A/C powers down, won't power back up
I have a Duo Therm Brisk Air on my '95 Coachmen fifth wheel. Two weeks ago, I replaced the start capacitor. This capacitor doesn't seen to have the chip thing on top and the whole a/c bursts to life ...
Forum Discussion
I hate to be Bearer of Bad News, but here's my take on your statements:
Your compressor is failing.
I think the compressor can start when it's cold. When it runs till it cycles, it gets hot enough to bind it up. After an extended period, it cools enough to be able to start again. This will take extra time if you don't do something to get the power away from it, because it'll try to start and cycle out on its own built in "Klixon" safety device.
Get a clamp-on AC ammeter (Harbor Freight $20 one will be just fine). Read the tag on the compressor. It'll have Start Amps, Run Amps, and Locked Rotor Amps. You probably won't be able to meter it for Start, since that's a fast surge and many meters won't trap that. But once it starts, you should see the Run amps. My guess is that Run amps will be above the plate spec. But then when it's groaning, you'll see Locked Rotor Amps and that's what shouldn't be.
That or... Possibly defective or wrong application on the capacitor(s) or hard start kit.
And I hope I'm wrong. See my comments on other recent A/C issues and I usually suspect the Capacitor.
Your compressor is failing.
I think the compressor can start when it's cold. When it runs till it cycles, it gets hot enough to bind it up. After an extended period, it cools enough to be able to start again. This will take extra time if you don't do something to get the power away from it, because it'll try to start and cycle out on its own built in "Klixon" safety device.
Get a clamp-on AC ammeter (Harbor Freight $20 one will be just fine). Read the tag on the compressor. It'll have Start Amps, Run Amps, and Locked Rotor Amps. You probably won't be able to meter it for Start, since that's a fast surge and many meters won't trap that. But once it starts, you should see the Run amps. My guess is that Run amps will be above the plate spec. But then when it's groaning, you'll see Locked Rotor Amps and that's what shouldn't be.
That or... Possibly defective or wrong application on the capacitor(s) or hard start kit.
And I hope I'm wrong. See my comments on other recent A/C issues and I usually suspect the Capacitor.
