AC capacitor size help

10 years ago

I've got two older York Air Conditioning Compressor units:

H1CA036S06A
and
H1CA024S06A

probably installed by the former owner in 1990. I just had the condensers cleaned, the system recharged, etc., and the notes for the service call suggested replacing the contactors and the capacitors.

I can read the part number for the contactor, so I'm good there.

But each unit has two capacitors (which the schematic identifies as "fan run" and "compressor run"), and the compressor run capacitors are somewhat rusted and pitted, and I can barely make out a few numbers. On one compressor-run cap, there's something that looks like

*0*F/370V

near the top, but the "*"s are rust spots. (Sigh). Presumably it once said something like 40mF/370V, but who knows? Anyhow, it's a two-terminal cap.

Can anyone suggest the right size for the compressor run capacitor in these units? Perhaps you can tell me the fan-run-cap sizes as well (I might be able to read those -- haven't extracted them yet -- but who knows if they're the correct ones? They might have been incorrectly replaced in the intervening years.)

[I know that higher voltage caps are OK (as long as they fit in the space!) and I've read that "bigger is OK, smaller causes problems," but I've also read "You want to get within 5% of the spec", which seems more plausible to me.]

Thanks in advance for any help.
-John

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Comments (7)

mike_home
10 years ago
"I just had the condensers cleaned, the system recharged,"

Do you have a leak? No reason to recharge unless there is a leak. How much refrigerant was added?

The run capacitors for the condenser and fan are probably 40mf and 5mf respectively. But should confirm the sizes before you replace them. Are the values indicated on the schematic?

My suggestion would be to leave the capacitors alone. The condensers are 23 years old. You are likely to be replacing them in the next few years. If you any type of leak you should be planning the replacement now.
mike_home
10 years ago
Double post.

This post was edited by mike_home on Sat, Aug 10, 13 at 20:36
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jfhspike
Original Author
10 years ago
The invoice says that a total of 3lbs of refrigerant was added to the two systems. The last service was about 8 or 9 years ago.

Thanks for the guesstimate about the capacitor sizes; if no one else has a more precise answer, perhaps I'll go with those numbers.

The schematics (which are barely legible -- very faded ink!) are sort of generic, and apply to many sizes in this series, and have certain parts that are indicated with dotted-line wires and called out saying "14-ton system only" and stuff like that, so no, there are no numbers on that diagram, alas.

I could leave the capacitors alone, as you suggest. I just figured that as long as I was replacing the contactors (the contacts are pretty pitted, partly because of our salt-air environment) I might as well do the caps too -- the fewer times I have to mess with things, the better.

As you suggest, I may be in line for new condensers real soon now. Sigh.

--John
mike_home
10 years ago
Three pounds of refrigerant is a lot. How much did this cost? R22 refrigerant is going up in cost every year. Be prepared to add more refrigerant next spring.
jfhspike
Original Author
10 years ago
3 lbs cost $112. Then again, this was needed after 9 years. Unless the leak is getting worse, it'll be a while before I need to refill again. As you point out, I may well be replacing the condensers before that. :(
fluffybunnysui
10 years ago
The larger unit, H1CA036S06A, uses a CAPACITOR,RUN,40MFD,370V,2" ROUND
CAP,RUN, 5.0/ MFD,370V R:B

The smaller unit ,H1CA024S06A, uses a
CAPACITOR,RUN,25MFD,370V 1-3/4" ROUND
CAP,RUN, 5.0/ MFD,370V R:B

Hope this helps
jfhspike
Original Author
10 years ago
Awesome -- exactly the information I needed. Thanks so much!

--John