Ants inside air conditioner outdoor unit with video

[3rd_shift]

Here is the video of them.
I had already shut off power to the unit before I went and got the camera.
Watch closely for an ant to come right out the top of the contactor with it's back end pointing up.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v313/3rd_shift/?action=view&current=SANY0008-1.flv

A broadband connection is recommended, otherwise just wait about 10-15 minutes for the video to load via dialup.

Apartment management was still in the office.
Less than 1 hour later, a new ant proof contactor was installed and the antique air conditioner was working fine again.

Next time your ac quits, just take a look at it outside, then call the ac repair man to fix it.
Ants are one of the bigger enemies at this time of year after a lot of rain, or with heavy irrigation watering.

 

[yuandrew]

Looks like a late 70's/early 80's Bryant/Carrier unit to me. I had a contactor coil burn out in my condensing unit as well (a 1988 Carrier Round unit) back in 2003 and we didn't fix it for a year until it began to get very hot the next summer.

You may also want to check all the connections as well especially in your fused disconnect. I kept blowing a fuse in the disconnect for some reason and it wasn't until the third time I replaced it did I discover the connection directly under the fuse holder had came loose and was heating up and causing the fuse to blow.

While helping a neighbor troubleshoot her air conditioner; we found a bunch of snails and some spiders all over the inside of the control compartment. I'd say it was a nasty mess to clean up.

 

[Valpo Hawkeye]

I don't think it's a Carrier/Bryant as they don't/haven't (to the best of my knowledge) used the condenser coil with brushes, only fins. I'd also venture to guess that it's late 80's to early 90's. If it is a Carrier/Bryant then you can find the date code (week no/year) in the first four digits.

We get a lot of earwigs in contactors here in NW Indiana. I have one customer who has had them in their contactor 4 times in two years. Despite telling them how to use their pull-disconnect and showing them how to flick those little boogers out of there, they keep calling me. And yes, I did put an insect-resistant contactor in there, but to no avail.

 

[3rd_shift]

The apartments I live in now along with this Carrier ac unit were built in 1984.
It has and still (as it's blowing cold air on me at this time) is working well.
It's hermetically sealed compressor, compressor's start capacitor, and condensor coil is all that is oem original.
Many ac units in this apartment complex are still the original Carrier brand units. :wow:
Even many newer and more expensive ac units lack ant-proof contactors from the factory. :shrug:
The video was originally shot in 640x480 at 60 frames per second.
The ants were perfectly caught red handed in that. :laughing:
What you saw was 320X240 at 30 frames per second to keep the video from taking so long to load.

 

[Valpo Hawkeye]

Wow. I wouldn't have guessed. What part of the country are you in?

 

[3rd_shift]

The land of Buford T. Justice.

 

[snakebite]

i have seen ants cause a destructive arc in a contactor that burned up all the wiring in the unit.
just as big a problem in ac units are wasps/hornets/yellowjackets.
i often get asked why i carry several cans of wasp and hornet killer in my toolbox.
i just tell em to open up the unit while i stand way back.

 

[Omega Man]

"No circuit, no airconditioner worky..."
I agree with both your logic, and your vernacular!

 

[orionlion82]

man, you guys are braver than i am to go playin in stuff that have caps the size of coke cans!

i opened up an AC once and saw one and said "naww, im puttin this back together right about now"

those sumbitches are SERIOUS! - more serious than my curiosity could take me anyway...

 

[WNG]

Try lining the area around the AC with used coffee grounds, if practical. I read ants will not cross it. They hate the stuff. Strange.



Of course, this is only helpful if you're a coffee drinker, or can access used coffee grounds.

 

[chmsam]

Gotta do it.

A bit OT but did they look anything like these? Click on the link below and then click on the preview.

http://classicscifi.com/index.php?option=com_csftitle&Itemid=47&title=Them%21

 

[RA40]

Maybe a Bug's Life scenario going on here. Maybe some big mean grasshoppers or mercenary bugs to help.

 

[IsaacHayes]

Once the parents payed repair man $80 and all he did was wipe a gnat off the relay contacts! I've re-surfaced several AC relay contacts when they were arcing and welding on all the time!

 

[3rd_shift]

Gotta do it.

A bit OT but did they look anything like these? Click on the link below and then click on the preview.

http://classicscifi.com/index.php?option=com_csftitle&Itemid=47&title=Them%21

Good link. LOL!
The 1977 movie was pretty close.
I just hope that large capacitors don't trigger them to evolve like that.

Also uploaded a somewhat better editted and resized version of the video to show a few more of the little beasts.
Looks like 320x240 at 24 frames per sec at 16 bit color is the best that photobucket will allow.
Originally shot at 640x480 at 60 frames per second. :shrug:

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Twice at the house in Houston I had to clean out the ants.

The little farts get into pressure washer switches too!