air conditioner condensor - power draw

[rkunz2]

I own a york system that is draw a surge of power every 90 seconds - any thoughts. I removed fan unit and cleaned leaves from around unit, to no avail. The unit doesn't appear to cooling as it has in the past. Is the power draw related to low refrigerant levels???

[Ed Imeduc]

You dont say what you have are use to say this. When you read a full 220V at the unit . Then you want to read the comprressor with a amprobe. Yes on start up you will see a amp surge after that it should stay the same.A TXV valve ccould make it move some. Low freon???? Is the big copper pipe cold and wet if so you can be ok on freon.

ED ;)

[rkunz2]

The big copper pipe is not cold and wet. After start-up the system is drawing 1.8 to 2.0 amps, every 90 seconds it spikes upward to 130 to 156 amps. Is this due to the low freon, and or the txv valve?

It is providing some cooling - should I shut the system down until it is looked at?

What is the txv valve?

[Ed Imeduc]

Ring out the compressor sounds like its bad or a capacitor is out and its all trying to start and ride the klixon. Turn it off till you find out what is what.

ED :wall: