I Have No Power to the Outdoor Air Conditioner Unit

Breaker

• If your central air conditioner suddenly loses power, the first thing to check is the circuit breaker. A recent storm or a power surge might’ve tripped it, causing power to stop flowing to the unit. Once you locate the circuit breaker box, you can open it and find the circuit breaker that controls the unit. If you see that the breaker switch is in the “Off” or middle position, the breaker has been tripped. Once the switch is flipped back over to the “On” position, you can turn the unit on for testing.

Line Damage

• Damage to the inside or outside air conditioner power lines could result in power failure. Exposed lines can also be dangerous if touched. You should inspect the length of all air conditioner lines from the unit to the circuit breaker. If you see dents, tears, frays, cuts or any exposed wire, the circuit breaker should be switched to “Off” and a technician should be called to replace the power line.

Connections

• A miswiring of the air conditioner to the power source can prevent power from flowing to the unit. Oddly enough, it can prevent the unit from turning off as well. You can inspect the line connections to the terminals at the air conditioner unit and at the circuit breaker. If you see a problem, the circuit breaker should be shut off and the system rewired. If you have doubts about the wiring, you should contact a technician to handle the job.

Thermostat

• Broken thermostats could cause the air conditioner unit or parts therein to not function. If you drop the thermostat setting to a temperature below room temperature and the unit fails to turn on, one or more components might be disconnected or the thermostat could be broken. The unit might receive power, but the fan fails to turn on along with the compressor. If the compressor runs without the fan component, the internal cooling element might cause the air conditioner to ice over. If you suspect a thermostat problem, you can contact a technician and tell him about the problem.