What Are Capacitors, and What Do They Do for My AC?

When you use your air conditioning system in order to cool your home during the hottest time of the year, you just adjust the temperature at the thermostat and wait for your home to cool down. Chances are that you don’t really give much thought to the many different components within your air conditioning system that make its performance possible.

When you use your air conditioning system in order to cool your home during the hottest time of the year, you just adjust the temperature at the thermostat and wait for your home to cool down. Chances are that you don’t really give much thought to the many different components within your air conditioning system that make its performance possible. There are a lot of unsung heroes in your air conditioning system, though, and the capacitors therein are among the most important.

What Are Capacitors?

A capacitor is a device that is used to store an electric charge. There are often 2 different types of capacitors in any given air conditioning system, though there are capacitors that serve a dual role, as well. These are known as the start capacitor and the run capacitor. A start capacitor, as the name implies, comes into play when your air conditioner is first starting up its cycle. It basically provides your AC with an extra boost to get it going, as your air conditioner is using the most energy when it is starting up. With the extra torque that the start capacitor allows for, your air conditioner in Delray Beach, FL is able to spring into action. The other type of capacitor that an air conditioner will use is a run capacitor. While the start capacitor provides an initial energy boost to get your AC going, the run capacitor is responsible for keeping your air conditioner running once it is in operation. Essentially, it maintains a steady charge, preventing fluctuations in that charge from altering the proper operation of the air conditioning system. Should either of these capacitors fail, you are not going to be able to cool your home as reliably as you must in this part of the country.

Remember to schedule your air conditioning services with the pros here at All-Pro Electrical & Air Conditioning.