oldpops
Well-known member
Hello! We're in the middle of another heat wave here in Southern California - and where I live it's 102 degrees right now as I type this. Anyway, our AC stopped working (2-1/2 ton. Blowing warm air). Went out side and neither the compressor or the fan were working. Checked the AC breaker and it had not been tripped. This has happened before and it turned out to be the run capacitor.
Got a replacement capacitor and turned off the AC breaker at the panel, and then went to out the AC disconnect ( Model #: Cutler Hammer DP222R service disconnect) to pull out the disconnect. It would NOT budge. I could not get the thing to to pull out, no matter how hard I tried. I tried tapping, smacking, wiggling, pushing/pulling, side to side motion, up and down, etc. ) - nothing would make this thing budge. Did some more investigation and found all the condenser coil fins almost completely blocked.
Since the AC breaker at the main panel didn't trip/go off, then my guess is that the capacitor blew when it got too hot, which didn't take long since the ac condenser coils were pretty much completely clogged. Then maybe a backward surge welded the ac cut-off pull out to the contacts inside the box??. **Note: The power still goes through the ac cutoff switch to the compressor - I just can't get the ac cutoff to come out of the box on the wall.
Long story short, #1) we killed the power to the ac at the breaker panel . #2) we thoroughly cleaned the condenser coil and all the fins are clear. #3) I verified no power at the capacitor(several times) then swapped the blown capacitor for a new one, making sure all the connections were tight. I turned the AC breaker back on and turned on the ac in the house on the thermostat. AC comes on and off like it's supposed to!
My guess is that I will need to remove & replace the cut-off switch. Any other suggestions from folks here? As always, thanks in advance for all who offer suggestions and advice!!
Got a replacement capacitor and turned off the AC breaker at the panel, and then went to out the AC disconnect ( Model #: Cutler Hammer DP222R service disconnect) to pull out the disconnect. It would NOT budge. I could not get the thing to to pull out, no matter how hard I tried. I tried tapping, smacking, wiggling, pushing/pulling, side to side motion, up and down, etc. ) - nothing would make this thing budge. Did some more investigation and found all the condenser coil fins almost completely blocked.
Since the AC breaker at the main panel didn't trip/go off, then my guess is that the capacitor blew when it got too hot, which didn't take long since the ac condenser coils were pretty much completely clogged. Then maybe a backward surge welded the ac cut-off pull out to the contacts inside the box??. **Note: The power still goes through the ac cutoff switch to the compressor - I just can't get the ac cutoff to come out of the box on the wall.
Long story short, #1) we killed the power to the ac at the breaker panel . #2) we thoroughly cleaned the condenser coil and all the fins are clear. #3) I verified no power at the capacitor(several times) then swapped the blown capacitor for a new one, making sure all the connections were tight. I turned the AC breaker back on and turned on the ac in the house on the thermostat. AC comes on and off like it's supposed to!
My guess is that I will need to remove & replace the cut-off switch. Any other suggestions from folks here? As always, thanks in advance for all who offer suggestions and advice!!