The outdoor unit of a split system air conditioner is an important part of the cooling system. It has a number of significant elements which are interconnected to expel heat from the indoor air and discharge to the outside. If these components are clean, well maintained and working properly, the air conditioner can provide cooling at a consistent rate while being energy efficient.
Knowing the roles of various parts of the AC Outdoor Unit Parts can simplify the maintenance process and enable you to catch potential issues early, saving money on costly repairs.
There are multiple parts to an outdoor AC unit. They all serve a purpose, and their work depends on each other.
Compressor : The Compressor pumps refrigerant around the AC system. Helps to raise refrigerant pressure; assists to circulate refrigerant through the cooling cycle. It runs 24 hours a day in cooling so it has a direct effect on the system performance.
Condenser Coil : The refrigerant takes heat from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit. That heat can be dissipated to the surrounding air by the condenser coil. A dirty coil will not transfer heat as well, and may require the system to run harder.
Outdoor Fan : The fan circulates air over the condenser coil to aid in heat removal. When heat dissipation is impaired due to a damaged motor or restricted airflow or dirty fan blades, cooling performance will be reduced.
Capacito r: Capacitors supply the electrical power for starting and running the compressor and fan motor. A weak capacitor can lead to starting troubles or to performance fluctuations.
Contactor : Electrical component that regulates power to the major components in the outdoor unit. If it develops a fault, then the compressor or fan may not work properly.
All of these elements work together to ensure that the outdoor unit operates in the proper cooling cycle.
Sometimes, issues with the outside unit are not apparent. However, certain changes can indicate that one or more components require inspection.
Common indicators are: