On Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:50:31 -0400, "RBM" wrote:


"albee" wrote in message
.. .
Some background, which may or may not be pertinent:

Periodically (a couple times a year) I've had times when I'd receive
an error message on my thermostat, indicate a problem with
insufficient 24 voltage to it. This happened yesterday, after a pretty
bad rain and thunder (lightning) storm. I'm thinking it's related to
wetness, as it has always cleared on its own after a bit. Yesterday,
it did the same working again after an hour or so.

I've had to replace the contactor on an almost annual basis. Not sure
why this is, why my a/c is apparently cycling too often, but that's
for another time.

Today (while dealing with an unrelated(?) problem with my electrical
water heater (still figuring that out), I noticed that there was NO
power to my thermostat. As opposed to an error message, there was no
power. I twisted the R & Y wires together, but still no a/c.

I was thinking it could be the 24 volt transformer, and it's simply
been going bad for awhile? Would it be the transformer that's attached
to the circuit board, and has a black wire going to the contactor?

I manually pushed in the contactor and the condensor turned on, as
long as I held it in. BUT, after about 1:30 to 2 minutes of holding it
in, it shut off while I was still pressing the contactor firmly in.
Still not a good connection?

Any thoughts?! Thanks.

The 24 volts that powers the thermostat, and the contactor at the condenser,
is in the blower unit. There are any number of possibilities for your
problem, and I would suggest calling a professional.

Thanks; I found it.
Okay, if indeed it sounds like there are any number of possibilities,
then maybe I will. Any chance it's simply a bad transformer and
replacing it is $10?
I realize I'm not very knowledgable, but that's why I'm here. And it's
saved me a bunch in the past, as I"ve replaced my own contactor a few
times, my blower motor once, and the first time the "professional"
replaced the contactor he even hooked it up wrong. I'm not saying
that's the norm, of course, and that there isn't a time and place for
calling in a pro (and perhaps this is that time), but as long as I'm
safe about it, I figured many of these things are do-able oneself.