A/C condensor won't turn on


  #1  
Old 10-02-16, 08:45 AM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Location: United States
Posts: 20
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
A/C condensor won't turn on

I turn the breaker on and off.

We had an issue with our compressor and fan last month where they wouldn't turn on. I changed out the capacitor thinking they wouldn't both go out at the same time. Everything worked.

Then, today the same thing. I thought it was odd that another capacitor would go out so quickly. So I tested flipping the breaker off, then back on. After a 5 minute short cycle it kicked back on.

Any ideas why it would suddenly start doing this?

Thanks,

David
 
  #2  
Old 10-02-16, 10:25 AM
S
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 1,771
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Is the breaker tripping? Let us know.
 
  #3  
Old 10-02-16, 11:03 AM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Location: United States
Posts: 20
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
No it does not flip. It just happened again that it won't turn on. This time flipping it manually did not work. I wonder why changing the capacitor previously "fixed" it for about a month. There has to be an underlying cause.
 
  #4  
Old 10-02-16, 01:05 PM
S
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 1,771
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
the compressor could be going off on internal overloads. Which means its getting to hot. Could be low on refrigerant.
 
  #5  
Old 10-02-16, 01:38 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Location: United States
Posts: 20
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'll look into that. The only thing I question about that is the fan and compressor are on different capacitors. Wouldn't the fan turn on still?
 
  #6  
Old 10-02-16, 02:43 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,951 Upvotes on 3,544 Posts
You're guessing at the problem.

You need to confirm that the contactor IS actually closing and the fan and compressor aren't working. It sounds like more to me a defective/corroded contactor.

I would check for 240v at the incoming line side of the contactor and then again on the outgoing side.
 
  #7  
Old 10-02-16, 03:57 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Location: United States
Posts: 20
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks. It's pouring right now, but I will check that next.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: