Frederick Jace
Your air conditioner’s capacitor is an essential part of its functionality, and should it fail, it could cause severe disruptions within the rest of the system and lead to expensive repairs and increased energy bills for you.
One telltale sign of a failing capacitor is when your air conditioning stops producing cold air.
If you would like to hire a professional for your HVAC systems concerns, get in touch with a local HVAC company that provides reliable heating and cooling services like Hurliman Heating & Cooling.
1. Your AC isn’t blowing cold air
Capacitors resemble large internal batteries in appearance and come in the shape of cuboids or cylindrical-like objects. Used in everything from window AC units to large HVAC systems, capacitors eventually wear down due to environmental elements and wear out over time.
2. Your AC is making strange noises
Although AC units are generally designed to operate quietly, if you notice odd sounds coming from your outdoor unit or hear clicking noises when switching it on it may be a telltale sign that something is amiss with its capacitor.
Capacitors store an immense amount of energy, and when they begin to fail, they require additional power from your electrical system to get fan motors running – leading to higher electricity bills and potentially decreasing the performance of your AC unit.
Although it might be tempting to open up the unit and replace your capacitor, it is best left to professionals. Since capacitors resemble batteries with wires connected, making them potentially dangerous. An HVAC technician can use a multimeter to determine its condition for you.
3. Your AC isn’t running as efficiently
Your AC’s capacitors store electrical energy that feeds directly into its motor. When one fails, this prevents the motor from receiving enough voltage – leading to reduced efficiency or even a complete shutdown of your system.
Capacitors resemble large internal batteries in appearance and come in the shape of cuboids or cylindrical-like objects. Used in everything from window AC units to large HVAC systems, capacitors eventually wear down due to environmental elements over time and wearout over time.
Assuming your capacitors are functioning, monitoring for signs of failing capacitors will allow you to call HVAC services before the problem escalates further. For instance, an increase in electricity bills could be an indicator that it needs replacing – if that’s the case for you as well, replacement services might be in order immediately.
4. Your AC is tripping the circuit breaker
Your air conditioning unit tripping the breaker repeatedly or even just once could be an indication that something is amiss with its capacitor. Additionally, this could signal a more serious problem. So for your own safety, it would be prudent to call an AC expert immediately in order to diagnose and address it.
Capacitors are cylindrical devices with wires connected at their top. When inspecting capacitors, look out for signs of damage, such as bulging or cracking, to ascertain whether their life has ended.
AC capacitor health can best be assessed using a multimeter, which HVAC professionals employ to measure voltage between its terminals. Unfortunately, self-diagnosing your AC capacitor can present a risk of electric shock or fire.
5. Your AC isn’t turning on
Short of it all, capacitors provide your air conditioning unit with a big surge of electricity when first starting up. If your AC doesn’t turn on, this could indicate that its capacitor needs replacing.
To verify whether or not your capacitor is the source of problems, a voltage test needs to be run with a special multimeter and administered by an experienced HVAC technician. Conducting such a test yourself carries serious risk; leave this task up to professionals!
A reputable heating and cooling specialist should be able to offer quick and straightforward tests for you – they may even have replacement capacitors in their truck so they can install one immediately.
