air conditioner won't turn on

[retiredmika]

does anybody have a good repair person for air conditioners.
ours won't turn on and it is saturday. yes we changed the batteries on the thermostat

[retiredguy123]

Munn's works on Saturday, and they will usually show up the same day you call.

[Bjeanj]

Silly question, probably but did you check the circuit breaker?

[graciegirl]

We highly recommend Sunshine Air. They are the people who put in the unit when it was built and we have kept them to service it and change filters. It quit one time and they fixed it at eleven at night. Very nice people.

[Stu from NYC]

We are using Munns and happy with them

[villagetinker]

Check the drain switch (too much water in the A/C because the drain is blocked). On our unit it is to the left on a white vertical pipe with a wire coming out the top. I think you can remove the switch, see if the A/C starts, if so replace the switch, and clear out the drain line. There are many posts about how to do that.

[raynan]

Munn's

[Stu from NYC]

Hoping the OP comes back and tells us what happened

[Toymeister]

I am fairly confident that this is a bad capacitor. It is a 16.00 part which you will be charged 300.00 for installed.

[Kilmacowen]

I am fairly confident that this is a bad capacitor. It is a 16.00 part which you will be charged 300.00 for installed.

I changed mine before it went. Very easy with YouTube video. Purchased new one on Repairclinic, they also have a video. Ordered 2 , 1 for spare. Amazon has them but make sure there not from China.

[Toymeister]

I changed mine before it went. Very easy with YouTube video. Purchased new one on Repairclinic, they also have a video. Ordered 2 , 1 for spare. Amazon has them but make sure there not from China.

I agree, I replace mine biannually.

If my wife knew it was 300 installed she would do it herself. She is certainly not one who is into manual labor, not at all

[Altavia]

Check the drain switch (too much water in the A/C because the drain is blocked). On our unit it is to the left on a white vertical pipe with a wire coming out the top. I think you can remove the switch, see if the A/C starts, if so replace the switch, and clear out the drain line. There are many posts about how to do that.

Agree, first thing to check

Some are wired such that the display on the thermostat goes blank if the overflow switch activates.

[retiredguy123]

I think, if the capacitor is bad, the outside fan will still run, but the compressor won't. But, if the condensate float switch is tripped, nothing will operate.

[Stu from NYC]

You guys sure know your stuff but for people like me thinking you are expecting too much.

When dealing with anything electrical have a fear of getting electrocuted and would rather pay someone to do it.

Having said that hope the OP comes back with what he actually did.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

I am fairly confident that this is a bad capacitor. It is a 16.00 part which you will be charged 300.00 for installed.

Could also be the contactor. I have had dead bugs cause a contactor to fail to close. Blew them out with air and back in business.

[Topspinmo]

I think, if the capacitor is bad, the outside fan will still run, but the compressor won't. But, if the condensate float switch is tripped, nothing will operate.

Usually the unit will just hum’s with fan not turning. You can spin the fan and it will take off. But, guess it depends one which circuit blows?

[camaguey48]

does anybody have a good repair person for air conditioners.
ours won't turn on and it is saturday. yes we changed the batteries on the thermostat
Check the circuit breakers. Also check the overflow valve. If there’s an obstruction, the valve will shut the system. Flush out the pipe with water from your garden hose. Use a nozzle..

[Tom2172]

Drain backed up
It’s shuts the unit down

[woderfulwendy1]

does anybody have a good repair person for air conditioners.
ours won't turn on and it is saturday. yes we changed the batteries on the thermostat

I woke up last Saturday and my A/C was not working. Called Nick who does our and many neighbors A/C and just put a split into our bedroom. He walked me through a few things on the phone making sure I had tried the obvious. When that didn't work he came over in 20 min. Ended up finding a wire that a critter had chewed through outside. Fixed it and charged me a fraction of what the "name brand" companies would change. Call Nick's A/C if you want the best without being ripped off. 3526039321

[retiredguy123]

Usually the unit will just hum’s with fan not turning. You can spin the fan and it will take off. But, guess it depends one which circuit blows?
I think you are correct. The last time I needed a capacitor, the outside fan was still running, but not the compressor. If the entire outside unit does nothing, it is more likely that the circuit breaker has tripped or the condensate float switch has turned off the system.

[wamley]

did you change the humidistat. I believe it has too be in the on position when premises is occupied

[wamley]

when occupied the humidistat has to be in the ON position.

[tjboxer79]

Vince's air

[jrrebecky@att.net]

Check the clear bulb on the front of the air conditioner in the closet. If you see water, you need to flush out the line with hot water, it’s clogged. That will clear the condensation pipe, empty bulb and reset the thermostat and restart the air conditioner.

[willbush]

This is why I pour hot water with bleach 1st of every month (except when we leave in motorhome for 3 months each summer but not this summer due to COVID-19) - Also flush out with hose every 4 months; neighbors who didn't do this (like I told them) had theirs plug up & cost $ to have A/C company;only takes a few minutes (4 including filling gallon jug).

[rmagee]

If the drain line is blocked by algae or critters it won't turn on. Ours had that occur. Bleach and water down the line cleared it right up. Some folks use vinegar. Try it. The drain line should be near the inside A/C (furnace). Should have removable cap.

[Stu from NYC]

This is why I pour hot water with bleach 1st of every month (except when we leave in motorhome for 3 months each summer but not this summer due to COVID-19) - Also flush out with hose every 4 months; neighbors who didn't do this (like I told them) had theirs plug up & cost $ to have A/C company;only takes a few minutes (4 including filling gallon jug).

We had a problem with our A/C few weeks ago which was caused by the drain line being clogged.

Friend told us to pour Bleach in to unclog which we did and it did help to clear it out.

Day later we had Munns come in to do a PM and he advised us never to use bleach.

The fumes from Bleach are very corrosive and can do serious harm to your system.

Recommended to only use vinegar.

[neelie]

Sunshine Air Conditioning Belleview 352-245-1139 I highly recommend them

[philoret]

SunKool was reasonable. There is a power relay called a Connector which turns on the high voltage outside compressor. On some units this relay has open contacts in which insects can contaminate the contacts -- literally the origin of the term bug in electronics, from WWII. Mine had a cover on the contacts but was not screwed on so they got in through the screw holes. Used nylon screws for safety, but had to do myself. Guy said it is a common problem here.

[noslices1]

If your unit is more than 12 years old, time to replace it.

[OhioBuckeye]

I am fairly confident that this is a bad capacitor. It is a 16.00 part which you will be charged 300.00 for installed.

I agree, they should go outside & see if they hear a humming noise coming from the unit outside. Our house got hot too & I had several people tell me that the Capacitor went bad so I bought a new capacitor for $20. (in 2018) & did it myself in 10mins. The company that install the unit said it would cost $280. It was very simple to do as long as you discharge the capacitor first, then it was very simple. Install then turn the circuit breaker back on. Cool Air!

[Labanz]

For every one that posted info on a capacitor, when it goes bad the fan may or may not run. The same with compressor, it may or may not run.

The capacitor in most all of the ac’s here in the villages are dual capacitors that work with both the fan and compressor. Depending on what section of the capacitor failed would determine if the fan, compressor, or both would not run.
The humming is the motor or compressor trying to run and going off on internal safety. When it cools down it will try again.
Your welcome from Good Guys Air, resident of the village of LaBelle.

[Pickleballer3]

Be careful if you change the capacitor, even an old capacitor can give you a good shock. Also, if the inside fan does not comes on, then the starting capacitor is not the problem.

[Lil GTO]

Most likely the capacitor which if it is is an inexpensive repair. Try Sun Kool they are local and installed your equipment when the house was built we’ve used them for the 3 years we’ve owned our home and always good service and consistent. 352-622-1067.

does anybody have a good repair person for air conditioners.
ours won't turn on and it is saturday. yes we changed the batteries on the thermostat

[edlavoie]

does anybody have a good repair person for air conditioners.
ours won't turn on and it is saturday. yes we changed the batteries on the thermostat

If you have not had it fixed yet, I have used DeSantis Appliance & A/C Service before (ask for Storm-yes that's his name). Note: the battery in your thermostat does not run the system, it only remembers your program/set temps, etc. during power outages. Some of the more common problems I have encountered are: (1) Condensate drain clogged (safety switch will not allow unit to start), (2) breaker tripped (may indicate another issue), (3) bad capacitor on fan motor (cheap fix), (4) bad capacitor on compressor motor (more costly) other than more serious problems like bad compressor or leak in the refrigerant line.

[donassaid]

Whatever you do, avoid Sun Kool.

[Bjeanj]

Probably off-topic, but Rapscallion, I laughed out loud when I saw your tag line. :-)

[rjm1cc]

I think you are correct about the fan.

[rjm1cc]

I do this monthly with a gallon of hot water followed by a cup of vinegar. After about 7 years pipe was partly clogged and system still working. Used my hose to flush out. Your suggestion of using the hose every few months is a good one. I have an opening for the hose on the side of the heater. Do not use the same input as you do for the vinegar.

[OhioBuckeye]

For every one that posted info on a capacitor, when it goes bad the fan may or may not run. The same with compressor, it may or may not run.

The capacitor in most all of the ac’s here in the villages are dual capacitors that work with both the fan and compressor. Depending on what section of the capacitor failed would determine if the fan, compressor, or both would not run.
The humming is the motor or compressor trying to run and going off on internal safety. When it cools down it will try again.
Your welcome from Good Guys Air, resident of the village of LaBelle.

I hear what your saying but if fan won’t run, it’s the high voltage side of the capacitor, then when the voltage surges then the low voltage will kick in & keep the air conditioner running. Yes, some have 2 capacitors but I bet you 85 to 90% of the homes have only 1 capacitor in their air conditioner. I would still bet it’s the capacitor that’s bad. For 20 or $30. I would change the capacitor. Surely there’s someone that can pull 3 or 4 wires off the capacitor & discharge it & put new one in. Maybe you’re right about dual capacitors but I know 4 people that changed their bad capacitor & all 4 had 1 capacitor. Then again maybe I just got lucky & talked to the ones that had only one.