Air Conditioning - My guess it's a capacitor...

My Goodman CPKE21 1AB outside unit is not turining on at all. I hear the relay click and a humming sound coming from the unit but nothing is going. As the title suggests, my guess is that it's the capacitor but I could be wrong. If it is, how do I go about discharging it, removing it, and replacing it. Also, how do I know what kind of capacitor I need to buy. Any help would be greatly apreciated. Thanks.

Goodmans are notorious for the cap going bad. To discharge it just make sure the electric is off, then take a well insulated screwdriver and short it across the caps terminals. Then make note of or take a digital picture of where the wires go. Take the old cap out and take it with you to a local HVAC parts store or a electric motor shop and get one that matches exactly.

When I open up the unit, all I see are the motor, refrigerant, and a bunch of lines. Where exactly is it located?

Look for a can like or a oval can that wire stab into the top. Be sure to mark down how the wires are.

Guys you need to read what they say not just the subject.

rbarnold2626 check the outdoor unit breaker, is it tripped. The click/hum you hear is the compresor/fan contactor.

Matt, Goodmans have a reputation for being trash period. If the cap is bad, I'd think either fan or comp would run or the breaker would trip.

It the outdoor breaker tripped, is there 220 volts out there.

What are you abilities? Do you have a meter? Do you know how to use it?

Chris

Remember that.....

My Goodman's been working great with no problems because it's been sized and installed correctly. This unit should last another 5 years at least. I am hoping to get 20 years out of it.

Once the OP checks his contactor, most likely one end of the wire melted off and he could just crimp on another terminal and try it again. That's what I did 4 years ago. ;)