It is nice to have an air conditioner cooling your house on a hot sunny day. You wouldn’t want the unit shutting down due to a blown fuse. Suddenly, your world turns upside down, thinking that it might be a major problem. However, it could be as simple as replacing a faulty fuse. Therefore, let’s discuss how you can determine that your AC fuse is blown and needs replacement with the help of air conditioning repair services.
Air Conditioner Fuse Problems
During the summer season, your air conditioner needs to work hard to keep the interior of your house comfortable. This means that the unit seldom receives any time to rest and as a result, the temperature increases to the point where the unit is not able to bear. As a result, the circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows to prevent any major damage from taking place. In other words, a circuit breaker is designed to shut down the air conditioner when things are going to the extreme.
A fuse contains filament. These filaments melt when the temperatures exceed a certain point. This is due to the fuse experiencing excessive voltage since they are designed to handle and bear fixed amperes only.
Can I Check For A Blown Fuse?
If you have a blown fuse, you can check the outside unit if it is working. If that is the case, you will hear a minor humming sound and nothing else. Checking a blown fuse is easy. However, you need to be familiar with the basics.
But if you are not aware of the basics and try to determine the problem on your own, it might be that you end up hurting yourself and damaging the unit. A blown fuse does not mean that the unit is not receiving electricity. The current might still be running in the wires leading to an electric shock. Therefore, you have to ensure and take all the necessary precautions.
Using A Voltmeter For Blown Fuse
Typically, a voltmeter is used for testing a blown fuse. To check for a blown fuse, you first need to locate the box that contains the fuses. You might find it installed near the outdoor unit. Locate the incoming and outgoing wires and use the voltmeter to test them. Be extra cautious.
The voltmeter should give a value of zero or infinity based on the model you are using. Attach the leads of the voltmeter to the lugs where the line wires join. The voltmeter should give a reading between 220-240 volts. This means that the unit is receiving power. However, if the voltmeter fails to detect any activity, it means that the problem is not with the fuses.
Once you have tested the incoming wires, it is time to move onto the outgoing wires. Attach the voltmeter to the load wire lugs. If the device does not recognize any activity, it is probably a blown fuse.
What If I Don’t Have A Voltmeter?
If you do not have a voltmeter, you can still solve the problem. Locate the fuse and check its volt capacity. Buy a new fuse and replace the previous one. If the air conditioner works, then the blown fuse was the problem. However, if that is not the case, you should be calling a professional.
If you wish to proceed, make sure that you are completely dry. Even a slight current can lead to serious damage. At the same time, take a picture of the disconnect box so that you are able to place the fuse in the correct order.
After replacing the fuse, if you observe that the unit continues to blow the fuse, the problem is with something else and needs immediate fixing. In this case, you need an AC expert to come take a look at the problem.
Final Word
Checking your air conditioning unit for a blown fuse is sometimes easy and simple while complicated in other situations. Replacing it is neither expensive nor time-consuming. Therefore, make sure that you are either aware of the AC repair basics or should you hire an HVAC repair service McLean to help fix the issue.
