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AC Problems: Faulty Capacitors
Wouldn’t it be great, particularly in as hot a climate as ours, to know that no problems would never befall your air conditioning system? As those of us living here in the real world know, of course, this goal is tragically impossible. An air conditioner is a mechanical system with many moving parts and electrical components. Occasional operational problems are a certainty, not a possibility. Eventually, you are going to require professional air conditioning repair in Chandler, AZ. Contact us when you do.
As we mentioned above, there are a lot of different moving parts and components in any air conditioning system. Any problem with any one of these components is all that it takes to cause serious operational issues with your AC. Left unresolved, such problems could wind up doing real damage to the system. One problem that you may encounter is a failing capacitor. In today’s post, we’ll take a peek behind the curtain to discuss what capacitors do, and how a failing capacitor can affect your system.
Start Capacitors and Run Capacitors
A start capacitor is a device that helps your air conditioner to start up. It takes more energy to start a mechanical system up than it does to keep a mechanical system running, so getting an air conditioner running can require a bit of a boost. It is the start capacitor’s job to provide the system with the extra juice that it needs to kickstart its cooling cycle.
A run capacitor, on the other hand, does not provide an extra jolt of energy. Instead, it helps the system to maintain a charge, even and unvaried, in order to keep the system running properly. There is no point in getting your air conditioner up and running if variations in power levels are going to leave it shutting right back down again anyway, right?
Problems Caused By Faulty Capacitors
As you can imagine, a problem with your start capacitor is going to negatively affect the air conditioner as it tries to start up. The system may develop a severe case of hard starting, wherein the compressor will get going only to grind to a halt. Hard starting puts serious strain on the system that can lead to costly damages, and a hard start kit may be required to help your system get off to a smoother start if the capacitor alone is not enough to do the job.
If the problem lies with your run capacitor, then the air conditioner is going to get running just fine. Unfortunately, it is not going to stay running just fine. The system will start up, but may run only briefly before cycling back down. A faulty run capacitor is one of the common causes of short cycling, and short cycling drives up energy costs while also putting your system at risk for serious operational damages.
If you suspect that you have a problem with your capacitor(s), or any other issues with your air conditioner should develop, contact us right away. You really do not want to ignore problems of any kind with your AC. We’ve seen people do it before, and it only leads to big headaches down the way.
Schedule your AC services with Goettl Air Conditioning Phoenix. G-O-E-T-T-L it’ll keep you cool but it’s hard to spell.
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