Won’t your Arcoaire central air conditioner turn on? The problem may be in the low-voltage control circuit rather than the outdoor condensing unit itself. The most likely cause is a failed transformer, which should send 24 volts from the furnace or air handler to the wall thermostat and contactor. Next, a defective furnace control board may prevent that signal from reaching the contactor or blower motor. If the thermostat display is blank, replace its batteries when applicable. Then check for an incoming power problem, such as a tripped circuit breaker, blown fuse, or power switch turned off at the furnace or air handler. A faulty wall thermostat or thermostat wiring is less common, but either can stop the cooling signal from reaching the contactor through the yellow thermostat wire. These checks can help diagnose an air conditioner not turning on or an AC not starting, but the furnace, air handler, condensing unit, transformer, contactor, and control board involve electrical hazards. Turn off power before inspecting parts, and have a qualified technician handle 240-volt testing or wiring. Enter your model number to find the exact Arcoaire replacement part for your central air conditioner.
01 - Arcoaire Central Air Conditioner Transformer
The furnace control board sends a low voltage signal of 24 volts to the thermostat. When the themostat cooling contacts close, a 24 volt signal is sent to the contactor coil, closing the high voltage circuit and sending power to the condensing unit components. Some furnaces have a separate transformer for the 24 volt circuit, so if the contactor is not receiving the proper voltage when the thermostat cooling contacts are closed, it's likely this transformer has failed and the component will need to be replaced.
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02 - Arcoaire Central Air Conditioner Control Board
If the central air condensing unit contactor is not receiving 24 volts or power is not getting to the furnace blower motor, a possible cause is a defective furnace control board. While this is not a common problem, if all other potentially faulty components are working properly, the control board should be replaced.
Most wall thermostats are either powered by an enclosed battery or by the furnace or air handler transformer. If the thermostat display is dead, you can remove the thermostat cover and look for replaceable batteries. Replace the batteries if needed and check operation.
Common
04 - Incoming Power Problem
Check to see if there is power to the furnace or air handler. One or more indicator lights on the control board should be illuminated. If there is no power to the furnace or air handler, check to see if a circuit breaker has tripped or a fuse has blown. Confirm the power switch on the side of the unit is turned on.
Common
05 - Arcoaire Central Air Conditioner Wall Thermostat
The furnace control board sends a low voltage signal of 24 volts to the contactor through the wall thermostat. When the contactor receives the signal from the wall thermostat, it closes the circuit, sending voltage to the condensing unit components. There should be 24 volts between the common (“C”) and yellow (“Y”) thermostat wire terminals on the furnace control board when the wall thermostat is in the cooling mode. You can check for this voltage with a multimeter. If voltage is not reaching the contactor, it's likely the wall thermostat is defective and will need to be replaced.
06 - Arcoaire Central Air Conditioner Wifi Thermostat
The furnace control board sends a low voltage signal of 24 volts to the contactor through the WiFi thermostat. When the contactor receives the signal from the WiFi thermostat, it closes the circuit, sending voltage to the condensing unit components. There should be 24 volts between the common (“C”) and yellow (“Y”) thermostat wire terminals on the furnace control board when the WiFi thermostat is in the cooling mode. You can check for this voltage with a multimeter. If voltage is not reaching the contactor, it's likely the WiFi thermostat is defective and will need to be replaced.