What does a bad capacitor do to a range hood?
As you’re troubleshooting your range hood, you might suspect that a bad capacitor is the culprit. But you’re not 100% sure.
You wonder: what does a bad capacitor do to a range hood?
A bad capacitor will make the motor fail. When you try to turn the hood on, it will make a buzzing noise and the blower won’t run. Sometimes, if there is a burn on the circuit board, it will cause the heat lamps to fail.
Typically, replacing the capacitor fixes the blower. If it doesn’t, you may need to replace the circuit board on your range hood.
If you don’t hear a buzzing sound and your motor simply doesn’t run, that’s not due to the capacitor. You could have a faulty motor. This is rare, but it can happen. Test the motor before you install the hood as soon as you receive it. If the motor (or anything else) doesn’t work, contact the manufacturer.
Here is a short video on how to replace the circuit board on your range hood.
Before you replace the circuit board, unplug the range hood and flip the breaker connected to your range hood. Otherwise, you risk serious injury.
If you want to investigate the problem yourself, you can remove the capacitor from the circuit board and test it with a multimeter. This is not recommended because you risk damaging the circuit board further. You don’t want to accidentally void any warranties on your range hood or its parts.
Working with electricity is dangerous so only qualified professionals should tamper with their range hood circuit board. Do not touch the terminals of a capacitor as this can cause an electric shock.
If you choose to test the capacitor yourself, here’s how to remove it from the circuit board.
Once it’s removed, you can test the capacitor with a multimeter. If it’s bad, the multimeter will beep and read 0.00.
What is a capacitor?
A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy. It can be found on almost all circuit boards. Capacitors store energy which is then released to power motors, generators, appliances, and the like.
Check out the video below to learn more about capacitors.
What does a capacitor do in a range hood?
In a range hood, capacitors power the blower. When the blower is turned on, the start capacitor releases electrical energy to help the blower start. Typically range hoods have run capacitors too. They work together to supply a continuous stream of electrical energy to the blower so it runs smoothly.
Hopefully you found this article helpful. If you are having problems with your range hood, contact the manufacturer before you attempt to DIY a repair.
If you need help troubleshooting a Proline range hood, call our customer service team at (877) 901-5530.
Thanks for stopping by!
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