Aqualine Plumbing, Electrical & Air Conditioning

Capacitor is like a major organ, which needs to perform well for the ac to survive. A faulty or broken capacitor can cause electricity costs to mount up and efficiency of ac to drop down. It’s not costly to repair or replace this part yourself or by hiring air conditioner services to get it done, but it matters a lot to your ac. If this problem is left unresolved it can cause big problems soon. You don’t want to get boiled literally like peanuts in your house on a bright hot day because of your faulty capacitor’s mistake.

Capacitor is found in the outdoor unit of an ac. It is a cylindrical shaped object which resembles batteries. It’s an energy source provider or life giver to all the three motors in the outdoor unit. The compressor motor, the blower motor and fan motor receive jolt at initial stage to start up from capacitor. This is a start capacitor. Run capacitor, keeps on sending jolts at pre decided intervals to keep all the motors running. Capacitor’s importance is upmost and all air conditioner service providers advise to keep it as healthy as possible.

To check if a capacitor is at fault just take a close look at your outdoor unit and do two major things. First, listen and second, watch. If, the ac outdoor unit is humming but, the fan is not rotating capacitor problem exists. In this case further, check for a fault in ‘start capacitor’ by giving the fan blade a boost to move physically with the help of a wooden stick. When the fan keeps on rotating with this act, you know the issue. It’s quite easy to replace a capacitor and it can be done with the help of a basic auxiliary kit available at all homes following these steps:

• Turn off main power of your house.
• Behind service panels locate the tin shaped capacitor.
• If, it looks swollen or dis-shaped you are good to go.
• Discharge the capacitor.
• Remove capacitor by getting off the screw.
• Take a picture of the wires for later use.
• Using pliers, take off wires one by one to get the broken capacitor off the air conditioner unit.
• A new capacitor should match the micro-farads. Shape can be adjusted but not the microfarads number. Shop for it online or from local air conditioner repairs company.
• Place the new capacitor looking at the wiring picture carefully.
• Put it back at its place and screw up.
• Start up the powers and check if the fan spins. If it’s moving the replacement is successful and done!

Don’t wait for the capacitor to explode. Change them if you hear weird crackling sounds or see a spark coming from your outdoor unit. They are not expensive so, don’t try to repair them at all. Stock them up instead for an emergency in future. You can perform the replacement if you are easy going with little wiring and minor machinery work. Don’t panic if you are nervous around electricity and opt for hiring your local air conditioner repair contractor for this task.

Keeping your outdoor unit in a good shape will prove to be fruitful in present and future too. Maintenance services and regular tune ups from AC Repair Anthem local hvac contractors is highly advised. These acts will keep your ac running at an efficient level with minimal operating costs. Dusting the outdoor unit regularly is necessary. Keeping it safe from pets and other damages is crucial for output of optimal results. Take care of it nicely and it will take care of your comfort in return.