Capacitor On Refrigeration Equipment?Always Start Here!

The capacitor in refrigeration equipment can deliver quiet a surprise!

I can still remember my first experience.

Just out of school, I was already a little nervous working with electricity. Therefore, I always checked and rechecked, making sure the power was off.

So you can imagine the shock (pun intended) I received when jolted by a charge while reaching for a motor.

What the heck! The power was off!

Then I saw it. Tucked away in the corner of the unit, a run capacitor.

Apparently my hand had brushed across the terminals of a charged unit.

They are like nasty little animals secretly waiting to strike. They look so innocent.

But they can literally hold quiet a shock. And create dangerous situations.

While the shock itself is usually harmless, the surprise could cause you to fall off a ladder, bang you head, jerk an arm into moving machinery...

So, what do I always do before working with or around them?

I always short them out.

What do I mean by "short them out?"

Simply place a screwdriver across the two sets of terminals.

You'll know if it was indeed charged and waiting to get you.

When you slide the screwdriver across the terminals, you'll hear a sharp crack and see a spark fly.

Now you can relax. It's truly dead.

No more nasty gotcha.

Working with electricity in refrigeration units requires constant awareness.

I want to know the equipment is dead, before I touch controls, wires, fuses, etc.

Do yourself a favor, always short out them out.

Besides, if you don't get hurt, it will certainly give everyone around you quiet a laugh, at your expense! 

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