What does it indicate when an analog multimeter shows a needle that swings toward zero and then slowly rises toward infinity while checking a run capacitor?

When testing a run capacitor with an analog multimeter and observing that the needle first swings toward zero and then gradually rises toward infinity, this behavior indicates that the capacitor is charging and discharging.

In more detail, when the multimeter is first connected to the capacitor, a quick charge occurs, causing the needle to initially move toward zero. This is typical behavior because at the moment of connection, the capacitor effectively acts like a short circuit until it starts accumulating charge. As the capacitor charges, the voltage across its terminals increases, which causes the multimeter needle to rise toward infinity, indicating that the capacitor is storing energy.

This behavior is a fundamental characteristic of capacitors in operation; they exhibit a time-dependent response to voltage changes. The gradual rise towards infinity signals that the capacitor is functional and able to hold a charge, which is essential for its role in the HVAC system's operation.

Other options such as a faulty capacitor or a shorted capacitor would not exhibit this charging behavior, while the possibility of improper connections would typically lead to inconsistent results rather than the clear charging pattern observed here.