I didn't do very well on your quiz. Contactors don't typically go bad. This is largely out of their hands. Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. In the photo, you can see a button in the center of the component. Similarly, if the compressor is bad your fan motor would still run. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. The contactor is a sort of power bridge. There is no mechanical function here. Heres a list of the major components of your AC system and a little insight into what to expect when the AC fails. Apologies for the delay. Common problem you may encounter that can signify a bad or damaged compressor are: Replacing or repairing your compressor is a big job that requires a pro. This article series discusses the outdoor components of air conditioners and heat pumps, how they work & how to repair them: how the air conditioning compressor-condenser unit works; the detection of defects in air conditioning compressor and condensing units, including evaluation of air conditioner compressor noises, hard starting, lost cooling capacity, and detection of a burned out compressor or A/C compressors at or near end of their life. Hi Tom, Contact your local Tempstar dealer and give them the model and serial number and they can special order that in for you. COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER UNIT COMPONENT PARTS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. The coil area of a condenser has a significant impact on how efficiently our air conditioner is. You could cause serious damage. Thank you. During your routine visits you can expect your fan to be checked, and also lubricated/balanced. Maybe you'd get a laugh from my essay "Air Conditioning the Path to Hell" Actually this year was the hundreth anniversary of the air-conditioner, right? Such a helpful hub - congrats on being selected as HOTD! @ Marcy - I'm glad this was helpful. If it breaks down, forget fixing it yourself and carefully weigh the expense of replacing it versus getting a whole new system. Keeping your system checked regularly like most mechanical components helps prevent premature AC breakdowns. See CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORSAlso see SAFETY for ELECTRICAL INSPECTORSand DMMs VOMs SAFE USE OF. What should they look for? If you see cycles of significant ice or frost build-up the refrigerant charge or metering may be incorrect and I'd ask for a check by an HVAC tech. Unlike a TEV, a cap tube is fixed in output and cannot be adjusted.State changes of refrigerant are what remove heat: Refrigeration systems rely on two state changes of the refrigerant: gas to liquid, and liquid back to a gas. Especially if you are a homeowner that like to keep the fan set to on (not recommended). And now I know what to present to the repair company and what they may present to me. In reality, the system is made up of two main components; the condenser and the coil. - JT 7/276/12. Voted up and shared. Other than cleaning your unit, you shouldn't really be in here but do note if you are, this may be very hot. What I aim to do is explain only the parts of the condensing unit. Contact us today to get your working HVAC system checked for potential breakdown or schedule online here. It is an integral part of your HVAC system. Never a pest at all. There was an orange wire coming from a black cylinder ( maybe another type of cap? Can it be fixed. Check out the diagnostic suggestiosn beginning at LOST COOLING CAPACITY (link at the ARTICLE INDEX the bottom of this article )Anon: those pressures look kind of low, no? With that said, the condenser is the only real mechanical part of the system. Discuss what the best features/program is for your fan to keep your energy costs down and home comfortable. Not only is this harmful to the environment but it can cause severe burns and is against the law with very heavy repercussions. When the air conditioner is asked to operate, the capacitor discharges this stored energy, providing a boost to get the motor going. Take the same thoughts on the air passing over the condenser coils and apply that to the evaporator coil inside where gas is converting from liquid to gas and you'll begin to understand more why a clean air filter is so important to air conditioning. Also, how do I know if this may need to be replaced? I reconnected the red & white thermostat wire back, but cant turn on the unit with the thermostat. This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. Thanks Simone! It's unfortunate, but they are out there. Continue readingat COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER DIAGNOSTICS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX. JT our link at the ARTICLE INDEX the bottom of this article NOISE AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP provides noise diagnostics.About taking a long time for the A/C to "come on" when the temperature is set low: the thermostat is operating like an "on-off" switch that turns the air conditioner system on and off in response to room temperature. This is beneficial since the impact of a piston is not good for itself. The worst case scenario is a refrigerant leak which may mean full replacement. Thanks for your comments. Or for wall-mounted cooling or heating convector units. The compressor is the head honcho in the air conditioning system. I really do appreciate it and hope that I've been able to provide you with something you'll be able to use. The evaporator coil is really just a box of fins and tubing with a drain attached to carry off the condensation it collects. Some more modern, advanced air conditioning condensers do have an electronic control board but typically, what I've shown you is all you have in your condensing unit. 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. A/C units are really fairly simple once you break down their components the way you've done. Air conditioner / heat pump control circuit board(typically a "control board" shown in our photo at left) and a contactor relay (shown in our photo below) are used in the compressor/condenser to turn it off and on in response to the indoor thermostat's call for cooling. Most A/C and heat pump contactor relays use an electromagnetic 24-volt two-pole contactor relay that is rated for 30 amps. Before we dive into the technical, lets get to the basics of your system and and how it actually works. All of your HVAC hubs are incredibly useful for us often-baffled homeowners. This process moves heat (absorbed by the evaporator coil inside the cooling or refrigerated area) through the condenser coil and into outside air (or water). NOTE: The condenser fan motor and compressor are the two parts that you want to be sure have a decent warranty when making an A/C system purchase. But unless you are qualified to do so we do not recommend trying to do work on electrical systems and components in your home as there are potentially fatal electrical shock hazards. See details at CONTACTOR RELAY DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR Also see A/C - HEAT PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHESWatch out: Some of our readers report successfully replacing minor electrical components such as switches, relays, and contactors. Getting 1-2 additional years out of your current system can save you from spending thousands prematurely. It's not likely something anyone will stock so you'll likely be looking at the cost plus shipping and tax. I have replaced the board and thermostat and not sure what to do next. Especially some of the copper lines attached to it. I am glad that I can be of help. Any suggestions? You may see an oily discharge, in some cases, dripping down the side of the capacitor, or perhaps yours won't entirely "pop" and instead, just the top will be humped up. Steve: icing at the compressor/condenser sounds like a refrigerant charger or refrigerant metering problem.Sam: if your thermostat turns on the air handler but the compressor/condenser does not run, the problem is not the thermostat. @ SOMEONEWHOKNOWS - Geo-Thermal is the wave of the futureonce the average individual can afford it. Room air conditioners such as window or through wall mounted units, and some other refrigeration equipment such as a home refrigerator, use a capillary tube (cap tube) instead of a thermostatic expansion valve. Of course the board may look OK and still be damaged. Question: My dog chewed the thermostat wire the contractor. Contact Guardian today to learn about your single tune ups or preventative maintenance plan! Preventative maintenance is key to extending the life of of your fan. It sort of works like a battery in the respect that it stores power. Thank you for this important information. Emma Kisby from Berkshire, UK on August 01, 2012: Great hub and very well written. They are also nearly all of the scroll type. If the system cannot satisfy the thermostat for any reason the system will keep running. I'm typing with a clear view of our rickety old air conditioner. This would be insulated pools of water. Kristin Trapp from Illinois on June 02, 2012: Thanks for demystifying how an air conditioner works. R12 refrigerant has a boiling point of -21 degF (change of state from liquid to gas vapor) and R22 has a boiling point of -41 degF. There must be an indoor fan to move the air, a thermostat to tell the unit when to turn off and on, and an evaporator coil to help manipulate the refrigerant and absorb the heat from within your home. Amazing - all the things I never knew. Wow, fantastic hub Cre8tor, now I can bookmark it instead of pestering you with questions lol. As long as the SET temperature is lower than the room temperature the cooling system will turn on. This means that instead of a piston pushing up and down on the refrigerant, it is a rotating component that is doing the work. It's also responsible for providing significant income to service providers. Thank you Don. :D. Kristin Trapp from Illinois on August 01, 2012: Stopping back by just to say congratulations on Hub of the Day. The AC guys may very well be right that the unit is working correctly though Im sure that answer won't make you happy. There is no opening them up and putting them back together. Watch out: use safety glasses when handling refrigerant gases. With proper preventative maintenance, many of these AC repairs can be prevented, caught early and addressed before youre without air conditioning mid summer. Please see AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS for details about the blower unit or indoor components of heat pump & air conditioning systems. The contactor relay is basically a low-voltage-operated switch [typically 12-14 volts] controlled by the low-voltage room thermostat) that switches a heavier-duty electrical relay to give 120V or 240V electrical power to the compressor/condenser unit. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. I hope you feel that you know a bit more about your A/C system and what it is made up of. - Sam 8/7/11, the accu very heat,although it is new gen. clean,2Tr LS-60psi & HS-100psi, - Anon 8/6/11. There are other things that are necessary to connect and help the system function, but they aren't dedicated solely to the A/C system. The outdoor half of a typical air conditioning system (shown at page top) is a unit containing the refrigerant compressor and condensing coil and a cooling fan. Thank you for reading. What happens when the capacitor is bad but not blow yet? HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. The best way to protect yourself from being "hosed" by bad apples in the industry is to try and learn as much as you can about your system. any suggestions? I've isolated the problem down to the fan/motor or the compressor, but don't know how to check or find out which it is. When the condenser is stripped down, it's really just a bunch of coils and fins that are typically referred to as the condenser coils. Keeping Your Air Filter Clean Is Important for the Same Reason. So I'm suspecting a control or switch problem./, the outside unit of the heat pump is icing up on the compressor - Steve 8/7/11, Hi my fan in my house goes on but my compressor unit does not all the electric seems to be fine . Are you experiencing the following issues? For example, the thermostat and the furnace, or air handler, are not solely belonging to the air conditioning system. We need a new one, but Mel Flagg COA OSC from Rural Central Florida on August 01, 2012: Hey Cre8tor, congrats on another HOTD!!! Marcy Goodfleisch from Planet Earth on June 03, 2012: Ah, yes - yet another piece of my home that's getting ready to crater! Times are hard and people have turned down my services in the dead of winter and heat of summer because they couldn't afford it no matter how low the price.a big part of why I write these hubs. The contactor is what acts as the on/off switch so to speak. The condenser it the proper name of this unit because it condenses the refrigerant back into a liquid from a gas. I was told my power board is bad in my unit. Melvin Porter from New Jersey, USA on August 01, 2012: Very good hub and congratulations on your hub being selected for "hub of the day". That's it really. Answer: The good news is its working, but the bad news is it may be tripping a limit due to extreme operating conditions. )that burned or broke off the start cap. It draws air in through the intake vents and out into your home after passing through the filter and evaporator coil. That is the goal. Thank you for this info, you did a great job here! Often times a good evaluation and cleaning can help keep your evaporator coil in top shape. So deserved! I notice the slap which holding the unit is slopping. We also provide an ARTICLE INDEX for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need. Beginning at COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER REPAIR see the articles at the ARTICLE INDEX the bottom of this article for detailed HVAC compressor/condenser troubleshooting and repair procedures. These motors are sealed so that rain cannot get into the working parts of the motor. My wife turned on the a.c. when it still had the cover on it and when I realized it and took of the cover the fan had stoped working. On the A/C system's high side (high refrigerant gas pressure side of the system), the condensation point must be some temperature above ambient outdoor air temperature (if air is being used to cool the condensing coil) or condensation of the refrigerant gas back to a liquid will not occur.Creation of high side & low side in a refrigeration system: The restriction in refrigerant flow created by, an adjustable THERMOSTATIC EXPANSION VALVE (TEV article) [or on many systems, simpler CAPILLARY TUBES] located close to the evaporator coil (cooling coil) allows the compressor to raise the pressure and increase the temperature at which the refrigerant (coolant) will change state (from liquid to gas in the cooling coil, and from gas back to liquid in the condensing coil). You may hear the unit humming and see that the contactor button is pulled in but nothing is happening. Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca, Click to Show or Hide Citations & References, AIR CONDITIONER/ HEAT PUMP LIFE EXPECTANCY, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER INSPECTION CHECKLIST, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER UNIT COMPONENT PARTS, COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER ENVIRONMENT & SAFETY WARNINGS, ARTICLE INDEX to AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMPS, Air Conditioning SEER - New DOE Air Conditioner and Heat Pump Efficiency Standard, HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION COURSES (Canada), HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION: HOME STUDY COURSES, Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the. What failed? That is parts that aren't proprietary or require an EPA license. Voted up across the board. A/C heat pump Contactor Relay: A/C and heat pump systems use a contactor relay (circled at left) because the little 12-24V wall thermostat circuit and switches are not capable of handling the higher voltage used by the compressor/condenser motors. - the greatest invention ever! You have taken a topic that is intimidating to most homeowners and given simple, well illustrated information that explains the basic parts of the air conditioning system. The fact is, and I know from experience, people can hardly afford energy costs therefore breakdowns force them to go without. In the event you do find yourself with no air or warm air coming from your vents, a Guardian Expert can take care of and handle your diagnosis and repair quickly. This is likely because the fuses protecting the unit are blown and though the button is pulled in, there is no power waiting to "cross the bridge". State change of refrigerant liquid to gas: the state change from a liquid refrigerant to a low pressure gas occurs in the indoor evaporator or cooling coil, absorbing energy in the form of heat (the heat in indoor air being blow across the evaporator coil), thus moving heat from the indoor air into the refrigerant gas in the system. Jeff Boettner from Tampa, FL on August 01, 2012: Great Hub, bookmarking this one for future reference. at CAPILLARY TUBES. I'm lost when the repair crew comes out and rattles off the list of what's ailing. You rock, Cre8tor! (Again, national) there are likely more but I don't know where you are so I don't know who else to tell you since the places near me are typically within my state only. The AC uses chemicals we call refrigerant (more popularly Freon), that transfer the heat energy from the inside of the property to the outside air. Voted up across the board except for funny. Voted up and rated awesome - keep up the fantastic work. Typically a piston moves up and down inside of a cylinder inside the compressor motor, drawing in refrigerant gas on the down stroke of the piston, and compressing the refrigerant gas on the up stroke of the piston. It may have shorted the fuse on the board? Plus, the scroll type will be much quieter during operation. Are they hard to replace? For example, R12 changes state at -21 degF; R22 changes state at -41 degF. This is my motivation. In an air conditioning system, pressure is used to change (increase) the vaporization point (state change from liquid to gas) or condensation point (state change from gas to liquid) of the refrigerant. Simone Haruko Smith from San Francisco on June 04, 2012: Whoah, how cool it is to actually know what's going on inside these things! The refrigerant gas is thus heat laden with SENSIBLE HEAT (web article explaining sensible heat is heat that we can measure) from the living area and compressor heat from the compressor motor.Low side and high side refer to the low-pressure and high-pressure areas of the air conditioning equipment and are defined in more detail, at SEER RATINGS & OTHER DEFINITIONS where we also explain sensible heat and other air conditioning terms.Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Theory. This button serves as a drawbridge. I always thought this was an interesting tidbit and think some may be very surprised to know that this is really that! stars439 from Louisiana, The Magnolia and Pelican State. When the 24V hits the contactor, it creates a magnetism that pulls in this button, thus closing the bridge and allowing power to cross through to the condenser fan and compressor. The fan/motor and compressor are part of the unit. I recently noticed my AC condenser unit still running when the system inside shutoff by itself.
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