Take a pair of needle nose pliers and place the tip around one of the wire connections to the capacitor. Pull the wire upwards until the wire comes loose from the capacitor. It may help to use leverage against the capacitor. Unscrew the screw on the bracket holding the capacitor in place. Remove the capacitor from the unit.
Remove Old Capacitor: Use a nut driver or socket wrench to remove the old capacitor from its bracket. Install the New Capacitor: Secure the new capacitor in place and reattach the wires following your labels. Reconnect Power: Restore power to the AC unit and test it to ensure the fan and compressor start as expected.
Most new capacitors costs less than $60 and an AC contactor is less than $45. However, if you don’t have the necessary skills, or tools, leave these repairs to an HVAC repair professional. To have these professionally replaced typically costs from $90 to $450. Following is how to replace both the capacitor and the contactor.
Hold the capacitor in position with the bracket around it. Screw in the screw holding the bracket in place. Make sure the capacitor is held tightly onto the A/C Reconnect the wires to the capacitor prongs in the same position they were located on the previous capacitor. This can be done with pliers or by hand.
Locate the capacitor in your air conditioning unit. It is a cylindrical or oval-shaped device with wires connected to it. Capacitors are typically found near the condenser unit outside or the air handler unit inside the home. Capacitors have two or three terminals.
The capacitor, sometimes called a “run capacitor,” starts the condenser and the fan in the outdoor unit. If the capacitor fails, the air conditioner won’t run. What are the signs of a failed AC capacitor or contactor? The most common sign of a failed capacitor is a clicking sound followed by a buzz or hum.