Replace capacitor on AC unit


Replace capacitor on AC unit
My wife and I almost made it through the whole summer on our 24 year old AC unit without any issues. The last hot weekend (labor day weekend) in New Jersey is when this 24 year old unit decided it was time to provide some agita. Prior to this day, I had no experience fixing an AC unit, and I had conjured the courage to identify the issue. As you can see in the image, the capacitor for the AC unit was not only completely rusted, but not capable of storing any charge. I had hope. If I could replace this part, maybe... just maybe this old AC unit can live on. However, I encountered another issue - I could not open the body panel of the AC unit as it was rusted shut! A simple solution - WD-40 Multi-Use Product. I sprayed the fasteners down and within a minute or two they loosened up for me to gain access to the entire inside of the AC unit. I was able to not only replace the capacitor, but clean out the coils and remove dirt/debris in the belly pan. I am happy to report that the AC unit started working again, and I even was able to calculate the difference in amperage before and after. Our AC unit is now working more efficiently by replacing the capacitor and cleaning the coils! Thanks for making my life easier, WD-40!