Basic components

Evaporator - Receives the liquid refrigerant.

Condenser - Facilitates heat transfer.
Expansion valve - regulates refrigerant flow into the evaporator.
Compressor - A pump that pressurizes refrigerant.
Process:
1. Expansion valve regulates the amount of compressed liquid refrigerant moving to the
evaporator. LP liquid turns into LP gas.
2. Once in the evaporator coils, the LP liquid refrigerant will experience a drop in pressure,
expand and turns into LP gas which absorbs the heat inside the room; the blower in this
case technically blows the cold air from the coils.
3. The LP gas then travels to the compressor which pressurizes the LP gas into HP gas for
condensation to happen.
4. It will travel then to the condenser coils and the HP gas that absorbed the heat from the
room will condenses to HP liquid and release the heat. The fan then will cool the coils to
prevent overheating.
5. Lastly, the HP liquid will pass through the expansion where it will regulates the amount
of LP liquid refrigerant that will go to evaporator coils. The cycle will then be repeated.
Electrical Components of Air Conditioning System

Capacitor
This component stores and absorbs electrical energy from the main supply.
The capacitors will maintain a constant power supply to run efficiently and
start and run fans when needed. A capacitor unit has a starting capacitor,
which powers up the motor for cooling cycles, and a running
capacitor, which keeps the motor going at a steady pace.

Contactors
This component will control the electricity flow in the AC
system. One of its main functions is cutting off the power or
supplying it whenever needed. When the cooling system is
off, the contractor will maintain an ‘up’ position to cut off
power. As soon as cycling begins, the thermostat will signal
to the contractor, causing it to hit the ‘down’ position and
allowing power to flow.

Relays
This component dictates the amount of time between the opening and
closing of the electrical circuits, allowing the flow of current in the AC
system. Time delays let the blower motor continuously run, despite
the compressor being off. As the motor continuously runs, it will use
the cooling effect on the evaporator, which produces additional
chilled air and improves efficiency.
Fan Motor
This component is what moves air in and out of the home. As the fan runs, it
circulates air within rooms, helping maintain temperatures, humidity levels, and
air quality. The fan motor has overload protection within its windings that helps
prevent significant overheating damage.

Crankcase Heater
The crankcase heater is an electric resistance heater
connected to the AC’s main supply. This component
may be operational even when the system is off. The
crankcase heater keeps the refrigerant at a temperature
that is slightly higher than the coldest part of the
system. It also prevents the refrigerant from making its
way back into the condenser.

Thermostat
Just about everyone is familiar with the functions of the
thermostat. It monitors and controls indoor temperatures.
When the indoor temperature drops below the set temperature,
the thermostat contacts will close, which causes the contactors
to signal the compressor to turn on. Once the set temperature
is reached, the thermostat contacts open, shutting down the
compressor.

Pressure Switches
Pressure switches act as a safety component,
monitoring variations in refrigeration pressure
and protecting the compressor from significantly
low or high pressures. High pressure can induce
overheating, and low pressure can cause
mechanical damage. If the pressure change is
sudden, the switches will tell the contractor,
which turns off the compressor.