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I wouldn’t necessarily replace the contactor and capacitor every 5 years, but if you’re handy, it isn’t a crazy idea to have a spare laying around to change when it goes.
Because it won't go out between 9am and 5pm Monday through Friday on a day that's only about 75 degrees outside.
It'll go out about 6pm on Friday on a holiday weekend that it's 100-105 degrees.
How they're designed to do that, I don't know.. They don't even have a way to keep the time and date.. But dammit if that isn't the way it goes.
OP here. Been a year since I started this thread and last Friday (yes, a Friday as a poster above mentioned) my contactor of outdoor AC compressor got burnt out a little near the terminals and two wires connected to it melted away a little bit.
Placed online order around Fri midnight for exact replacement contactor with supplyhouse com with delivery by next day Sat 4 pm. Btw, I have two Carrier company stores 10 miles from me but they both don't sell to retail customers.
Since I wasn't sure if I would get the contactors by the promised 4 pm from supplyhouse (they did deliver though), next day Saturday morning called HVAC company and told them about burnt contactor. They refused to tell me rough price for changing contactor over phone. They charged $199 (weekend rate) for service call and while at my home quoted another $423 for replacing contactor (their own, Packard brand 24V).
These guys had also done my AC servicing in the past plus also installed a whole house steam humidifier.
I've had a couple go out on my AC over the last 18 years...and it did happen at really hot times! But I felt I got off lucky as it was maybe $100 or a bit over to have an HVAC guy come over to diagnose and replace. So, every 5 years seems a bit often but try to stretch to 10 years...kinda like replacing hot water heaters before they go out.
At my previous house in Phoenix, the capacitor would go out every couple of years - normally on the hottest days of 115+ temps. I learned how to fix it myself when an AC guy wanted to charge me $300 for the fix! Not fun because my AC was on a pitched roof and I'm afraid of heights and especially getting down from ladders, but...gotta save a few $$$ when possible! I wised up and bought an extra one after the last time it happened- still stinks because in Phoenix even first thing in the morning the roof is wickedly hot! I bet ac repair in Phoenix make a killing telling people they need to replace the entire unit when it's a simple repair- the difficulty level of changing a car battery.
Learning more about the home system and how these AC units work. We decided to install a 5-2-1 hard start capacitor to hopefully extend the life of the compressor.
While I was in there I got the part numbers for the contactor and the original start cap. Both are under $30 each and are exceedingly easy to replace DIY.
I think once the unit hits 5 years of service I'll just replace them and then clean the condenser out.
Learning more about the home system and how these AC units work. We decided to install a 5-2-1 hard start capacitor to hopefully extend the life of the compressor.
While I was in there I got the part numbers for the contactor and the original start cap. Both are under $30 each and are exceedingly easy to replace DIY.
I think once the unit hits 5 years of service I'll just replace them and then clean the condenser out.
There can be unintended consequences with these that do the reverse to the compressor .
When the motor-run capacitor fails, the capacitance of the Hard-Start Kit is still connected to the compressor.
With the Hard-Start Kit still connected, this will allow the compressor to start and run without the motor-run capacitor.
The compressor was not designed to run without the motor-run capacitor, and it will overheat and lead to compressor failure.
It’s estimated that a few million run caps fail a year …
Our A/C unit stopped working in Las Vegas when the temp was in the 100s. The Rheem unit was around 10 yrs old. I noticed the compressor would start to run and then shut off. The motor was almost too hot to touch.
I called the company that installed it. They replaced the capacitor and also installed a 5-2-1 compressor saver.
My furnace is 20 years old and I've replaced the capacitor a couple times. It was a cheap fix - maybe $100? Anyway, I was relieved both times! I don't know that I'd just do it without reason because it's not like I was without heat for days waiting for a part or something - but yes, they do fail.
There can be unintended consequences with these that do the reverse to the compressor .
When the motor-run capacitor fails, the capacitance of the Hard-Start Kit is still connected to the compressor.
With the Hard-Start Kit still connected, this will allow the compressor to start and run without the motor-run capacitor.
The compressor was not designed to run without the motor-run capacitor, and it will overheat and lead to compressor failure.
It’s estimated that a few million run caps fail a year …
Very interesting thanks for passing that along. I'll replace the cap with that next year.
We installed an Emporia energy monitor and I wonder if I would see an increased watt draw if that had happened?
More heat should mean more current?
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