How to clean your home A/C condenser contactor points...

In this video guys, I show you how you can clean your home's A/C condenser contactor points so that you can reuse it or keep as a back up. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, let a professional do it for you or replace it with a new one.

[@dallasbiggz7007]

Thanks for the educational video.
22:00 What u discuss is difference between 2p and 1p. Not old vs. new. Just buy the type you want regardless of old or new.
1 pole has the shunt on the one side and is what you are referring to as "new".

[@MannyFontes1968]

You're welcome Dallas and thanks for the clarification on the difference between a 2 pole and 1 pole contactor.

[@shellum2506]

Any idea what the contactors are made of? I have 2 inside my furnace and I bought a new one and replaced it and still made a chattering sound. I took the old one apart and cleaned the contactors completely flat with no pits left with 1500 grit. Back to my question the new one has a lead warning not sure if that's the contactors or something else within the switch. After cleaning both contactors the chattering sound has gone away for now anyways it was very intermittent and only time will tell if the issue was that or not. Thanks for the help found your video after I got done with mine.

[@MannyFontes1968]

For the most part they are made of some kind of alloy and i've never seen one with a mention of lead in it.

[@shellum2506]

@@MannyFontes1968 thanks I would assume lead would melt if it was the contactor points. The 1500 grit did not work very long. Took it back apart and did it quick with 150 and it only did it on the start up for about a second and now it's almost gone. Need to just order a new one at some point if it does it anymore. They get extremely hot when they chatter like that possibly a fire hazzard

[@stonepointdrivingschool2044]

Thank you so much for 'dissecting' a A/C contactor. I had to replace mine a few years ago, now I am having a sewer pump contactor 3 pole sticking and then not pulling in. I am wondering - to save time, can you spray WD40-Contact Cleaner or Vinegar plus Baking Soda/Salt? I used Vinegar/salt to clean the other contacts in the Elect. Panel. Just wondering, I did use a 'Nail file' light sand paper to clean the fork contacts after the vinegar solution softened the corrosion. Suggest for you to buy a 'Head Lamp' from Harbor Freight Tools' so we can see better in the light.

[@MannyFontes1968]

You're welcome and yeah, you can try to soften up the corrosion on your contacts by using WD-40 or vinegar and then cleaning with a soft mini wire brush or a high grit of sandpaper. Thanks for the tip on the lighting for future videos like this one.

[@lexi-conby]

your new one is a 1 pole. the old one is a 2 pole which is why a jump was needed to turn a 2 pole into a 1 pole