What do I need to do to fix my heat pump?

The outside unit stopped working some time during the night last night. I checked the circuit breaker, and it had been tripped. I checked the circuitry, and everything looks fine, including the contacter (I replaced it last winter). I suspect the capacitor. Am I right, or could something else be wrong?

2008-01-29T03:25:35Z

I checked the sight glass, and the indicator is dark purple (the same color it has always been). Plus, the system was working great the other day.

2008-01-29T04:11:19Z

The fan inside the house works, and the heat strips will kick in. The outside unit doesn't hum, or even act like it wants to turn on.

Anonymous2008-01-29T07:44:35Z

Favorite Answer

the breaker tripped for a reason. you reset it and now the unit wont run? you can check the disconnect, see if the fuses are blown. If you think its the capacitor then check it, remove the cap from the unit. short it out with a screw driver, touch the shaft of the screw driver to both leads of the cap at the same time. then take ur volt meter, set it to ohlms and touch both leads of the meter to the cap and see if it takes a charge, the numbers should run up. if nothing happens the cap is bad.
you can also disconnect the wires to the compressor to check continuity across the two hots, you should have it. also check from each hot to the ground screw on the unit and hot to the compressor casing itself. if u have continuity to ground its shorted out.

Anonymous2008-01-29T03:56:08Z

It could be the start capacitor. For more info including a troubleshooting guide, check out the heat pump page at my source.

dvdacmn2008-01-29T03:33:55Z

do you have voltage to the unit? it could be start cap is it puffed out the cap?check and see if you have voltage coming out of cap it could be open windings on compressor does the fan come on ?

Anonymous2008-01-29T03:36:02Z

It could also be your compressor or your freon levels.