Electric Motor Start Capacitor Test

Once the motor is up to speed the start capacitor disconnects and is not used again until the next time the motor starts.

Electric motor start capacitor test.

A bad motor capacitor may cause starting problems or could shut off the motor while running. Retest the capacitor with the meter. A start capacitor is used to give a motor an extra electrical push to start it turning. This one covers testing of the start capacitor.

Capacitors are metal tubes that store an electric charge usually found near a motor in the appliance. If it stays shorted or does not rise there is probably an issue with the capacitor and may need to be replaced. This article gives a description of electric motor capacitor test procedures to determine if a capcitor is damaged or working normally test procedures to measure the capactor s capacitance or microfarads mfd or uf to determine if it is working within its rated capacitance range. Many household appliances have an electric motor start capacitor and when this wears out the motor doesn t have enough energy to cycle on.

A damaged or burnt out capacitor may hold only a fraction of the energy needed for the motor if its capacitance is low. The single phase induction motor can be made to be self starting in numerous ways. If the capacitor does not test as described above short out the capacitor leads one more time in case residual voltage is in the capacitor. Locate the capacitor inside your appliance.

A start capacitor is only used in the motor circuit for a second or two when it first starts to turn. Another method is the capacitor start induction run motors. One often used method is the split phase motors. Use needle nose pliers with an insulated handle to remove wires.

Use a screwdriver to open your machine and locate the capacitor. This video is part of the heating and cooling series of training videos made to accompany my websites. We know about the activity of a capacitor in a pure a c. How to test an electric motor capacitor.

Replace the capacitor if it fails the test again. You can check to see whether a capacitor is good or bad using an ohm meter but first you have to remove the capacitor from the circuit and discharge it. Placing the test probes on the capacitor terminals the resistance should start low and gradually increase as the small voltage supplied by the meter s battery gradually charges the capacitor. This article series gives electric motor start run capacitor and hard.