How To Test An Electric Motor Capacitor

The higher the capacitance of the capacitor the more energy it can store.

How to test an electric motor capacitor.

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. Run capacitors maintain a fairly consistent voltage supply and increase the torque of hvac motors at startup. Many household appliances have an electric motor start capacitor and when this wears out the motor doesn t have enough energy to cycle on. Replace the capacitor if it fails the test again.

If you need to run a capacitor test on your system there are several safety measures that should be taken. Use needle nose pliers with an insulated handle to remove wires. Motor capacitors store electrical energy for the motor to use. A damaged or burnt out capacitor may hold only a fraction of the energy needed for the motor if its capacitance is low.

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. The capacitor stores an electrical charge and is comprised of one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator. A bad motor capacitor may cause starting problems or could shut off the motor while running. This article series gives electric motor start run capacitor and hard.

Use a screwdriver to open your machine and locate the capacitor. Capacitors are metal tubes that store an electric charge usually found near a motor in the appliance.