A/C stopped working week after having maintenance call

[Bjeanj]

Routine maintenance by One Hour Heating and Air, all was well except he had to replace capacitor (?).

The following week, our A/C just stopped working, fan was not kicking on. I was really puzzled due to the previous week’s service call. Of course, it was getting pretty hot in the house, and we had company. Put fans in the room, closed the curtains, turned off the a/c, and called. They were very responsive and got here within about 1 to 1-1/2 hrs, as he was picking up parts for another job.

Man checks everything, and finds an ANOLE had jumped on the edge of the fan blade just as it kicked on and prevented the fan from spinning. Of course, it killed the anole. Simple fix. He gave us a discount on the service call as we were on a maintenance plan with the company.

Just something to check before you call for service, even though it was a one-in-a-million chance of happening.

And I highly recommend using One Hour. Have been using them for around 8 years.

[retiredguy123]

The typical maintenance service that HVAC companies do will not prevent a system failure. The main things to do are to replace the filter and to ensure that the condensate drain is flowing freely by adding hot water every month or so. I do these things myself and never pay for routine maintenance.

[JGibson]

As a person once in the A/C field it can be a very shady industry.

I’m not saying this company did anything wrong but it was common practice to arrange things to fail for future business.

I would be very selective in picking an AC outfit.

[golfing eagles]

As a person once in the A/C field it can be a very shady industry.

I’m not saying this company did anything wrong but it was common practice to arrange things to fail for future business.

I would be very selective in picking an AC outfit.

Are you suggesting the "company" hired a suicidal anole??? :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Michael G.]

Man checks everything, and finds an ANOLE had jumped on the edge of the fan blade just as it kicked on and prevented the fan from spinning.

No way is this possible.
Those motors in those compressors are too powerful to believe this.

[Ecuadog]

Routine maintenance by One Hour Heating and Air, all was well except he had to replace capacitor (?).
...

Replace capacitor during routine maintenance?

Anole was killed by a fan blade that wasn't spinning?

I'm a bit confused.

[Bjeanj]

Re-read my post.

My husband watched the guy remove the anole, and the fan started right back up. As I stated, it was a once in a million chance.

We prefer to have a professional service our a/c.

[Ecuadog]

...

... As I stated, it was a once in a million chance.

...

Ahhh, now I understand.

[coffeebean]

Routine maintenance by One Hour Heating and Air, all was well except he had to replace capacitor (?).

The following week, our A/C just stopped working, fan was not kicking on. I was really puzzled due to the previous week’s service call. Of course, it was getting pretty hot in the house, and we had company. Put fans in the room, closed the curtains, turned off the a/c, and called. They were very responsive and got here within about 1 to 1-1/2 hrs, as he was picking up parts for another job.

Man checks everything, and finds an ANOLE had jumped on the edge of the fan blade just as it kicked on and prevented the fan from spinning. Of course, it killed the anole. Simple fix. He gave us a discount on the service call as we were on a maintenance plan with the company.

Just something to check before you call for service, even though it was a one-in-a-million chance of happening.

And I highly recommend using One Hour. Have been using them for around 8 years.

It is highly suspect that an anole prevented the fan blade from turning. How much does an anole weigh? We once had a snake get tangled in the fan blade. A neighbor heard the racket that snake made as it was getting churned to snake soup. We weren't home at the time. By the time we arrived home, the A/C outside unit was humming as usual. Snake guts were all over the unit so that had to be washed out though.

[EdFNJ]

Be careful. There are lots of A-Ñoles out there in the service businesses

[EdFNJ]

Replace capacitor during routine maintenance?. Yes, in a "preventative maintenance" service visit many thorough and experienced techs will proactively measure the capacitance of the capacitor while the unit is already opened to see if it may be leaking and close to failure and replace it proactively. Of course that can be abused but so can anything if your tech is a real a-nole. It can also be done yourself with a proper inexpensive multi-meter if one is into that type of nerdy stuff and wants to save a $150 service call by replacing a $8 part themselves. Been doing that for many years as well as the air handler fan cap (less susceptible to failure)

[Tvflguy]

No way is this possible.
Those motors in those compressors are too powerful to believe this.

Totally agree. How large was this anole? Like a one foot lizard from Australia? Did you actually see this anole at the same time the tech came, or after it was diagnosed.

I agree it was a million to one. Perhaps the capacitor that was installed went bad after a week and the anole was a face-saver.

If it was the little guy, go out a get a lottery ticket.

[Hape2Bhr]

Who is your source for the $8 capacitors?

[Bill14564]

Who is your source for the $8 capacitors?

In January I bought one on amazon for $14. So far so good but five months isn't much of a test.

[EdFNJ]

Who is your source for the $8 capacitors? Although you didn't quote my post I assume you are referring to me since I mentioned $8 caps. Usually eBay. Yea, sometimes Chinese junk, sometimes surplus, sometimes top notch branded ones for cheap if I got lucky. Never paid more than $8-$9 but as long as they work I don't (DIDN'T) care. I always buy (bought) them 2 at a time as well as extra contactors (relays) usually around $10-12 and would replace both if I had to replace one or the other.

Don't have to worry about that for another 9+years or so because we just got a new A/C system to replace our 16yr old system that has 10 year parts & 10yr (extended) labor covered. I'll start checking caps again in 4-5 years. :D

[Pairadocs]

No way is this possible.
Those motors in those compressors are too powerful to believe this.

I'm with you on this one, it's more than one in a million and, the perpetrator is much too small. Have a brother in law who worked in the industry all his life, the tales he has about how difficult it is for a top tech to find an HONEST company to work for are chilling. People might believe this to be a relative, or a solicited opinion, but it is not. Moved to the area for work long before retirement in the Villages, and the advice we were given that Chuck Farrell and his family in Lady Lake is the most honest Heat and AC business you'll find around here. It has certainly proven so with us.

[Ecuadog]

... the advice we were given that Chuck Farrell and his family in Lady Lake is the most honest Heat and AC business you'll find around here. It has certainly proven so with us.

Hear, hear.

[ithos]

If you have a maintenance contract, then at least every 10 years or so, pay the extra cost to replace the contactor and the capacitor.

Also highly recommend installing a soft start. It will protect against damage from failed parts as well as electrical transients and extend the life of your compressor.

Why Every Homeowner Should Consider Installing an AC Soft Starter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDp1g8r8IVs

[Worldseries27]

///

[wawriwwawriw]

Most ACs companies LOVE to replace the capacitor in a unit. About $200 job for a $30 partin Amazon.

[Remembergoldenrule]

Have had animals cause problems too. Thanks for reminder and advice.

[DonnaNi4os]

I switched to One Hour after five years with SunKool. I suffered with no AC for three weeks last July as they replaced the capacitor, coil, compressor and countless refilling of “Pureon”. It wasn’t until one very conscientious worker went up into the attic and found a kink it a line. For two years I complained that the temperature never reached the setting I had it set at and my regular serviceman made excuses. I was done with SunKool! So far I have been happy with One Hour. They seem to be honest and reading your message makes me feel like I made the right decision.

[davephan]

The typical maintenance service that HVAC companies do will not prevent a system failure. The main things to do are to replace the filter and to ensure that the condensate drain is flowing freely by adding hot water every month or so. I do these things myself and never pay for routine maintenance.

Cleaning your AC condensate line(s) is a lot easier if you modify the PVC plumbing line near the air handler(s). You add a shutoff switch and a connection for a garden hose. The condensate line is blown out with the water pressure from the garden hose. The PVC shutoff switch prevents the garden hose water from going into your air handler, and forces the water to exit through the condensate line outside your home.

There are several YouTube videos that demonstrate how to modify the PVC condensate line. I bought the parts from Lowe’s, which was drastically cheaper than buying the module from EBay.

I have two air handlers in my garage. I also have a sink in my garage. The next time I flush out my condensate lines, I think I’ll connect a hose from the garage sink to the condensate line connection port. Maybe flushing out the lines with pressurized hot water would be more effective that using pressurized cold water.

If I don’t clean out my condensate lines, then after about one year, one of the condensate lines gets clogged, and the AC quits working because the clogged condensate line triggers a shutoff relay to active, which shuts down the AC system. Cleaning the condensate line about every 3 to 6 months prevents the failures. I find it a lot easier to hook up a hose to the condensate lines than to pour a bucket of hot water into a funnel into the condensate line. The hose eliminates the hassle of carrying a heavy bucket of hot water up the ladder in the garage.

https://youtu.be/-EnyXGBIOH0

[Keefelane66]

Cleaning your AC condensate line(s) is a lot easier if you modify the PVC plumbing line near the air handler(s). You add a shutoff switch and a connection for a garden hose. The condensate line is blown out with the water pressure from the garden hose. The PVC shutoff switch prevents the garden hose water from going into your air handler, and forces the water to exit through the condensate line outside your home.

There are several YouTube videos that demonstrate how to modify the PVC condensate line. I bought the parts from Lowe’s, which was drastically cheaper than buying the module from EBay.

I have two air handlers in my garage. I also have a sink in my garage. The next time I flush out my condensate lines, I think I’ll connect a hose from the garage sink to the condensate line connection port. Maybe flushing out the lines with pressurized hot water would be more effective that using pressurized cold water.

If I don’t clean out my condensate lines, then after about one year, one of the condensate lines gets clogged, and the AC quits working because the clogged condensate line triggers a shutoff relay to active, which shuts down the AC system. Cleaning the condensate line about every 3 to 6 months prevents the failures. I find it a lot easier to hook up a hose to the condensate lines than to pour a bucket of hot water into a funnel into the condensate line. The hose eliminates the hassle of carrying a heavy bucket of hot water up the ladder in the garage.

https://youtu.be/-EnyXGBIOH0
Good idea thanks for the suggestion

[retiredguy123]

Cleaning your AC condensate line(s) is a lot easier if you modify the PVC plumbing line near the air handler(s). You add a shutoff switch and a connection for a garden hose. The condensate line is blown out with the water pressure from the garden hose. The PVC shutoff switch prevents the garden hose water from going into your air handler, and forces the water to exit through the condensate line outside your home.

There are several YouTube videos that demonstrate how to modify the PVC condensate line. I bought the parts from Lowe’s, which was drastically cheaper than buying the module from EBay.

I have two air handlers in my garage. I also have a sink in my garage. The next time I flush out my condensate lines, I think I’ll connect a hose from the garage sink to the condensate line connection port. Maybe flushing out the lines with pressurized hot water would be more effective that using pressurized cold water.

If I don’t clean out my condensate lines, then after about one year, one of the condensate lines gets clogged, and the AC quits working because the clogged condensate line triggers a shutoff relay to active, which shuts down the AC system. Cleaning the condensate line about every 3 to 6 months prevents the failures. I find it a lot easier to hook up a hose to the condensate lines than to pour a bucket of hot water into a funnel into the condensate line. The hose eliminates the hassle of carrying a heavy bucket of hot water up the ladder in the garage.

https://youtu.be/-EnyXGBIOH0
I have a Drain King 345 from Amazon. It does the same thing without modifying the piping. The rubber tip expands and prevents water backflow. But you do need someone to hold it when you first turn the water on.

Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Drain-King-345-Bathroom-Condensation/dp/B001ATBS4W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2C0ZEYJZSXYK&keywords=drain+king+345&qid=1686837544&sprefix=Drsin+king%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-5)

[EdFNJ]

I have a Drain King 345 from Amazon. It does the same thing without modifying the piping. The rubber tip expands and prevents water backflow. But you do need someone to hold it when you first turn the water on.

Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Drain-King-345-Bathroom-Condensation/dp/B001ATBS4W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2C0ZEYJZSXYK&keywords=drain+king+345&qid=1686837544&sprefix=Drsin+king%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-5)

:agree:
The best $10 (OR WHATEVER IT NOW IS) I ever spent on a MAINTENANCE TOOL.

Got one a couple of years ago on your suggestion. Everyone who does A/C DIY should own one of these nifty & clever little rubber things. My drain pipe had a decent vertical drop so no 2nd person holding was needed.

[Lancer]

As a person once in the A/C field it can be a very shady industry.

I’m not saying this company did anything wrong but it was common practice to arrange things to fail for future business.

I would be very selective in picking an AC outfit.

We got a snake caught in ours that stopped the fan.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

It is highly suspect that an anole prevented the fan blade from turning. How much does an anole weigh? We once had a snake get tangled in the fan blade. A neighbor heard the racket that snake made as it was getting churned to snake soup. We weren't home at the time. By the time we arrived home, the A/C outside unit was humming as usual. Snake guts were all over the unit so that had to be washed out though.

:bigbow:

:mademyday: :mademyday: