Lightning May Cause Air Conditioning Outages

Living in Florida, we are no stranger to rain and thunderstorms. Also, we’re no stranger to cranking the air conditioning to beat the Florida heat. But this year, there’s been an uptick in air conditioning capacitor outages due to the frequent lightning storms, and yours could easily be next.

What is the capacitor? It’s basically the cylinders that get the A/C started up. Typically the capacitor lasts about ten years, but here in Florida, that time frame can get significantly shortened. The common occurrence of lighting, sometimes 5-7 days per week, increases the chances of lighting surging out the capacitors. Unfortunately, as a homeowner or a renter, there isn’t anything you can do to prevent it. You should never try to repair it yourself either, as the air conditioning units typically contain about 22 volts of energy, which could cause significant problems if mishandled.

While you should get your air conditioner checked annually, the capacitor is a separate case in the sense that it can be fine one hour and zapped the next. Talk with your air conditioning repair company to find out the local rates and process for repairing the part.

And before you get too irate with the weather’s impact on your wallet, remember that lightning isn’t the only contributor to a burnt out capacitor—bugs and lizards can also get in the outdoor air conditioning unit and cause a short circuiting.