# HVAC - fluke or contractor's fault?



## ASH556 (May 25, 2012)

In October of 2010 my wife and I bought a house.  It was built in 2003.  We had everything inspected before we purchased, etc.  Last summer (2011) the compressor for the main A/C (the bonus over the garage has it's own smaller unit) stopped working.  The house came with a 1 yr warranty through Homeshield from the sellers, so the repair was covered.  What happened was that ants got into the contactor and shorted it out.  So, it was replaced and worked fine.  Well, earlier this week I noticed that the A/C was running, but not cool.  I went out to check the compressor an it wasn't running.  I pulled the side panel off and found one of the wires going into the new contactor to be fried and the terminal block where the wire connected was blackened and slightly melted.  

What caused that?

Bad conctactor?
Improper install?

Doesn't seem like I should have to pay $195 for a part that failed in less than 1 year.


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## harryrichdawg (May 25, 2012)

Any electrical storms since the last time it felt cold?

If $195 will fix your problem, pay it and be happy.  I had to have an entire new system to the tune of $4K last summer.  Fortunately, my homeowner's policy covered all but $1200 because we had an electrical storm 3 days before I noticed it wasn't working.


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## blood on the ground (May 25, 2012)

an improper install would not last a year. if your getting away with 195$ dollar repair on a hvac unit take it and run!


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## NOYDB (May 25, 2012)

When you say fried do you mean melted? If so you got hit by lightning. 

Call a repairman, you need to have the complete system inspected. You may have damage where you can't see it.


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## swamp hunter (May 25, 2012)

Possible the Compressor Shorted internally , And that was the Load Wire ?


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## poolman67 (May 26, 2012)

Most times a melted wire on a contactor is cause by corrosion on the wire or a screw left a little loose. If the points are melted that you have an amperage problem, wrong contactor or bad capacitor or compessor.


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## Gunsmoke (May 27, 2012)

a new contactor cost about 25.00 buy one and put it in yourself


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## bamaboy (May 27, 2012)

All of the above are good suggestions! If you do not want to face this ever again call Cool Ray and pay $5000 - $10,000 for a new system with a lifetime warranty.


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## jimbo4116 (May 28, 2012)

Josh Vibert said:


> In October of 2010 my wife and I bought a house.  It was built in 2003.  We had everything inspected before we purchased, etc.  Last summer (2011) the compressor for the main A/C (the bonus over the garage has it's own smaller unit) stopped working.  The house came with a 1 yr warranty through Homeshield from the sellers, so the repair was covered.  What happened was that ants got into the contactor and shorted it out.  So, it was replaced and worked fine.  Well, earlier this week I noticed that the A/C was running, but not cool.  I went out to check the compressor an it wasn't running.  I pulled the side panel off and found one of the wires going into the new contactor to be fried and the terminal block where the wire connected was blackened and slightly melted.
> 
> What caused that?
> 
> ...



You have a 10 year old system.  You are going to have problems. Most systems come with no more than a 10 year warranty on parts but not labor.

If you have been able to have the repairs made for $195 and the unit is working consider yourself lucky.

The repairman should be able to give you the reason for the malfunction.  Just be prepared for more problems and the need to replace the entire unit.


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## hobbs27 (May 28, 2012)

The melted wire comes from too many amps being drawn by your compressor or fan motor.Get someone to check it out.It could be from contactor not making good contact, but it also could be from improper refrigerant charge that caused over amping on a hot day.If you have a serviceman check it you could avoid problems down the road.


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## Gaducker (May 28, 2012)

NOYDB said:


> When you say fried do you mean melted? If so you got hit by lightning.
> 
> Call a repairman, you need to have the complete system inspected. You may have damage where you can't see it.



Every time any of mine have had melted wires around any contactor point it was the day of or the next day after a hard lightning storm.


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## merc123 (May 28, 2012)

Hey folks, he was asking what could be the cause.  Not, "who paid more for their HVAC repair and did I get ripped off?"

If it were me, $10 or $10,000, and it doesn't last a year and I find out it was because of a botched install I'd want my $10 back just as much as the $10,000...


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## Oldstick (May 29, 2012)

poolman67 said:


> Most times a melted wire on a contactor is cause by corrosion on the wire or a screw left a little loose. If the points are melted that you have an amperage problem, wrong contactor or bad capacitor or compessor.



That's my guess as well.  The OP did not say a wire was melted and did not say a breaker had tripped.  A wire or metal terminal should never melt under any circumstances except being hit by lightning, then all bets are off.  Any overcurrent during normal operation should cause the breaker to trip.

I interpreted the description as the plastic around the terminal was blackened and maybe some wire insulation as well.  If that only happened in the area of the terminal block, they probably didn't tighten it  down enough, causing high resistance and heat at the connection.


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## chadair (May 29, 2012)

just an educated guess here cause I didnt c the unit. but when contactor was replaced last year, and wires were pulled and yanked off old contactor and replaced on new one w/o crimpin down female terminals causing it to NOT be snug coulda caused it. Coulda been a bad spot in the wire and after new contactor was put in, maybe bad spot was closer to metal.
But it sounds like yer all fixed up and hopefully make it threw the summer


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## ASH556 (May 30, 2012)

Yeah, it works now and was actually only $100.  They replaced the terminal point on the conctactor (said contactor was still good) and stripped back and re-installed the wire.  I probably could've done it myself,  but it only took them 30min and would've probably taken me 1/2 the day.  Sometimes its cheaper to pay...


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