Your car’s AC system is designed to keep you cool and comfortable when the temperature rises. It’s also designed to operate quietly and unobtrusively. There should be little to no noise from an air conditioning system that’s in good working order. However, if you’re hearing a rattle when you turn the air on, it could be any number of different problems. While your air conditioner is technically a separate system, it’s tied to the rest of the engine by the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt is what’s responsible for turning the pulley at the AC compressor, and pressurizing the lines. The compressor engages/disengages by an electromagnetic clutch. If you turn on the AC and immediately hear a rattling noise, there are a few potential causes: Compressor: If your compressor is beginning to fail, it can make a rattling noise. Pulley: If the compressor pulley bearings are failing, they can make noise (generally a grinding, roaring or squealing noise). Belt: If the serpentine belt is worn, it can slip when the compressor engages, causing noises.

Idler Pulley: It’s possible that the noise is actually from the idler pulley if its bearings are failing (the noise would start when the compressor engages due to the increased load on the engine). Compressor Clutch: The compressor clutch is a high-wear item, and if it’s worn out, it can create a rattle during operation (some vehicles can have just the clutch replaced, but some require replacement of both the clutch and compressor).ac delco motorcycle air filter There are many other potential sources of the noise as well. portable air conditioning unit self evaporatingWhen the AC turns on, it puts the entire engine under a heavier load. car ac repair in dohaThis increased load can cause rattles from things like the power steering pump pulley, loose parts (even a loose hood prop rod can rattle under the additional vibrations created by operating your air conditioner).

Please Select Username to appear on public areas of the site like community and recipe comments.Air conditioner or heat pump noise diagnosis & cure: HVAC systems can produce a stunning range of noises many of which can help lead quickly to the trouble source and thus can help tell us what repair is needed. This air conditioning repair article discusses the diagnosis and repair of air conditioning compressor noises which range in importance from normal (if annoying squeaks and squeals, to rattling loose bolts and hardware, to shrieking and howling or death-rattles that sometimes (not always) presage costly compressor damage indicating air conditioning compressor or A/C compressors at or near end of their life. In the A/C system noise diagnosis article below we discuss how we approach listening to and interpreting noises coming from an air conditioning or heat pump system. This article discusses how to diagnose & repair air conditioning compressor noises from the compressor/condenser, air handler, duct work, filters, or controls

If your air conditioning or heat pump system has lost its cooling capacity or won't start see REPAIR GUIDE for AIR CONDITIONERS. See HOW to DETERMINE COOLING CAPACITY of air conditioning equipment if the system seems to be working but is inadequate to cool your building. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. If you hear unusual noise at the air conditioning system, these compressor sounds could indicate the need for a simple service and adjustment requirement. But air conditioner compressor noises might also mean that you face an upcoming costly repair involving replacement of the compressor itself. You should have the system checked promptly by an air conditioning service technician. The following is a list of air conditioning compressor noises and what they may mean about the operation, condition, and remaining life of the cooling system equipment. I have a National comfort Products CPO 2464-B unit which is an air conditioner and gas heating unit combined.

The unit is about 5 years old. The air conditioner had become increasingly noisy. I called the party that installed the unit. After spending $90.00 for a service call I was informed the the external coils were dirty, opening up the unit light was not visible thru the coils. I was advised to use a garden hose and rinse the coils. I did not have that available so I turned the unit on and using a watering can, poured warm soapy water onto the coils. this was done several times. the unit now seems to work properly. I did not see this particular problem described on your website. There may be other means of cleaning the coils but this was all I could think of. - C.A.P., Norristown PA Fujitsu has offered some helpful advice in troubleshooting noises that may be heard at the indoor wall-mounted air handler of a split system air conditioner or heat pump. What's particularly helpful is that Fujitsu points out that some noises that people worry about are actually normal and not an indication of trouble.

Here are some other noise or sound diagnostic clues for split system air conditioners & heat pumps Continue reading at NOISES, HVAC SOUND DESCRIPTIONS or select a topic from the More Reading links or topic ARTICLE INDEX shown below. Or see HVAC SYSTEM NOISE DIAGNOSIS FAQsLooking to find HVAC contractors in your area? Get free quotes » Virtually everything in the world with moving parts eventually starts making a mysterious and troubling sound. Cars tend to be the worst culprits for this, but around the house HVAC equipment often runs a close second. And like cars, air conditioners have a number of moving parts, which means an air conditioner rattling sound can come from a number of different sources. Here we'll discuss some of the most common symptoms. But, please, don't go digging around inside your AC equipment unless you know what you're doing. Just to give you one example, condenser units have high-voltage capacitors that can give you a nasty shock even when the power is shut off;

call an HVAC pro instead.Parts is PartsA standard central AC system is made up of three main "parts": the outdoor compressor/condenser unit, the indoor air handler (typically a furnace), and the network of air ducts (the same ones used by the furnace in winter). An air conditioner rattling sound could come from within any of these three systems. Fortunately, the systems are far more distinct and easier to identify than anything under the hood of a modern car (which these days is slightly less approachable than the Batmobile). pressor SoundsThe outdoor unit of a central AC system is typically called a condenser, while the essential equipment inside is the compressor. The compressor has a big motor that, as you know, makes a lot of noise under normal conditions and also creates a lot of vibration. The vibration can lead to loose hardware, possibly in the compressor's mounts or elsewhere. This certainly could be your air conditioner rattling sound, especially if it sounds like rattling metal.

There's a lot of vibration when the compressor starts up, and rattling that occurs during startup only is a pretty good clue that hardware is the culprit.Air Handler SoundsThe primary moving part on an air handler is the blower assembly, a big motor with a fan. The motor or fan wheel can cause a rattling sound when your air conditioner is actively blowing air through the system. This isn't necessarily a common symptom, but it's possible. The air handler might also pick up a rattling sound from the outdoor condenser unit. If you hear the sound inside the house (near the air handler), go outside and listen to the condenser; if the sound is louder outside, you know it's not the air handler. You can try another trick with some (typically newer) systems: wait for the compressor to turn off at the end of a cycle, then listen to the air handler while it completes its cycle (this time delay doesn't occur with all systems or in all climates). If the blower is quiet while still running, it's off the suspect list.

Ductwork SoundsNot to dash your hopes here, but ductwork is less likely to rattle than it is to rumble, boom or pop (caused by the thin duct metal expanding and contracting with changes in temperature or air pressure) or to whistle from the air itself. That said, airflow can create a rattling sound at vent register or grill or even at a duct joint. If you think an air conditioner rattling sound is coming from the ductwork but you can't pinpoint the source, there's a good chance the rattle is being transmitted through the ducting from elsewhere in the system. Time to take another look at the air handler and condenser.Rattling Window UnitsSmall air conditioners, such as window and through-the-wall models, have the compressor and air handler systems in one unit, and no ductwork (unless you've tried to MacGuyver something here). It's common for compressors and fan motors on small units to become noisy over time as lubrication deteriorates and motor bearings wear out. Internal parts typically are sealed and therefore not fixable, but it may be cost-effective to replace a worn fan motor.