Carrier AC / compressor kicks off

[Rick B.]

Hello guys, I have a Central Air unit: Carrier - model number 38EHO24310DC. When I went to turn the unit on this spring the fan turns on in outside unit and the compressor starts for 4-5 seconds and then the Contactor kicks off and on and off and on 3-4 times. The fan just continues to run but no compressor. I have voltage being sent to the unit from the thermostat. If I disconnect the thermostat and push the Contactor button the fan and the compressor both run and the inside unit begins to get cold.
When the thermostat is connected and the power is send to the outside unit, the fan immediately comes on, the compressor starts for 3-5 seconds and then the Contactor starts jumping on and off, the compressor does a few chugs and then stops, the cooling fan continues to run and the compressor tries to restart after 5-6 minutes. It continues to cycle this way.
The contacts are clean on the Contactor switch. Something is causing the contact solenoid to disengage the power contacts.
The only success I've had waiting for the unit to cool, pushing and holding the Contactor button. Both the fan and compressor seem to work fine when this is done, but my wife is unwilling to hold the button outside to keep me cool. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ed Imeduc]

Dont know the unit but you can have a low pressure cut out there that is doing this to you. Then when you hold it for a time it can ridethe klixon on and off.Dont have the wife hold it in to long can cost you more $$$ in the long run.

ED ;)

[mattison]

Take the sta off the wall and jump R+Y+G and see how it runs. If it runs good get a new stat.

[KField]

I'm with Ed. There is probably a low-pressure cut-out and it is there to prevent the compressor from running when the refrigerant is low. If you have a leak on the suction side of the unit and run it by holding in the contactor, you may draw contamination into the system. You are also probably only to get a fraction of the units capacity. You could jump out the low pressure switch just to see if it is the reason for the cut-out but you will still have to call for service to get it repaired.

Ken