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You are here: Home / How To's / How to Jump Start Your Air Conditioner Compressor

How to Jump Start Your Air Conditioner Compressor

January 4, 2023 by silktie1 Leave a Comment

If your home’s air conditioner compressor won’t start, you may need to jump start it. Here’s how to tell if your compressor needs a jump start, what you’ll need, and how to do it safely.

Table of Contents:

  • What You’ll Need to Jump Start Your Air Conditioner Compressor
  • How to Safely Jump Start Your Air Conditioner Compressor
  • Troubleshooting Tips If You’re Having Difficulty Starting Your Compressor
  • FAQs in Relation to How to Jump Start Air Conditioner Compressor
    • What do I do if my AC compressor won’t turn on?
    • How do I manually engage my AC compressor clutch?
    • How do I force start AC?
    • How do you jump an AC compressor with a paperclip?
    • Why won’t my AC compressor clutch engage?
    • Will a car start if AC compressor is locked up?
  • Conclusion

What You’ll Need to Jump Start Your Air Conditioner Compressor

Assuming that the reader is someone who owns an air conditioner and wants to learn how to jump start their compressor, we’ll need to explain what tools and materials are required. First, you’ll need a power drill with jumper cables attached.

Next, you’ll need an AC electrical outlet tester or multimeter. Finally, make sure that you have access to a working vehicle with a 12-volt battery.

With these items in hand, follow these steps:

  1. Park the working vehicle close to the air conditioner unit so that the batteries are close together.
  2. Attach one end of the jumper cable to each battery’s positive terminal (marked with a “+” sign).
  3. Connect the other end of one jumper cable to the exposed metal on your power drill this will be your ground wire.
  4. Use your AC electrical outlet tester or multimeter to test which wires are live at your air conditioner’s compressors terminals marked “L1” and “L2”.

Once you’ve determined which wire is live, connect it to the positive jumper cable attached to the vehicle battery (marked with your own “+” sign).

  1. Attach the negative jumper cable (clamp with “-” sign), to prevent any sparks from occurring near your air conditioning unit and possible explosion risk; make certain this cable is also grounded on the vehicle body work away from the batteries—a convenient location would be one of the chassis bolts near the wheel wells.
  2. Start up your power drill at its lowest setting and touch both live wires for the momentary contact needed to close the compressor circuit and start the motor.
  3. If all goes well you will hear the sound of the running compressor motor inside your air conditioning unit.
  4. Now remove the jumpers in reverse order to prevent accidents caused by sparking while working closely around exposed metal parts.

With these simple instructions, you should now be able to jump start your own air conditioner compressor!

Key Takeaway: To jump start your air conditioner compressor, you’ll need a power drill, jumper cables, and an AC electrical outlet tester or multimeter.

How to Safely Jump Start Your Air Conditioner Compressor

Here’s how to do it safely:

First, make sure that the power is turned off to the unit.

Next, locate the two terminals on the compressor – they will be labeled “L1” and “L2.” Using jumper cables, connect one end of the positive cable (red) to terminal “L1,” and then connect one end of the negative cable (black) to terminal “L2.” Finally, attach other ends of each cable to a live battery or another working AC unit.

Now turn on power to your unit – if everything was done correctly, your compressor should now be running!

My air conditioner compressor won’t start, so I guess I’ll have to jump start it! #ACProblems Click To Tweet

Troubleshooting Tips If You’re Having Difficulty Starting Your Compressor

If you’re having difficulty starting your compressor, there are a few troubleshooting tips that may help. First, check to make sure that the power switch is in the ON position and that the circuit breaker is not tripped.

If both of these things are working properly, then it’s likely that your air conditioner’s compressors needs a jump start. Follow the instructions in this article to safely jump start your compressor.

FAQs in Relation to How to Jump Start Air Conditioner Compressor

What do I do if my AC compressor won’t turn on?

There are a few things that could be causing your AC compressor to not turn on. First, check to see if there is power going to the unit.

If there is no power, make sure that the circuit breaker has not tripped and that all connections are secure. Next, check the pressure switch.

This switch must be closed in order for the compressor to start. Finally, check the capacitor.

The capacitor provides a boost of energy to get the compressor started, so if it is damaged or faulty, the compressor may not start up properly

How do I manually engage my AC compressor clutch?

There are a few ways to manually engage your AC compressor clutch, depending on the model of car you have. For most cars, you’ll need to locate the AC compressor under the hood and find the wire that goes to the clutch.

Once you’ve found it, disconnect the negative battery terminal cable for safety. Next, use a jumper wire or similar tool to connect the positive terminal of your battery directly to one end of the disconnected wire going to the clutch.

Finally, touch the other end of the jumper wire to the negative terminal of your battery—this will engage the compressor clutch and kickstart your AC system!

How do I force start AC?

There are a few ways to jump start an air conditioner compressor. One way is to use a screwdriver to short out the two terminals on the capacitor.

Another way is to use jumper cables connected from the battery of another car directly to the compressor.

How do you jump an AC compressor with a paperclip?

You can jump an AC compressor with a paperclip by connecting the positive and negative terminals of the compressor together. This will cause the compressor to start up and begin cooling your home.

Why won’t my AC compressor clutch engage?

There are a few reasons why your AC compressor clutch might not engage. One possibility is that there is an issue with the electrical system of your car, and the compressor isn’t getting enough power to turn on.

Another possibility is that there could be something wrong with the compressor itself, preventing it from turning on.

Finally, it’s also possible that there is a problem with the refrigerant levels in your AC system, which would need to be addressed by a professional before the compressor will work properly again.

Will a car start if AC compressor is locked up?

No, a car will not start if the AC compressor is locked up. The compressor is responsible for circulating refrigerant in the air conditioning system, and without it, the system cannot function.

Additionally, the compressor puts a strain on the engine, so starting the car with a locked up compressor would be difficult and could cause damage to the engine.

Conclusion

You can tell if your compressor needs a jump start if it’s making a humming noise but not running.

To jump start your compressor, you’ll need an electrical circuit and a jumper wire. If you’re having difficulty starting your compressor, check out our troubleshooting tips.

If you’re looking for information on buying, owning, and using an air compressor, Air Compressor Total is the place to go. We offer a wide variety of services pertaining to air compressors, including advice on which one is right for you and how to use it properly. Contact us today to learn more!

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