How To Test An Electric Motor Starter 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.

How to test an electric motor starter capacitor.

This one covers testing of the start capacitor. This article series gives electric motor start run capacitor and hard. Replace the capacitor if it fails the test again. This video is part of the heating and cooling series of training videos made to accompany my websites.

Another method is the capacitor start induction run motors. A start capacitor is only used in the motor circuit for a second or two when it first starts to turn. Capacitors are metal tubes that store an electric charge usually found near a motor in the appliance. How to test an electric motor capacitor.

Motor capacitors store electrical energy for the motor to use. A bad motor capacitor may cause starting problems or could shut off the motor while running. Use a screwdriver to open your machine and locate the capacitor. 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.

A damaged or burnt out capacitor may hold only a fraction of the energy needed for the motor if its capacitance is low. We know about the activity of a capacitor in a pure a c. Once the motor is up to speed the start capacitor disconnects and is not used again until the next time the motor starts. Retest the capacitor with the meter.

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. A start capacitor is used to give a motor an extra electrical push to start it turning. Use needle nose pliers with an insulated handle to remove wires. The single phase induction motor can be made to be self starting in numerous ways.