Is A/C capacitor supposed to look like this?

As the other poster said, the contactor is powered by the 24V from the air handler inside your house. So even if you turned off the 240V, you would still here the relay click.

Congrats on fixing the unit yourself despite the sarcastic remarks some of these idiots made.

Reply to
Mikepier
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Well, what doesn't kill us makes us more knowledgeable. I did know enough to turn off all breakers including the one to the air handler before monkeying with the outside unit so I wasn't in any danger.

Next I need to clean the internal coils. Just looked at 'em, they're nasty. Obviously with as much suction as I'm getting plenty of air is getting through but they definitely need cleaning.

Reply to
brassplyer

I'm a professional idiot. Sarcastic comments are included in my job description.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Will you be using a belt sander to clean the inside coils? That's what professional idiots use. 60 grit open kote red garnet is good.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Good for you trying to learn about the equipment that runs your home. Here's a link to a site with a lot of information about how your HVAC system works and repair procedures.

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TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

The 24 volts AC is coming from the furnace which is on a separate circuit. From the furnace, the control voltage goes to the thermostat then back to the furnace where control voltage is sent to the condensing unit outside. It's not magic, it's all done with wires. 8-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

TAPE?! Only slackers use tape, real techs use cable ties. 8-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Heck no, gonna fire up my trusty air chisel to really get those tough deposits. If you're gonna do something, do it right I say.

Reply to
brassplyer

Let's say a Contractors Association did exactly that.

In about five minutes they would be convicted of violating the Wright-Patman Act: Conspiracy to Restrain Trade.

Off to the Federal Grey-Bar Hotel they would go. Hi-ho, Hi-ho, Hi-ho.

Reply to
HeyBub

Glad you got it running again. The run caps are usually cheap enough that, even if you are not able to test, replacing them is worth a shot. All you care about are the specs on it. Any shape will do. Occasionally you have to fiddle around with the bracket to get it bolted back to the chassis. Nice you found a supply house that was helpful even though I suspect it was easy to tell you are a homeowner. The hvac trade is extremely anti-diy.

You missed the breaker that the 24v transformer for the thermostat is on. The air handler starts the outside unit with a 24v ac supply to that contactor, aka relay. Unlike electrolytic capacitors these capacitors are not polarized so there are no positive or negative terminals. This is an ac circuit not dc. That board with the flashing led is the defrost board. It's not involved in the operation when you are using the unit in the cooling mode. Steady flashing usually means it is ok. When there is something wrong it will flash a signal where you can use the number of flashes to look up different problems. There should be a couple pages of spec sheets in an envelope inside the uinit and the flash code is often on those.

A few units will have a pressure switch that prevents the compressor from starting up if the unit has lost the refrigerant. Don't know if this one does or not, it's not all that common.

Reply to
jamesgangnc

That's what happens if you crosspost to alt.hvac.

Reply to
Bob F

Its about time you were honest about yourself.

Reply to
The King

Looks like I'm jumping in at the end of a thread. Anyway, I have a 1991 Coleman Park model A/C unit. Its about 3' X 3' X 18" high. It is mainly an AC unit but does have heat strips for the "heat" function.

It started making a moaning sound (only at night in the COLD (near freezing) weather) 2 yrs ago. There was also the slight odor of hot/ melting plastic wire insulation.

A local guy that says he's an AC tech ( he s done several jobs in the neighborhood) came by and said I needed a new motor..that would run about $

175-200 plus labor so maybe $ 250 and UP.

I decided to check the internet and to make a long story short, I found a REAL AC expert on:

ALL EXPERTS

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NOTE: This is NOT the FEE BASED 'Ask an Expert' type website(s)

There were several guys listed to select from, so I picked one, posted my question and after 2-3 posts back and forth, in a couple of days, I had the FIX.

It was a part called the (start) capacitor. It, like the whole unit was 18 years old. I pulled the old one (following the PROs instructions) found a XREF to the part # ONLINE, the found a local supplier by a Google search. I went to pick up the part but they had a minimum order of $ 5.00 Yes, the part was under $ 5.00 so I had to buy TWO at $ 2.67 each. Went home, put it in, gave the motor bearings some lube while I was in there and closed it up.

Its been working fine now for 2 years.

New Motor $ 250 ? New Capacitor $ 2.67

ALL EXPERTS Priceless ! (No Charge, No FEE)

Reply to
Rudy

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0(No Charge, No FEE)

SPAM

Reply to
jamesgangnc

I would have gotten ones rated for 440 volts instead of 370 myself because it leaves more headroom for power spikes and surges.

Reply to
Daniel who wants to know

It would really be nice if you deleted the bullshit groups and stayed with alt.hvac.

Reply to
Alexander

Do as i say not as i do is your moto isnt it. Fuck off.

Reply to
The King

Gee, that really hurt my feelings. Piss me off and I will turn the Mormon loose on you.

Reply to
Alexander

At your service, O great one. May you live forever.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Don't encourage the incorrigible, he thrives on it. He might run a background check on you. ROTFLMAO

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

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