Outside AC unit help

[MassMan]

One of my outside units quit on me and I figured I'd ask here before calling a tech.

The thermostat clicks on and the blower in the attic runs but the outside unit does not power on. If I hold the contactor down manually it runs and cools. I had an extra capacitor and contactor and swapped out both but that didn't solve my problem. Breaker is not tripped, filter is new, coils are clean. Anything else I should check?

[thegrouse]

Drain pan or drain line overflow switch. Something is preventing the contractor from engaging. Different units have different safeties. So possibly a low pressure switch, drain overflow switch, bad thermostat or low voltage wiring problem. Bad coils on contractors are not real common. Good luck.

[MassMan]

Drain pan or drain line overflow switch. Something is preventing the contractor from engaging. Different units have different safeties. So possibly a low pressure switch, drain overflow switch, bad thermostat or low voltage wiring problem. Bad coils on contractors are not real common. Good luck.

Thanks. Looks like I found my problem. The brown wire that connects to the contactor somehow was not connected underneath and I somehow did not see this initially. I reconnected and am back in business. I don't know how it disconnected. Maybe a lizard jumped on the wire?

[thegrouse]

Thanks. Looks like I found my problem. The brown wire that connects to the contactor somehow was not connected underneath and I somehow did not see this initially. I reconnected and am back in business. I don't know how it disconnected. Maybe a lizard jumped on the wire?

If it is a female crimp on connector it could have worked loose from vibration. Use a set of lineman or slip joint pliers and smash the female contacts a little. Slip it back on the terminal and make sure it is tight. So when you changed the contactor earlier you never hooked that wire up? The low voltage coil should have two terminals.

[MassMan]

If it is a female crimp on connector it could have worked loose from vibration. Use a set of lineman or slip joint pliers and smash the female contacts a little. Slip it back on the terminal and make sure it is tight. So when you changed the contactor earlier you never hooked that wire up? The low voltage coil should have two terminals.

It was where the brown wire connected to another wire coming into the unit. The wire nut came off. I pulled the wire coming into the unit gently to get some more slack before reconnecting.

[thegrouse]

It was where the brown wire connected to another wire coming into the unit. The wire nut came off. I pulled the wire coming into the unit gently to get some more slack before reconnecting.

Sounds like the thermostat wire coming in from inside unit. Glad you were able to get it up and running without having to call anyone.