How to Combine Capacitors

Using the formula (C₁ × C₂) / (C₁ + C₂), we can see that as long as the two capacitors are identical, wiring them in series will always halve their value: For any positive value x, (x · x) / (x + x) = x² / 2x = x/2.

I had a problem with my fan not running so I replaced the capacitor and it started right up…. But then I noticed the fan stopped running again and I could here the humming of the compressor….. dose that mean the fan is about to die

What am I missing? Watched this several times. Looks like series and parallel were wired the same.
I once was told to just add a 5 mfd for the fan to the 40/5 mfd dual when the 5 went bad.
Not sure how it ran at all for the time it did.
Not sure now exactly how I wired it now.
Would like to see a demonstration.
It ran for a good while until the drain pan under the air handler gave way and flooded. :(
I also replaced the board when I saw what appeared to be a burnt area around a diode or whatever it was. Got heat working but not air.
I checked a little while back and the 49 mfd is weak. It only shows like 36 mfds.

It’s funny. I have had trouble with understanding series and parallel. Thank you for making it easy

Outstanding tutorial, I have a blown speaker capacitor without an exact replacement, but I have loads of other sizes. Great to hear it is possible to combine, mix and match to get the uF required. And the mathematical formula is a bonus to resolve the issue. God Bless.

This is wrong
Wires should be Chris crossed.

Love it, thank you for this useful video

🐻👍

You're really good heat and air man I really love your videos I really help out a lot keep up the good work man

Great burn tip
The evaporation of the alcohol would help take the heat out and kill any infection before it can start. 👍👍

so if you wirea capacitor in series , what will you do with the two ends ? just leave it there hanging or you can tie them together?

Prolly might have helped to let us know what’s pos. And what’s neg.
I used a littl deduction but im
MHO it might help a little.
I know everyone’s a critic. Lol
Sorry.
Thanks for making this video btw. Good stuff !

Wow nice nice thank you for this video

Sunday hottest day in Texas of course my start capacitor goes out last night. I have six 370 volt AC run capacitors combined for a temporary start capacitor until tomorrow when I can get a replacement

I can't thank you enough for this.

What's a herm?

Awesome

Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

Great vid sir!!! One Quick tip is that when combining capacitors in series (unequal denominations)your final combination number will always be lower than your lowest capacitors rating. Keep up the great work

What about the voltage rating? Let’s say we connect in parallel two capacitors. Then the voltage rating of such configuration/combination will be the smallest voltage rating of the individual capacitors, right? To make sure we don’t blow it up.

So helpful. Thanks.

You're on the money sir.. thanks!!

Very nice technic if no other choice to replace capacitor thanks for sharing sir

Could I just use an old orange wire (or brown or black) from a hard start kit (that is disconnected) and use that as a “jumper wire”?

thanks bud i needed a formula on the fly not some decimal to fraction bla bla bla etc etc this formula for caps in series is perfect

This is a great tutorial and I share it with customers often when the correct capacitor isn't available and this scenario will work. So, thank you for putting this tutorial together. My only feedback is you're only mentioning the compressor with your L2 and L1 leads, etc. The compressor isn't feeding voltage to the capacitor, the definite purpose contactor is doing so... Hopefully, this minor detail isn't a head-scratcher for your audience.
Make it a great day and be safe out there!

confusing

I learn so much with you that I've become a addicted to your videos lol, I have gained a lot of confidence in myself doing this trade because of you

amaizing!!!!

If I have 5 caps rated at 2.7 volts and one cap rated at 200 volts and I hook them up in a series what is the total volts this can store? 15.2 volts safely?

I love your videos make more please.

Great video, so let’s say you have a dual cap. 40/5 and you need a 40/7.5?

This saved me today. After the big heat wave locally, all the suppliers were out of the capacitor I needed. I said, OK, tell me what you do have. Then I selected several available capacitors to make up the right combination for my AC unit.

I just replaced a fan motor on a 43 year old condensor. The new one had two wires come out of the motor for the capacitor. I just added a cap because it was a different rated one than the original fuel cap. It got me thinking if I wanted to run with a duel cap I would need to use an ohmmeter to find which of the two wires coming out of the motor would be going into motor and which one should be the common. ?
The other odd thing on this unit, it had a mallory capacitor which I assume to be a split cap. It was connected only to the herm. But it had two wires connected to the outer terminals from the same lug on the contactor and the middle wire went to the start winding on the compressor. It was a 15-10 mfd cap.

So how much will you charge de customer? For one cap or two caps?

Hi Jay! Would 2 caps in parallel last longer in my 2 1/2 ton heat pump? 145-175 MFD. I'm tired of changing them.

Thank you this was very helpful!

Not only when you run them in series the uF goes down, but you increase the capable voltage. So if you had 2) 10uF 50v caps and you need a 5uF 100v then you would run the 2) 10uF 50v caps in series,

How do you identify the polarity of the microwave capacitor?

How do you know which wires are common coming out of the compressor and fan motor? Thanks for the info!.

thank you :D

Thank you👍is going to help a lot at my work

Very informative, thank you

Thanks Jay, this video is very helpful. Cheers,

good video, thanks for making it...

Very useful

I wasn’t sure to take your “burn remedy” to serious because I was waiting for you to tell us it was a joke or something 😂

What gauge wire is used for the jumpers. Thanks