Air conditioner or commonly known as AC is a system designed to be able to cool the temperature in the room. Basically, AC works by absorbing hot air in the room and turning it into cold air that is channeled into the room.
Air conditioners that are often used do not rule out the possibility of various problems with the air conditioner. One of the problem is damaged AC capacitor, this can make the AC not cooling, even completely dead.
AC capacitors are components of split AC or other types of AC, which function to store electric charge, or in other words this capacitor is a temporary container used to store electricity.
In addition, the AC capacitor is used to make the voltage stable and turn on the electric motor in the AC section. If the AC capacitor is damaged, of course it will affect the cooling system of the AC.
A sign of a faulty capacitor is that the AC makes an unusual buzzing sound. The electric current that will be used will also be greater, so that the home electricity bill may increase.
Therefore, immediately check and replace your AC capacitor if it is damaged.
Causes of Damaged Capacitors
Basically, capacitors are intentionally made to last a long time. However, there are several things that cause capacitors to fail. Some of the causes of damaged capacitors include:
- Physical damage to the capacitor
The first cause is due to physical damage to the capacitor. Usually due to pressure, falling, or being hit by a blunt object, so that the function of the capacitor is disrupted which causes the capacitor to be damaged.
- The voltage or current flowing is very high or does not meet the specifications of the capacitor
Voltage that is too high can also cause the capacitor to fail. The capacitor has its own value to stabilize the current.
If the current to be stabilized is too high or not according to specifications, it will certainly affect the capacitor itself.
- The capacitor is overheating
Capacitors can become overheat, which is usually caused by overuse.
- The life of the capacitor has run out
This is because of the age factor which has reached the maximum limit of its usage time.
How to Overcome a Damaged AC Capacitor
1. Turn Off the AC First
The first thing you have to do is turn off the AC. This is so that no current flows into the AC system.
You can turn it off by pressing the OFF button and unplugging the AC power plug to ensure that the current is completely cut off.
2. Check Capacitor
Next, you need to check the capacitors inside the AC unit. First find the location of the capacitor in the AC.
AC capacitors are generally shaped like tubes that are black or silver in color with many connection branches to be connected to the AC system.
Once you find the AC capacitor, you can examine the AC capacitor. If the physical AC capacitor looks bloated, it can be ascertained that the capacitor is really damaged.
3. Discharge the Capacitor
As previously mentioned, the AC capacitor is part of the AC system that functions to store charge. So it could be that the AC that you have checked still has a charge.
Because of this, you need to remove the connector that connects it to the AC system. This will make the charge on the capacitor does not work.
To do this, you can remove some of the connectors on one side.
Most capacitors are made to be able to control the high-voltage charge when the capacitor is fully charged. So that when emptying the charge, there will be an electric current that comes out so that it can cause an electric shock.
When removing the capacitor connector, there are a few things you should pay attention to:
- Never touch the capacitor terminals with bare hands. Use a safety tool when removing it.
- Do not rub sharp objects against the physical part of the capacitor, let alone the connector. This can cause a spark due to the current coming out.
- If you are hesitant to do it or even can’t, it’s best to ask for help from an expert. Make sure to discharge the AC capacitor through the resistance load.
Pay close attention to the connector cable as you remove it. You can make a note before you disconnect the cable connector, because this is the most important step.
Pay attention to the color of each cable and where the path of the cables is. When you replace the capacitor, do not misplace the connector cable. If it goes wrong, the consequences will be fatal.
4. Replace the Damaged Capacitor
After that, you can start replacing the damaged capacitor. To replace a damaged capacitor with a new one, you must remove this capacitor by opening the flat metal with the two screws holding it in place.
Unscrew the two screws, then unscrew the flat metal. After that take your AC capacitor which has been damaged. Connect the connector cables correctly according to the path.
How to Choose a New Capacitor
Of course, replacing a damaged capacitor with a new capacitor is not arbitrary. To choose a new capacitor, you must pay attention to the size of the micro-farad (μF) and the voltage of the old capacitor.
The physical shape of the capacitor does not matter; the most important thing is the value written on it.
If you can’t find a capacitor with a suitable value, you can replace it with a capacitor with a value slightly higher than the value of the old capacitor.
That’s the cause and how to deal with a damaged AC capacitor. If you have difficulty in repairing, you should call an experienced AC technician so that this problem is quickly resolved.