We always look forward to the comforts of home after struggling all day tirelessly. Visualize coming home and still feeling uneasy due to some malfunction in the air conditioning system.
Summers can be very harsh on people. The scorching heat makes it intolerable to enjoy or do activities outdoors. The cool air from the air conditioning unit brings a sense of relief and solace after coming home. It’s important to learn how to recognize potential issues before they turn your home into a dismal sauna during the hot summer season. The AC contactor is one of the pieces you should accustom yourself to. It’s a part that needs to be supplanted now and then, but it’s a fairly simple fix.
What is an AC Contactor?
A contactor is an electrical transmitter or relay in the air conditioning unit. It controls the flow of electricity to numerous portions. For instance, it sends current to the condenser and the outdoor fan motor. A contactor enables or prevents electricity from the air conditioner. It is an electrically regulated switch that is utilized for switching an electrical power circuit. Generally, a contractor is regulated by a lower power level circuit than the switched circuit; that is, a coil electromagnet of 24-volt controls a motor switch of 230-volt.
AC Contactor Failure Symptoms
Three main indications that imply a bad contactor in your AC are:
- Chattering: The plunger tends to chatter when the contacts are filthy or when the coil wears out. A chattering sound is heard when the plunger struggles to make contact but is incompetent to do so. It fails and instead generates the noise.
- Melting: In severe cases, you may see that the plastic casing on the contactor has softened. This points towards the fact that the contractor needs prompt replacement.
- Humming: When the air conditioner is turned on, a humming sound can be heard; however, it does not power on. The coil makes a humming noise, but the button isn’t being pulled in; therefore, the contact is still not made. Manually shoving in the button will get your air conditioning unit working normally. The humming sound is also a sign of fragile coils or unclean contacts.
Repairing or Replacing a Contractor
Thus, we know that there are three major reasons for the AC contractor’s failure. These are:
- Dusty Contacts
- Weak Coils
- Complete Breakdown
It is possible to carry out restorations for all the above cases, but ideally, they are not worth the effort. It would be more reasonable to replace the impaired component. It is a more economically feasible decision. These days replacements are easily available and that too for a fairly reasonable price.
Cool Air Designs, one of the best AC contractors in Babylon, is devoted to client service and has a decent A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We are completely insured and are authorized in Suffolk and Nassau Counties. We work with homeowners to help simplify the authorization process. We provide the best AC installation in Babylon. Call us now at (631) 676-7733 and book your appointment today!
