Contactors

What Does an Air Conditioner’s Contractor Do?

Your air conditioner’s contactor is essentially a switch that admits or disallows power to the machine. While power is always there at the unit (provided everything else is in working order), it waits at the contactor, waiting to be passed on to the condenser’s functional parts, such as the motor and compressor.

The contractor, like other switches, functions as a drawbridge. Nothing can cross the bridge until it is closed. Of course, you don’t have to walk outside and flip this switch to turn the unit on like a lamp, but it is still a switch, although a better one.

The contactor, together with the capacitor, keeps power flowing to your air conditioner’s most vital parts throughout the summer. The contactor is a sort of switch that receives a low voltage signal (24V) from your furnace in order to turn on.

It pulls down a piece of metal that connects both of the higher voltage sides by producing a magnetic field. The air conditioner’s fan and compressor motors are powered by electricity after the circuit is closed.

Signs that your AC contactor is faulty

Physical indicators of degradation, sometimes known as pitting, can be used to identify a defective AC contactor. When the contactor is exposed to high voltage and heat, it pits. A pitted contactor is prone to sticking, resulting in a constant flow of power to the device.

When should you replace a contactor?

One of these three things can cause your contactor to fail electrically. Shorted, grounded, or open coils are all possibilities. A meter will be used by your specialist to determine the resistance across your contactor. Your contactor should be replaced if the readings go outside of a very limited range.