A/C repair

[rockaway]

Our A/C stopped yesterday morning and based upon the great
reviews of Chuck Farrell I called them. They told me that they
were backed up until next week and recommended
M & S Air Conditioning.

M & S showed up in the afternoon and had the problem fixed
in no time. Two great techs and price. We were so impressed
that we signed up for there P.M. service.

[New Englander]

What was the problem and cost to fix it?

[rockaway]

What was the problem and cost to fix it?

It was the capacitor that exploded, oil all over the place.

Don,t want to give exact price because every job different
would not be fair to company, but including the PM contract
was under $500.

[EdFNJ]

What is "PM service". Is that a service contract just for the A/C? How long a contact for $500 bucks? Well, maybe deduct $125 for the capacitor minimum labor & part so probably around $375. What are you getting for that?

[retiredguy123]

What is "PM service". Is that a service contract just for the A/C? How long a contact for $500 bucks? Well, maybe deduct $125 for the capacitor minimum labor & part so probably around $375. What are you getting for that?
Sounds like a preventative maintenance agreement. I don't think these agreements are worth buying because almost nothing will prevent your AC from breaking down. It certainly would not have prevented a capacitor from failing. Also, when my AC unit fails, I like that I am not locked in to a specific contractor. I have heard that Chuck Farrell is a good contractor, but he wouldn't be good enough for me to wait a week for him to show up while I had no air conditioning.

[CFrance]

Sounds like a preventative maintenance agreement. I don't think these agreements are worth buying because almost nothing will prevent your AC from breaking down. It certainly would not have prevented a capacitor from failing. Also, when my AC unit fails, I like that I am not locked in to a specific contractor. I have heard that Chuck Farrell is a good contractor, but he wouldn't be good enough for me to wait a week for him to show up while I had no air conditioning.
We've always had a maintenance contract with Sun Kool. They respond immediately and have saved our (hot) bacon three times in the last 7 years. They clean out the mold and change the filter. This week our capacitor went out. The part was under warranty but not the labor. However, since they had just been out in May for their semi-annual inspection, we had a $50 labor credit. Our total cost was $14. Some things are worth the cost. The unit has to be cleaned and maintained anyway, and I'm happy to have the pros do it.

[Toymeister]

Sounds like a preventative maintenance agreement. I don't think these agreements are worth buying because almost nothing will prevent your AC from breaking down. It certainly would not have prevented a capacitor from failing. Also, when my AC unit fails, I like that I am not locked in to a specific contractor. I have heard that Chuck Farrell is a good contractor, but he wouldn't be good enough for me to wait a week for him to show up while I had no air conditioning.
If you are frugal and a DIYer just buy a capacitor to have on hand. Buy a USA manufactured one ( $30-35 on Amazon). It is probably a 5/35 MFD. Or simply test the capacitance to see if it is close to failure (YouTube has how to videos). Also on YouTube you will find how to replace these. Or, if you really believe in PM, replace annually. That is what I do.

[Chatbrat]

Nothing worse than being hit with a fully charged capacitor--definitly not a DIY for the average villager--espicially if you have a defrib implant or a pacemaker

[Toymeister]

Nothing worse than being hit with a fully charged capacitor--definitly not a DIY for the average villager--espicially if you have a defrib implant or a pacemaker

All DIY projects are beyond the scope of nearly every Villager. Even something as simple as this.

It is funny as I was posting this I wondered how long it would take to get to get a warning of how extremely dangerous this is (it is not). Invariably, this comes from someone who has never done the task.
Only a few minutes, it seems

[retiredguy123]

If you are frugal and a DIYer just buy a capacitor to have on hand. Buy a USA manufactured one ( $30-35 on Amazon). It is probably a 5/35 MFD. Or simply test the capacitance to see if it is close to failure (YouTube has how to videos). Also on YouTube you will find how to replace these. Or, if you really believe in PM, replace annually. That is what I do.
Apparently, Sun Cool doesn't believe in doing this. Read Post No. 6.

[Chatbrat]

I'm a retired electrical contractor, I know how to discharge a capacitor-- an old trick in the navy was to put a charged capacitor in someones jump suit-- it was like getting a zap from a taser

[Toymeister]

Apparently, Sun Cool doesn't believe in doing this. Read Post No. 6.

If your point is PM service calls do not identify potential problems by checking for capacitance, I agree. If it is capacitors are not replaced annually during PM call, again I agree. If it is service contracts are not a good value, ditto.

If it is early replacement of a part prone to failure is illadvised, I do not.

[Chatbrat]

Lots of legacy contractors, are too busy to be bothered with anything but new construction or complete replacements-IMHO, if your system is more than 10 yrs old plan on a new system soon--it will be cheaper in the long run

[EdFNJ]

If you are frugal and a DIYer just buy a capacitor to have on hand. Buy a USA manufactured one ( $30-35 on Amazon). It is probably a 5/35 MFD. Or simply test the capacitance to see if it is close to failure (YouTube has how to videos). Also on YouTube you will find how to replace these. Or, if you really believe in PM, replace annually. That is what I do.
Yep, just got & installed OEM cap for A/H fan last week for $9 off Amz and 10 mins install. Replaced cap and contactor in compressor unit when we moved in 2yrs ago just for the fact they were 9yrs old and always keep 1 each of those 3 parts "in-stock." Not so much (well, yes so much) for saving $$$ but I couldn't survive 1hr without A/C. If the compressor goes that's beyond my reach but there aren't many other parts left other than 2 fans. and 2 controllers which are still under $50 on the web.

[VJBama]

Here is a video on how to discharge capacitors. If you have made it this far in life I am confident that you can handle this task.
How To Safely Discharge Your Air Conditioner Run Capacitor - YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTQi5rTJIw8)

If you are a DIYer you will likely agree that this is very simple.

[New Englander]

How to remove old capacitor and not get zapped? When looking online, how to find right size replacement?

[VJBama]

How to remove old capacitor and not get zapped? When looking online, how to find right size replacement?

Take off the access panel on the outside unit. Almost always this will be in the corner access plate. The cap is marked. It will have three connections. It will be a dual run cap, a lower number, five probably, and a higher , 35, 45 or similar. Expressed like: 5/35, 5/45. The unit of measurement is micro farads, or MFD.

When you buy a replacement pass by all Chinese caps and get a USA cap.

[New Englander]

Here is a video on how to discharge capacitors. If you have made it this far in life I am confident that you can handle this task.
How To Safely Discharge Your Air Conditioner Run Capacitor - YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTQi5rTJIw8)

If you are a DIYer you will likely agree that this is very simple.

The installed capacitor has go bad. It's attached to the A/C with wires connected to the top of the capacitor terminals. How do remove the wires? Do you discharge the capacitor while it is mounted to the A/C with wires removed?

[New Englander]

At my last home in TV four of my neighbors had their A/C go out. In each case it was the capacitor.

[courtyard]

When our AC was four years old, Sun Kool, as part of their semi-annual maintenance checkup, replaced our capacitor as a preventative measure. They said it was easier to do this at this time instead of waiting for it to go on some very hot day :-)

[Toymeister]

The installed capacitor has go bad. It's attached to the A/C with wires connected to the top of the capacitor terminals. How do remove the wires? Do you discharge the capacitor while it is mounted to the A/C with wires removed?

You wear gloves to hold insulated handled needle nosed pliers to remove the connectors. I discharge before removing the cap but after disconnecting the wires. I have seen HVAC techs discharge before disconnecting the wires.

You can most certainly check a capacitor, you do not need for it to fail. You do, however need a meter capable of doing that.

[New Englander]

I'd just as soon open the panel, find out what size capacitor I need, buy a new one on Amazon and replace it when needed.

[TwinTurboViper]

Sounds like a preventative maintenance agreement. I don't think these agreements are worth buying because almost nothing will prevent your AC from breaking down. It certainly would not have prevented a capacitor from failing. Also, when my AC unit fails, I like that I am not locked in to a specific contractor. I have heard that Chuck Farrell is a good contractor, but he wouldn't be good enough for me to wait a week for him to show up while I had no air conditioning.

:clap2:

[John_W]

Last time this was discussed on TOTV, maybe two years ago. Someone posted this as the unit that would fit Carrier compressors in TV.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71LPyr7a3UL._SS135_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XQQBRPW/?coliid=I32HAOPUTPHV6J&colid=3OBESSY9EMXC7&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

BTW, my unit's capacitor went out 4 years ago, on a unit that was 4 years old at that time. Chuck Ferrell came out and replaced it for $75. He said the capacitor was free since they have a 10 year warranty, even though Munn's installed my unit, and the $75 was for the service call.

[champion6]

<snip>
BTW, my unit's capacitor went out 4 years ago, on a unit that was 4 years old at that time. Chuck Ferrell came out and replaced it for $75. He said the capacitor was free since they have a 10 year warranty, even though Munn's installed my unit, and the $75 was for the service call.Significant information. Good to be reminded of this.