Air Conditioning - Carrier Compressor Won't Turn On
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Carrier Compressor Won't Turn On
bg_27
04-27-08, 01:26 AM
I have a 1 year old Carrier Comfort series AC unit. It is currently not turning on when I set my thermostat to below room temp. The furnace blower turns on fine, but nothing on the compressor unit outside turns on (fan or compressor). I had my wife turn on the AC with me outside and I didn't hear any clicking (not sure if I should be).
I turned it on a few weeks ago for the first time after winter (snow) and it would not turn on then as well. I shut off the inside breaker, then pulled the outside power thing (on/off on the side of my house), and I also checked for some loose cables in my furnace panel (where my thermostat cables come in) cuz i was checking some stuff there earlier this year. After doing all this, it just started working.
Anyway, I did all that again this time and it still will not turn on. Is there anything else I should look at or check before I call someone?
I turned it on a few weeks ago for the first time after winter (snow) and it would not turn on then as well. I shut off the inside breaker, then pulled the outside power thing (on/off on the side of my house), and I also checked for some loose cables in my furnace panel (where my thermostat cables come in) cuz i was checking some stuff there earlier this year. After doing all this, it just started working.
Anyway, I did all that again this time and it still will not turn on. Is there anything else I should look at or check before I call someone?
pflor
04-27-08, 07:35 AM
"Comfort Series" is only a "marketing name/logo" for this line of equipment. Pls post the full M/N of both, the furnace as well as the outdoor condensing unit.
You could have here something as simple as a defective thermostat wire, or as serious as a defective board having an intermittent problem.
You could have here something as simple as a defective thermostat wire, or as serious as a defective board having an intermittent problem.
bg_27
04-27-08, 10:26 AM
My outdoor AC unit is a Carrier model 24ACA
My Furnace is a Carrier 58STA/STX
My Furnace is a Carrier 58STA/STX
Ed Imeduc
04-27-08, 02:14 PM
I have a 1 year old Carrier Comfort series AC unit. It is currently not turning on when I set my thermostat to below room temp.
Id call the guy that put it in first then.
Id call the guy that put it in first then.
pflor
04-27-08, 07:22 PM
How comfortable and "knowlegeable" are you when it comes to working with electricity and controls? Do you have a multimeter?
All of the advice/suggestions that I may post would need you to get your hands on various controls and boards, some 24V, some 120V and some 240V
Ed is right, with a unit as new as yours is, you should demand that the system be inspected/repaired by the original installer, and free of charge.
Carrier, furthermore, is a top notch organization. I imagine they would honor replacements of defective components free of charge.
All of the advice/suggestions that I may post would need you to get your hands on various controls and boards, some 24V, some 120V and some 240V
Ed is right, with a unit as new as yours is, you should demand that the system be inspected/repaired by the original installer, and free of charge.
Carrier, furthermore, is a top notch organization. I imagine they would honor replacements of defective components free of charge.
bg_27
04-28-08, 09:36 AM
Thanks for the replies. I do have a call into them to come out and check it out.
So this happened over the weekend. On Sat it would not start. On Sunday it wouldn't start in the morning but when I tried it in the afternoon it started and ran fine for 8 hours. Then monday morning I tried starting it and it would not start again.
If I were to guess it's as though the AC unit is not getting the signal to start. I am willing to test some stuff tonight regarding the electrical/control and I have a multimeter and I feel comfortable doing it. Please post any troubleshooting that I can do.
Thanks
So this happened over the weekend. On Sat it would not start. On Sunday it wouldn't start in the morning but when I tried it in the afternoon it started and ran fine for 8 hours. Then monday morning I tried starting it and it would not start again.
If I were to guess it's as though the AC unit is not getting the signal to start. I am willing to test some stuff tonight regarding the electrical/control and I have a multimeter and I feel comfortable doing it. Please post any troubleshooting that I can do.
Thanks
Ed Imeduc
04-28-08, 10:08 PM
Like said know what you are doing. Might check. when calling for cool does the contactor get 24 V to it??? Ants in the contactor points?????
bg_27
04-29-08, 09:32 AM
So did a bunch of troubleshooting last night after work (the AC unit turned on fine). Last night we reconnected all contacts with the control wire at my tstat, furnace and AC unit and made sure they were clean and tight.
But this morning it was not working again (outside temp about 7celcius).
1) Used tstat for cooling call, nothing.
2) Left call for cooling on and checked the lights (techassist) on the AC unit, it was indicating it has not yet received a call for cooling. (didnt have the multimeter this morning).
3) Turned off cooling on tstat, waited 5 mins, then jumpered R and Y and the furnace fan turned on, but the AC unit did not. checked lights on AC unit it indicated no call from tstat still.
4) I will be checking voltage tommorow morning (seems not to work in the morning when its cooler outside) on the AC unit. Last night we were getting correct 24v readings at the AC unit when a call for cooling was made. We measured the voltage at various points on the AC unit, before and after switches and relays and had 24 V. Then when no call for cooling was made there was no 24V as expected.
My current suspicion is that the cable from my furnace to the outdoor AC unit may have a break in it, so I am going to replace that and see if that makes a difference. But basically the symptoms are that the AC unit does not work when its a bit cooler outside, but works fine when it warmer, and the fact that my AC unit is indicating no tstat call is making me wonder if the break in the control wire is being affected by temp (contracting, etc.?).
But this morning it was not working again (outside temp about 7celcius).
1) Used tstat for cooling call, nothing.
2) Left call for cooling on and checked the lights (techassist) on the AC unit, it was indicating it has not yet received a call for cooling. (didnt have the multimeter this morning).
3) Turned off cooling on tstat, waited 5 mins, then jumpered R and Y and the furnace fan turned on, but the AC unit did not. checked lights on AC unit it indicated no call from tstat still.
4) I will be checking voltage tommorow morning (seems not to work in the morning when its cooler outside) on the AC unit. Last night we were getting correct 24v readings at the AC unit when a call for cooling was made. We measured the voltage at various points on the AC unit, before and after switches and relays and had 24 V. Then when no call for cooling was made there was no 24V as expected.
My current suspicion is that the cable from my furnace to the outdoor AC unit may have a break in it, so I am going to replace that and see if that makes a difference. But basically the symptoms are that the AC unit does not work when its a bit cooler outside, but works fine when it warmer, and the fact that my AC unit is indicating no tstat call is making me wonder if the break in the control wire is being affected by temp (contracting, etc.?).