Related to the thread on heat. If you have some comfort with electricity and are a little mechanical, take the little cover off outside and get a picture of the capacitor(s) including part numbers. Order a replacement online or go to like Grainger. They are cheap insurance. You can be back up and running in a few minutes. Also a lot less $s.

Check out a few YouTube videos beforehand, like this weekend. You might even find one close to or exactly like your AC. Electrical gloves and a multimeter are handy but not required.

They always seem to go out at the worst time.

I’ll thank you later.

That is very good advice

Be aware that a capacitor can kill you

ALWAYS safely discharge a capacitor before handling it

Pics are real handy getting the wires back in the right spot.

Turkey is spot on this happened to me the other day. Good to have a spare or two per unit

Agreed with all the points here. The capacitor is the main thing to pop on the outside units…a lot of times you’ll be able to tell it’s popped because, well, it popped and the cap separated. But in any instance, absolutely be sure it’s properly discharged

I started doing residential HVAC with my pops at around 5. He taught me about it all. I’d go every summer and break to work with him until he got back into commercial about a decade later. Looking back on those times, it’s amazing how many folks I see nowadays always doing complete new systems. I don’t even hardly remember a time my dad and I went for a service and recommended a full system. Probably why my dad didn’t last in that arena, he wouldn’t sell you something you didn’t need. 95% of the time we got called out in the summer was for an inop system due to failed capacitor or a fan motor

It’s extremely unlikely to get killed by an AC capacitor where you have the breaker turned off. Most commonly you would get a memorable shock. Some electrical gloves from the hardware store are great for peace of mind. Plus they are handy for your home tools just like a multimeter.

Discharging a capacitor is very simple.

As mentioned in this thread, usually the bad capacitor is bulged. Another handy thing about a reference photo.

So how do you discharge a capacitor?

Capacitors store a pretty good amount of energy in them, so don’t believe that having the breaker off means it won’t do anything to ya

I’d say try putting your tongue across the terminals like a 9V battery but there may be other ways 😂

As stated, a charged capacitor will give you a memorable shock. It’s unlikely to kill you. But there’s no reason why anyone with half a brain should ever get shocked by an AC capacitor if they read and follow instructions, video etc. If you’re smart enough to dig a post hole, you can safely change an AC capacitor.

Good advice. Just had one replaced on three year old unit yesterday. $195 weekend service call. Ouch!

I've heard most of the info above--except--the electrified part. I've been meaning to get a capacitor because I figured I could easily change one.

One of the videos I just watched said that if you touched one side with one hand and the other side with the other had that the voltage could potentially travel through the chest and heart. Sheeeite I didn't know that, but I do now.

One guy discharged it in about a second with a screwdriver across the terminals, while wearing rubber gloves and safety goggles.

Sounds like a hellava idea. Have somebody take video of said process.

Search “how to discharge an air conditioner capacitor”. There are several methods. I’ve always used a screwdriver or pointed nose pliers.

I first started working with large capacitors in ham radio linear amplifiers as a teenager. Also old TVs. They could whack you pretty good. People in electronics have probably tossed a friend a charged capacitor as a joke. I have tossed and received.

I would suggest also getting a spare contactor (which is really just a high voltage relay) because like start capacitors, these eventually wear out too.

And remember not all your local parts dealers like to sell to DIY'ers in order to protect the market for the ones who want to charge you $250 for the five minutes it takes them to replace a $10 capacitor.

Yeah, I think I'd want to be confident about what I was doing before changing one out.

I'll research it before trying to replace one.

Myself and most I have seen did not use either. However, it's all recommended PPE and a good idea.

For example consider using a chainsaw. Here's what you ought to have on for PPE.

- safety glasses
- work gloves
- hearing protection
- safety boots, i.e. steel tips, maybe even metatarsal boots
- fall arrest system if up on a ladder or in a tree greater than 6 feet

Might even be missing something there but you get the idea.

Capacitor isn’t covered under warranty?

I always keep a spare in the cabinet inside. You can buy them on Amazon cheap. I recently had to fly home early from a fishing trip because the AC quit on my wife and at 110 out ,nobody was available for days and I am sure they would have charged her for something that may have not been necessary. It took all of 15 minutes to replace and was sure a relief for us both.

Maybe but could take a couple of days or weeks to get an authorized tech for a normal daytime service call. The parts and normal labor rate may be covered but it's going to be ~$195 for an after-hours or weekend service call.

Yep - these days capacitors don't last nearly as long as they used to in the good old days when they were filled with PCB's !

Most of the time no and if it is more than like labor isn’t and that’s what going to cost the most. New units sometimes have a 10 years parts warranty if registered and if not registered sometimes the manufacturer will knock it down to five years. Some of the manufacturers will do a parts and labor warranty but it generally doesn’t cover overtime and the tech on the weekend doesn’t have that info.

The size of the capacitor is different depending on the tonnage of the unit and you should never go under or over what is required or damage can be done to the compressor over time.

As far as discharging a capacitor once I have it out and the wires off I either put a screwdriver or needle nose pliers across it or touch it to the cabinet of the unit.