Rheem Classic HVAC Condenser - Run Capacitor Replacement

[Paul Michaels]

I recently cleaned out the coils on our Rheem Classic condenser and also took the time to take some pictures of the run capacitor replacement procedure. I have experience replacing a capacitor on our last home's GE Mars condenser, so I wanted to check out this one before I have to actually replace it.

I wrote up a quick how-to to help other owners of Rheem HVAC systems that may need to replace the capacitor. The biggest symptom of a faulty capacitor is that the fan and/or compressor won't start. The fan may also make more noise than usual and run hot.

Here's the guide -

I hope someone finds it to be useful.

-Paul

[zek]

Might be nice to have a capacitor test rig. Test capacitance and ESR. Maybe overkill.

greg

[Joe]

Nicely done and worth a bookmark.

Joe

[Tony Miklos]

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ESR isn't normally a problem at frequencies as low as 60hz.

[The Daring Dufas]

Usually, I can spot a bad capacitor immediately because the area around the terminals has popped up disconnecting the circuit internally. It's a safety feature that most motor capacitors have now.

TDD