THANK YOU. MyYORK is 20 yrs old. 2 yrs ago i paid HVAC tech $600 to replace FAN capacitor. Now my fan would turn on but no cool air. Found your vid's. KUDOS because your clear,audible,frkn smart instruction helped me do it.Old capacitor was 3.5 uf. that size is no longer made but HVAC guys called around to confirm that a 7.5 uf is AOK to use when replacing the 3.5 uf. I was replacing a 2 prong with a 3 prong .I just didnt connect to FAN on the new 1.** ALWAYS color code leads b4 undoing**
Genius bro! Thanks for this tutorial! You saved my toddlers and I from a dreadful weekend, as well as a lot of money. Your fix worked perfectly and took about 10 minutes from start to finish.
Thanks so much for posting this. My unit is similar to this one. About 25 years old. Just quit working a few days ago. Thought I was going to have to just buy a new unit. Checked capacitor and it was bad. Got a new one from a local place here for $17 and the compressor came back to life. Temp differential from intake to vent is about 20 degrees which from my research is about as good as it gets. Nice!
Thanks for your help on this. I've had a unit that has not worked for 15 years, and never got it fixed. I've had repair guys just tell me to replace the whole thing, and all it was was the capacitor all along.
Thanks for posting this video! It was very helpful to me. I had no idea how simple these units are inside. I discovered and diagnosed the problem late Friday night. After watching this video, and luckily finding a local HVAC supplier open on Saturday morning, I was back up and running in no time. It cost me $36 for the capacitor. I shudder to think what a weekend service call would have cost me in parts and labour, if they could have even got to me.
five years on, this helped me confirm my issue--i actually have the three head capacitor. My fan was working, and the compressor was warm but I wasn't sure if it was running. The fan tested at 4.7 mf, the compressor tested at about zero. Also, there was absolutely no condensate in the pan inside, and air was coming through the registers but it wasn't cool. It all pointed to a failure at some point in the coolant line. I haven't replaced the capacitor yet, but pretty this is the problem. thanks for the video.
No need for HVAC techs to bash a video like this. As easy as all this stuff is to learn, 99% of people are still going to call a pro to do it. Your jobs are safe.
This video helped me diagnose my problem as well. In my case, the capacitor was fine, it was a bad wire leading to the capacitor (break in the wire... how that happened, who knows) fixed the wire and bingo, I've got the compressor working again, and the house is already starting to cool off. Thanks very much for the video.
Thanks for sharing, This helped me diagnose my AC unit, bad Capacitor on mine as well, Bought part locally, replaced, and now I am back up and running.
DIY Tinker Wow, I love that I just watched a bit of selfless teaching help somebody save some green! I think DIY Tinker has something to feel pretty good about!
one thing i noticed, is that where the coils are in the furance is bone dry..it use to be wet and water and the pump use to pump out the water. we cleaned the coils, changed the filter. this morning i went to check the outside unit, the fan was blowing cold air. I've been watching your videos very helpful.
thank you so much for replying back. we just can't afford a new unit..last night after he left. very little air blowing through the vents and it's not cold.
Exactly the video I was looking for / needed! Thank you for sharing. That AC unit is the same model as mine too so it made more sense. Going to order new capacitor and hope it will be problem solved for $16 and the time it took to watch your video (twice)! Thanks.
AAaaggghhhh! We have a 4 ton 2004/2005 (?) new track home install that went out a couple of weeks ago. The fan on the condenser runs but after a while it only blows warm air. The unit worked fine when we moved in 2008. Two summers ago (2010) we had our contractor move the condenser around the corner of the house so that the unit wasn't right in the back yard but on the side, right around the corner. I now know that he used 4 right angle joints to reconnect it.
i agree. i have a few extra caps and contactors. I never thought about getting an extra fan, but thats not a bad idea since alot are universal. The compressor can last for 30+ years if maintenance correctly.
Wow, good point! I'm glad you did the math, I really want to but I'm afraid what I'll find, in my case ignorance is bliss haha. So it only costs around $0.35 an hr to run that? That's awesome! That makes me wanna do the math on mine now. Glad to see its so much cheaper than I thought it was.
good video and that capacitor has oil in it the new ones have more of a wax type last year in Tulsa I changed out lots of capacitors the new ones don,t last as long like the old PCB ones
Thank you DIY tinker, I don't think its under warranty. I'll see about getting an estimate and decide if it's even worth fixing. The insulation in this house is terrible and I'm sure the ductwork is bad somewhere even though I haven't found a leak yet. I'll wait until winter to fix all that though. In the meantime I might just get a window unit.
I used to and miss working in the HVAC/Refrigeration industry, had to stop due to having Multiple Sclerosis some years ago. It was the worst career to get into do to severe heat and zero degree temps. Can’t be in either of them! I enjoyed driving from job to job diagnosing and making repairs!! This was a easy gravy repair lol 😉😎👍
Well...like many stories, blowin' hot air-unit(capstr area) only humming. BUT, between diagnosing,running to the ac store replacing my capstr,i don't remember if it was flipping Brkrs before & after or only after.Went to start it and ran for 2-3 seconds, flipped the contactor, when i push the contactor it starts for 2 seconds & flips breakers. took the cntctr to the ac store & the"23yr" ac man(whom was really nice) said he could assure me the contactor was good. SO, comprsr or electrical ?
It would have been a good idea to replace those terminal clips while you were at it. They looked nasty and didn't appear to fit very tightly. I would also have used the fan cap side for the fan. The common on the capacitor always goes to the supply.
Moving the unit can cause leaks. Fan running doesnt mean the compressor is running. The condensing unit has two pipes going into the house. One pipe (bigger one) should be cold, and the other (smaller one) should be warm/hot. If the bigger pipe is warn/cool, then your might be low on freeon, bad compressor, dirty coil, etc...
ah, good point, you got me there... i would like to agree with what you are saying, But, im not sure. I only know that the rule of thumb is to always follow the manufactures ratting. There is a range that is acceptable, but you need find out that info from the manufacture.
capacitors that store charge work sort of like a battery but different and yes they can hold enough charge to shock you sometimes but not all the times there lethal to so it something to watch out for
Looks well used! Original contactor? I use my old Fluke 12 for most maintenance work as they're set up for one handed operation on the selection and has capacitance function...
if your breaker is flipping, then there is a short somewhere. Either the fan, compressor or capacitor. you can disconnect one by one and see which one causes the breaker to flip. I also have two videos showing how to ohm out the fan and compressor. check it out in my channel.
if the outside fan kicks on, then make sure you have at least 240VAC (the fan could kick on with lower voltage). Then you can check the compressor and capacitor. keep me posted.
Please need your help. We are not sure how old our unit is, but we know it is at least seven years old. about 2 weeks ago it was blowing really good, then it got warm but still blowing, so we had some one come out and re charged the system, but noticed it isn't cooling our home and it isn't blowing anymore..the man who recharged our system said the compressor is weak. but after watching your video it makes me wonder what the real issue is. what are the chances of it being what you just decribed
You didn’t do too bad. Although the spade connectors were loose. Tighten them by pushing in the back clip not squeezing the outside. This could cause an early failure on the new cap. Rinse the coil as well.
Wow! what a fantastic help your video is! My central AC just started blowing warm air. I went outside and can hear something try to start, but it stops in a second. If I use a stick, I can get the fan out there, to spin up and continue, but only cold air comes up from the outside unit and warm air inside. Outside, every few seconds, I can hear something try to start the compressor, but it shuts down right away. On my old AC unit, I replaced the starter boost capacitor and it was pretty easy. That one was on the outside of the unit, though. I think I have a capacitor issue again. Thank you for the excellent video and tutelage. I am still kinda scared to do these repairs, myself, but I will try this with your video help. If you want to give me moral support, please email me (), please let me know how to safely let you know my email address. I could use the moral support. Thanks, again!
Edit to my comment: I am a 56 year old woman. I really could use the moral support for this kind of repair. I haven't used my tools in so long (7years), I think my DeWalt cordless drill might not work anymore.
That's true man .i do have a mobil home and last march of this year 2018 I did call the air cooling and heating guys just for maint the unit i do live here since 4 years ago and didn't have any problems till now they did check it out and diagnosed with bad compressor so they told me a used one it will cost me with labor $850 so just thinking if really it's that or i just getting riped off.any suggestions please.
ELIAS RODRIGUEZ probably too late to help but anyone selling used compressors is fixing to sell yours. Get a second opinion. Ask your neighbors who they use.
Hello Thank you so much for such a useful video! My AC still does work and blows a cold air and fan works. I'm concerned what is going on with it when it's off: outdoor stationery AC unit makes constant moderately loud noise and when I take look inside I can see frozen copper pipes literally covered by ice (its 70F outside) What might be reason for that? Thank you so much!!!
That isnt normal, several issues can cause this. For starter, check your evaporator coil and clean it, then clean the condensor coil. I have few videos on my channel that you can reference. If that doesnt help, then you should consider a HVAC tech asap. you might be low on refrigerant, or something else might be going bad.
Hi, Please refill your Condenser with its suitable Refrigerant gas. When there is low gas, the ice forms on the Copper pipes & inside the Indoor unit as well. Thanks
Thanks for the info, I replaced the run start cap and when I did it gave me a loud pop and left a greyed out spot on top of the all run cap, but it all came on. But then I saw the contactor was sticking so I replaced that. For 1 whole week the a/c ran fine but now the fan comes on and the compressor wont come on again. Do you think that loud pop and greyed out spot messed the all run cap up?
My time and my knowledge come with a price. When I go to an attempted repair gone wrong it usually ends up costing more to repair. Not criticizing people who want to learn. Watch Grey the furnace man for competent diagnostic procedures. Stay safe.
I just had a local guy check mine. I had the fan motor replaced yesterday and got a new thermostat to replace our broken Mercury thermostat. Everything went well except that the compressor isnt turning on. I openned the side panel and noticed that the 3 pin capacitor had a fried one. but the guys who installed the new motor for the fan placed a smaller 2 pin capacitor. (Im guessing to replace the broken pins on the original capacitor) Can the problem be that the fried pins on the capacitor?
All coils are clean like new. If refrigerant is empty I would expect AC doesn't give cold air, but it does. The question why is it cooling pipes when AC is physically off? Thank you!!
A leak doesnt mean you need a new unit. There are "hvac leak detection kit" for $80 that can pin point where the leak is. It could be a simple soldering issue, evaporator, condensing coil, or etc.. I would ask for a leak test, or ask for a second opinion
Hey DIY Thinker - Our fan turns on and it sounds like the compressor also turns on but air has stopped blowing out the vents! For the past months air would blow out of the vents (really cold) but only 50% of the time and now not at all. Do you think this is our capacitor?
if your fan and compressor works, then you should check out the furnace: Air Conditioner doesnt blow any air - how to fix AC blower - HVAC control board replacement
most likely the indoor blower motor. The fan that is in your furnace is what controls the air coming out of your vents. Open up the furnace and you will see the access to your blower motor.
my unit has a run capacitor that has the brown and white stripe wires going to the fan. Also the is a capacitor that has C HERM FAN. however there is also a hard start relay capacitor that I discovered chared... Question, they capacitor with FAN HERM C on it is oval and has an additional wire. can I run a dual capacitor and how would I put these wires
goodman cpkj24-1a had tech out last week, replaced starter cap and added 2lbs of coolant. unit worked two or three days, now condenser isnt kicking on. is it shot? husband does controls for a living wants to check the lps but cant really find anything helpful so far, always tried another new capacitor and nothing..
I had I big problem today. at first the compressor comes on but it started ok but after 10 - 20 seconds later it would start making loud noise then shut down. I replaced capacitor and hard start. but it keeps doing same . if you have any suggestions I would gladly appreciate it
Good video Question : I have a one and a half ton 220volts split unit AC. After few seconds of turning it on the clamp meter reads 22A then rise to reach 37A for few seconds then it stops and the clamp meter reads zero or 0.1A What could be the problem?
You have to tell them that the common on the capacitor (red wire) has to be opposite the black wire on the compressor contactor, or it will be out of phase.
I can agree with this. Half of what people "learn" in school is only by memorization. Most people can't put into practiced half of what they were "taught"...
Hello DIY tinker, what were the signs that the compressor was not working? The night before last, I heard a terribly high pitched screeching outside and it was the condensor. The fan wasn't spinning but we were still getting cold air. Nex
I tried pulling out the "fuse" on the outside power box for the A/C, but no matter how hard I pull, it would come out. What could be my problem? Rust on it? The fan on the A/C outside my condo isn't turning, but the vent is blowing... warm air in inside... By the way, where you following the white wire to the compressor, where you say it purple inside, I don't see where there is a connection between purple & white? Great video.
im not too sure why it wouldnt come out. most just pull out, there might be a special way removing it that isnt common. the sun/heat caused color fading. the wire was purple, and it still is at the compressor. But the reset has faded into white.
Hey I have a Aaron hvac unit with 2 compressors one works but the other one don't start , can that problem come from the capacitor? Or what other parts could be bad ?
will a bad run start capacitor cause the ac unit to SPORADICALLY work? in other words, sometimes it will kick in, while other times it won't....thanks..
Does Daikin inverter Aircon compressor also had capacitor connected? My Daikin inverter Aircon stopped after running for few minutes and the indoor unit light blinking. Fault code E5.
Next day I tried the a/c again and the fan was turning like always but the compressor didn't seem to start (no condensation at all), so I turned it off. Any idea what it could be? I can't afford to have it repaired for another couple of months if its going to be an expensive job. Might as well just buy a window unit if I can't do it myself.
our central a/c is for a mobile home, not connected to our furnace. Only two years old, noticed not cooling as well and then fan would come on but after 10 seconds it would click off. new batteries in the thermastat, turned and checked breakers. any ideas? compressor is the only thing still under warranty. thank you
Check the pipes going to and from the condenser on the exterior of your home. If the pipes have been damaged, crimped or bent, a high pressure sensor may be triggered and the compressor will shut off after about ten seconds.
I had a guy come in to take a look at my roof top unit and they checked everything like you did. Both Compacitor worked fined but he kicked the powerbox with three big fuses inside with his boot and got it to work and blow out cold air. Something was loose on the box. He told me not to touch the box and After 4 days its blowing out air but not blowing out cold air again. Can you give me some input on this. Seems like the compressor did not kick start again. Thank You DIY Tinker
What would cause a window unit to stop blowing air after running a few mins then we turn the breaker off cause we can hear a motor running and after a few more minutes we turn the breaker back on and it starts running again?
no, you shouldnt. you should always follow the same capacitance (sometimes the manufacure has an acceptable range, you need to do some research, or ask the sales person, they might kinow). But, you can increase the voltage rating from 370VAC to 440VAC. Also, you can always split the capacitor from one to two. you can watch it on my channel "Replace HVAC dual run capacitor with two capacitors" or past this at the end of youtube watch?v=bT6W7hPHfUo
Dude, that thing is like 15-20 years old. Time for a new one, yeah you got it running but how fricken inefficient is it? How much more power is going to be used on this to do the same exact thing a new unit would do?
torch license is mainly if you where work on this stuff for a living for working at a public building same with hot work permits EPA certification is if your doing something with the freon DIYers do get seriously hurt sometimes but ever so rarely and so do the pro's too
Greenfire, certification just means you are educated enough to work on this equipment and the EPA wont fine you for touching it. Something to consider. Btw, u cant purchase a cap at home depot. And what is 220? Did u mean 240 bro? Just wondering.
So the capacitor, if I accidentally touch it it doesn't hold power and won't kill me? I'm about to replace mine and I'm a bit nervous. About high voltage and amperage.
i wonder if i need a new capacitor, i hear the compressor start up and some coils get cold to touch but it only blows warm air in the house, would a new capacitor help here or is my problem elsewhere?
look up SEER on wikipedia and theres a list of formulas. The BTU and size is on the side of the AC. Then check your kWh on your electric bill. Do the math, and it matched up with his electricity bill.
10 years later and still you're teaching someone. Great job and great video! Thank you.
THANK YOU.
MyYORK is 20 yrs old. 2 yrs ago i paid HVAC tech $600 to replace FAN capacitor. Now my fan would turn on but no cool air. Found your vid's. KUDOS because your clear,audible,frkn smart instruction helped me do it.Old capacitor was 3.5 uf. that size is no longer made but HVAC guys called around to confirm that a 7.5 uf is AOK to use when replacing the 3.5 uf. I was replacing a 2 prong with a 3 prong .I just didnt connect to FAN on the new 1.** ALWAYS color code leads b4 undoing**
*We're very happy with the unit. Pretty Easy to instal **Fastly.Cool** too.*
Genius bro! Thanks for this tutorial! You saved my toddlers and I from a dreadful weekend, as well as a lot of money. Your fix worked perfectly and took about 10 minutes from start to finish.
Where were you able to find parts locally? I could only find them online. My local HVAC supplier wouldn’t sell to the general public.
Thanks so much for posting this. My unit is similar to this one. About 25 years old. Just quit working a few days ago. Thought I was going to have to just buy a new unit. Checked capacitor and it was bad. Got a new one from a local place here for $17 and the compressor came back to life. Temp differential from intake to vent is about 20 degrees which from my research is about as good as it gets. Nice!
Thanks for your help on this. I've had a unit that has not worked for 15 years, and never got it fixed. I've had repair guys just tell me to replace the whole thing, and all it was was the capacitor all along.
Thanks for posting this video! It was very helpful to me. I had no idea how simple these units are inside. I discovered and diagnosed the problem late Friday night. After watching this video, and luckily finding a local HVAC supplier open on Saturday morning, I was back up and running in no time. It cost me $36 for the capacitor. I shudder to think what a weekend service call would have cost me in parts and labour, if they could have even got to me.
five years on, this helped me confirm my issue--i actually have the three head capacitor. My fan was working, and the compressor was warm but I wasn't sure if it was running. The fan tested at 4.7 mf, the compressor tested at about zero. Also, there was absolutely no condensate in the pan inside, and air was coming through the registers but it wasn't cool. It all pointed to a failure at some point in the coolant line. I haven't replaced the capacitor yet, but pretty this is the problem. thanks for the video.
No need for HVAC techs to bash a video like this. As easy as all this stuff is to learn, 99% of people are still going to call a pro to do it. Your jobs are safe.
This video helped me diagnose my problem as well. In my case, the capacitor was fine, it was a bad wire leading to the capacitor (break in the wire... how that happened, who knows) fixed the wire and bingo, I've got the compressor working again, and the house is already starting to cool off. Thanks very much for the video.
Why didn't you hook the fan motor up to the dual run cap? The fan cap didn't look too healthy either, and that's what the fan terminals are for.
Thanks for sharing, This helped me diagnose my AC unit, bad Capacitor on mine as well, Bought part locally, replaced, and now I am back up and running.
wonderful!
DIY Tinker Wow, I love that I just watched a bit of selfless teaching help somebody save some green! I think DIY Tinker has something to feel pretty good about!
how much would a capacitor be $$$
Probably $10-$15
Fantastic! Mine quit working so I look up repairs for A/C and find yours, and it's the exact same unit. Easy peasy, thanx.
one thing i noticed, is that where the coils are in the furance is bone dry..it use to be wet and water and the pump use to pump out the water. we cleaned the coils, changed the filter. this morning i went to check the outside unit, the fan was blowing cold air. I've been watching your videos very helpful.
I was able to fix my unit after watching this video... all for $21. Thanks a lot.
Thank you for your video. Your explanation helped me diagnose my problem with my AC unit. AC is up and running! Thanks!
thank you so much for replying back. we just can't afford a new unit..last night after he left. very little air blowing through the vents and it's not cold.
Good video, but I would have hooked up the fan side as well as a preventative measure. You're a good friend to help your buddy out and save some $$$.
If you decide to hook up the fan motor to the dual run capacitor, be sure that the fan side of the capacitor is the correct rating!
Exactly the video I was looking for / needed! Thank you for sharing. That AC unit is the same model as mine too so it made more sense. Going to order new capacitor and hope it will be problem solved for $16 and the time it took to watch your video (twice)! Thanks.
AAaaggghhhh! We have a 4 ton 2004/2005 (?) new track home install that went out a couple of weeks ago. The fan on the condenser runs but after a while it only blows warm air. The unit worked fine when we moved in 2008. Two summers ago (2010) we had our contractor move the condenser around the corner of the house so that the unit wasn't right in the back yard but on the side, right around the corner. I now know that he used 4 right angle joints to reconnect it.
i agree. i have a few extra caps and contactors. I never thought about getting an extra fan, but thats not a bad idea since alot are universal. The compressor can last for 30+ years if maintenance correctly.
This helped me repair my WINDOW UNIT, living in a 1800's house stinks but THANK YOU SO MUCHHHH
Wow, good point! I'm glad you did the math, I really want to but I'm afraid what I'll find, in my case ignorance is bliss haha. So it only costs around $0.35 an hr to run that? That's awesome! That makes me wanna do the math on mine now. Glad to see its so much cheaper than I thought it was.
After watching this video I was able to do the repairs needed to fix my AC .. just wanted to tell you thanks for the detailed video
you could just take it out and bring it to a local hvac supply store. Also, ratings and model number is located on the side of the contactor.
wow. a 20 degree delta is great. i cant believe a 25 years old AC can still do that. amazing!
I just want say ... I love you man, saved me money .... big thanks
yes, you are right, it doesnt matter since im only using 2. but now its setup correctly if i want to add the fan on the same capacitor.
good video and that capacitor has oil in it the new ones have more of a wax type last year in Tulsa I changed out lots of capacitors the new ones don,t last as long like the old PCB ones
Thank you DIY tinker, I don't think its under warranty. I'll see about getting an estimate and decide if it's even worth fixing. The insulation in this house is terrible and I'm sure the ductwork is bad somewhere even though I haven't found a leak yet. I'll wait until winter to fix all that though. In the meantime I might just get a window unit.
I used to and miss working in the HVAC/Refrigeration industry, had to stop due to having Multiple Sclerosis some years ago. It was the worst career to get into do to severe heat and zero degree temps. Can’t be in either of them! I enjoyed driving from job to job diagnosing and making repairs!! This was a easy gravy repair lol 😉😎👍
3:00 I've tested good capacitors that made that slushing sound when you shake them. Maybe that sound is normal...
Simple but very useful video. Thank you.
Well...like many stories, blowin' hot air-unit(capstr area) only humming. BUT, between diagnosing,running to the ac store replacing my capstr,i don't remember if it was flipping Brkrs before & after or only after.Went to start it and ran for 2-3 seconds, flipped the contactor, when i push the contactor it starts for 2 seconds & flips breakers. took the cntctr to the ac store & the"23yr" ac man(whom was really nice) said he could assure me the contactor was good. SO, comprsr or electrical ?
It would have been a good idea to replace those terminal clips while you were at it. They looked nasty and didn't appear to fit very tightly. I would also have used the fan cap side for the fan. The common on the capacitor always goes to the supply.
Moving the unit can cause leaks. Fan running doesnt mean the compressor is running. The condensing unit has two pipes going into the house. One pipe (bigger one) should be cold, and the other (smaller one) should be warm/hot. If the bigger pipe is warn/cool, then your might be low on freeon, bad compressor, dirty coil, etc...
Great video, you make understanding hvac very easy bro, keep it up, if possible can you make a video on how a freezestat work, thx
ah, good point, you got me there... i would like to agree with what you are saying, But, im not sure. I only know that the rule of thumb is to always follow the manufactures ratting. There is a range that is acceptable, but you need find out that info from the manufacture.
capacitors that store charge work sort of like a battery but different and
yes they can hold enough charge to shock you sometimes but not all the times there lethal to so it something to watch out for
yes, you are correct. the 24-26VAC is making the buzz sound.
Looks well used! Original contactor? I use my old Fluke 12 for most maintenance work as they're set up for one handed operation on the selection and has capacitance function...
if your breaker is flipping, then there is a short somewhere. Either the fan, compressor or capacitor. you can disconnect one by one and see which one causes the breaker to flip.
I also have two videos showing how to ohm out the fan and compressor. check it out in my channel.
if the outside fan kicks on, then make sure you have at least 240VAC (the fan could kick on with lower voltage). Then you can check the compressor and capacitor. keep me posted.
Please need your help. We are not sure how old our unit is, but we know it is at least seven years old. about 2 weeks ago it was blowing really good, then it got warm but still blowing, so we had some one come out and re charged the system, but noticed it isn't cooling our home and it isn't blowing anymore..the man who recharged our system said the compressor is weak. but after watching your video it makes me wonder what the real issue is. what are the chances of it being what you just decribed
You didn’t do too bad. Although the spade connectors were loose. Tighten them by pushing in the back clip not squeezing the outside. This could cause an early failure on the new cap. Rinse the coil as well.
Wow! what a fantastic help your video is! My central AC just started blowing warm air. I went outside and can hear something try to start, but it stops in a second. If I use a stick, I can get the fan out there, to spin up and continue, but only cold air comes up from the outside unit and warm air inside. Outside, every few seconds, I can hear something try to start the compressor, but it shuts down right away. On my old AC unit, I replaced the starter boost capacitor and it was pretty easy. That one was on the outside of the unit, though. I think I have a capacitor issue again. Thank you for the excellent video and tutelage. I am still kinda scared to do these repairs, myself, but I will try this with your video help. If you want to give me moral support, please email me (), please let me know how to safely let you know my email address. I could use the moral support. Thanks, again!
Edit to my comment: I am a 56 year old woman. I really could use the moral support for this kind of repair. I haven't used my tools in so long (7years), I think my DeWalt cordless drill might not work anymore.
That's true man .i do have a mobil home and last march of this year 2018 I did call the air cooling and heating guys just for maint the unit i do live here since 4 years ago and didn't have any problems till now they did check it out and diagnosed with bad compressor so they told me a used one it will cost me with labor $850 so just thinking if really it's that or i just getting riped off.any suggestions please.
ELIAS RODRIGUEZ probably too late to help but anyone selling used compressors is fixing to sell yours. Get a second opinion. Ask your neighbors who they use.
thank you.so a hard start kit is not just a higher uf cap?
all you guys do a great job thank you for share with everyone Else.
Hello
Thank you so much for such a useful video!
My AC still does work and blows a cold air and fan works.
I'm concerned what is going on with it when it's off: outdoor stationery AC unit makes constant moderately loud noise and when I take look inside I can see frozen copper pipes literally covered by ice (its 70F outside)
What might be reason for that?
Thank you so much!!!
That isnt normal, several issues can cause this. For starter, check your evaporator coil and clean it, then clean the condensor coil. I have few videos on my channel that you can reference. If that doesnt help, then you should consider a HVAC tech asap. you might be low on refrigerant, or something else might be going bad.
Hi, Please refill your Condenser with its suitable Refrigerant gas. When there is low gas, the ice forms on the Copper pipes & inside the Indoor unit as well. Thanks
Your videos are very helpful - thank you!
Thanks for the info, I replaced the run start cap and when I did it gave me a loud pop and left a greyed out spot on top of the all run cap, but it all came on. But then I saw the contactor was sticking so I replaced that. For 1 whole week the a/c ran fine but now the fan comes on and the compressor wont come on again. Do you think that loud pop and greyed out spot messed the all run cap up?
My time and my knowledge come with a price. When I go to an attempted repair gone wrong it usually ends up costing more to repair. Not criticizing people who want to learn. Watch Grey the furnace man for competent diagnostic procedures. Stay safe.
Excellent....beautiful......Excellent....beautiful...great explanation
have you checked
"Troubleshooting Air Conditioner Ventilation & Furnace - how does HVAC AC work Troubleshoot"
on youtube? that might help...
I just had a local guy check mine.
I had the fan motor replaced yesterday and got a new thermostat to replace our broken Mercury thermostat.
Everything went well except that the compressor isnt turning on.
I openned the side panel and noticed that the 3 pin capacitor had a fried one. but the guys who installed the new motor for the fan placed a smaller 2 pin capacitor.
(Im guessing to replace the broken pins on the original capacitor)
Can the problem be that the fried pins on the capacitor?
wow... thats scary., im guessing it was all the energy build up in the capacitor that "blew up"?
All coils are clean like new.
If refrigerant is empty I would expect AC doesn't give cold air, but it does.
The question why is it cooling pipes when AC is physically off?
Thank you!!
a simple comment cant explain everything. search google "hvac condenser frozen" and lots of websites have good info on that subject.
A leak doesnt mean you need a new unit. There are "hvac leak detection kit" for $80 that can pin point where the leak is. It could be a simple soldering issue, evaporator, condensing coil, or etc.. I would ask for a leak test, or ask for a second opinion
Hey DIY Thinker - Our fan turns on and it sounds like the compressor also turns on but air has stopped blowing out the vents! For the past months air would blow out of the vents (really cold) but only 50% of the time and now not at all. Do you think this is our capacitor?
if your fan and compressor works, then you should check out the furnace:
Air Conditioner doesnt blow any air - how to fix AC blower - HVAC control board replacement
most likely the indoor blower motor. The fan that is in your furnace is what controls the air coming out of your vents. Open up the furnace and you will see the access to your blower motor.
boy!! some of these people are rude to you! you know your suff!!
my unit has a run capacitor that has the brown and white stripe wires going to the fan. Also the is a capacitor that has C HERM FAN. however there is also a hard start relay capacitor that I discovered chared... Question, they capacitor with FAN HERM C on it is oval and has an additional wire. can I run a dual capacitor and how would I put these wires
goodman cpkj24-1a had tech out last week, replaced starter cap and added 2lbs of coolant. unit worked two or three days, now condenser isnt kicking on. is it shot? husband does controls for a living wants to check the lps but cant really find anything helpful so far, always tried another new capacitor and nothing..
How long do you typically have a brand new unit before this happens ??
I meant at the beginning of the video is it the contactor?
I had I big problem today. at first the compressor comes on but it started ok but after 10 - 20 seconds later it would start making loud noise then shut down. I replaced capacitor and hard start. but it keeps doing same . if you have any suggestions I would gladly appreciate it
Good video
Question : I have a one and a half ton 220volts split unit AC. After few seconds of turning it on the clamp meter reads 22A then rise to reach 37A for few seconds then it stops and the clamp meter reads zero or 0.1A What could be the problem?
You have to tell them that the common on the capacitor (red wire) has to be opposite the black wire on the compressor contactor, or it will be out of phase.
Great video man, nice work!
I can agree with this. Half of what people "learn" in school is only by memorization. Most people can't put into practiced half of what they were "taught"...
Hello DIY tinker, what were the signs that the compressor was not working? The night before last, I heard a terribly high pitched screeching outside and it was the condensor. The fan wasn't spinning but we were still getting cold air. Nex
Looks like my unit but mine is slightly older and a bit different, smaller i believe. But 2 capacitors. this helps me, thanks.
I tried pulling out the "fuse" on the outside power box for the A/C, but no matter how hard I pull, it would come out. What could be my problem? Rust on it? The fan on the A/C outside my condo isn't turning, but the vent is blowing... warm air in inside... By the way, where you following the white wire to the compressor, where you say it purple inside, I don't see where there is a connection between purple & white? Great video.
im not too sure why it wouldnt come out. most just pull out, there might be a special way removing it that isnt common. the sun/heat caused color fading. the wire was purple, and it still is at the compressor. But the reset has faded into white.
DIY Tinker Got it... thx
Hey I have a Aaron hvac unit with 2 compressors one works but the other one don't start , can that problem come from the capacitor? Or what other parts could be bad ?
will a bad run start capacitor cause the ac unit to SPORADICALLY work? in other words, sometimes it will kick in, while other times it won't....thanks..
Does Daikin inverter Aircon compressor also had capacitor connected? My Daikin inverter Aircon stopped after running for few minutes and the indoor unit light blinking. Fault code E5.
Thanks, up and running within 2 hours
That's a good simple idea lol thank you. I've never tried this search :)
Next day I tried the a/c again and the fan was turning like always but the compressor didn't seem to start (no condensation at all), so I turned it off. Any idea what it could be? I can't afford to have it repaired for another couple of months if its going to be an expensive job. Might as well just buy a window unit if I can't do it myself.
Storm Windows on the house I live in keep me from installing a window unit.
Great channel, thanks for sharing! Subscribed
thx for the kind words. ill look into that. :)
our central a/c is for a mobile home, not connected to our furnace. Only two years old, noticed not cooling as well and then fan would come on but after 10 seconds it would click off. new batteries in the thermastat, turned and checked breakers. any ideas? compressor is the only thing still under warranty. thank you
Check the pipes going to and from the condenser on the exterior of your home. If the pipes have been damaged, crimped or bent, a high pressure sensor may be triggered and the compressor will shut off after about ten seconds.
thx! happy that it helped you out. :)
I had a guy come in to take a look at my roof top unit and they checked everything like you did. Both Compacitor worked fined but he kicked the powerbox with three big fuses inside with his boot and got it to work and blow out cold air. Something was loose on the box. He told me not to touch the box and After 4 days its blowing out air but not blowing out cold air again. Can you give me some input on this. Seems like the compressor did not kick start again. Thank You DIY Tinker
What would cause a window unit to stop blowing air after running a few mins then we turn the breaker off cause we can hear a motor running and after a few more minutes we turn the breaker back on and it starts running again?
no, you shouldnt. you should always follow the same capacitance (sometimes the manufacure has an acceptable range, you need to do some research, or ask the sales person, they might kinow). But, you can increase the voltage rating from 370VAC to 440VAC.
Also, you can always split the capacitor from one to two. you can watch it on my channel "Replace HVAC dual run capacitor with two capacitors" or past this at the end of youtube watch?v=bT6W7hPHfUo
Anyways men, you helped me a lot about the capacitor thing, thanks bro...
Dude, that thing is like 15-20 years old. Time for a new one, yeah you got it running but how fricken inefficient is it? How much more power is going to be used on this to do the same exact thing a new unit would do?
wondering how do we read 3 ton 4 ton or whatever ton is? id there anywhere that tell the number of how many ton unit is?
@ 6:15 is the compressor and fan sound
torch license is mainly if you where work on this stuff for a living for working at a public building same with hot work permits EPA certification is if your doing something with the freon DIYers do get seriously hurt sometimes but ever so rarely and so do the pro's too
can you use a larger cap? say go from a 35-7.7 uf to a 40-10 uf?
Wow great video! Much appreciated!
Greenfire, certification just means you are educated enough to work on this equipment and the EPA wont fine you for touching it. Something to consider. Btw, u cant purchase a cap at home depot. And what is 220? Did u mean 240 bro? Just wondering.
220 -240 delta is a range depending what the local utility is providing. So don't get your wheels burnished.
So the capacitor, if I accidentally touch it it doesn't hold power and won't kill me? I'm about to replace mine and I'm a bit nervous. About high voltage and amperage.
Should swap fan leads to the new capacitor also.Original caps look quite old.
i wonder if i need a new capacitor, i hear the compressor start up and some coils get cold to touch but it only blows warm air in the house, would a new capacitor help here or is my problem elsewhere?
if your compressor truly starts up, then no, a new capacitor will not help
You can order a cap from HD and have it shipped to the store...
wonderful! and thx for the complement.
What year is this looks just like mine ??
Everything is the same ??
look up SEER on wikipedia and theres a list of formulas. The BTU and size is on the side of the AC. Then check your kWh on your electric bill. Do the math, and it matched up with his electricity bill.