Capacitors are small devices that are in charge of your AC’s daily functioning. Without one, your AC will fail to start up even if you’ve taken extra good care of your unit over the years. Capacitors are these small parts that play a vital role in the efficiency of your AC unit during those hot summer days. So it’s important that we talk about everything there is to know about these parts.
In this short and informative article, we are going to discuss everything about capacitors and should your AC unit have one.
To answer that question straight off, yes. Your AC unit needs a capacitor so that it can function properly to keep you cool over the summer.
What is a capacitor?
A capacitor is this small and very clever device that is made out of two metal conductors which are separated by an insulating material. Capacitors look differently on AC units, something like large and cylindrical batteries whose job is to store electors. Capacitors store these electrons so that they can provide your AC unit with the much-needed start-up energy. Every time we start our AC unit, the capacitors build up a charge with electricity.
But what do they actually do?
As soon as we start our AC unit, the energy it requires for it to properly start-up cannot be offered through your home’s wiring. So this is the reason why AC units have these small devices. They provide extra electricity to the circuit, giving them your AC a quick jumpstart every time we use it. AC Run Capacitors are vital for your AC to run properly, without them your AC would never run. Some AC units even use more than one capacitor. There can be one for the motor run, the outside fan motor, the indoor fan, and the start capacitor.
Common reasons as to why capacitors fail
It’s a very common thing for capacitors to fail over time. Capacitors are put under a lot of pressure every time we start our AC unit, so it’s common for these devices to fail, even on a daily bases. But what are the reasons they fail?
• Heat Exposure
If you live in a hotter place, this is the main reason why your AC capacitor fails. The heat is the most damaging element for all AC unit capacitors because they are exposed to immense temperatures that shorten the device’s lifespan. The heat can also cause a lot of damage to your AC unit in general. Some ways to solve this problem is to shade your AC unit and keep it constantly clean so it can do its job properly.
• Voltage Rating
All AC capacitors have a voltage rating and remember, there is more than one capacitor on your AC unit. Homeowners tend to lower the costs by replacing these devices themselves. This can be the real problem why they fail so much sometimes. If you’re inexperienced and don’t really understand what you’re doing, then do understand that you are shortening the lifespan of these devices by doing the repairs yourself. But, if you’ve made out your mind on repairing it yourself, do know that you cannot undersize the capacitor. If your AC unit is a 370-volt unit, then bumping it with a 400-volt capacitor is bound to solve the problems.
