Air conditioner not starting - Help needed.

pipster

Hello All,

A few days ago the AC in our home stopped turning on. The air handler / furnace is located in the attic directly above the thermostat. At the thermostat when we turn the switch to cool and lower the temperature, we hear slight "click" at the thermostat then a fan starts up in the attic. Usually, about 20-30 seconds after the fan starts up, another small click is heard (in attic) and the AC starts blowing cool air.

What is happening now is we still hear the click at the thermostat, the fan will come on for about 40 seconds or so then everything shuts off.

I checked outside and the unit on the side of the house is spinning when we turn the AC to cool.

I went up in the attic and removed some access panels to view the control board. Behind this control board is what appears to a cylindrical metal shroud which a fan inside. This is the fan that spins upon switching the thermostat on. Next to the control board, I see an oval shaped starting capacitor, which a friend told me could be culprit. Is this capacitor used for starting the fan or the compressor? Where is the compressor?

The unit is a York model P3Hu (about 13 years old). The control board is a white-rodgers 50A50-241.

Any help or information you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Phillip

JJboy

This capacitor is for blower motor. On the thermostat try FAN on.....you should have blower motor running constantly. Let me know what happen

__________________

**Always kill the power ** Hot air rises, but heat will always move from higher to lower temperatures. ** Real man shoot in manual. ** If it ain't grounded, it ain't dead.

pipster

Hi! Thanks for the reply!

I set the thermostat to FAN ON and the blower motor ran for about a minute before shutting off. Also, when the FAN blower was on, it didn't seem to move any air at all through the vents. Does this motor have two speeds?

Thanks,

Phillip

JJboy

model and serial number? post some images.

__________________

**Always kill the power ** Hot air rises, but heat will always move from higher to lower temperatures. ** Real man shoot in manual. ** If it ain't grounded, it ain't dead.

pipster

Model #:P3HUC20L06401B
Serial #S)EDHM545249

Images are attached.

Thanks,
Phillip

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beenthere

P3Hu should be a furnace model number. Your compressor is in the condenser that is outside of your house somewhere.

pipster

Sorry, I thought you wanted pictures of the unit in the attic.

Here is the model and serial of the outside unit.

Model = H2RA060S06D
Serial = ( S ) EFHM655192

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beenthere

Is the outdoor unit running even when the indoor stops running.

JJboy

You can start testing the capacitor

__________________

**Always kill the power ** Hot air rises, but heat will always move from higher to lower temperatures. ** Real man shoot in manual. ** If it ain't grounded, it ain't dead.

JJboy

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...lGG2Sw&cad=rja

__________________

**Always kill the power ** Hot air rises, but heat will always move from higher to lower temperatures. ** Real man shoot in manual. ** If it ain't grounded, it ain't dead.

pipster

Yes, the outdoor unit (at least the fan on top of the condensor) continues to run after the blower in the attic shuts off.

How can I go about testing the cap?

Thanks!

pipster

If the fan on the outdoor unit is running...does that mean the compressor is also running?

beenthere

Means it probably is.

Capacitors are fairly cheap, just get another of the same ratings and try it.

pipster

Probably won't find a replacement cap on a Sunday, huh?

beenthere

Probably not. I got 40 in my truck.