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I went to a package unit A/C today and found one of the hot legs loose from the compressor terminal post (red wire coming from the contactor). The terminal post on the comp. is ok, but the wire connector on this red wire/hot leg came apart, leaving a little bit of its underside (bottom side of the female section of the connector itself) still sticking to the terminal post.
My first time fixing a compressor terminal connection and I'm assuming I have to get this same specialized style of connector from a supply house. I grabbed the remaining piece of the connector (on bottom of this terminal post (with needle-nose pliers), thinking maybe it would come off the post easily, but it didn't. I was afraid to tug very hard for fear that the post itself might be brittle (very old system) and break. However, I have to admit, now, that the post didn't look discolored, pitted, or burned at all.
Maybe the connector remnant got welded to the post from excessive heat? On the terminal post next to it (actually just below it, to the right)is a white wire connecting to a capacitor (very large capacitor, in my limited experience). This white wire has a small spot of insulation burned off and the wire underneath is blackened. I was guessing maybe when this red wire/connector started to come apart, it could have shifted out of position (part of it anyway) and caused arcing and excessive heat, or maybe these wires were installed improperly and just too close together for too long. Didn't think about that possibility until I had left the job.
I'm going back to the job tomorrow and will make sure this burned spot doesn't interfere with current, or cut it out and attach new connector (the burn spot is not far below the connector itself, but I guess that would be obvious to you), but my main question is just how best to remove this wire connector-remnant from the post?
Should I just tug harder (I didn't tug hard at all initially), or are these connectors ever soldered on? The post is still full length, not broken off - only the connector came apart.
I can sweat copper and attach/disconnect wires by soldering/de-soldering, but don't know how much different brazing is, if that's required. The supply house, tomorrow morning, will hopefully have someone experienced on duty to advise me, but wanted to ask just in case they don't (if this gets answered before I leave tomorrow morning, that is).
Are these wiring connectors supposed to just slide on and off? That's the way it appears to a layman like me.
One other question is, can you guess at the normally running amp draw, "FLA" I believe (I have a clamp meter) for this compressor? Owner is going attempt making data plate legible before I get back tomorrow. Don't know if this will help, but will give it a shot: It's a mobile home about 14'x 7O' (not the one in my very recent,previous message/question to you), and has a pull-out. Package unit (strictly A/C), and if it's any help, the capacitor for this compressor is larger than all the other mobile homes I usually see of the same dimensions (14x70). At least #10 stranded wire to compressor.
I usually just run into capacitors (for compressors), of 35 or 40 uF, cap. is maybe 6 inches tall or so (sometimes they're dual-run caps of similar 6" size (approx). This compressor is larger than others, and its cap. (not a dual run) must be about 10" long (it's lying down horizontally in the control panel, with the other two smaller caps [fan and blower) on top of it) and about 3 to 3-1/2" wide (oblong shape, not round).
Thx for your help.
My first time fixing a compressor terminal connection and I'm assuming I have to get this same specialized style of connector from a supply house. I grabbed the remaining piece of the connector (on bottom of this terminal post (with needle-nose pliers), thinking maybe it would come off the post easily, but it didn't. I was afraid to tug very hard for fear that the post itself might be brittle (very old system) and break. However, I have to admit, now, that the post didn't look discolored, pitted, or burned at all.
Maybe the connector remnant got welded to the post from excessive heat? On the terminal post next to it (actually just below it, to the right)is a white wire connecting to a capacitor (very large capacitor, in my limited experience). This white wire has a small spot of insulation burned off and the wire underneath is blackened. I was guessing maybe when this red wire/connector started to come apart, it could have shifted out of position (part of it anyway) and caused arcing and excessive heat, or maybe these wires were installed improperly and just too close together for too long. Didn't think about that possibility until I had left the job.
I'm going back to the job tomorrow and will make sure this burned spot doesn't interfere with current, or cut it out and attach new connector (the burn spot is not far below the connector itself, but I guess that would be obvious to you), but my main question is just how best to remove this wire connector-remnant from the post?
Should I just tug harder (I didn't tug hard at all initially), or are these connectors ever soldered on? The post is still full length, not broken off - only the connector came apart.
I can sweat copper and attach/disconnect wires by soldering/de-soldering, but don't know how much different brazing is, if that's required. The supply house, tomorrow morning, will hopefully have someone experienced on duty to advise me, but wanted to ask just in case they don't (if this gets answered before I leave tomorrow morning, that is).
Are these wiring connectors supposed to just slide on and off? That's the way it appears to a layman like me.
One other question is, can you guess at the normally running amp draw, "FLA" I believe (I have a clamp meter) for this compressor? Owner is going attempt making data plate legible before I get back tomorrow. Don't know if this will help, but will give it a shot: It's a mobile home about 14'x 7O' (not the one in my very recent,previous message/question to you), and has a pull-out. Package unit (strictly A/C), and if it's any help, the capacitor for this compressor is larger than all the other mobile homes I usually see of the same dimensions (14x70). At least #10 stranded wire to compressor.
I usually just run into capacitors (for compressors), of 35 or 40 uF, cap. is maybe 6 inches tall or so (sometimes they're dual-run caps of similar 6" size (approx). This compressor is larger than others, and its cap. (not a dual run) must be about 10" long (it's lying down horizontally in the control panel, with the other two smaller caps [fan and blower) on top of it) and about 3 to 3-1/2" wide (oblong shape, not round).
Thx for your help.
(your heroes). I know those guys too (from TV anyway). B & W television was in transition to color, when I was early teens (if I remember correctly).
