That would also mean there is a leak so I'd be sure the leak is repaired prior to spending a bunch of money on adding refrigerant...especially if it's R22. Make sure the new capacitor matches the specifications of the old one. Tank you very much...! While your air conditioner is running, the capacitor collects and stores energy; in short, it’s like a rechargeable battery. What he did here isn’t an issue. Model #127035. That was a good unit. Fan motor problem? If so, check at the board that it’s sending power to the fan terminals. I turn on my A/C the other day and my furnace blower came on but no noise from outside ? If the fan takes off on its own and keeps going, you very likely have a bad start capacitor. Question: My fan blows inside, and the fan blades spin outside, but the air in the house is hot. Now just to locate the capcitor on my FS3BA-036KA..(not located on outside). It's always a good idea to double check that the power to the unit has been disconnected successfully with a circuit alert device. I have 240 volts in the outside panel coming in. If so, would this possibly be the relay or capacitor? Question: The fan of my AC is working, but I hear a buzzing noise when the compressor should turn on, and then it doesn't. You can draw a picture showing where the different colored wires will connect to your replacement capacitor. You can manually control the off and on at the breaker for now but make sure when the thermostat is satisfied you shut it back off and wait until the stat drops below the set temperature before turning back on. $100 isn't bad for what was done considering a service call alone is around $80 where I am. And I will check my filter but it was just changed in March. Green and yellow in particular control the a/c (off on - yellow) and fan on (green) check at the stat and the circuit board. Where do I go from here? I would take advantage of that opportunity because your unit is likely an R22 system and the indoor section would have to be replaced too. Question: My HVAC technician removed the capacitor and somehow made the connection "direct." sls535 - Well testing for capacitance is the fool proof way but most people don't posses a meter or knowledge for doing so. When I turn unit off then back on all I hear is a click sound coming from the outside unit. This was an amazing find! It requires a lot of expensive specialty equipment and a certification from the EPA. So I come home from vacation last night. There's an example of a reliable and very inexpensive circuit alert device in section three of this article. Everything was running great when it was shut down last fall. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Keeping up on your A/C maintenance can help prevent these types of breakdowns. Does this capacitor help start the compressor as well as the fan? Question: My AC was humming with no fan movement. Jeffery - There isn't much any homeowner can do when the compressor fails. MAXRUN 45+5 MFD uf 370 or 440 Volt VAC Round Dual Run Capacitor for Air Conditioner or Heat Pu… You can only do this for about 5-10 minutes at a time with breaks in between. This is very simple. You’ll have to replace the blown-out capacitor before you can use your air conditioner again. What’s the difference between a tank water heater and a tankless water heater? I can spin it but it doesn't keep spinning. When your air conditioner starts up, it requires more power than your home electrical system can produce—and that’s where the capacitor comes in. As stated in the article there is a tolerance. What should I address next? When the top of the capacitor is starting to bulge, instead of keeping a flat surface, or if there’s leakage, that’s a sure sign that it needs replacement. If it worked and they back their work, then I wouldn't feel too bad. And then there’s no noise. Question: My A/C unit's fan is blowing but the house is not cooling off. The indoor fan would run, but there would be no cooling, and it would continue to run because the thermostat would want it to, but something like that alone wouldn’t cause a problem. If yes, then the stat is less like likely the issue. Answer: It could be if the compressor capacitor failed. YOU SAVED US HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS (MAYBE MORE!). First, I'll guess capacitor but that's just a hunch. harm in calling a professional Houston A/C repair company to do the work for you. My Lennox dual zone AC unit is blowing warm air. I was thinking it could be the thermostat.When the compressor is kicking on and off the fan keeps going. You are usually going to have to address an underlying problem that is causing this (like having the a/c cleaned for better airflow to cool the unit) or the part itself is bad and would have to be replaced. No hum, No fan ? Know the micro-farads (μF) and the voltage rating, or the make and model of A/C. Locate the start capacitor. If you are not in that tolerance then it is likely you will experience problems. I am an older woman with no husband who is determined to not be taken to the cleaners by repairmen thinking I am clueless. I went to bed, did not notice extra heat, or anything at all other than teenager has bonus room and attic is accessed in that room and he left light on while gone, so I went up to turn it off (and to make sure no one was in my attic), I noticed immediately that it was cooler inside the attic in GA heat than in house and I know that is an unusual occurrence, normally that rooms AC runs continuously depsite temp inside room because the thermostat is on the attic wall and is always hot (separate unit for bonus room). Answer: It sounds like you blew the fuses in your disconnect assuming that’s where the spark was. Question: My outside AC unit starts running then stops. See below for more detailed information and pictures. What does this mean? The air conditioner itself may still turn on, but it won’t be offering any kind of cooling. Also, check to see if any frost or ice on the unit inside or outside, or on the lines that connect the two. How do I fix this? Question: I replaced the capacitor of my A/C, but then when I plugged the disconnect back in it sparked, and now there is no power. carley0219@aol.com on September 07, 2018: My daughters roofers covered her air conditioner on a 90 degree day and then it stopped working, and the air conditioner repair man had install a new capacitor. The air conditioner itself may still turn on, but it won’t be offering any kind of cooling. hello i have an older Carrier unit, just replaced the capacitor and a week later it is acting the same way. Theresa - I'm really not sure if you have an issue or not. Sure enough capacitor was the problem. Any ideas as to the cause? Question: During my home inspection, I had an AC guy come and replace the capacitor in my central air unit; the unit started up fine. I'd check those first. Hi Dan, my AC quit working. And we can't turn on the AC system. There is never a need to add refrigerant without one of those reasons. Does this make sense? Not necessary to cool when in heat mode. What happens when you replace a 40+5 capacitor with a 50+10 on an outside split unit. If you need to fix it right away, you won't need any special tools, and you may not have to rearrange your entire day. Question: Our A/C stopped turning last night. Do you know what's wrong? Robin - Make sure you try to spin the fan both ways with the stick to ensure you're going in the right direction or it won't spin. Other times, the fan may be running, but the air isn’t cold, or the AC doesn’t stay powered on for long. That is worth more than gold at this point so we don't want to waste it. Question: My Trane technician installed a new start capacitor. I hope this was the answer to your A/C problem and that you were able to obtain and replace the part without any hang up for your family get-together. Why is this? If the fan starts moving, your capacitor is most likely damaged; it’s not storing the energy needed to start the fan motor but has enough to keep the fan running. It doesn't mean it's bad but some are just louder or more noticeable because of location of the unit than others. Answer: If that’s all you’re getting it sounds like a power problem. First, thank you so much for this very informative article and especially for all your responses to your readers' questions. My a/c keeps freezing up. If you mean "froze" as in ice then the indoor motor probably wasn't blowing to begin with and is why it iced up. That said, the hum is most likely the contactor being pulled in and asking the unit to turn on. Thanks for stopping by, and again, I hope this helped you and saved you money. There also happened to be a bad storm going on at the same time. I can hear the system running on the inside. Take a walk outside to your condensing unit, and look and listen for the following: If the A/C is humming but the fan is not running, you may have a capacitor problem. As it is like a battery, the simple process is that you need to swap it out for a new one. Inside and out. Question: No part of my A/C unit is working. Any ideas what to try. It's also helpful to find out whether your air conditioner is still under warranty, in case you want to replace it later on.