A/C condensers often fail
That’s why it’s a hot day in the midsummer sunshine. I have family coming over this weekend, so I was very busy making all the necessary arrangements, and suddenly the air conditioning stopped working. Perfect timing, right?
Before you call your local HVAC technician to fix the unit and redistribute the money you were planning to spend on burgers, let’s take a quick look…just a few bucks and very little time. You may get lucky by doing It’s also helpful to check if your air conditioner is still under warranty in case you decide to replace it later.
No special tools are required for quick repairs. With just a few minutes, perhaps a few tools around the house, and these steps, you can save a good deal of money while keeping your family reunion on track.
A quick overview: How to replace the air conditioner condenser yourself
More information can be found below.
- Turn off the equipment at the disconnect panel or breaker panel.
If you don’t know how, don’t proceed.
- Locate and inspect the capacitor.
Remove the service cover, check the position of the starting capacitor, and check if it is deformed.
- Discharge the capacitor power.
Be careful with this step. For more information, watch the video below.
- Disassemble the old capacitor.
You can easily loosen the metal strap that holds it.
- Be careful how you connect the wires.
Please do this before deleting them!
- Remove the wires.
You can remove them with needle nose pliers.
- Select an alternative.
Know the microfarad (µF) and voltage rating or air conditioner make and model
- Purchase and install a replacement.
Check with your contractor supply store for details.
What is a AC capacitor
A AC capacitor is a small cylindrical object that stores energy. Send an impulse to start the motor or send an impulse to keep the motor running. It works with air conditioner compressors, blower motors, and outdoor fans.
Check the air conditioner condenser.
If you have a voltmeter, you can tell if the capacitor is blown, but it’s even easier to tell by looking and listening. Step outside the condensing unit and watch and listen for:
- Can you hear the hum
- Can you see the fan spinning?
If your air conditioner is humming, but the fan isn’t spinning, you may have a problem with the condenser.
A simple trick to test if a capacitor is working
Find a long, thin stick if your air conditioner is humming but the fan isn’t spinning. Gently slide the wand into the fan grill and gently press on one of the fan blades to see if the fan spins. If the fan starts on its own and keeps running, the start capacitor may be bad.
It turns out there is a capacitor to boost the fan motor at startup. A capacitor stores electricity in a roll of an electrically charged web of material.
When a capacitor is used, it should give up that energy and give the fan an electric kick in the pants. If the capacitor blew, the fan wouldn’t run at all with just the 120 volts the motor supplied. You and your stick have just done the job of starting up the condenser.
Several things can cause a capacitor to burn out. The summer and engine heat may have been too taxing on this part, or it could be another reason.
Below I will explain how to fix this problem yourself.
Step 1: Start by turning off the power
First, make sure you know how to turn off your air conditioner. If not, do not proceed.
- Turn off the unit at the circuit breaker or circuit breaker. The circuit breaker should be within a few feet of the outdoor condensing unit.
It is always recommended to use a circuit warning device to verify that power has been successfully removed from the device. See Section 3 of this article for examples of reliable and inexpensive line warning devices.
Step 2: Find and check the capacitor
After turning off the power at the circuit breaker:
- Remove the air conditioner service panel.
- Locate the starting capacitor. (Probably silver, round or oval, with multiple prongs on top for wire connections.)
- Look at the face of the capacitor where the tines are attached and ask yourself:
- Is this surface raised or domed?
One of the tell-tale signs that a capacitor has been shot is its shape. When a capacitor explodes, there is at least a 95% chance that the top will pop out or bulge out. It’s similar to a dropped pop can, ready to explode if given a chance. If that’s what you see, it’s good news. Get it back up and running quickly.
Step 3: discharge the power of the capacitor
We have already turned off the air conditioner, but the current in the capacitor needs to be discharged.
Warning: As I said earlier, capacitors store electricity. Stopping the flow of electricity hasn’t changed that. Capacitors may still have ignitable energy. Touching two connectors simultaneously releases this energy, creating a shocking experience. Throwing away an undischarged capacitor can start a fire in a trash can. Before proceeding, place an insulated screwdriver with a handle across the terminals to discharge the capacitor.
Step 4: Dismantling old capacitors
Once the old capacitor has discharged and you have double-checked that there is no current in the area you are working with the circuit detector (above), you can remove it. It’s that simple. The capacitors are likely attached to the unit by metal straps, and he only has one screw to remove. Removing this screw will remove the capacitor from the unit.
Step 5: Notice how the wires are connected
Before removing the wires from the old capacitor, make sure to make a diagram or label showing which wires go where.
Step 6: Remove the old capacitor
Once you see where the wires connect to the new capacitor, you can remove them with a simple pair of needle nose pliers. If the wire is jammed, don’t just try to pull it. Use a rocking motion while pulling slowly. This will prevent you from touching another terminal or having the pliers slip off and hit your face. Please don’t laugh, I saw it.
That’s it. All that remains is to get the correct replacement part and reinstall it the same way it was removed.
Step 7: Choice of substitutes
There are a few things you should know when purchasing new capacitors.
Microfarad (µF) and voltage rating. The shape and size of the capacitor don’t matter as they can vary and still get the job done. Even mounting brackets can bend to accommodate differently shaped parts. Just know that you need to match the microfarad numbers exactly. Voltage ratings do not have to be the same. This is because you specify how much voltage the capacitor can see, not what it must see. This means you can use capacitors with slightly higher voltage ratings than the ones you currently use if desired.
The μF and voltage are marked on the capacitor and may appear as 35/5 μF and 370V. If not on the list, write down the make and model of your air conditioner and use this information in-store or online to find the correct replacement part.
After all, brands don’t matter here. Capacitors are pretty standard and should be available from your local builder, but hardware stores and Lowes may not have them. Capacitors for home-sized appliances should be relatively inexpensive. Consider buying a second capacitor as a backup while you’re there, along with a spare time-delay fuse (but be sure to use the correct size fuse).
A/C Fuses
In the summer heat, blown capacitors and fuses are common causes of air conditioner breakdowns. If you suspect fuses are the problem, it can be an even easier fix. Please take a look at the article I wrote about how to replace air conditioning fuses.
Your air conditioner fuses are located in the A/C disconnect that should be mounted to the house within a few feet of the condensing unit outside. Be sure that if you are purchasing new fuses, they are of the proper amperage rating. You can always use a lower amperage fuse, but never a higher one.
If they go low, at worst, they’ll blow you out again. If they are high, larger current spikes can enter the device, resulting in nothing less than a catastrophic failure. You probably need two 20 or 30-amp time delay fuses.
Air conditioner maintenance tips
We hope this was the solution to your air conditioner problem and that you were able to get the part and replace it without much fuss for your family reunion.
In addition to the heat normally generated by running engines, the heat of the summer sun can severely impact air conditioning systems as hot electrical components are more likely to fail. So it’s not surprising that parts can fail on hot days when you need them most.
You can prevent this kind of failure by maintaining your air conditioner. Keeping your A/C coils clean and cleaning or replacing your air filters as needed will keep your unit operating at a lower temperature, helping you cool yourself when summer arrives.
If you have a window unit, remove it in winter and store it somewhere to protect it from frost, dirt, and debris.