Craig, as an HVAC-R instructor, I just wanted to give huge Kudos for everything you do. You have the heart of a teacher and you are an outstanding technician. Thank you.
and so many "techs" especially with the companies that advertise locally will tell you it will cost $1,200.00 to fix. All I can say is when you have HVAC problems and some company is trying to charge you $$$$ for a fix, get a 2nd opinion. I bought a new system, made calls and found a licensed HVAC guy who did it for $1,300 less then the big companies wanted to install the indoor and outdoor unit. I helped him when it came to hanging the indoor unit and he did all the rest. They have to charge $$$ to pay for all those commercials they run which are never ending where I live.
@trvman1 you can't knock em for trying to make money but I agree with the second opinion... our skills are very valuable and we deserve to make a good living
What I love about this instructor is not only the information given, but how tight he keeps his lesson. Then to put it together with video editing, two camera shoots, and excellent sound, just a job well done sir. Thank you.
Most usefull video on the internet! Our A/C guy was just changing the capacitor... When it failed a second time, he said it was time to change the unit! Turns out the emf relay was busted! Thanks!
Simple..the government stuck their noses in the HVAC business and it was determined that the capacitor manufacturer's could no longer fill them with oils for cooling the capacitors. The result is the capacitors cannot take the heat, resulting in failure due to overheating.
Holy Crap!!! Due to the 4-day, 90+ degree weather in NJ, my A/C stopped working yesterday....we called for repair and the technician showed up around 9 PM last night. Guess what he found? THE CAPACITOR BLEW! I'm gratified to get a repair so quickly...incidentally, the total cost for parts and emergency labor call was about $330.00. However, I'm a little creeped out that this happened yesterday and UA-cam pushes this video to me today....big brother is watching.
Video is great & to the point. My run capacitor quit on our 4 year old Rheem AC. Replacement lasted 2 1/2 days. Next replacement lasted less than 1 hour. I will now check the relay. Thank you.
Congratulations on passing your school and obtaining your Universal EPA certification! That's a significant achievement, and I'm thrilled to hear that my videos continue to be a valuable learning resource for you!!
I really like this illustration. Also, keep in mind to use multimeter to test the Start Relay before it burns. Proper position of relay is crucial because terminals stay in right position if not affected by gravity. 1- Terminal 1 & 2 should have continuity and NO resistance reading. Any resistance reading means the Terminals 1&2 are making poor contact. This justifies a preventive replacement. But, if necessary, it is better to get more evidence. 2- Resistance reading on High Resistance Coil, between 2 & 5, should be very close to 5K Ohms, anything higher means the coils is failing. It should be replaced. 3- Any brown round/oval stain close to terminal 5 is a visual sign of coil overheating and should be replaced.
This was very helpful. As in right now I’m going to trade school to become a hvac technician. And one of the things my professor said was. When you check a component that failed not just replaced the part that failed but also try to find out why it failed. In this video you showed what made the capacitor failed not just the capacitor is bad because the MFD are lower. Great video
I am almost sure that's what just happened to my unit...the thing that blew is on the inside of the unit near the ground below the blades...yours is conveniently on the side easy to repair...Thank you for you video
The “MFD” rating is the size of its capacity rated in units called “micro farads.” Your explanation was helpful. My previous supervisor did not feel it was necessary to clean the condenser if you could still see daylight through the coil. I am sure that this resulted in higher head pressures. So when cycling it would be harder for the compressor to start because the unit would still be hotter than normal. He was constantly having to put in the hard start kit’s. It was very helpful to see how extreme the results are of the start capacitor when it fails. One of your readers wrote about getting hit in the face by the discharged oil and gases. I can see the need to wear safety glasses more clearly now. Thanks
I also believe that the oil in old AC units deteriorate, resulting in less lubrication and harder starts. I put in an ounce of the oil recommended for the compressor, and they run much smoother and have easier starts.
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My fan start cap went bad, but I think it just dried out after 10 years, it didn't leak/rupture. I cleaned the start circuit's enclosed relay contacts and removed the dead wasps that were jammed between the exposed motor contactor contacts. Back in business, and now I do a periodic check for wasp nests. I'm glad I didn't spend $500 to get this fixed. The capacitor was around $8, shipped to my house.
The unit at my old house was so close to the den window that when a capacitor failed years ago I hit the floor because it sounded like a shotgun blast when it blew. A week later the replacement capacitor blew as well. I now have A/C PTSD.
Great video. I believe that the reason why the relay fails over time is the same reason 12v relays fail on vehicles. corrosion at the connectors (in the wiring circuit) causes the voltage to drop. Since Power = volts x amps, when the voltage goes down; the amps go up across the contacts and burns them up. Same thing happens on relays, solenoids and starters on cars. Poor quality relays today may also contribute to the failure. In other words the Electrical Engineers don't design for the extra amps due to the extra corrosion resistance.
I’m not an AC guy but I learned something from you today. I thought the start capacitors burned out because they were low quality made in China. Thanks.
Your are my hero. So smart and easy to understand. Love your videos especially the ones explaining subcooling and superheat measuring. They have saved me a ton of money. Thank you and keep up the great videos.
I've seen many 'Welded' contacts on '20/40 pressure switches' for water pumps. Now i know what to look for in my AC that went bang. Great instructional vid 👍
That was a great video. The only thing i would add is the resistor is there to prevent carbon build up on the contacts from arcing when it makes and breaks.
Once the start cap goes, you should also monitor for high start and run current draw when the new cap is installed. Some shorted windings could lower the start winding resistance to the point that higher starting currents will continue to eat capacitors and will eventually take out the system circuit breakers, too. Plus, burned windings change the inductive reactance of the coil which will make this machine run inefficiently and hot (motor winding resistances are so low (1-10 ohms) that a multimeter cannot supply enough current to give accurate resistance readings, so run-start current is a safer test).
You have a natural teaching capability. I enjoy learning anything and this lesson was a easy to understand and capture the information given. No gasps missing. Great job.
On my trane ac, I try to always keep a spare capacitor and contactor on hand just in case of failure. Plus my ac man can't always show up that same day (understandable), cause it gets hot here quick in summer in MS.
Excellent video, I just had the A.C. capacitor replaced, the unit is only a year old, the tech. replaced the capacitor, but now I will check the relay as shown on this video. Thanks for sharing 👍
@@throttlebottle5906 it won’t take hours, yes it’s not as fast as other methods, I didn’t claim it was either, but if a meters all you have it will work.
Hey Josh, please provide the value for the bleed resistor....Chuck thinks its maybe 10K Ohms (below) is that about right? I assume the wattage value of the resistor doesn't need to be very high.....
@@chuckyounger7298 they're usually 10 to 20K ohm an 2watt rated, make sure the voltage rating is high enough. 15K ohm at 2watt rating is what one of the aftermarket replacement ones are, with female spade terminals staked on.
Impressive video thank you! I believe this potential relay failed in the first place because it wasn't installed properly. They use part of the gravitational force to reset to open after the start occur. In such, it has to be mounted vertically, not horizontally like this one.
Sounds like the answer is 'no' they did not replace the relay or thermistor. Although the video says "the thermistor will fail in an OPEN condition" which seemingly would protect the start cap, as long as your tech is at your AC, may as well pay a bit extra for the part and tell them "can you please replace the relay or thermistor, whichever of those my compressor unit has". The cost of a service call if you need to call them back out again is probably more than the cost of the relay or thermistor.
@@bobboscarato1313 If the starter capacitor remains in the circuit due to a bad relay, the tech who got paid to replace the cap is getting called back anyway. If a service tech comes out the first visit and fails to fix the actual source of the problem - a bad relay - the new starter capacitor is going to fail soon enough. Unethical service techs think "I'll get a 2nd call and then I'll replace the capacitor AND the relay". What ends up happening is, that tech loses that customer permanently because it will be clear they failed to do the job right the first time, when they come back out to replace the same part as before. "This tech was not thorough enough" is what most customers will think, then never hire that company again. HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AS A TECH 1) troubleshoot thoroughly to find the source of the failure 2) tell the owner "I have to replace the starter capacitor to get your compressor and thus your A/C working again. But I found the source of the blowout of the capacitor - a bad relay. If you don't want me to replace the relay, I will make a note on your bill that you need a new relay, and I have to warn you that the new capacitor will fail before too long, because the bad relay is why the starter capacitor failed in the first place." In other words, give the owner the full knowledge of the trouble, note it on their bill, so when the cap blows up again, at least you have a clear conscience, and you were 100% ethical in trying to help the customer, and the customer will blame themselves. I'd wager about 50% of customers will say "fix the relay too then" and 50% won't.
@@Greg_Chase A good tech worth any salt would never just change the start cap , you left out 3) all these kits are made in malaysia 3 month warranty on O.E.M. RECOMMENDED KIT NOT LABOR ! 4) recommend ICM LINE MONITOR.
I was glad to see your video in my recommendation. Your explanations were great. I wished I had seen this few weeks ago to help me trouble shoots my ac problem.
Best video ever to watch things blow ....lol, My well pump had a blown Capacitor , took your advice to also replace relay wile doing repair . Thanks for vid
great video bc us techs rarely get to actually see when a Start cap blowS & lets the smoke OUT !!! .LOL ...what a mess , Thanks for all you Do for this industry & us Techs out in the Field
It is also my understanding that the potential relay should be mounted with the mounting hole facing up, which is why there is only one mounting tab for these relays. This will mount the switch inside the relay vertically, increases relay switch "pull off time", and increase the chances of the relay failing open if it fails. From what I see, the relay is not mounted correctly.
I liked how you described "amperage crossing" from Run cap to Potential relay! This morning I taught two courses on our Kickstart product line (which comes w a bleed resistor, btw). Bc of the amperage crossing, I stress the need to test the existing Run Cap while the system is RUNNING. I'd be happy to discuss more of these topics, HSK's just happens to be the most exciting...lol.
Would the compressor be able to start with a good hard start kit installed on a unit with a failed run capacitor, and what would be the effect on the compressor?
I'm an electrical engineer. That was very good description of this failure. It's hard to get that stuff across sometimes to the trades people but, you did it. Thanks!
I'm sorry to hear that you had a similar experience!! It can definitely be a messy and unpleasant situation when you're dealing with the internal liquid!
i hardly see these in AC anymore , most of our gear is inverter now and if its not its usually PSC which is pretty easy to do with a scroll compressor like copeland ZR series as they start virtually unloaded
Nice presentation of physical differences between start and run capacitor, but most folks incorrectly understand how they actually work. It is true that a run cap in a fan must be matched since it is needed to correct the phase angle altered by the inductive load. As mentioned, you can roast the armature & field windings. On a start cap, although not necessary, you can certainly over value cap in Uf or voltage without issues being that it is seen momentarily in the circuit.... Not as some "Boost" or Extra Charge to help spool up the electromotive force for rotation......IN fact, it's quite the opposite as it simply pulls down one leg to assist in rotation. Think of standing on a bicycle, try to push both pedals down with all of your force.......you go nowhere and only have a locked condition, now lift one leg and then stater the rotation! Not certain how this video came up but was fun to watch & appears to be a great resource to anyone with interest.
Good stuff. That smoke is nasty. Don't breath it! Capacitor electrolyte is actually very close to ethylene glycol antifreeze like you would use in your car. You didn't mention why we need capacitors at all. The reason is because with a single phase AC motor, you need a capacitor to get a phase shift between motor coils to cause the motor to rotate and not just sit there and hum. Three phase motors don't need capacitors because the phase shift already exists in the AC supply. Those poor capacitors carry a lot of current, especially during startup.
I've changed a few of those on some Frigidaire A\C window units for family and friends with breaking ac during summertime. I also changed ALOT of circuit boardd for about 65$. It seams that they design window units so that condensation will perfectly fall and accumulate the bay
I saw myself accidentally involved in this stuff, I saw a homeless dude once struggling to carry a off-brand chinese portable AC unit, I offered help and he offered me to keep it for 6 $, so I accepted as I needed a porch fan (which are 30$ at least), upon quick inspection the cold/heat mode did nothing and the main fan slowed down at fixed intervals (the compressor didn't its characteristic hum, so I said, well, it's toast) , we have been using it in fan mode for a while and it does its job, yesterday I was bored and decided to peek inside, I noticed the compressor hummed very faintly for 2 seconds, and gave up for another 15 seconds and repeating this power cycle, upon board inspection, no relays seemed to be failing, motors were OK, and symptoms point to this stupid capacitor which is also the reason for good units to be declared EOL and replaced entirely? Even experienced technicians will resort to installing a whole new set... Which still doesn't make a lot of sense to me (money wise maybe for the technician and sellers) *UPDATE* I'm done with the installation and it works like new, not thinking about installing it as my house already has AC, but it will be handy to have it around
Wow, the first year after you bought a new AC?? I got my AC exactly a year ago and it stopped cooling this morning, i'm thinking is the cap. The filter was changed so is not clogged and the fan turns on, but no cold air.
I wish I would've seen this before the AC guy condemned my 19 yr old unit for having a bad compressor. He never checked that relay or pointed out the hole in the start capacitor. "I've seen this problem a lot" he says. Followed by a quote for a new system. I replaced the start cap to watch it blow twice before replacing the relay. The ol York is up and running in 114⁰ heat 👍
I did some work on my brothers AC unit last year where the compressor just stopped running, and the HVAC place I got parts from said basically the same thing: even without testing it’s common practice to replace the relay with the start cap because the relay is pennies on the dollar compared to the capacitor, and even if the relay is still good, it will fail before the capacitor does. Those running caps never seem to completely fail, just degrade over time. You know when they are going especially on a blower because it doesn’t maintain a smooth operating speed.
This is exactly what happened to my system over the weekend. The exact. Same. Thing. It's a shame that I will most likely have a new system before I run into this issue again. But perhaps I can help out a friend or relative if they have their AC go out.
Great video Craig, I also found your book and other resources very informative! It was nice talking with you at the HVAC symposium a few weeks back 🍻 from Florida!
Greatly appreciated all the efforts you do for the community and money saving for homeowners and even A/C technician, thanks graig muchas gracias amigo
@@tmst2199 I usually perform a manual check at the start of the season. For people with evap coolers, if they would break loose the water pump before energizing it, it would probably last forever. Take care.
With any can capacitor, once the end has a bow or curve, no matter how slight, meaning no longer straight across, it's bad. replace it. This goes for all electronics.
@@acservicetechchannel I hired a guy on craigslist to come out and give the freon a bump and the very next day the sys quit working... and it was sunday morning and he was out in 30min and just happened to have a cap on his truck to fix my unit..... hmm... i smell a rat
@@autojohn-pu1vf 1st problem is: "I hired a guy off craigslist" 2nd problem is: "to give the freon a bump" If he did what you asked, why smell a rat? And why be surprised he has an assortment of caps on his truck? You went the cheap route, you got the results you were after...
Nice Video. Thank You. Just blew a 5-2-1 Soft start Cap yesterday...was 3 years old from CPS Products via Amazon.com Will order a replacement kit this week...be disassembling the relay too...Thanks again.
Usually those start relays have a up side marked and the mounting hole is on top. If the contactors did fail eventually as shown installed here, maybe it occurred because it was mounted on its side.
The motor is a design known as a "Capacitor Start, Capacitor Run" single phase motor. Since the motor starts with the load attached (i.e., the compressor), it starts under load, and it needs the kick-in-the-pants that a start capacitor gives it in order to complete the starting operation. Most CS single phase motors with, say, a fan load, for example, are two-winding motors - one winding, called the start winding, is a light-gauge wire winding with a centrifugal switch in series, and the switch kicks that winding out of the circuit as the motor comes up to speed. It's not designed to be a "continuous duty" winding. The OTHER winding is the RUN winding, and stays IN the circuit after start. In THIS application, however, the designers use a different method of kicking the start capacitor out of the circuit.
Well, short duration exposure to pcb is not harmful. It is the long term exposure. I used to wash my greasy hands back in the day (1960s) in transformer pcb and I am still here at 83. However I suffer from prostate cancer (12 years). No argument about long term exposure. By the way just do a sniff test on the cap. You will detect a sweet odor if it is pcb. and yes this old caps will outlast the modern vapor deposited film caps since all the old caps used real foil between the paper insulation (film insulation for later ones). The AL vapor coated film caps are junk but that is what we are stuck with.
@@oldguy2800 now explain babies to well under age to have PCB exposure and full of cancer humans ;) it's the old point and blame game, point and blame everything but the real issues at hand. like preservatives and chemical leeching from most every products on the market today. it's unavoidable and likely the same pharmaceutical drugs many take to stay alive are also causing it, never ending saga of nobody cares because some fat cats are making big $$$
Craig, as an HVAC-R instructor, I just wanted to give huge Kudos for everything you do. You have the heart of a teacher and you are an outstanding technician. Thank you.
As a vegas hvac 1st year student that also plays bass, hopefully our paths soon cross
and so many "techs" especially with the companies that advertise locally will tell you it will cost $1,200.00 to fix. All I can say is when you have HVAC problems and some company is trying to charge you $$$$ for a fix, get a 2nd opinion. I bought a new system, made calls and found a licensed HVAC guy who did it for $1,300 less then the big companies wanted to install the indoor and outdoor unit. I helped him when it came to hanging the indoor unit and he did all the rest. They have to charge $$$ to pay for all those commercials they run which are never ending where I live.
@trvman1 you can't knock em for trying to make money but I agree with the second opinion... our skills are very valuable and we deserve to make a good living
What I love about this instructor is not only the information given, but how tight he keeps his lesson. Then to put it together with video editing, two camera shoots, and excellent sound, just a job well done sir. Thank you.
Most usefull video on the internet!
Our A/C guy was just changing the capacitor... When it failed a second time, he said it was time to change the unit!
Turns out the emf relay was busted!
Thanks!
This is a great example for why root-cause analysis is so important.
Simple..the government stuck their noses in the HVAC business and it was determined that the capacitor manufacturer's could no longer fill them with oils for cooling the capacitors. The result is the capacitors cannot take the heat, resulting in failure due to overheating.
that is what makes a great tech, fix the problem, not the symptom
@@randallgreen6746 Removing toxic PCB-based oil? Oh, the horror!
I have no idea why this was in my recommended videos. But I enjoyed watching it and learn something new.
It's in your recommended because youtube algo is fucked right now.. just click "don't show this in my recommended" and this idiot will go away.
Larry and Leroy are probably right. However, getting "out of your lane" is a healthy exercise for the brain.
Excellent video. Hvac tech 20+ yrs and have never got to see start cap fail. Ty
Holy Crap!!! Due to the 4-day, 90+ degree weather in NJ, my A/C stopped working yesterday....we called for repair and the technician showed up around 9 PM last night. Guess what he found? THE CAPACITOR BLEW! I'm gratified to get a repair so quickly...incidentally, the total cost for parts and emergency labor call was about $330.00. However, I'm a little creeped out that this happened yesterday and UA-cam pushes this video to me today....big brother is watching.
The same thing happend to me last week.. Had a heat wave and mine went out
I've seen the after effect but never seen it in action. Love the slow camera reaction on this. Great job. Sub for life
I would not want to be next to it when it blew while taking voltage readings. Man, talking about getting the crap scared out of yourself.
Damn!
Video is great & to the point. My run capacitor quit on our 4 year old Rheem AC. Replacement lasted 2 1/2 days. Next replacement lasted less than 1 hour. I will now check the relay. Thank you.
great video ..... i just pass my school and got my Universal EPA .... but i am still learning from you ... thanks for great video...
Congratulations on passing your school and obtaining your Universal EPA certification! That's a significant achievement, and I'm thrilled to hear that my videos continue to be a valuable learning resource for you!!
I really like this illustration. Also, keep in mind to use multimeter to test the Start Relay before it burns. Proper position of relay is crucial because terminals stay in right position if not affected by gravity.
1- Terminal 1 & 2 should have continuity and NO resistance reading. Any resistance reading means the Terminals 1&2 are making poor contact. This justifies a preventive replacement. But, if necessary, it is better to get more evidence.
2- Resistance reading on High Resistance Coil, between 2 & 5, should be very close to 5K Ohms, anything higher means the coils is failing. It should be replaced.
3- Any brown round/oval stain close to terminal 5 is a visual sign of coil overheating and should be replaced.
On your point #2, is that reading when the relay is disconnected from everything?
Always disconnect wires when checking a load for ohms.
This was very helpful. As in right now I’m going to trade school to become a hvac technician. And one of the things my professor said was. When you check a component that failed not just replaced the part that failed but also try to find out why it failed. In this video you showed what made the capacitor failed not just the capacitor is bad because the MFD are lower. Great video
Elctro plat oil oit comeing over over oiy systom bacal th.......$
I am almost sure that's what just happened to my unit...the thing that blew is on the inside of the unit near the ground below the blades...yours is conveniently on the side easy to repair...Thank you for you video
One of the best videos I've seen on AC in a very long time
I’ve watched several vids on how this process works. This resonates better than all of them. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
The “MFD” rating is the size of its capacity rated in units called “micro farads.” Your explanation was helpful. My previous supervisor did not feel it was necessary to clean the condenser if you could still see daylight through the coil. I am sure that this resulted in higher head pressures. So when cycling it would be harder for the compressor to start because the unit would still be hotter than normal. He was constantly having to put in the hard start kit’s. It was very helpful to see how extreme the results are of the start capacitor when it fails. One of your readers wrote about getting hit in the face by the discharged oil and gases. I can see the need to wear safety glasses more clearly now.
Thanks
I also believe that the oil in old AC units deteriorate, resulting in less lubrication and harder starts. I put in an ounce of the oil recommended for the compressor, and they run much smoother and have easier starts.
Nikola Tesla's name was bestowed to a car company - all Michael Faraday got a was a capacitance unit. We owe him a bit more than that!
Between this guy and hvac school these are the two best hvac channels out here on youtube
Our "Old Faithful" start capacitor! Thanks for the great demonstration.
Glad it was helpful!
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Well explained. I was a hvac serviceman for 38 years. I changed a few of them!
How long do those kits usually last?
My fan start cap went bad, but I think it just dried out after 10 years, it didn't leak/rupture. I cleaned the start circuit's enclosed relay contacts and removed the dead wasps that were jammed between the exposed motor contactor contacts. Back in business, and now I do a periodic check for wasp nests. I'm glad I didn't spend $500 to get this fixed. The capacitor was around $8, shipped to my house.
The unit at my old house was so close to the den window that when a capacitor failed years ago I hit the floor because it sounded like a shotgun blast when it blew. A week later the replacement capacitor blew as well. I now have A/C PTSD.
Lmfaooooo
Boom! :-) Totally. I think you'd have to be either wealthy or numb to not have the jitters.
Get yourself a capacitor shrink.
Very well explained and demonstrated. Thank you for this. As a homeowner, you want as much information on the equipment in the house as possible.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. I believe that the reason why the relay fails over time is the same reason 12v relays fail on vehicles. corrosion at the connectors (in the wiring circuit) causes the voltage to drop. Since Power = volts x amps, when the voltage goes down; the amps go up across the contacts and burns them up. Same thing happens on relays, solenoids and starters on cars. Poor quality relays today may also contribute to the failure. In other words the Electrical Engineers don't design for the extra amps due to the extra corrosion resistance.
I’m not an AC guy but I learned something from you today. I thought the start capacitors burned out because they were low quality made in China. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing
they mfg based on the American specs.. most of the AC units are mfg'ed in Mexico, not in China..
That information is worth a million bucks!! Excellent presentation. Thanks for sharing.
Poorly made Electrical Relays ..Too. .
Yes craig we can't get enough the more u know the more it helps the newbies thanks again 👍👍
Glad the videos helped Esmar!
Very,very professional. SINCERELY.
This is the best explanation with an example with a failed relay. Thank you!
Your are my hero. So smart and easy to understand. Love your videos especially the ones explaining subcooling and superheat measuring. They have saved me a ton of money. Thank you and keep up the great videos.
I appreciate that!
I've seen many 'Welded' contacts on '20/40 pressure switches' for water pumps. Now i know what to look for in my AC that went bang. Great instructional vid 👍
That was a great video. The only thing i would add is the resistor is there to prevent carbon build up on the contacts from arcing when it makes and breaks.
Wow. I just learned something about ac that’s probably only learned at school. Thanks for sharing.
Once the start cap goes, you should also monitor for high start and run current draw when the new cap is installed. Some shorted windings could lower the start winding resistance to the point that higher starting currents will continue to eat capacitors and will eventually take out the system circuit breakers, too. Plus, burned windings change the inductive reactance of the coil which will make this machine run inefficiently and hot (motor winding resistances are so low (1-10 ohms) that a multimeter cannot supply enough current to give accurate resistance readings, so run-start current is a safer test).
That was an awesome video. Really liked the way you staged the failure of the Start Capacitor. Great slo mo shots as well. Thanks !
You have a natural teaching capability. I enjoy learning anything and this lesson was a easy to understand and capture the information given. No gasps missing. Great job.
Thank you so much!
Good job on the presentation!
I just had one blow today with an enormous blast.
I'll examine the relay tomorrow!
I love videos about planned component failures and their effects. Please do more!
Fantastic demonstration
Love it when you expand away from the basics
Thanks Jeff!
Great video, very informative! The day was not a waste, I learned something new. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Craig you’re the excellent instructor of my life I showed, much appreciated for sharing your knowledge with us.
All of your training videos are Excellent! I really loved this one 💯💯💯💯💯
Thanks a lot Brandon!
This guy is amazing! Awesome instructor. Guys new should watch this guy. You will learn the right way to do things! Keep up the good work.
I appreciate that!
On my trane ac, I try to always keep a spare capacitor and contactor on hand just in case of failure. Plus my ac man can't always show up that same day (understandable), cause it gets hot here quick in summer in MS.
Why not do it yourself? Just asking not being mean
Why research & development is so so critical for an excellent product - Awesome analysis
Thank you so much for the time and effort putting in toward this demonstration.
Excellent video, I just had the A.C. capacitor replaced, the unit is only a year old, the tech. replaced the capacitor, but now I will check the relay as shown on this video. Thanks for sharing 👍
I can smell this video. Excellent instruction, actually helped me with a different electronic.
If you don’t have a resistor, which a lot of people probably don’t, you can use your multimeter set to Volts to bleed the residual voltage off.
that would takes many hours...
@@throttlebottle5906 it won’t take hours, yes it’s not as fast as other methods, I didn’t claim it was either, but if a meters all you have it will work.
What value resistor do you suggest for the bleed? In the neighborhood of 10 K or higher?
Hey Josh, please provide the value for the bleed resistor....Chuck thinks its maybe 10K Ohms (below) is that about right? I assume the wattage value of the resistor doesn't need to be very high.....
@@chuckyounger7298 they're usually 10 to 20K ohm an 2watt rated, make sure the voltage rating is high enough.
15K ohm at 2watt rating is what one of the aftermarket replacement ones are, with female spade terminals staked on.
Impressive video thank you! I believe this potential relay failed in the first place because it wasn't installed properly. They use part of the gravitational force to reset to open after the start occur. In such, it has to be mounted vertically, not horizontally like this one.
Thank you. My mom has had to replace the start capacitor twice last summer, now I need to check her invoices or see if tech did anything with relay..
Good idea!!!
Sounds like the answer is 'no' they did not replace the relay or thermistor. Although the video says "the thermistor will fail in an OPEN condition" which seemingly would protect the start cap, as long as your tech is at your AC, may as well pay a bit extra for the part and tell them "can you please replace the relay or thermistor, whichever of those my compressor unit has". The cost of a service call if you need to call them back out again is probably more than the cost of the relay or thermistor.
@@Greg_Chase That's very true but some customers will always complain about $$.
@@bobboscarato1313 If the starter capacitor remains in the circuit due to a bad relay, the tech who got paid to replace the cap is getting called back anyway.
If a service tech comes out the first visit and fails to fix the actual source of the problem - a bad relay - the new starter capacitor is going to fail soon enough.
Unethical service techs think "I'll get a 2nd call and then I'll replace the capacitor AND the relay".
What ends up happening is, that tech loses that customer permanently because it will be clear they failed to do the job right the first time, when they come back out to replace the same part as before. "This tech was not thorough enough" is what most customers will think, then never hire that company again.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AS A TECH
1) troubleshoot thoroughly to find the source of the failure
2) tell the owner "I have to replace the starter capacitor to get your compressor and thus your A/C working again. But I found the source of the blowout of the capacitor - a bad relay. If you don't want me to replace the relay, I will make a note on your bill that you need a new relay, and I have to warn you that the new capacitor will fail before too long, because the bad relay is why the starter capacitor failed in the first place."
In other words, give the owner the full knowledge of the trouble, note it on their bill, so when the cap blows up again, at least you have a clear conscience, and you were 100% ethical in trying to help the customer, and the customer will blame themselves.
I'd wager about 50% of customers will say "fix the relay too then" and 50% won't.
@@Greg_Chase A good tech worth any salt would never just change the start cap , you left out 3) all these kits are made in malaysia 3 month warranty on O.E.M. RECOMMENDED KIT NOT LABOR ! 4) recommend ICM LINE MONITOR.
I was glad to see your video in my recommendation. Your explanations were great. I wished I had seen this few weeks ago to help me trouble shoots my ac problem.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Best video ever to watch things blow ....lol, My well pump had a blown Capacitor , took your advice to also replace relay wile doing repair . Thanks for vid
Glad it helped!
great video bc us techs rarely get to actually see when a Start cap blowS & lets the smoke OUT !!! .LOL ...what a mess , Thanks for all you Do for this industry & us Techs out in the Field
It is also my understanding that the potential relay should be mounted with the mounting hole facing up, which is why there is only one mounting tab for these relays. This will mount the switch inside the relay vertically, increases relay switch "pull off time", and increase the chances of the relay failing open if it fails. From what I see, the relay is not mounted correctly.
I use your book and videos for classroom trading. This is one of the best yet. Thanks.
Thanks a lot Jerry and if you need anything, email me at questions@acservicetech.com thanks for the note!
What book do you use?
Amazing, I learned more today about HVAC Capacitor in 5 minutes than my entire life...
I liked how you described "amperage crossing" from Run cap to Potential relay! This morning I taught two courses on our Kickstart product line (which comes w a bleed resistor, btw). Bc of the amperage crossing, I stress the need to test the existing Run Cap while the system is RUNNING. I'd be happy to discuss more of these topics, HSK's just happens to be the most exciting...lol.
Would the compressor be able to start with a good hard start kit installed on a unit with a failed run capacitor, and what would be the effect on the compressor?
I'm an electrical engineer. That was very good description of this failure. It's hard to get that stuff across sometimes to the trades people but, you did it. Thanks!
As a Trades person it hard to get stuff across to engineer's...CHEERS
Awesome video. I love learning new stuff. Caps have always kind of mystified me but you helped me a ton here.
This was a phenomenal video.
This is so awesome to see! I had the same fluid explode everywhere. Smells terrible by the way.
I'm sorry to hear that you had a similar experience!! It can definitely be a messy and unpleasant situation when you're dealing with the internal liquid!
i hardly see these in AC anymore , most of our gear is inverter now and if its not its usually PSC which is pretty easy to do with a scroll compressor like copeland ZR series as they start virtually unloaded
Nice presentation of physical differences between start and run capacitor, but most folks incorrectly understand how they actually work.
It is true that a run cap in a fan must be matched since it is needed to correct the phase angle altered by the inductive load. As mentioned, you can roast the armature & field windings. On a start cap, although not necessary, you can certainly over value cap in Uf or voltage without issues being that it is seen momentarily in the circuit.... Not as some "Boost" or Extra Charge to help spool up the electromotive force for rotation......IN fact, it's quite the opposite as it simply pulls down one leg to assist in rotation. Think of standing on a bicycle, try to push both pedals down with all of your force.......you go nowhere and only have a locked condition, now lift one leg and then stater the rotation! Not certain how this video came up but was fun to watch & appears to be a great resource to anyone with interest.
Great knowledge..... I had this problem with one of the units and I nearly gave up until this video shows up.....
Thanks a lot guys.....
Good stuff. That smoke is nasty. Don't breath it! Capacitor electrolyte is actually very close to ethylene glycol antifreeze like you would use in your car. You didn't mention why we need capacitors at all. The reason is because with a single phase AC motor, you need a capacitor to get a phase shift between motor coils to cause the motor to rotate and not just sit there and hum. Three phase motors don't need capacitors because the phase shift already exists in the AC supply. Those poor capacitors carry a lot of current, especially during startup.
That capacitor didn't fail, it lived a great life!
Ha ha, yup good little guy!
after divorcing it's multi-prong needy relay wife :))
Capacitive juices...lmao
Glad you found the "capacity" to post on the matter.
@@throttlebottle5906 #BeenThereDoneThat
Wow - sure am glad I clicked on this video! Not sure relay is a DIY project for me though. I was just going to swap the capacitor out.
Thanks. Finally I understand the small circle on the top of the start capacitor.
Glad it helped
I've changed a few of those on some Frigidaire A\C window units for family and friends with breaking ac during summertime. I also changed ALOT of circuit boardd for about 65$. It seams that they design window units so that condensation will perfectly fall and accumulate the bay
Wow. I now finally understand this system. Thanks. Good teacher.
Glad it was helpful!
Had same problem with my flux capacitor but Doc Brown was able to fix it
Back to the Future?
Thanks. Excellent video and explanation on causality of the problem.
Glad you liked it!
Great book and a wonderful teacher! Thank you
Thank you so much for your encouragement!!!
I saw myself accidentally involved in this stuff, I saw a homeless dude once struggling to carry a off-brand chinese portable AC unit, I offered help and he offered me to keep it for 6 $, so I accepted as I needed a porch fan (which are 30$ at least), upon quick inspection the cold/heat mode did nothing and the main fan slowed down at fixed intervals (the compressor didn't its characteristic hum, so I said, well, it's toast) , we have been using it in fan mode for a while and it does its job, yesterday I was bored and decided to peek inside, I noticed the compressor hummed very faintly for 2 seconds, and gave up for another 15 seconds and repeating this power cycle, upon board inspection, no relays seemed to be failing, motors were OK, and symptoms point to this stupid capacitor which is also the reason for good units to be declared EOL and replaced entirely? Even experienced technicians will resort to installing a whole new set... Which still doesn't make a lot of sense to me (money wise maybe for the technician and sellers)
*UPDATE* I'm done with the installation and it works like new, not thinking about installing it as my house already has AC, but it will be handy to have it around
Outstanding training presentation and demonstration.
Thank you very much!
Before hot season maintenance include: inspect/clean the relay contacts.
How would I clean relay contacts?
Mine blew in the first year, then I got an extra heavy duty one by a good MFR. 10 years running so far.
Wow, the first year after you bought a new AC?? I got my AC exactly a year ago and it stopped cooling this morning, i'm thinking is the cap. The filter was changed so is not clogged and the fan turns on, but no cold air.
Love your videos! Very clear and easy to follow presentation. You have a gift of beating a great teacher!
I really like how you kept touching the CAP terminals that would FRY YOU if you didn't bleed it down ..
I wish I would've seen this before the AC guy condemned my 19 yr old unit for having a bad compressor. He never checked that relay or pointed out the hole in the start capacitor. "I've seen this problem a lot" he says. Followed by a quote for a new system. I replaced the start cap to watch it blow twice before replacing the relay. The ol York is up and running in 114⁰ heat 👍
I did some work on my brothers AC unit last year where the compressor just stopped running, and the HVAC place I got parts from said basically the same thing: even without testing it’s common practice to replace the relay with the start cap because the relay is pennies on the dollar compared to the capacitor, and even if the relay is still good, it will fail before the capacitor does. Those running caps never seem to completely fail, just degrade over time. You know when they are going especially on a blower because it doesn’t maintain a smooth operating speed.
This is exactly what happened to my system over the weekend. The exact. Same. Thing.
It's a shame that I will most likely have a new system before I run into this issue again. But perhaps I can help out a friend or relative if they have their AC go out.
Great video Craig, I also found your book and other resources very informative! It was nice talking with you at the HVAC symposium a few weeks back 🍻 from Florida!
Jeremy, Thank you very much and great to talk with you! It was amazing being there!
@@acservicetechchannel it sure was! I hope you and your family are well, and take care!
Greatly appreciated all the efforts you do for the community and money saving for homeowners and even A/C technician, thanks graig muchas gracias amigo
You're truly a great teacher and very knowledgeable thanks
I appreciate that!
Thanks for the tip. I'll check mine when it's out of the sun & pick up a spare start cap just to have on hand.
Make sure you check that relay before replacing the start cap!
@@tmst2199 I usually perform a manual check at the start of the season.
For people with evap coolers, if they would break loose the water pump before energizing it, it would probably last forever.
Take care.
Excellent teacher
Great information
Definitely buying your book
Probably Great info there too
Thank you so much!!
With any can capacitor, once the end has a bow or curve, no matter how slight, meaning no longer straight across, it's bad.
replace it.
This goes for all electronics.
Swollen?
Letting out the magic smoke. 😁
You gotta see it to believe it! We always walk up on these start caps after they are blown and so we don't get the visual!
Came here to say this
My instructors words as well😁
@@acservicetechchannel I hired a guy on craigslist to come out and give the freon a bump and the very next day the sys quit working... and it was sunday morning and he was out in 30min and just happened to have a cap on his truck to fix my unit..... hmm... i smell a rat
@@autojohn-pu1vf 1st problem is: "I hired a guy off craigslist"
2nd problem is: "to give the freon a bump"
If he did what you asked, why smell a rat?
And why be surprised he has an assortment of caps on his truck?
You went the cheap route, you got the results you were after...
Gotta love a real-world demonstration! Great explanation, Craig.
Thanks Jack! Hope all is well!
Nice Video. Thank You. Just blew a 5-2-1 Soft start Cap yesterday...was 3 years old from CPS Products via Amazon.com
Will order a replacement kit this week...be disassembling the relay too...Thanks again.
Outstanding demo and information.
Thank you kindly!
Usually those start relays have a up side marked and the mounting hole is on top. If the contactors did fail eventually as shown installed here, maybe it occurred because it was mounted on its side.
Thank you. Very interesting. Nothing like witnessing an actual failure.
Glad you enjoyed it
Craig is a great instructor teacher And technician
Wonderful information. Clear and concise. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video, so well and clearly explained and demonstrated.
Glad it was helpful!
The motor is a design known as a "Capacitor Start, Capacitor Run" single phase motor. Since the motor starts with the load attached (i.e., the compressor), it starts under load, and it needs the kick-in-the-pants that a start capacitor gives it in order to complete the starting operation. Most CS single phase motors with, say, a fan load, for example, are two-winding motors - one winding, called the start winding, is a light-gauge wire winding with a centrifugal switch in series, and the switch kicks that winding out of the circuit as the motor comes up to speed. It's not designed to be a "continuous duty" winding. The OTHER winding is the RUN winding, and stays IN the circuit after start. In THIS application, however, the designers use a different method of kicking the start capacitor out of the circuit.
Great video , the old caps with PCB's . PCB's are very toxic.. If you find one that's leaking, be careful removing it .
PCB’s have been banned for over 40 years now. It’s unlikely most techs today will ever see one in in residential hvac.
@@speckulator7516 I've seen them in the field. The ones made with pcbs will last a long time .
How do you know its a pcb
Well, short duration exposure to pcb is not harmful. It is the long term exposure. I used to wash my greasy hands back in the day (1960s) in transformer pcb and I am still here at 83. However I suffer from prostate cancer (12 years). No argument about long term exposure. By the way just do a sniff test on the cap. You will detect a sweet odor if it is pcb. and yes this old caps will outlast the modern vapor deposited film caps since all the old caps used real foil between the paper insulation (film insulation for later ones). The AL vapor coated film caps are junk but that is what we are stuck with.
@@oldguy2800 now explain babies to well under age to have PCB exposure and full of cancer humans ;)
it's the old point and blame game, point and blame everything but the real issues at hand. like preservatives and chemical leeching from most every products on the market today.
it's unavoidable and likely the same pharmaceutical drugs many take to stay alive are also causing it, never ending saga of nobody cares because some fat cats are making big $$$