How to Tell If the Blower Capacitor Is Bad In Your HVAC and How a Bad Capacitor Is Replaced
If your air handler makes an odd buzzing or humming noise when the AC or furnace kicks on, the problem might be with the blower capacitor. If the capacitor is bad, the blower may have trouble starting, and it could even burn out. So, it's usually not a good idea to run your HVAC when it's making odd noises. Here's some information about the blower capacitor, what an HVAC repair technician can do to determine if it's bad, and how the technician replaces a bad capacitor.
The Capacitor Helps the Blower Motor Start
The motor has to start the blower from a dead start, and that takes more power than just running the blower. The capacitor supplies the extra power the motor needs to start. The blower capacitor is often housed right on the side of the blower so it's easy to find.
The Blower Capacitor Is Tested With a Multimeter
When the capacitor is bad, the blower motor doesn't get all the power it needs to start up the blower cage, so the blower might be weak, erratic, or not start up at all. However, those signs could also mean the blower motor is bad, so the HVAC repair technician needs to test the capacitor with a multimeter.
Capacitors differ according to what the equipment requires, so the repair technician has to read the print on the capacitor to see what reading it should give and what the acceptable range is. This lets the HVAC repair technician know for sure if the capacitor is the problem or if the motor is going bad.
A Bad Capacitor Has to Be Replaced
If it turns out the capacitor is bad, the repair technician will replace it with a new one. The technician notes the print on the capacitor again which tells them the exact type of capacitor to use as a replacement. Once the new part is in hand, the technician can take out the old capacitor and put the new one in.
Installing a new capacitor is a fairly easy job, especially if the capacitor is mounted on the blower and is easy to reach. All the installation requires is pulling the wires off the old capacitor and plugging them into the new one.
Once the new capacitor is in place, the HVAC technician can start your equipment and check it for proper operation. Since capacitors may not last as long as the rest of your HVAC, you may need to replace yours before you have to replace your air handler. Capacitors are affordable parts, and they are easy to exchange, so the task isn't as extensive or expensive as replacing some other parts in your HVAC.
For more information on HVAC system repair, contact a company such as Advanced Air Conditioning and Heat.