Hard Start Capacitor A hard start capacitor, its only purpose is to add additional starting torque when the compressor is starting and for just a few milliseconds. It is wired thru a normally closed set of points in a potential relay and in parallel with the run capacitor, when the compressor is starting the start capacitor is in the circuit adding additional starting torque to the compressor, when the compressor reaches a certain speed it generates enough back EMF (voltage) to energize the potential relay coil and open the normally closed set of points and take the start capacitor out of the circuit and then will stay open, keeping the start capacitor out of the circuit as long as the compressor is running. The hard start capacitor is only in the circuit or working for a few milliseconds, it?s not doing anything once the compressor s back EMF opens the potential relay coil. These potential relays have different cut in and cut out voltages, so the same relay won?t work with any compressor and may actually damage the compressor or shorten its life if you don't use the right potential relay. The compressor manufacturer and the local parts store list the correct capacitor start relay and start capacitor for every compressor and now they are putting the information on the compressor on the nameplate with the model and serial number. As a rule of thumb you can use a capacitor or start capacitor within 10% of its rating if you can?t get the correct one.
Question edited for clarity.
Question moved from heating and cooling.
Absolutely the capacitor issue would make it run backwards. The purpose of the capacitor is to give the motor a high amperage jolt boost to get it turning in the right direction when you turn it on. It sounds like yours has a Start Capacitor and a Run Capacitor. Change them both. If one has failed, the other will soon follow.
many technicians make the mistake of using a hard start kit instead of replacing a bad run capacitor, the problem is that it can be ******* the compressor, and the start capacitor can also go bad, you can start with removing the capacitors and replacing with a new run capacitor and see if that gets it running, also can try another start capacitor with the new run capacitor, some manufactures engineer there systems in that way, if not the compressor may be done. *Be sure to check all the electrical connections including those at the compressor under the terminal cover.
It sounds like your unit has a bad start capacitor or start relay. If you have a thermostatic expansion valve a lot of times the unit pressures won't equalize for long periods of time, so the compressor needs additional starting torque. If you let the unit set long enough the pressures will equalize and the compressor will start, but if you try to restart it before it equalizes then the start capacitor and start relay add the additional starting torque, to allow the compressor to start with unequal pressures.
You probably already have them and they are bad, if not you need to have them added to your system.
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