Your air conditioner is a complex piece of machinery that keeps your home cool during summer.
It contains various components that must work in sync to ensure you and your family stay comfortable.
But what happens when it stops working?
Well, one of these components usually quits working when you most need it on the hottest day in summer because that’s how Murphy’s law works.
One of these components that can fail is the AC capacitor. (Hint: it’s a blown AC capacitor…)
But what is a capacitor, and what’s its job within your air conditioning system or heat pump?
Don’t worry; the HVAC experts from Phyxter Home Services will cover all of this shortly.
Table of Contents
⭐ What is an AC Capacitor, and How Does It Work?
An AC capacitor is best described as a quick charge and discharge battery.
It is used to store energy when you most need it.
When it’s working correctly, it stores energy and sends a power surge to your various motors connected to the subsystems you need to ensure they start.
That’s the job of the start capacitor.
Your compressor is tough to start and needs extra juice to get it going, so it has its own capacitor.
Once these AC unit subsystems are up and running, the start capacitors switch off, and the run capacitor takes over and provides the extra juice whenever these motors need an additional power kick.
If you have a failing capacitor, it will usually give away a few signs to let you know it’s the capacitor.
Our HVAC experts will cover that in the next section, so stay tuned!
⭐ What Causes a Blown AC Capacitor?
Many problems can occur with your air conditioning capacitor, which stops it from working as it was designed.
These bad capacitor symptoms are as follows:
⚡ Power Surges
Power surges can kill electrical components not designed to handle them, and your AC capacitor is no different. In addition, lightning strikes can cause power surges.
⚡ Short Circuits
All electrical equipment is prone to short circuits over time. This is why you should always include your AC or heat pump in a regular maintenance schedule.
⚡ System Overheating
You need your AC the most when it’s hot. So your AC will be working overtime if it’s especially hot outside. Unfortunately, this is when your AC capacitor will most likely suffer failure.
⚡ Wear and Tear
Just like you, your AC capacitor will suffer from wear and tear. Weather conditions will slowly cause your AC capacitor to degrade over time to a point where it’s too old to work reliably anymore.
⭐ What Are The Signs of a Faulty Capacitor?
Sometimes, your air conditioner will continue to work but at a reduced capacity.
Other times it will quit working altogether.
Here are a couple of signs of a faulty capacitor.
🚫 Burning Smell or Smoke
When electrical components such as the capacitor and circuit board start overheating, they produce a burning smell. You might even see smoke.
🚫 Humming Noise
If your capacitor is bad, the blower motor in your indoor air handler or the fan in the outdoor condensing unit will give off a humming sound.
Likewise, a failing old capacitor will often produce a clicking sound.
🚫 Slow Cooling Cycle
If your capacitor functions correctly, it will have no problem providing the electricity needed to start those major components like your compressor.
However, as air conditioner capacitors fail, it doesn’t store the energy it needs. This is called a hard start.
When hard starts occur, your AC compressor will not work, and your air conditioning system won’t be blowing cool air.
🚫 Your AC System Shuts Down Randomly
If your AC isn’t getting the power it needs from an AC capacitor, it will shut down randomly without warning.
🚫 AC Doesn’t Work At All
This is an obvious one. Your AC might not start up at all.
🚫 Your AC Doesn’t Blow Any Cold Air
Your HVAC system might sound like it’s running, but it won’t be blowing cold air.
🚫 Energy Bills Are Higher than Expected
As your air conditioning unit will be working overtime, your energy bills will be higher.
🚫 Your Bad AC Capacitor Looks Like It Died
This is a dead giveaway (pun intended). AC capacitors will often bulge or have cracks in them when they fail. Like the one in the pic!
📗 Related Reading: 6 Common Causes of AC Compressor Failure
⭐ How to Fix a Bad AC Capacitor
Fixing a bad AC capacitor is pretty simple.
The only way to fix it is to swap out the old capacitor with a replacement capacitor.
🛑 SAFETY NOTE: Be aware that playing with electrical components is dangerous, and if at any time you feel uncomfortable, consult with your local HVAC technician.
If you want to test or replace your bad capacitor, we have gone over this in detail in this article about DIY Air Conditioner Repair.
⭐ Fix Bad AC Capacitor Symptoms with Phyxter Home Services
If you notice any of the above bad AC capacitor symptoms, swapping out your current capacitor with a new one is best.
If you are a DIYer and take the necessary precautions, it’s possible to DIY a fix for your HVAC system.
You can find them at your local hardware store or HVAC supply houses.
However, if you’re not a DIYer, call your local HVAC company to test and replace your blown capacitors.
If you live in the Okanagan Valley region, call Phyxter Home Services.
We excel in fixing air conditioners reliably and affordably.
We also pride ourselves on providing great service. So if you’re cooling system is blowing warm air, and you need a new capacitor, call the AC repair experts at Phyxter Home Services.
Want to learn more about your home’s HVAC system? Feel free to browse our other AC articles!
