The A/C is not working. Last time this happened the neighborhood A/C repair guy showed me how to replace the motor start capacitor. He happened to have one in his truck. I'd just as soon not bother him again. If I can pull the suspect capacitor and get the specs off it, where would a guy get a replacement without going the mail order route?
-Scott
Assuming lightening struck twice and the reason your A/C stopped working this time is the same as it was the last time. (But don't bet on it...)
Look for an industrial electrical supply house, or an HVAC supply place.
Jeff
Grainger, McMaster Carr, any good motor supply or repair house.
I get mine, at my local HVAC parts wholesale house. All you have to do is get your EPA card, establish a business, get a sales tax number, and go into the trade. No problem.
I curious on what he's going to do when the start cap doesn't fix the problem. Here in St. Louis there is a no return policy on electrical parts. lol
Well, you know how it is with AHR posters. He's already replaced the thermostat three times, so it's got to be the capacitor?
That's funny, most AC condensing units don't have start capacitors. It is usually an option though. You may be referring to the oil filled "run" cap that is connected to the start winding. A start capacitor is going to be of the electrolytic type along with a mechanical or solid state start relay.
TDD
No Shit?? When did they start doing that?
Many years ago. Start capacitors are going to be a high value electrolytic type in a black Bakelite case along with a potential relay. You will see it on commercial refrigeration equipment because the compressor often has to start under a load. Under ideal conditions, a home AC or refrigerator comp is going to have time for the pressures to equalize after shutdown before the thermostat calls for cold. Last summer I had to remove the factory hard start PTC thermistor from our office condensing unit after it shorted. That particular setup did not use a separate start capacitor. I replaced it with a "Kick Start" device consisting of a potential relay and a large electrolytic capacitor. A start capacitor and relay costs the manufacturer a few dollars more per unit and you may not think it's much money until you realize that manufacturer has to purchase a million of them. Here's a page that shows what I'm referring to:
Which was very common on older compressor units.
OK, just to tie up the loose ends on this one:
-Scott
No Comment
Just so you know, the terminal marked "herm" means hermetic which refers to the hermetically sealed welded can compressor. I bet the wire was yellow for the "herm" and brown for the "fan". The common terminal could have been just about any color except green.
TDD
IIRC it was yellow for common, reddish brown for fan and blue for herm. I'm pretty certain about the yellow.
-Scott
You may be right, I've been putting in so many hours lately that everything is running together. My hair hurts, my toenails itch and my eyeballs are squeaking. Last service call was over at 8:00pm.
TDD
What a shame to hear that the guy has been doing this for 50yrs and cant find a simple refrigerant leak. Refrigerant doesnt wear out or go bad. It leaks out. You have a leak. It will continue to leak and it will continue to cost you money. Not to mention that it is hard on the equipment running it low on refrigerant. It is also hard on the environment by depleting our ozone although that's a whole nother crock of crap. Bubba
How small a leak is one supposed to find? One that leaks out not quite all the refrigerant in 15 years?
Just a few years ago, I was told (IIRC) that A/C techs are finding and repairing leaks of 4 ounces of refrigerant per year, and that ones around or less than 2 ounces per year are often too small to find and are often tolerated.
- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)
I've been using a stop leak made by Cliplight Manufacturing Company for several years and have had very good luck with it. The stuff is great for those tiny inaccessible leaks in evaporators.
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