My central air conditioner suddenly stopped working. I replaced the fuses next to the unit in the disconnect box, and then I turned off the thermostat and left the unit disconnected for about thirty minutes. After reconnecting everything and turning the thermostat back on, nothing happened at first. However, about an hour later, I noticed that the AC unit is making a buzzing sound, but the fan isn't spinning at all. Even when I disconnect the unit again, the buzzing sound still continues. Can anyone help me figure out what might be going wrong?
4 Answers
It sounds like you might have a bad start capacitor. These things can be easily replaced if you're handy—check out some DIY videos on YouTube! You can usually get a new one for around $20. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, an HVAC technician can help you out, but expect to pay around $75 for the same part plus labor. Just something to consider!
I've taken a look inside my condenser unit, and it only has one capacitor, which doesn't seem bulged or visibly damaged. I thought there would be two capacitors. Is this normal?
I also think the capacitor is the first thing to look at. If you have a multimeter handy, you could test it yourself to see if it's still functioning. Just make sure you discharge it first to avoid a nasty shock! A new capacitor is pretty cheap and you can swap it out in under five minutes. But be careful—my experience found out that sometimes it’s more than just the capacitor. I ended up replacing the motor too after thinking it was just the capacitor. Not a fun extra job, so if you're unsure, calling a pro might be better!
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely check that out.
Totally agree! An experienced HVAC pro can quickly identify these buzzing sounds. I once had a buzzing fridge that was fixed in no time—those guys know their stuff!