Condo A/C problem, A/C dummy at the helm!
 

The A/C wasn't cooling very well so I had my A/C guy come out and check it out. He says it is a bad compressor. After he left, I did some reading online and several people say that sometimes it is a bad capacitor. So, I went to pull the capacitor so that I could check to see if it is good or bad. Only one problem; I didn't photograph or use marking tape to mark where the wires went. I need to reinstall the capacitor and need some help. It is a dual capacitor with three connectors, HERM, C and FAN.

Inside the unit coming from the compressor there are three wires, Yellow, Red and Black. Coming from the Fan there are three wires, Brown, Purple and Black.

On the outside of the unit where the wires connect to the capacitor there are two small gauge blue wires coming out of a round black cylinder that says, "110W 260W Single Phase something thru 5 HP". Then, there is a large gauge Yellow wire and a large gauge Brown wire. Also, a medium gauge Red wire is present. All five of these wires were connected to the capacitor before I pulled them off. Smart, huh? I must have been delirious from heat stroke when I pulled them off. Anyone have any ideas which of the three terminals these wires connect to? Thanks for any help, it is hotter than hades and me needs to cool off...

Go to google images and search for start capacitor or something like that. You can probably find something like you are looking for.

Removing a start capacitor from an AC unit can be electrifying. :D

I found information on the internet for three and four wires, but not for five. If I accidentally do not connect everything correctly, will it cause harm to the unit? Can it blow up or start a fire? If that is the case, I'll have to call a pro to hook it up.

Even with the AC unplugged, the capacitor can still shock the chit out of you. :eek: don't ask me how I know that.

Yes it will shock the chit out of you .... LOL ... HaHa ... I did the same thing touching it.

Living in Sunny South Carolina, A/C is crucial. Ours went out 2 years ago in the middle of the summer. You can do it on your own. I got this device called a jump starter to "jump" the compressor. It hooks up to capacitor. It's like a double capacitor. Check out the internet. You can find everything you want there. IMO, most A/C guys rip off the public. I had 2 "pros" tell me I needed an entirely new system. Bogus. One guy was a "best friend" of a buddy who would not steer me wrong. I saved about $3,000 on doing it myself. You can take the 608 test for $25 and buy refrigerant legally, and do everything yourself. Just check out the internet. If you get super stymied, shoot me an email and I will take a picture of mine for reference.

I had a similar problem with my refrigerator. The appliance guy said that I would need a new compressor. I checked the internet and some guy wrote that if the little box on the side of the compressor rattled after it was removed, that it was the problem. I bought the $35 part and put it on myself. The refrigerator runs great. :)

Yup ... even a best buddy of a buddy was going to put the screws to us. I know zip about A/C's, but I fixed mine. I even brazed the brand new condensor in the attic which is where I found a major leak down the road. I have a life time supply of refrigerant as it comes in a 30 pound tank. So hopefully there is a picture or diagram on the net for Huskyman. Overall, I came to the conclusion that these systems are pretty tough and will last a while, just a part here or there goes bad. The real changes in the equipment is the efficiency ratings. And yes, it is funny as chit on reflection to touch the capacitor -- that magical little silver cannister the size of a small tomato juice can. It does pack a punch.

OK, finally got the capacitor hooked up correctly and fired that mother up. Lo and behold, COLD air, only one problem, the air is barely coming through the vents. When the A/C guy was here, he checked the furnace closet and said, "that blower motor is really quiet". He was tired so he left. I'm thinking my problem is a bad blower motor. The gas heater sits on top of the A/C evaporator coil which sits on top of a large 38" X 36" X 18" steel box. I'm thinking that is where the blower motor is located??? I need to pull it out for testing.

Check your filter? It mmight be clogged. Or look at you air returns to see if they are blocked.

new filters installed three days ago, never have had a problem with clogged vents. the fact that that my A/C guy made mention of "that blower motor is really quiet" makes me think that it is the problem.

Is the blower running at all? If so, and it's not making noise or running visibly slow, it's probably running okay. Are the A coils, or whatever evaporator arrangement is installed, clean and clear? They sometimes can be tough to get cleaned out for enough air flow.

new evaporator coils were installed approx three years ago. I guess they could be dirty, however I'm thinking it really is the compressor. I'm in the market for a new unit. I'm thinking Goodman, Trane or Carrier. any recommendation??

Our Ruud unit lasted almost 30 years. :)