"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
06/23/2014 at 23:24 • Filed to: Halp!
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"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
06/23/2014 at 23:24 • Filed to: Halp! | 0
| 13 |
i have an outdoor AC unit that won't start at all. I've check the thermostat and it will spool up the furnace blower, but nothing from the unit outside. Seems like the likely culprit may be the capacitor or the contactors. Going to check in the morning that the start indication voltage is coming through and then go on to looking at the capacitor and contactor. Am I missing anything? I will be pulling all breakers and being safe.
PatBateman
> f86sabre
06/23/2014 at 23:31 |
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You lost me at "gurus". I know an AC blows cold air because of some magical box on the side of my house, but that's about all I can tell you. Also, B. Roll is a horn dog.
Call a wizard.
Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
> f86sabre
06/23/2014 at 23:37 |
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The guru is meditating
Birddog
> f86sabre
06/23/2014 at 23:52 |
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Is the Condenser fan coming on outside?
If the Fan is coming on but the Compressor is humming but not starting it's the Cap or a bad compressor.
EL_ULY
> f86sabre
06/23/2014 at 23:53 |
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start there. Connectors and capacitor. An easy indicator of a bad capacitor is if it looks inflated.
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f86sabre
> Birddog
06/24/2014 at 00:08 |
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nothing as near as I can tell from the unit outside. Tomorrow I will have my wife throw the switch while I listen, but I don't think anything will happen.
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f86sabre
> PatBateman
06/24/2014 at 00:09 |
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will call a wizard if I'm stuck, but I'm hoping I can save the day on this one.
RacinBob
> f86sabre
06/24/2014 at 07:50 |
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Outside AC units are super simple, except when they aren't. The super simple ones have only a large relay to turn everything on. The thermostat signal pulls the relay (contactor) in, the compressor and fan are powered by it and that is it. So, if you pull the cover off the control box and all you see is a relay and a capacitor, and you are not hearing a click when its asked to run, its almost gotta be the relay. If it clicks but there is nothing, then see if its really powered up. If it doesn't click, I bet you will discover the relay is full of ants who have a weird attraction to magnetic fields and will pack themselves inside the relay, it happened to my neighbor. Safety note. Your home unit is probably 220v which means that there are two hot power legs. The danger is that only one is switched, which means if you touch the other, you will get shocked because unlike 110, it is hot. I know because I have done that......
If you have a heat pump or some super fancy variable speed unit, your unit is not simple. It may be the relay, or it may be one of several circuit boards you are looking at. If it has circuit boards, abandon all hope......
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Birddog
> f86sabre
06/24/2014 at 10:29 |
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If that's the case id check power at the disconnect box (there may be a couple of fuses in the box on the wall)and at the contactor.
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Birddog
> f86sabre
06/25/2014 at 00:53 |
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What happened?
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f86sabre
> Birddog
06/25/2014 at 09:03 |
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Will find out today. Had to order parts.
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f86sabre
> Birddog
06/25/2014 at 18:28 |
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the capacitor and contractor cured it. Fired right up and it is blowing cold. Thank goodness too. It has been a cool week here in atlanta, but it is supposed to heat up again tomorrow. The kids have been out of town at my folks for a week, so my wife and I have been sleeping with the windows open and it has been around 80 +/-. With the kids coming home and my mom spending a few days with us I needed this fixed. That and I didn't want to drop $500.
Pic of the removed parts. The cap had a bubble on it and all that corrosion.
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Birddog
> f86sabre
06/26/2014 at 21:10 |
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It's always nice when its a simple (ish) fix.
Same thing happened to me last year. Hottest weekend of the season too.
I had to borrow a window shaker to keep the dogs cool until the shop opened on monday.
I primarily do plumbing work but now I keep a few HVAC parts on the truck just in case..
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f86sabre
> Birddog
06/26/2014 at 21:16 |
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smart thinking keeping them in the truck. I'm not afraid to spend the money on a pro when needed, but I'm also not afraid to check the internet for guidance. I'm of the opinion that everything in the world that I own has broken for someone at some time and they have posted about it on the web.