Old timer told me to swap capacitor values and it saved a 3-day headache

A repair guy I met at a parts counter in Pittsburgh told me to always use a 50 microfarad cap instead of the 45 the manual says on certain AC units. I tried it on a Lennox unit last Tuesday that kept tripping the breaker, and it fired right up and ran smooth. Anyone else get advice that went against the book but actually worked?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.victor15d ago

Read something similar on a HVAC forum a while back where a guy swore by bumping up the run cap by 5 mfd on older compressors that were dragging. Said it helps compensate for wear and tear without hurting anything as long as you stay within 10% of the original spec. I can see how that would save you a headache on a Lennox, those things are finicky.

adam_butler3815d ago

Tried the exact same thing on a Rheem unit a few months back. The compressor was humming but not kicking on, swapped the 45 mfd for a 50 and it started right up, no more issues. Buddy of mine thought I was crazy for deviating from the manual but it worked like a charm. Just gotta make sure you don't go too far over or you'll cook the windings, but 5 mfd bump seems safe based on what I've seen.