Short #70 - Is Testing Capacitors Under Load Better?

HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs · Sep 3, 2019 · 15m

In this short podcast episode, Bryan compares under load vs. bench capacitor testing to find out which testing method is better.

When we test the system while the motor is running, we call that testing under load. Testing under load is fairly easy; you take the voltage across the capacitor (V), amperage off the capacitor's start winding (A), and then you use the following math problem:

(A x 2652) / V

(You can also punch those numbers into the calculator on the HVAC School app.)

While you can test under load on an off system, the test will provide a more accurate picture of the operating…