# Home A/C question **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [July 17, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581 "2008-07-17T14:34:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jeff95TA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeff95ta/32/5935_2.png) [@Jeff95TA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeff95TA)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/1 "2008-07-17T14:34:21Z")
I got home and no A/C. The blower on the furnace is running but not the condenser unit. I would think low charge but this happened one other time when the power was off. And like last time, the thermostat set itself to 74, when I know it was on 76. Last time I just turned evreything off (thermostat to off, switch on furnace off, and condenser breaker off). That didn’t work this time. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![BlackZ28](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blackz28/32/5932_2.png) [@BlackZ28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BlackZ28)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/2 "2008-07-17T14:51:09Z")
check the capacitor on the condenser unit and also the “power plug” in the box outside… does the fan or the compressor come on at all outside? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff95TA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeff95ta/32/5935_2.png) [@Jeff95TA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeff95TA)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/3 "2008-07-17T14:53:55Z")
> [@Call-out... will someone race me? SOUTHGATE @ 8](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/call-out-will-someone-race-me-southgate-8/37140/37): > > check the capacitor on the condenser unit and also the “power plug” in the box outside… does the fan or the compressor come on at all outside? Nothing comes on outside. ---
**Author:** ![tom\_vito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tom_vito/32/6000_2.png) [@tom\_vito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tom_vito)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/4 "2008-07-17T14:55:13Z")
I have a much older unit, but mine has a “reset” button on it. AS do all of the commericial units at work, look for something like that. ---
**Author:** ![oneslowbowtie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@oneslowbowtie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/oneslowbowtie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/5 "2008-07-17T16:27:12Z")
Take the panel off of the outside unit, The electrical section( contactor& capacitor, may be a control board depending if it is a heat pump or not) push the contacts in on the contactor for a second or 2 to see if the cond. fan & compressor turn on and run, just a few seconds. if they do you may have a bad furnace board or t-stat, pinched wire. Also check for spider webs or dead bugs between the contacts of the contactor. Also if it is a capacitor sometimes they swell up or expand if theyare bad. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff95TA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeff95ta/32/5935_2.png) [@Jeff95TA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeff95TA)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/6 "2008-07-17T17:01:05Z")
Here’s a picture of what’s in there. I assume the cylinder at the top right is the capacitor. A couple of the spade terminals have some corrosion. Maybe clean those up? Does flipping the breaker kill **all** the power or does the cap need to discharge first? I don’t want to start pulling hot wires! I can hear a slight electrical hum in the condensing unit when I turn the thermostat on and the furnace blower is going. Not sure what contactor you mean. If I don’t get anywhere in the next hour I’ll just call someone to come out. ---
**Author:** ![Bravada\_442](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bravada_442/32/5982_2.png) [@Bravada\_442](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bravada_442)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/7 "2008-07-17T17:21:30Z")
> [@Networking nerds enter](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/networking-nerds-enter/37144/19): > > Here’s a picture of what’s in there. I assume the cylinder at the top right is the capacitor. A couple of the spade terminals have some corrosion. Maybe clean those up? Does flipping the breaker kill **all** the power or does the cap need to discharge first? I don’t want to start pulling hot wires! > > I can hear a slight electrical hum in the condensing unit when I turn the thermostat on and the furnace blower is going. > > Not sure what contactor you mean. > > If I don’t get anywhere in the next hour I’ll just call someone to come out. Sounds like a contactor. But damn is that cap rusty. I don’t believe flipping the cap kills all the power, I believe the cap will hold some power in reserve. If you don’t get anywhere and need to call someone out, PM me. I can try my best to get someone out tomorrow or Sat at the latest. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff95TA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeff95ta/32/5935_2.png) [@Jeff95TA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeff95TA)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/8 "2008-07-17T17:28:26Z")
Believe it or not I got it working! I removed what looked like the leads from the thermostat to the contactor coil, sprayed them with contact cleaner, scuffed them up a little, and moved the contactor in and out in case it was sticking. I’m on a roll this month! Water heater pilot wouldn’t stay lit and replacing the the thermocouple fixed it. That’s what I like. $10 and $0 fixes. Thanks for the help guys! Now the family won’t have to sleep in the cool dirty basement tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Pewter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pewter/32/5936_2.png) [@Pewter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pewter)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/home-a-c-question/198581/9 "2008-07-17T17:47:50Z")
hit it with a hammer