Power may be removed but the motor windings are not. Any charge on the capacitor will be drained immediately.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
A/C Troubleshooting
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
Some of the electrolytic start capacitors actually have a resistor soldered across the terminals. You really may only see it on commercial equipment.
TDD
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
Trip charge, plus an hour's labor, plus the cost of the capacitor.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
I dealt with thieving HVAC repairmen for years before becoming disgusted enough to learn to do much of my own servicing. It's about the only business I know where failure of a $20 part can result in a $2000 repair bill. That said, there are limits to what one can do without equipment that justifies a service call by someone who has it already.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
Not everyone who repairs HVAC equipment is going to rip you off. Just like all the trades, there are some contractors who give the rest a bad name. I have to defend the majority of "all" trades. Word will get around pretty quick if you gouge people no matter what service is provided.
TDD
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
Turned out to be a blown capacitor. Repair guy showed up at 7pm Friday night, had it fixed by 7:30. Ended up costing $50 for the service call, and $85 to put in the new capacitor. Coulda been worse...
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
I hope you watched and learned. Nothing all that technical about it was there? Next time you won't be held hostage.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
We would have charged $65.00 for the call and $25.00 for the capacitor.
TDD
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
I'm sad that there are crooks in the AC field. A couple years ago, a news team did a sting, and found that many of the techs who showed up either didn't find the problem (one wire unconnected) or did other damage while they were working. That's a shame.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
and that's why you read the advice on this and other lists. Talk to your neighbors. See who they have used, and ask if they are pleased.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
Sounds like a reasonable price. Thanks for letting us know what was the problem.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
I hope he got several of the guy's business cards. To hand out to his neighbors.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
You have obviously never taken your car to a transmission shop.
And with respect to one of the previous posts, can one even buy a made in USA capacitor any more?
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
That's pretty nearly correct -- I generally drive cars with manual transmissions, which rarely fail.
- Vote on answer
- posted
14 years ago
Mike posted for all of us...
You got a deal! At those prices he won't be in business long.