Wiring roof air conditioner capcitors - compressor doesn't come on

[cubano222]

Does anyone have a picture on how the capacitors need to be wired? I installed the new run cap & the fan comes on every time now but I'm not sure if I plugged in the correct wires to the small & large silver caps. The compressor comes on as soon as I turn the unit on but then goes off after a few seconds.
The temp here is in the 50's If its cool outside, will the compressor not come on?
The diagram sent to me is different than the way mine is wires with 3 caps

[cubano222]

My roof shroud was riveted on so I had to drill the rivets out to remove the shroud. Anyway, I think I got the wires plugged in right cause in the afternoon, when the outside temp got in the 60's, the compressor did come on then off, but came on again in a couple minutes. I thought, cool, so I put the metal box together & riveted the shroud back. Turned the a/c on & nothing, then it blew a breaker. Damn it.
Drilled the rivets out again, took the cap metal box cover off & 2 off the wires to the large cap had come off. Tightened the clips & plugged back into the cap, turned the a/c on & fan came on but the compressor didn't. By this time, the outside temp was in the low 50's so I'm hoping that's it. If the temp gets warm enough tomorrow, I'll try it again.

[cubano222]

Got to about 65 degrees inside the coach yesterday, the fan comes on every time but the compressor still didn't come on. The long big silver capacitor, which I assume is for starting the compressor, I plugged in the large red & yellow wire to the top of the cap & the smaller white wire to the bottom. I don't know if that's right or if the temp inside the coach was still too cool to start the compressor.

[Mr. T]

Have you given any thought that your freon is low?  This would give you the symptom of the compressor starting up and then stopping.


Don T.

[cubano222]

Before I messed with the capacitors, when the fan would come on, it would blow cold for hours. The compressor did come on at one point in time & it was cold air coming out but then I messed with the wiring again on the large capacitor & by that time the temp had gone down so the compressor would not come on. It always blew cold air. My problem was that the fan motor sometimes would just hum & not come on. All I needed was to replace the motor capacitor but stupid me, I unplugged all 3 caps to have them tested & forgot what color wire went to what pin.

[Oz]

What is the make & model of your air conditioner?

[cubano222]

I looked everywhere & never found a model #. All I found was Duo Therm Standard line 546 & 54808 series.

[M & J]

Does this help?

[cubano222]

That's the diagram I have but I can't tell on there which is the big  capacitor that goes to the compressor. Mine has a red, yellow, & white wire that goes to it & on the diagram I only see 2 wires going to it.

[HandyDan]

This diagram may be better.  Sometimes the color of the wiring is different from the diagram, but if you trace whatever color it is to the terminal it goes to, you should be okay.

[ductman]

Judging from wiring schematics posted white and yellow should be together and red to start side of compressor or s side of compressor you should be able to trace red back to compressor white should be your run or r and yellow is your common which feeds power with rd to yellow as you have it right now you are basically bypassing capacitor!

[cubano222]

Thank all of you for your help. Cold here this week but it's going to get up to 66 degrees on Saturday. I will get up on the roof this weekend & re do the wires as indicated & see what happens. I'm sure I must be bypassing the capacitor as indicated. Has got to be a simple fix.

[cubano222]

You guys are awesome. As per the instructions provided in this forum, I re-wired the compressor capacitor & it came on. I shut it off 4 times within a span of 3 hours & turned the unit back on, it came on every time & blows cold air. I did not rivet the top shroud back on yet so I can test the a/c several times before I do that but right now, it is working like it should. Hurray![/size]Thank you all so much for your help.Jerry