--- title: "Cellar Cooling Unit Fan Not Running: Causes and Fixes" description: "A cellar cooling unit fan not running leaves the cellar-side grille still and silent while the compressor hums, or leaves the exhaust side quiet and the unit…" url: "https://winecellarrepair.center/problems/cellar-unit-fan-not-running/" --- # Cellar Cooling Unit Fan Not Running A cellar cooling unit fan not running leaves the cellar-side grille still and silent while the compressor hums, or leaves the exhaust side quiet and the unit hot to the touch. ## What it usually means. Most cellar units have two fans. The evaporator fan on the cellar side pushes room air through the cold coil and spreads it among the racks; the condenser fan on the hot side pulls air through the hot coil and carries the heat away. Many controllers also run the cellar-side fan on its own between cooling runs to keep the air moving and to thaw the coil. When the cellar-side fan stops, the coil ices and the room warms; when the hot-side fan stops, pressures and temperatures climb until the compressor shuts itself off. Fans stop because their bearings dry out, a blade is jammed by ice or debris, a motor winding fails, or the controller or a capacitor no longer sends them power. Some fans are meant to rest at times, so check the pattern before assuming it is broken. The 4 causes, cheapest first Answer these first 01 Which fan has stopped: the one behind the cellar-side grille, or the one on the exhaust side? 02 Does the compressor hum while the fan is still? 03 Is there ice on the cellar-side coil? 04 Does the blade turn freely if you look closely with the unit off, or is it blocked? 05 Did the fan make a grinding or squealing sound before it stopped? ## Check these before you book. Cellar cooling unit fan not running: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything. 01 Keep the cellar door shut; if the room passes about 70°F, move the most valuable bottles to the coolest dark place in the house. 02 Turn the unit off from a dry panel before looking closely at a fan, and never reach into a grille. 03 Look for ice on the cellar-side coil and let it thaw if there is any. ### Also worth checking - Watch the fans through one full cooling run to see whether one stays still the whole time. - Tell us the make, the model number and which side's fan has stopped. ### How soon does it need a visit? A stopped fan will soon lead to a warm cellar or an overheated compressor. Book within a few days, and treat it as urgent if the cellar starts warming. ## The causes, cheapest first. 4 things cellar cooling unit fan not running turns out to be, from fan resting by design to fan capacitor or controller output failed. [The cost guide](https://winecellarrepair.center/cost/) 1. 01 no repair ### Fan resting by design Some controllers stop the cellar-side fan between runs, or run it at low speed. Watch it through a full cycle before judging. No repair: check it yourself 2. 02 low to moderate ### Fan motor worn out Bearings dry out after years of running, the motor slows and finally stops. A new motor is a routine repair on most units. [Fixed by cellar evaporator and condenser fan repair](https://winecellarrepair.center/services/cellar-evaporator-and-condenser-fan-repair/) 3. 03 low ### Blade blocked by ice or debris Ice on the cellar-side coil can reach the blade, and dust, insulation or a label can wedge the hot-side fan. [Fixed by cellar coil icing and defrost repair](https://winecellarrepair.center/services/cellar-coil-icing-and-defrost-repair/) [See cellar cooling evaporator coil icing up](https://winecellarrepair.center/problems/evaporator-coil-icing-up/) 4. 04 low to moderate ### Fan capacitor or controller output failed Some fan motors need a small capacitor to start, and all of them need the controller to power them. Either can fail while the motor is sound. [Fixed by cellar controller and sensor repair](https://winecellarrepair.center/services/cellar-controller-and-sensor-repair/) 5. What it costs ### Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side Open the cost guide ## What else it could be. Most often confused with cellar cooling evaporator coil icing up, then wine cellar too warm. [All problems](https://winecellarrepair.center/problems/) Codes that come with it - [`OH` Breezaire · Temperature and alarms](https://winecellarrepair.center/error-codes/breezaire-oh/) - [`HA2` CellarPro · Fans and airflow](https://winecellarrepair.center/error-codes/cellarpro-ha2/) - [`COH` WhisperKOOL · Fans and airflow](https://winecellarrepair.center/error-codes/whisperkool-coh/) Also related - [**Cellar Cooling Unit Loud or Vibrating** 5 causes](https://winecellarrepair.center/problems/cellar-unit-loud-or-vibrating/) ### Cellar Cooling Evaporator Coil Icing Up 5 causes The collection is exposed ### Wine Cellar Too Warm 6 causes ### Cellar Cooling Unit Exhaust Overheating 5 causes ## The makes it happens on. 7 makes on this site; cellar cooling unit fan not running can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page. [All 7 brands](https://winecellarrepair.center/brands/) ## Cellar Cooling Unit Fan Not Running, where we come out. 9 metros, each with its own page. 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It depends on the model and its settings. Some run the cellar-side fan constantly to keep air moving, others only when cooling. The manual describes your unit's pattern. ### Can I run the cellar unit with one fan stopped? Not for long. Without the cellar-side fan the coil ices; without the hot-side fan the compressor overheats. Turn it off from a dry panel and keep the door shut until the fan is replaced. ### Is replacing a fan motor a big repair on a cellar unit? On most units, no. The motors are standard parts reached through a panel, though a ceiling unit or a unit deep in a wall takes longer to get at. ### Why did the fan squeal for weeks before it stopped? That squeal is dry bearings. It is the fan's warning, and replacing it then avoids the warm cellar that follows. --- **[Read on the site: Cellar Cooling Unit Fan Not Running: Causes and Fixes](https://winecellarrepair.center/problems/cellar-unit-fan-not-running/)** **[Book a visit with WineCellarRepair.center](https://winecellarrepair.center/schedule/)**