Hello. My townhouses a/c is not working. I've done a ton of research online and I'm a do-it-yourselfer so I can figure stuff out/I'm not afraid to get into things. I have a York a/c unit about 15 years old.

So this is what's up, the a/c been blowing progressively less cold lately and than it finally stopped functioning. I cut it off for a day or 2, checked the coils and such for frost or water, which there was none. All the filters are fine and the interior/furnace fan works fine. It all boils down to, when I turn on the A/C the outside unit will click, it will start and start spinning like it should. But than a mechanical "Chhhh" sound will occur. I listened closely and the sounds happens for exactly 10 seconds with 5 seconds in between when it stops and the a/c unit and fan sound totally normal, than it'll start again. After about a few minutes the unit with stop running and still continue to hum.

I think this sound is the compressor discharging the psi. We got a new capacitor but it's a different shape but the same voltage. I hooked with the Herm C and Fan terminals like the guy at the a/c place told me (brown is fan, yellow on herm (condensor), and red and purple on C). Is this right, because it still does the same thing like I described above. I moved the purple wire to the herm with the yellow, and it runs for about 30minutes perfectly and blow cold, but than it does what it always does with the CHHH sound every few seconds on the dot. I set the temp only a few degree's lower than the house temp as to not overwork it, essentially.

Someone, please, please, please, tell me how to fix this thing. I would beyond appreciate it. If you can seriously help me fix it, ill give you $20 through paypal or something, I just really hate living in a 100 degree house and I can't afford a tech. Please help me... thanks!

This actually sounds like the outdoor unit shutting off on low pressure. Meaning there may be leak and the unit is low on freon.

Bet the outside fan and compressor initially work for a short time.

Yea, that's what I said. It runs for 30mins and shuts off when I wire it diff. than how the guy told me.

If this is not a heatpump. Dought a 15 yr old ac unit has a low pressure switch. Usually the purple goes to the fan.

I really doubt the cap is your problem. Although, it is important to have it wired correcty. Double check on that by following the wires that connect to it and let us know exactly where they go. Im leaning toward the way the ac guy told you, as you shouldn't have two wires hooked to herm. Many times there are two wires hooked to c, one power in from contactor, and the other leading to the compressor, then one for fan and almost always yellow for herm. Now, the sound you describe makes me think of over pressure on the high side caused many times by plugged drier/filter, plugged orifice(jet) in evap coil, or malfuctioning metering device(tev, etc), or just a worn out compressor. Normally if the unit is low on freon, it will run for a while then the internal overload will shut the compressor off completely due to overheating of the compressor. I believe the sound you are hearing(since you say the comressor stays running) is a bypass vavle of sorts in the compressor. Im really thinking it's a retriction in the system somewhere, or a compressor problem. I would suggest saving that 20 bucks and put it toward a visit from a hvac tech. Wish I could help out here, but just to many things it could be, and the cap isn't one of them. If it were a problem with the cap, the compressor just wouldn't start up at all. Good luck and please let us know how you make out.

This stuff is over my head... me not HVAC person... but I did have a friend KILLED by mishandling a capacitor...

Be careful with the capacitor !

Yea I accidentally shocked myself already. I'm getting the landlord to call an A/c guy, they just have been booked like crazy apparently.

You seem to be a wise person !