Central Air Conditioning Problem

[Shorelunch]

Our air conditioner shut off on its own last night. It was running fine last night and both the AC unit and the fan turned off. I checked both the circuit breaker and the fuse outside by the AC unit and neither were tripped. We have a digital thermostat and I turned the sytem off amd turned it back on after a few minutes. The fan kicked on the but the AC unit didn't. I've tried a few times turning the system on and off and also turned the fuses on and off but the AC unit won't come on - just the fan.

When we turned the unit on for the first time this year a few months ago, the fan turned on but the unit didn't. I screwed around with the thermostat and the AC unit finally came on and has run fine - until last night.

Any thoughts?

[bigdog]

I have had similar problems in the past, furnace fan turns on but the compressor/fan outside did not. My issue was a relay that would not trip on the compressor. Hitting it with a piece of wood and some WD40 kept things working for a couple years before I had to replace the relay.

[GregT]

Try turning the power, at the furnace, off and on. It is the light switch on the furnace. Sometimes that is enough to reset the system.

[Da Beak]

Could be low on Freon. The compressor will shut down to protect itself from burning out.

[Shorelunch]

If it is the freon, I imagine adding freon is somehting that has to be done by a technician?

[Da Beak]

Yup. State and Feds say ya gotta have a license to play with the stuff. And from what I've been hearing, the HVAC people are pretty busy right now.

[Shorelunch]

I talked to a tech who thinks it may be a fualty thermostat - does that make sense to anyone?

[leechlake]

shorleunch, do you have the dohicky on the unit that the Electric Compnay installs that turns the unit off during high peak times. We do, the electricity costs less but on really hot days it only works like ten minutes for every hour or something and it was triggered yesterday because of the high heat. Just something to think about. I live in Medina also so if you have one it was triggered yesterday.

[Shorelunch]

I don't believe so. I'm just west of 101 and N of 55 off of Evergreen. The AC unit won't come on this morning either. Who's your electricity provider?

[leechlake]

Xcel and ours is working right now, I live in Wild Meadows so we can probably see each others houses.

[Gus]

If you have to call someone to take a look at it or fix it, try using your power company. I had to have someone fix our furnace this winter. I called our gas company and they offer installation and repair. They also had a program where we could spread out the repair bill over 4 months or something like that and it goes right on the monthly bill. This was nice bonus. Good luck. I hope you get it figured out soon! Its hot outside!

[GoodToGo]

I had a similar problem. I pulled the cover off of the control box on the outside unit and noticed a switch that had very obviously burned up. I pulled it out, ordered a new one, and was back in business for about $30. I believe it was the contactor. I'm no HVAC guy, but it was a very easy fix.

[looking 4 a 30]

i own a heating and ac shop, if you cant get it running give me a call. ( you get the FM discount )

952-292-0361

[letsfishjeff]

Check your transformer in your furnace. That controls your magnetic switch on you compresser. You should have 24 volts comming out an 120 volts going in. They are usally located in the blower unit of your furnace. 20.00 fix if thats it.

[pikechaser]

There are a number of things it maybe as listed in previous post's....chances are its probly nothing major, but hard to determine problem without seeing it. Im also in the business, and do sidework for cash. If you still need it looked at drop me an E-mail.... [email protected]

[Shorelunch]

Thanks for all of the advice. Friday after work, I checked the stuff you recommended and everything looked fine. I turned the fuses in the fuse box on and off and then pulled the connection out by the AC and put it back. I waited ten minutes. The thermostat is set for "Fan - Auto" and a 7 day program which I put the button to "Cool" and then press "Run Program". When I switched the button to "Cool" from "Off" just the fan came on but no AC.

Went back out checked everything again, tighted a few screws on the outside shell of the unit. This time I pulled the connection out by the unit (and checked it again) first and then turned the fuses on and off. I waited 10 minutes. This time, when I put the switch on the stat to Cool from Off, I pressed the "Hold Temp" button instead of pressing the "Run Program " button and the AC unit turned on(!).

It's run fine all weekend and I haven't touched the thermostat since. Do you think that using a different program on the thermostat made a difference? It has run fine using the 7 day program in the past. Or was it re-setting the fuses in the correct order? Or was it an act of God that the thing turned on? Should I still have it looked at or is there something I can replace or do?

[dwag70]

Hey looking4 a 30... I think I may need a replacement unit.. The line coming in froze or iced up ..had it recharged but still will not blow cool air...plus the outside unit is hail damaged from years ago... Sound like replacement ?????

And what should I look for ? You get up to the north metro to do work ?