Outside A/C unit wiring question?

Question

I accidentally cut the wire to my outside a/c unit this weekend as I was doing yard work and cut all power to the unit. My husband and I cut the frayed wire (with the power off of course) and reconnected them together, but the wires are still slightly frayed. How much of a risk am I running by not replacing the wires ASAP? Also, I haven't bought the end cap to cover the reconnected wire, should I turn the power off alltogether? Any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

All connections must be made inside a box, so it's out of code anyway.  Stranded wire is diffucult to connect together because it will oxidize and become resistive.  It should be on a GFI so if the wires get wet it will trip.   Get the idea, replace the wires.

Answer 2

Any splice has to be in a metal box and capped.Replace the wire before it rains and you kill all the neighbors cats;dogs.chickens and children.

Answer 3

If you shut the power off to your indoor unit,you also deenergize the control voltage(assuming that is what you're refering to)These are low voltage wires and so long that they are making a good connection and are not able to touch one another or any other metalic object ,everything will be fine.

However ,if they do touch each other or a metalic object in your condenser,you will smoke your transformer and ruin it and have to repalce it.

If it is high voltage ,however,you will have to shut the disconnect off for the outdoor unit,to repair them.They should be in sealtight conduit though,so harder to damage.If you damaged these you should have them repaired ASAP because it's dangerous.

To tell them apart,high voltage wires are thicker gauge than the low voltage wire.

Answer 4

buy some cap and put on the end if the wire is showing. then that the elec. tapea rape around the cap and the wire. and you should be find tell you but a new one in