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You would know that it would wait until it got real hot for the air conditioner to go out. Lennox system 4 yrs old. Fan runs, compressor doesn't. I have seached for a reset button, turned it off to let it 'rest', but doesn't come back on.

Any ideas? Gonna be a hot weekend - don't think I'll pay w/e call rates.
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Well I got a call back from the friendly service folks and they said $150/hr that ain't gonna happen so I pushed on. I found a reset button (lower left) inside the compressor unit outside. When I pushed it (w/out power) and then turned the breaker on and got a hum - but that's all. I was able to push the fan to get it to run and then every so often the hum would kick in and then back off.



The hum seemed to be coming from either the compressor or this thing on the side of it (little black box)


Then I wondered about the scum on the frame under this thing - probably normal but don't look right..


The digital thermostat looks normal (except for the current temp reading). I put fresh batteries in it just in case. The inside gas furnace and the a/c is 6 years old (still looking for the paperwork). For those more technical the inside unit model is G24M3/4 - 10A - 11 and the outside unit is HS26-042-2P. I get two alternating green blinks on the inside unit. Blower runs no matter if thermostat fan switch is in the "on" or "auto" position. How much is a capacitor for one of these things? Steve, are you fishing today? Where's AJ? The sun's getting higher - help! Thanks

Your wife is kinder than mine...I would be paying the weekend & night rates or going to a motel

Don't know of any resets, it's usually a relay or bad board... are you tied into a energy savings plan? Where they have a box connected to your compressor and cut it off during peak usage? I had one of those once, they cut it off when it's hot and then your fan runs for ever and when the compressor is released to come back on, it runs twice as long....I'm still crunching the numbers and looking for energy savings

BTW, they never go out until it's hot or cold

Lennox ...I feed one hundreds of dollars over a 7 year period...I wouldn't take a free one ...sorry, HVAC and fishing get me excited


Good luck

Mine was doing the same thing a few weeks ago,found breaker in breaker box tripped.different breakers for fan and compressor on mine.

Your system is under a minimum 5 year warranty,possibly 10 years. Call them NOW. The original installer is responsible for it. Lennox systems contain a number of redundant switches and relays. The problem however,may just be a bad capacitor.
P.S. If you find out it is older than 5 and out of warranty,I'll be happy to fix it for you tomorrow.
P.S.S.(at regular rates)

RodBow wrote:You would know that it would wait until it got real hot for the air conditioner to go out. Lennox system 4 yrs old. Fan runs, compressor doesn't. I have seached for a reset button, turned it off to let it 'rest', but doesn't come back on.

Any ideas? Gonna be a hot weekend - don't think I'll pay w/e call rates.

Keyboardsstillonthefritz.

Whatisthisairconditioneryouspeakof?

Thishousehasone.WeeventurneditonlastJuly,justtoseeifitworked.Itsbeenoffsincethen.

Thatremindsmeofafunny.

Ijustfinishedmowingthe7thteeboxesatworkyesterday.Imputtingthemarkersbackonwhenaguy,
wholooksabouttenyearsyoungerthanme,comesup,dropshisgolfbag,andflopsdownonthebenchcomplainingabouthowhotitis.

Imthinking.
HOT!!??Its9ofreakinclockinthemorning.Comebackinabout4hoursonacloudlessdaywhentheresnobreeze.
ThenmaybewecantalkHOT.ForHeavenssake,theresstilldewonthegrass.
Gladyourenotrunningaroundinadesertinfullbattledress.

IthinkwhatIactuallysaidwassomethingalongthelinesof,Yes,itisstartingtowarmupalittle.

Ineversawhimagainafterthefrontnine.

Charles,
I think you should turn on your CAPS lock just for fun.

HOWBOUTALLCAPSWITHNOPUNCTUATION

ITSDIFFICULTTOTYPEWITHOUTHITTINGTHESPACEBARTHOUGHIKEEPHITTINGITWITHATHUMBSTROKEEVENTHOUGIKNOWITDOESNTDOANYTHING

Now that's a deal right there....two for JT51....Well, then again what is his regular rate

Jumptrout51 wrote:Your system is under a minimum 5 year warranty,possibly 10 years. Call them NOW. The original installer is responsible for it. Lennox systems contain a number of redundant switches and relays. The problem however,may just be a bad capacitor.
P.S. If you find out it is older than 5 and out of warranty,I'll be happy to fix it for you tomorrow.
P.S.S.(at regular rates)

btt

That's what mine did when I had to replace the compressor...I was within of two months being out of warranty....Only way to tell is to put a gauge on the compressor...but the capacitor doesn't look too sporty either

Look up Steve Taylor in the phone book and call him...

That round grungy looking device is a capacitor. From your description,that is youir problem. It starts and runs your outdoor fan motor and your compressor. The humming you hear is your compressor attempting to start. It is not getting the power boost from the capacitor and continuosly trips out.Some capacitors go bad from age,loose wiring,power surges thru your incoming supply from brownouts and lightning,etc.
Yours is a dual capacitor that runs both the compressor and the fan. It probably is a 40+5mfd 370volts(maybe a 440volts). You can turn off your power to the unit,short out the capacitor leads with a screwdriver,remove the wires(after marking where they go),remove the cap. Once removed you can read the cap values on the opposite side. If in doubt about the voltages a 440volt cap will replace both a 370and 440. A 440 must be replaced with a 440v.
Your terminal connections will be marked C F H(herm).These are for Common-Fan-Compressor(H/Herm/hermetics). There will be one wire on F,one on H and one or more on C. If they are not as I describe make a schematic and rewire accordingly.
Your wires must go back exactly or else!
The only place YOU might find one today is Marcone Appliance Parts before NOON. Otherwise anyone in refrigeration or HVAC will have them on their truck(including me).
Part cost approximately $40.00.
The reset button you are talking about only comtrols low voltage power in case of a loss of refrigerant.
You should also verify power thru your contactor to both T1 and T2. One leg may not be coming thru. The contactor is the device that your incoming power attaches to.

Chalk wrote:That's what mine did when I had to replace the compressor...I was within of two months being out of warranty....Only way to tell is to put a gauge on the compressor...but the capacitor doesn't look too sporty either

Look up Steve Taylor in the phone book and call him...

The outdoor fan motor not working indicates the capacitor has failed. If it were the compressor usually the fan motor will still run.

I thought he said he was able to push the fan and get it running....

Yes,you can start the fan by hand and it will continue to run. The hand start compensates for the capacitor jumpstart. It takes much less amperage to run than it does start. The fact that the fan motor will run also probably means the contactor is good.