Heat Pump Capacitor

All Contractor Marketing on March 7, 2016

Heat Pump Capacitor

HEATING * HEAT PUMP CAPACITOR

7MAR

WHAT DOES A HEAT PUMP CAPACITOR DO?

A capacitor is an electrical component that helps in storing an electrical charge for a temporary period of time. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Various electronic machines have capacitors fitted in them, and therefore one of them is the heat pump.

Heat Pump
Heat pump capacitors store energy, and on demand, release the energy to run the motor or compressor quickly. In simple words, a capacitor jump-starts a motor or compressor.

Generally, a heat pump is fitted with 2 types of capacitors. They include a start capacitor which sends a jolt to start the motor, and a run capacitor which sends a regular series of jolts to maintain the running of the motor.

Failures in Heat Pump Capacitors
Capacitors can fail out completely or simply lose their strength. They will lose the capacity of holding a charge. One of the main reasons capacitors generally fail is because of lighting strikes. Capacitors are made with certain allowable operating ranges and when they go above these specified ranges, they can also fail.

HVAC Services

When a capacitor in a heat pump fails, it can prevent the connected motor to run efficiently. This is the reason why machines using capacitors, like the air conditioner tends to lose its ability to run efficiently.

 The compressor motor which is in charge or running the air conditioner will lose strength and eventually the air conditioner will not cool. On the other hand, if the capacitor in outside fan does not work well, the compressor will stop working, and if the capacitor in the indoor fan does not work well, the indoor fan stops, and there will be no air blowing through the vent.

One hint that the capacitor is going bad is when an air conditioner struggles to turn on. A delayed start up of the air conditioner can indicate a weakening capacitor.

Contact Green Heating and Cooling to discuss your heat pump today!