Condensing Unit / Fan not working

[IT_tech]

Hello,  Not doing so well here in CA. it is 105+ outside and my sisters condensing unit quit working. there has been power outages lately. and I think also in the same day.

((The Carrier Condensing Unit is not working. just makes clicking sounds. Nothing comes on. no other sounds.))

When I call for cooling, the blower unit works fine, (obviously blowing warm air) but outside I can hear clicking sounds, and the whole unit will not come on. looking at the contactor, it operates. (pulls in and stays in), and it tests out both sides of the contactor/ at 115VAC when in the out position and in position. . and the connections for thermostat show 24VAC.  it is a double pole 40 breaker fuse. ((also nothing operates when i manually push in the contactor.))

and when i check the plug at the condensing unit, it has power too.

not sure the best way to check the capacitor / and discharge it, I have heard differing ways, one was to short it out with a 10k/1w ohm resistor.

how do i check the capacitor safely? to figure if it is bad or good?

this is frustrating, i can rebuild computers, and configure them to my hearts delight, but testing this unit and figuring out what is wrong is frustrating. I have schematics and a book form the Airconditioning Institute. but it does not explain well enough to help here.

 

[AccApp]

You need to have 240v going to the outside unit to operate. It sounds like you don't. Measure it across the two incoming wires. It is very unlikely that the fan motor and the compressor would fail at the same time.

When you push the relay in, the fan and compressor should come on if there is power to the unit.

[jehiatt]

Sounds right - one side of your fuse or breaker is open.

[applianceman18007260692]

go back into the arcives to find pregnant capacitor by me and you will get a good explanation of capicitor woes