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Error Code
E7 means the outdoor fan motor is not running as the board expects. That fan moves air across the condenser, and without it the system cannot reject heat, so pressure climbs and the unit protects itself. A failed outdoor fan is easy to spot: the unit runs, the compressor is audible, and no air is moving out of the top of the casing.
The outdoor fan runs in the worst conditions on the property, exposed to heat, rain and grit. Bearings wear and windings fail, and the motor stops reporting the speed the board wants. A motor that is stiff to turn by hand has already told you the answer. These are commonly replaced parts rather than repaired ones.
Debris in the blade, a cracked blade or one that has lost a section unbalances the fan and loads the motor until it can no longer hold speed. Leaves and grass collected around the guard do the same. Check this before the motor is replaced, because a clean and a straightened guard cost almost nothing.
The fan motor plugs into the outdoor board, and that plug and its harness are exposed to everything the unit is. Corrosion at the pins, a conductor rubbed against the casing or a rodent chewed wire will all produce E7 on a motor that still works. Reseating and testing the plug comes before any part is ordered.
A motor labouring against a stiff bearing or a fouled blade runs hot, cuts out on its internal protection and restarts when it cools. That cycle produces an intermittent E7 that appears on hot days and disappears in the evening, which is the pattern to listen for before condemning the motor.
With the power off, the blade is turned by hand and the guard and casing are checked for leaves, grass and nesting material. The blade should spin freely with no wobble and no rubbing. Anything that stops it turning freely is removed before the motor is even considered for replacement.
The motor is tested for winding continuity and for a bearing that is stiff or noisy. Play in the shaft and a blade that rocks both point at the bearing. Where the board reports a speed error on a motor that turns freely, the speed sensor inside the motor is the likely failure rather than the winding.
The plug at the outdoor board is unplugged, inspected for corrosion and reseated, and the harness is traced for damage where it passes the casing edge. Each conductor is checked for continuity. On an intermittent E7 this is where the fault usually sits, and it costs nothing to check.
