Air Conditioner Electrical Problems

Tampa Homeowners Guide to AC Shorts and Other Electrical Issues

While most AC repairs involve mechanical repairs, your air conditioner could have an electrical problem, too. Damaged electrical wires, faulty circuit boards, and incorrect voltages can all cause your AC to quit working correctly.

How can you tell if your air conditioner has electrical problems? Are AC electrical problems easy to fix? Could your problem actually be somewhere else in the house? We’ll explore those questions and more in this guide for homeowners.

Common air conditioner electrical problems:

• AC is turning off unexpectedly
• AC is tripping the circuit breaker
• AC has faulty or damaged wiring
• Thermostat isn’t working
• Incorrect AC sizing and/or AC voltage issues
• Faulty AC capacitor
• AC circuit board failure

SAFETY WARNING: Working with electricity carries the danger of electric shock, and can cause damage to other electrical components. Contact a certified professional.

AC Turns Off Unexpectedly

The first thing to check if your air conditioner stops suddenly is the power supply. Make sure the AC unit is connected to a power source. Check the circuit breaker to see if it has tripped. Make sure the thermostat is powered on.

Get help with an AC turning off unexpectedly.

AC Is Causing Circuit Breaker Issues

In most homes, the air conditioner runs on its own electrical circuit and has its own circuit breaker. This is because AC systems use large amounts of energy.

While it’s uncommon, it’s possible your issue is with the circuit breaker itself, rather than the air conditioner. If a breaker is loose or improperly sized, it can cause problems. A loose circuit breaker can be easily tightened, but an incorrectly sized breaker needs to be replaced.

Get help with an AC that is tripping the circuit breaker.

AC Wiring Issues

One of the most common electrical problems we see with air conditioners is damaged wiring. Your air conditioner includes sophisticated parts and wires that are vulnerable to fraying, corrosion, disconnection, and other damage. Damaged AC wiring is often caused by another loose or damaged part, such as a bent fan blade.

Get help with AC wiring problems.

AC Thermostat Problems

Smart thermostats and Wi-Fi thermostats have introduced new convenience and comfort control to home cooling. But they’re also intricate pieces of equipment that are susceptible to failure. If your digital thermostat is damaged, your air conditioner may turn on or off at the incorrect times or fail to cool your home to the desired temperature.

Get help with thermostat problems.

AC Voltage Issues

It’s possible your home’s power supply and the power needs of your air conditioner don’t match up. An air conditioner that gets too much voltage from the power grid will burn out an internal safety fuse. You’ll need an AC technician to replace the fuse and install a voltage regulator to prevent excess voltage from causing continued damage to your AC.

If your voltage is too low, your air conditioner will need to “hard start” each time, which causes unnecessary wear and tear on your air conditioner. This scenario is common when your air conditioner is too big for your home.

Get help with AC voltage problems.

AC Capacitor Has Failed

Most AC systems run on alternating current, which requires fan motors and compressor motors to have two capacitors. A starting capacitor is responsible for starting the motor, while a run capacitor maintains the flow of electricity to your motor. If one of these capacitors has failed, it could cause your AC to quit working. A bad starting capacitor is usually the culprit if your AC system stutters when it starts up.

Get help with AC capacitor replacement.

AC Circuit Board Failure

Your air conditioner follows a carefully orchestrated sequence of operation when starting up or shutting down. The AC control board (sometimes called an AC circuit board) is what governs the AC sequence of operations.

We test the components of your air conditioning system independently. If each component is working, its possible the AC circuit board is bad. It’s possible to repair a circuit board, but it’s typically best (and easier) to replace an AC circuit board instead.

Get help with an AC circuit board replacement.