Central Air Problem

[kcota15]

I am having trouble with my central air unit. The fan runs and air is being pushed out of the vents. However the air is not being cooled. The outside unit seems to be attempting to start and then quits. The fan on the outside unit works. There is a humming sound for a period of about a second and then clicks off.

Any thoughts on what the issue might be? Possible solutions and estimated costs?

I know these things are sometimes difficult to determine through a forum. Just like everyone else I am looking for a bit of reassurance and maybe any ideas that could avoid a service call.

Thanks for the help.

[jeffreyd]

sounds to me like the compressor might have quit. There is also a start up relay or compasitor and may have gone south. Mine did the same thing cause it had a leak in a line and ran out of freon. Cost me about 3k when it was all said and done, You could also turn off the system and just let the fan run to see if it is frozen but not thinking that is the issue. Good luck

[kcota15]

I'll hope that's not the problem.

Thanks for the info.

[DIESELDAN]

You might get lucky and have a "hard start capacitor" installed its kind of a bandaid but sometimes it works and you may get some more life out your ac. I've seen them make a unit last for several years after they were thought "dead".

[spearchucker]

Could just be a freon level issue. To little or too much.

[JohnMickish]

Could also be the contactor is burnt up. It sounds like it is calling to start but if one side of the contactor is burnt the unit will single phase and not start. Pull the disconnect and then open the side panel, see if you smell or see anything burnt. Freon can also be an issue but if it cooled good up until it quit that is probably not the issue.

[Fishinguy40]

I had a similar issue about three years ago. Compressor acted like it was seized. It would hum and then quit once the overload activated. Had a service guy come out and look at it. He installed a capacitor and it has been working since.

[kcota15]

Service guy just left. Capacitors were bad. Replaced them for $175. What a releif. The deer hunting fund is still intact!

[BobT]

Whew!!! Don't want to be messin' with that hunting budget.

[kcota15]

Whew!!! Don't want to be messin' with that hunting budget.

Boy is that an understatement. Especially since I haven't been deer hunting for three years. I can't wait.