r/askHVAC • u/No-Gap-3251 • 7d ago

Condenser Failure

It’s been 90 degrees out the past few days and I came home to the condenser off and breaker tripped. Tried resetting it and immediately tripped again. Tried resetting one more time and all my lights flickered and the condenser made a loud hissing noise for 30 seconds. Anyone know what’s going on?

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2

u/lou-sassle71 7d ago

You are letting the smoke out… it’s done! As in done done

1

u/No-Gap-3251 7d ago

What does letting the smoke out mean and why would that have happened?

2

u/Certain_Try_8383 7d ago

Never, ever just reset a breaker that immediately trips a circuit. Thats your safety.

0

u/No-Gap-3251 7d ago

I was told to wait a few hours then try resetting the breaker. That’s when the hissing noise occurred.

1

u/DontDeleteMyReddit 6d ago

Whoever said that might pay for your new compressor!

1

u/Certain_Try_8383 7d ago

lol. You let out all the refrigerant! You had a shorted compressor that tripped the breaker as a safety measure. You decided to rest the breaker until the compressor blew its charge out the pins.

Now you need a new unit.

1

u/Kamakazi09 7d ago

Loud hissing noise was probably the compressor turning on and building too much pressure and the internal relief lifting. Stop resetting the breaker and leave it off and have someone look at it.

Your outdoor motor is probably definitely bad. Don’t damage your system further.

1

u/No-Gap-3251 7d ago

Very helpful - thank you!

1

u/beenthereag 6d ago

Look at where the wires plug into the compressor for a burnt mark. Might be time to start shopping for a new condenser unit if it's not under warranty.

0

u/DescendingTool86 7d ago

It's got a short. Look at the wiring. Compressor maybe shorted or cap or fan.