Is this normal

[ku]

Heating time in the northeast and I have a question about my Amana Heat Pump! The outside unit will stop and all you will hear is the inside fan blowing what seems like cool air. The outside unit will click every 15 seconds which causes the fan to turn slowly and then stop. This occurs for 5 minutes or so and then it seems to go into defrost. I hear the system working but the fan isn't turning outside. The heating symbol on the stat will flash. Eventually the system kicks back on! Is this normal?

[docholiday]

The outdoor fan doesnt run in defrost mode.

[ku]

Thanks for the timely response. I was more concerned about the clicking or dely in the process.

[markj]

You say " It seems to go into defrost". Tell me what happens when this happens.

[haaar]

The clicking could be the expansion of the metal due to the temperature change during defrost cycle.

The delay could be normal depending on how the engineer designed the defrost controls.

I would say your in good shape none the less.

[ku]

It sounds as if the system is running but the outside fan doesn't turn. The heating symbol on the stat will flash and warmer air is present from the vents. So I assume the system is reversing itself to defrost the ice accumulation if present.

[haaar]

You are correct. The outdoor fan will shut off during defrost, and your aux heat will come on to keep up while the Heat Pump is off line to defrost.

I would say that your system is operating properly.

[ku]

So what exactly is the clicking/delay?

[haaar]

It is hard to say without hearing it for myself, but I would venture to guess, that it is the movement of the refrigerant lines as the temp. changes due to the reversal of refrigerant flow.

Any time most metals have a change in temp. they expand and or contract. If you look closly at the coils they are constructed of copper with aluminum fins pressed over them.

These are two metals with different expansion and contraction rates. So when the temp. changes you may here a slight cracking or clicking noise.

As for the delay, I would say that is built into the controls of the defrost circuit.

This is all speculation, I would have to hear this noise to draw a firm conclusion.

[RoBoTeq]

haaar, do you have access to the Pro Technical forum of this site?

[steven68376]

Ku, I have a very similar thing with my Goodman heatpump as well. I will hear it go into defrost and the outdoor fan will stop running. I know this is normal for defrost. Then towards the end of the defrost cycle I will hear clicking as if some relay is trying to engage. I don't know if that is what it is but that's what it sounds like. With each click the fan on the outdoor unit will move as if trying to start up but will stop. This clikcing and fan movement will go on for a minute or so then the fan will eventually start fully up and it goes back into heating mode until the next defrost cycle. Is this normal? I hope it is. I'd hate to think it is burning something out by trying to start. I didn't even know this was going on until I happened to be outside when it was going into defrost and noticed this. By they way, love this forum. Probably one of the most educational forums I've ever been involved with.