Things like this happen with after market motors.
Direct replacements take time to get but can be worth it.

Correct. Not "NO" but "H3LL NO!". Even if the wiring was not outside the case, I do not like those light-duty plugable blade connectors. They are definitely not weather-proof either. Those two wires carry 110V AC, and I wonder if those connectors are even rated for that. (But they certainly are not meant to be out where a person could get to them.

Take some other photos backed up away from the wiring so they show where the wiring is located (which is readily accessible, and exposed to the weather). Talk to the owner/supervisor, and tell him you want the repair corrected to be code-compliant - by someone capable other than the original technician. Alternative, report to licensing.

I think some sloppy technicians do that (regardless of proper procedure) to make it easy to check for an open coil on the fan motor in the future - nothing more. They can disconnect those two red connectors and read the impedance without having to use a nutdriver/screwdriver to get into the case to a connection point. Great trade-off, huh? (meant sarcastically, of course).

I have see this hundreds of times and have never seen one short out can it happen yes but haven’t seen it yet. As far as getting TRLR involved I highly doubt they would do anything second I doubt the company is going to come back out and I’m sure the owner knows that the tech did it this way and has done it himself. The stake on’s were put on by the factory and are rated for 100, 208/230. Like was said the motor that was used is a universal motor and not OEM and that is why those wires are there just to change the rotation if needed. The universal motor was used to get your unit going and was cheaper than the OEM the ground wire could have been placed on one of the studs on the top of the motor and top of the unit. The reversing wires I would tape to keep the UV light from getting to stake on’s and deteriorating them.

Okay but, after the fan is installed, and verified to be going the right direction, why would you need to reverse it?

Should I have insisted on a OEM part?

Has to deal with the fan blades and which way they blow or suck. (ahem) So, a more generic motor can fit more applications.

Recently had a condenser fan go out and didn't have a spare one. Bought one from a HVAC place and installed. Was about to finish up and the fan was blowing air through the coils instead of sucking air through the coils. Unplugged the lead wires and switched the spade connectors and it was all finished and working great.

This is common, typical, and industry wide. There have been no failures, deaths, injuries, etc related to this practice. The other option is a much more expensive motor that is from the maker of the unit.

In my 32+ years of A/C Wholesale experience I can tell you that is 100% accurate!

We have companies here that will charge you $250-300 to change a motor (it might look like yours) and then there are companies that charge $1500-1800 to do the same job (It might even look like yours)!

they charged me about 500$ motor, service call, and install.

Very common

Wow really? So many opinions either way

Jon, if you think this is bad you should see the advice given to wire a cooktop. I wish people would only answer on here when they truly know what they are talking about. There are people calling for this guy to lose his license for crying out loud.

You have got to be shartin me. I don't get away from the complexes I work at very often, but of the residential I have seen/worked on, never seen this. How can that even be allowed? Seems to me to be unethical and just plain lazy.

Lowew, Doxer has 32 years in the supply chain, I have 18 year in the field on commercial, residential and industrial from cryogenic lab freezers up to 5,500 ton chilled water systems. what is the experience and knowledge of the opinions the other way? Majority of the OT will chime in with " change the cap" for almost any " ac help" thread with no knowledge of why to change it, what diagnostics should be done to see why a part went out, and what steps to ensure the system performs properly, safely and efficiently as possible.

I should take you on a tour that would blow your mind..... So many things i came across and had to correct in my years.....

I hear ya... I mean, this guy went above and beyond a large number of "techs" by actually connecting the ground wire and not clipping it off at the terminal. I have been lit up by 24,120,208,240,277 and 480 because of super techs not grounding equipment.