Hurricane damage to AC fan motor x 2

Sounds bizarre. Same fan motor replaced after Katrina that burned out? If so, wouldn’t be unusual at all for a 16 year condensing unit fan motor to fail - but still unusual under the circumstances you describe.

Also I’m going to assume you, or a HVAC tech, verified it was a bad fan motor and not a bad dual run capacitor - I guess so since it’s been 3 months since Ida.

Only thing I can I think to suggest is to put a surge protector on your outdoor condensing unit - surge protector is connected to the condensing unit power disconnect, not that expensive, and actually not beyond the skills of a DYIer who is comfortable working simple electrical wiring issues. Otherwise a HVAC tech or electrician can install one for you. Will protect both the compressor and fan motor from power surges which I would suspect may have been the cause of failure, assuming it wasn’t coincidence of timing and an old, weak fan motor just died when you turned the power back on to the unit.

quote:

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The unit is 21 hears old and I realize may be aging. Not sure if 2 fan motors in that time is unusual.

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Not really - had to replace my condenser fan motor a couple years ago at 12 years of age. Heat and power surges more than anything shorten the life of motors, capacitors, circuit boards. Can’t do anything about the south LA heat, but a good surge protector can protect the electrical components from power surges during hurricane season and other bad weather events.