How to Change an Air Conditioner Condenser
Air conditioner service and repair can be costly, especially for a component like the condenser, which is responsible for pumping the refrigerant through the unit, evaporator coil and back. It can be beneficial to the user to have a knowledge of how to repair the condenser in order to save money on repair.
Items Needed:
- Refrigeration manifold gauges
- Refrigeration recovery machine
- Nut drivers
- Copper-tubing cutter
- Flat screwdriver
- Wet rag
- Oxygen/acetylene torch set
- Silver-based solder
- Wire nuts
- Allen wrench
- Vacuum pump
Instructions
- Make sure that the power to the condenser is completely off by switching the electrical disconnection box.
- Find the refrigerant recovery machine and the condenser of the refrigeration unit. Connect the two components with a set of refrigeration manifold gauges. Use the manufacturer's list of directions to properly find the components and determine the proper hook-up.
- Empty the condenser completely of any refrigerant.
- Disconnect the hoses of the manifold gauge.
- Remove or open the panel that is covering the control panel of the condenser.
- Find both the high-voltage and low-voltage wires that are connected to the house and disconnect them. You will need to use a flat head screwdriver to do this.
- Check to see if the whip holding the high-voltage wires needs to be removed with a locking nut. If it does, do so at this time. If not, proceed to step 8.
- Remove all the wires located in the control panel of the condenser.
- Use a copper-tubing cutter to cut the two copper refrigerant lines. Be sure to make the cut close to the condenser.
- Remove the old condenser.
- Place the new condenser where the old condenser used to sit. It should be on top of a cement pad. Make sure that the unit is facing properly, with the refrigeration connections on the condenser lining up with the recently cut refrigeration lines.
- Place the refrigeration lines together with the connections by pushing them together.
- Prevent the valves from becoming overheated by placing a wet rag on them.
- Use the solder to connect the refrigerant lines to the connections.
- Open the cover for the new condenser's control panel.
- Gather the wires and push them through the hole at the bottom of the control panel.
- Take the high-voltage wires and push them into the contactor of the condenser. Tighten and lock the screws on the contactor.
- Take the low-voltage wires that are attached to the house and connect them with the wires attached to the low-voltage coil on the contactor. Use wire nuts to secure the connection.
- Close and screw shut the control panel cover.
- Attach a vacuum pump to the manifold gauges as well as the refrigerant service ports. You will need to connect the outer hoses of the manifold to the ports and the middle hose to the pump.
- Turn on the vacuum pump, and let it run until the gauge on the left has a reading of 29 inches of mercury. Turn off the pump.
- Hold the pump for half an hour to see if any solder leaks. During this time, the mercury reading on the gauge should stay the same. If there are no leaks, proceed to Step 23.
- Remove the vacuum pump.
- Open the service valves and release the refrigerant charge on the condenser.
- Turn on the condenser's power source.