AC broken!

My AC is broken, as the temperature rise above the threshold I can hear the click and the AC unit starts to have a small hum and also the water dripping and static noises but no air blowing.

Does it sound like something common or I need a pro to diagnose? I think I need a pro but no one on Sunday so have to wait till next week, but if anyone has some idea of simple things to check would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,

MC

Reply to
MiamiCuse
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kust a shot, put the fan to run position. spin the fan blower by hand to get it started. if it starts you can run with it on all the time till you get capacitor changed. just set ac to auto ,fan on run.

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Reply to
ds549

If you are knowledgable enough about electrical stuff to be safe, you can try checking the contactors that control the fans. You have two fans: one for the outside condensor and one for the inside evaporator (this one moves the air in the house).

In my AC, the contactors are easily accessible on the outside unit. If the coil fails, the contactor won't pull closed. If the contacts themselves are bad, they close but the fan doesn't operate.

If the outside unit hums, but the fans aren't turning, I have been advised that you don't want to let this happen very long, or the compressor fails and your repair just got a lot bigger. It has to do with high pressures in the refrigerant lines.

Reply to
websurf1

how could water be dripping if the blower isnt moving air over the coil.

Reply to
ransley

Yes, if you get a hum and water i.e. condensation dripping the compressor and refrigerant are probably ok. Don't let it run like that since it will eventually freeze up without airflow. If it's just the fan that's not working it should be fairly easy to fix. BTW, it would help to specify if this is a window unit vs. central since that makes some difference in the diagnosis.

Reply to
Pete C.

Try posting your question at:

alt.hvac

You'll probably get lots more answers there.

Jeff (Can't resist...)

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

Hi, What kinda unit? Central a/c, window mount? Ductless? Sounds like motor capacitor is gone bad. This is easy fix.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

BFG! Before, I did that I would check for a dirty filter.

Reply to
Oren

Hi, Actually good place to go is forum at

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Very good folks there.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

It's central air. Fan is not working I manually switched fan from "Auto" to "On" and nothing.

Thanks,

MC

Reply to
MiamiCuse

Thanks. I am not too comfortable with things electrical, guess I will get a pro here in the morning.

Reply to
MiamiCuse

That changes the prognosis quite a bit since unlike a window unit, the inside and outside unit fans for central are of course separate. Is it the inside fan only that is not working, and the outside fan is ok? If it's just the inside air handler that isn't running, it could be as simple as a tripped or shut off circuit breaker, since the inside and outside units are typically on different circuits.

Reply to
Pete C.

What did they find? Was it a defective blower motor?

Reply to
Moe Jones

Mine..on different thread..was a dead START CAPACITOR.

I got the BEST INTERNET ADVICE I' VE EVER SEEN at

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I can't say how well these guys do over there. Asking here is OK but of course, we aren't all EXPERTS. The guy there sent me info and diagrams(websites) that walked me right thru it. A local "air" guy had come by and said it was probably the motor (part, no labor $ 185.00) I went and bought the appropriate capacitor ( $ 2.57 !! ) Yes.. TWO DOLLARS. The original one was Made in the USA (1990) but since the new one was Made in China, I got TWO for $ 5.00. It took me about half an hour to remove the old one, plug in the new one and away it went..Fixed for $ 5.00 R

Reply to
Rudy

Was a bad capacity. Paid $185.00 for a 30 minute visit.

Reply to
MiamiCuse

I checked the breakers and no problem. Finally called an AC guy and diagnosed to be a dead capacitor. Now it's working, after $185.00.

Reply to
MiamiCuse

In Miami; you saved money.

Reply to
Oren

Hi, Most common problem. Often you can visually point to a bad. There two, for starting and run for the motor. Some times there are two separte ones or two in one can. Capacitor is not that expensive. If you can match exact parts for caps, always use higher value one.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

You're baaaaddd.....

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Wow, I don't charge enough money. Thanks for the field report.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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