A variety of things could happen to make air conditioners stop working. One common culprit is the capacitor failing. In this video, an HVAC professional explains how to test if the capacitor has failed, and what to do about it.
To test the capacitor, the presenter uses tools that measure both the compressor voltage and current, as well as the fan motor voltage and current. When he runs the test, he reads the numbers after the system has been running for about five minutes so that things have leveled out and can provide a true representation of what’s going on.
The presenter explains the math that must be done with the readings to make sure the capacitor can handle the voltages and currents. Capacitors have different levels of capacity. This means the results must be measured against the capacity of the capacitor in use.
When the capacitor fails, the top pops and some of the numbers decrease to zero. The compressor and fan motor will keep running until shut off, and then they won’t come back on when the system is rebooted. The capacitor can fail due to overheating, and when this happens, the top mushrooms and the top terminals spread apart.
Over time, the capacitor will need to be replaced. This is one of the most common AC repairs. By watching this video, a homeowner can know what to look for when a capacitor has failed and how to select a new one.
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