AC condensor not running

[TOOL MASTER]

has one of those pos saver switches on it..

first hot day of the season just to find out the ac isn't working..after waiting a few hour to cool nothing has happened so i went outside to make sure it is running..nope...just buzzes for a few seconds and stops...i can spin the fan and it will start but not full speed and no condensor....

BUT if i hit the breaker i can hear it all fire up even in the basement..but it stops in a few seconds...so i'm guessing the caps ect are good...its the saver?

if it wasn't 4 in the morn i'd go start pulling it apart...but some one would call the cops on me..lol

 

[rickairmedic]

Well it sounds like one of 2 options .

1 No power check for 24Volts and 240 Volts at the contactor .

2 Bad capacitor Look at the top of the Capacitor where the wires go into it does it look FLAT or ROUNDED if its rounded up then bad Capacitor . By the way dont touch the wires ontop of the capacitor while there is power to the unit and after you kill the 240 to the unit short out all the contacts at the capacitor with a screwdriver before trying to remove them ( if it is bad ) .


Rick

 

[TOOL MASTER]

YEH ...IT AIN'T FLAT..LOL

relay is good...got the cap out before the storm.......now i have to find one...other wise i'll order one online

i take it the wires get torn out internally when it bulges?

 

[TOOL MASTER]

pulled the saver bs and added a new cap...working now...

 

[rickairmedic]

Kewl figured it was the cap and a 35/5 as well theres 6 of them on my truck right now 35/5's that is in reality theres over 30 caps on my truck but 35/5 seems to be the most popular . You have a 2 - 3 Ton AC system most likely a 2 &1/2 ton .


Rick

 

[Mike007]

Probably a Goodman.

 

[rickairmedic]

Well being it has a GE cap in it it may be although I swapped 3 capacitors in Bryant units today and one in a Trane so not sure why it has to be a Goodman . Oh yeah also had a 6 year old Bryant heat pump with a pooped compressor today and a 7 year old Carrier last week with a pooped compressor . " The equipment is not the problem The installer is the problem " .


Rick

 

[TOOL MASTER]

trane...i know this much..it is to small for a 3 story house..

the condenser unit i about 30 across..24 high

 

[rickairmedic]

Get me a model number off the unit and square footage of the house Toolmaster and I will tell ya although you are probably right . What part of the country are you in I am guessing if it just got hot your in the Mid west with me .


Rick

 

[TOOL MASTER]

Mn..numbers are long gone...the contractor *****.(i learned later) everything was half assed.....

 

[HVAC Phil]

Poor ductwork (fittings and size) in combination with an improperly charged unit are more likely to be the culprit(s) behind your problems.

Yep, agree. Most people slide new stuff in without giving second thought on whether the old 40yr old ductwork will support it. 3 tons is alot of cooling capacity.

 

[TOOL MASTER]

Update..still running great 2016

 

[crabjoe]

Update..still running great 2016

Thanks for the update! BTW, what brand of cap did you go with? I keep a Protech spare on hand...

A couple weeks ago, it came in handy for a friend of mine.. He's AC went out on a Sat night.. Sunday, he was running around looking for one and it just happened the one he needed was the same as my spare.

It was so hot that day, I think I could have changed him $500 for it, instead of just giving it to him. LOL