Capacitor died in my AC Unit

A breaker tripped yesterday which goes to the AC unit. I reset it and it was working last night and this morning. This afternoon when I got home from work, it was tripped again. I reset it and it tripped back again.. I tried two more times and the AC unit finally cut on. I looked out the back door and smoke was coming from the unit!!!.. I flipped the breaker off.. and when I took the panel off the unit.. the capacitor was smoking and of the three connections.. one was black and melted..

Its simple to replace it.. if I find another.. Is this a situation where I should replace it.. or does it sound like another problem?

I appreciate any suggestions

All the words on the unit are faded except the word Goodman.

Here is the info off the capacitor: Dielektrol Capacitor

97F5368 010000AFC 89-27Z112 242808-30 9457-5400 CAPACITOR, 35 MFD, 440VAC, CAN, FILM COMPOSITION, ±6% TOLERANCE

I looked on the internet for another one but I only came up with one site that carried it.. and they had a 25 qty order limit??

Reply to
r1013
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Thanks Telstra and Greg. Your advice is very much appreciated.

Reply to
r1013

Its simple to replace it.. if I find another.. Is this a situation where I should replace it.. or does it sound like another problem?

The problem was probably the burnt connection. Capacitors just simply fail sometimes. Fix the connection and replace the capacitor. if something else is wrong the capacitor was a cheap test! Try a local motor shop, or HVAC company for a new cap. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

I've had same exact problem before on a roof unit. Fan wouldn't spin and when I traced power back from it, the capacitor was dead. I bridged it out for a second and the fan spun right up. Pulled the breaker, pulled the capacitor, took it to the local HVAC supply, got a new one for $8, swapped it in and it worked fine for 2 more summers until I replaced it when remodeling.

Give it a try - very low risk. Just keep an eye on it in case something else caused the capacitor to fry. And pull the unit's breaker when working on it to be safe.

Mike

r1013 wrote:

Reply to
Mike

Bring the cap to a local repair shop; they'll have replacements laying around.

Its simple to replace it.. if I find another.. Is this a situation where I should replace it.. or does it sound like another problem?

I appreciate any suggestions

All the words on the unit are faded except the word Goodman.

Here is the info off the capacitor: Dielektrol Capacitor

97F5368 010000AFC 89-27Z112 242808-30 9457-5400 CAPACITOR, 35 MFD, 440VAC, CAN, FILM COMPOSITION, ±6% TOLERANCE

I looked on the internet for another one but I only came up with one site that carried it.. and they had a 25 qty order limit??

Reply to
Pop

The Compressor is PSC Permanent split capacitor The Capacitor being connected between the Start and Run stator windings. The capacitor is sized for power factor correction and starting. A second capacitor is connected to the condenser fan motor. The burnt out capacitor indicates a fault in the stator windings of either the compressor or condenser fan motor

Its simple to replace it.. if I find another.. Is this a situation where I should replace it.. or does it sound like another problem?

I appreciate any suggestions

All the words on the unit are faded except the word Goodman.

Here is the info off the capacitor: Dielektrol Capacitor

97F5368 010000AFC 89-27Z112 242808-30 9457-5400 CAPACITOR, 35 MFD, 440VAC, CAN, FILM COMPOSITION, ±6% TOLERANCE

I looked on the internet for another one but I only came up with one site that carried it.. and they had a 25 qty order limit??

Reply to
Telstra

Better be sure to repair the problem that caused the capacitor to blow in the first place before putting in a new one. The OP was lucky it was just the capacitor that blew--it could have been a lot worse...

Reply to
Oscar_Lives

Yeah, you said that already, Oscar. You also ignored other poster's who advised, correctly, that the most likely culprit is the capacitor itself. It's POSSIBLE there is another problem, yes, but it's not that expensive, nor that hard, to start with the cap, which, 99 of 100 times, is the culprit, especially when it's equipment that lives outdoors. HOW to tell if something else had gone bad or some things to check out or where to get them checked, etc etc would make a good post; yours is simply sour grapes and ego. Sorry, but that's my opinion.

PopS

: >

: > Its simple to replace it.. if I find another.. Is this a : > situation : > where I should replace it.. or does it sound like another : > problem? : >

: > I appreciate any suggestions : >

: > All the words on the unit are faded except the word Goodman. : >

: > Here is the info off the capacitor: : > Dielektrol Capacitor : > 97F5368 : > 010000AFC 89-27Z112 : > 242808-30 : > 9457-5400 : > CAPACITOR, 35 MFD, 440VAC, CAN, FILM COMPOSITION, ±6% TOLERANCE : >

: > I looked on the internet for another one but I only came up with : > one : > site that carried it.. and they had a 25 qty order limit?? : >

: >

: :

Reply to
Pop

Good post: Clear, concise, considerate. KUDOS. More people should have your attitude.

Give it a try - very low risk. Just keep an eye on it in case something else caused the capacitor to fry. And pull the unit's breaker when working on it to be safe.

Mike

r1013 wrote:

Reply to
Pop

Oscar,

As you said, you cannot diagnose over the internet.....either way. To assume the compressor is shot or there is some other major problem is pretentious. Yes, it would be better to have someone come out and check the system before the part is replaced. It would also be a good idea to make sure that is the right size capazitor for the compressor. However, all that said, there is a 95% chance replacing the capacitor will fix the problem. As long as the OP is willing to take that 5% chance he will blow something, it is his unit and his money.

Stretch

Reply to
Stretch

Its simple to replace it.. if I find another.. Is this a situation where I should replace it.. or does it sound like another problem?

I appreciate any suggestions

All the words on the unit are faded except the word Goodman.

Here is the info off the capacitor: Dielektrol Capacitor

97F5368 010000AFC 89-27Z112 242808-30 9457-5400 CAPACITOR, 35 MFD, 440VAC, CAN, FILM COMPOSITION, ±6% TOLERANCE

I looked on the internet for another one but I only came up with one site that carried it.. and they had a 25 qty order limit??

Call a pro. Find one at

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Reply to
Kathy

How in the hell can you diagnose a problem like this over the internet? Why in the hell would you advise him to just start replacing parts without a proper diagnosis? People like you are HACKS. I'll bet your whole house is full of "ozark engineering" stuff, where you think it is OK to take shortcuts and avoid proper installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. I'll bet you have never opened a code book or got something inspected. You and your types should be imprisoned for the danger that you place your families in.

I guess now you are going to spout some bullshit about how a capacitor doesn't cost much, and if it blows, then you can try replacing the motor or the wiring or such. However, you have not done any diagnosis to find the cause of the problem--you have just started the never-ending cycle of throwing parts at it. Now the unit may run, but it may not run right, or it may be very inefficient, or it may actually be deadly. You will probably blame the installer or the brand, but it will never occur to you that YOU are the problem, and your CHEAPNESS and STUBBORNESS are what burned your house down, or electrocuted the neighbors child.

HOW TO TELL HOW SOMETHING IS BAD OR WHERE TO GO is to get someone with the training, the experience, the licensing, and the saavy to do the job correctly. Just throwing parts at it isn't gonna cut it.

No sour grapes here. I am just sick and tired of f****ng idiots like you who spout off as though you know everything there is to know and you self-proclaim yourself as being a fount of knowleged on the internet, when in reality your advice costs people money and maybe also kills them.

Reply to
Oscar_Lives

We have plenty of hacks here. Please don't encourage them.

You must think Mike has a crystal ball and can see the wiring, amp draw, voltage, etc.

Reply to
Oscar_Lives

Reply to
geoman jr

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