Air Conditioner Capacitor

Capacitors are simple devices used in most of the Air-Conditioning equipment’s to assist motors and compressors with starting and running effectively. During in summer months, capacitor are in the outdoor units are failed at a high frequency rate. Replacing capacitors is fairly a easy process, but before that you need to understand important points about capacitor.

A capacitor is a small and simple device that stores electricity. The storage capacity can be measured in Farads. You may found capacitors in different shapes and sizes but all the capacitors have the same functionalities. The shape of the capacitor in HVAC equipment’s are detected on how capacitor is mounted in the HVAC equipment.

A failed or failing air conditioner capacitor can cause compressors and motors shouldn’t run at all or they can try to start and make a humming sound repeatedly. Sometimes, because of overheat the motors can run slowly. On that time shut off your system only to cool down and start again. First, you need to verify the capacitors prior to each cooling and heating season with a multi-meter. A multi-meter can be used to measure your capacitance. The thumb rule of capacitor is to change when the capacitance drops below 10% of the original value.

Capacitors store a charge and passes through motor and compressor to get it started and runs always. Most of the capacitors comes in round shape or chrome cylinder in oval shape. Some of the capacitors have a plastic casting instead of metal.

Two types of run capacitors used in Air Conditioning Units:

1. Standard Run Capacitor: On the top standard run capacitor has 2-terminals. These capacitors can run only on one component at a time (fan motor or compressor). These terminals aren’t labelled so, these can be used as long as the component wires go on opposite terminals.

2. Dual Run Capacitor: On the top dual run capacitor has 3-terminals. These capacitors can run more than one component at a time (fan motor and compressor). These terminals are labelled “HERM”, “FAN” and “C”.

1. HERM is for the compressor

2. FAN is for the fan motor

3. C is common for both the power components

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