How To Install a Hard Start Kit on an AC Condenser
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Where To Start?
Electricity is very dangerous so if you’re not confident working with it, it’s always better to call a professional. As always, before you even consider touching anything inside your AC, turn off all power going to the unit. There is normally either a disconnect to pull out or a breaker/switch to flip off. This guide assumes that you have looked to make sure the unit has both a good capacitor and a good contactor installed.
What You’ll Need
Thankfully, this is a fairly simple job that shouldn’t require anything you don’t already have lying around at home. The only thing you’ll need to go out and buy should be the hard start kit.
Installation
The first thing you’ll want to do is locate the capacitor. Before touching it, take an insulated screwdriver and connect the all the terminals on the capacitor. Capacitors are able to store a charge long after power has been cut from the circuit and by connecting the terminals with a screwdriver, you ensure it discharges its charge on it and not your fingers. Next, take your hard start and connect the lead with the extra terminal spot to the common block and the other to the herm block. Finally, mount the kit inside the unit by either screwing it on or clipping it on anything that isn’t carrying electricity.
Final Notes
That’s it, you’re done. With everything properly installed, your unit should have that bit of extra ‘umph’ to keep working for the years to come. If in the event your compressor still didn’t start up, it’s probably time to switch it out for a new one. That being said, the cost of replacing an out of warranty compressor is comparable to that of replacing the entire unit.