveything back together!

I hope that this article showed you on How to Save Money by DIY replacing condenser fan motor on your soda pop vending machine!

This is actually applicable to all refrigeration equipment since it is using the same principles!

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