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Fixed outside A/C compressor!
Thanks to some offline DIY tips and a couple of assists from local Reddit users, I managed to save well over $1500 in A/C repair costs by replacing my own outdoor A/C compressor motor. The bearing had gone bad and the compressor sounded like a dying whale - squealing, groaning, chirping, etc. A/C service came out (regular service - not emergency timing). The tech wanted to charge a) $1,150 to replace the motor (including) labor, 2) $399 to clean the outside condenser, and 3) a reserve of $150 for a A/C stater capacitor because in his words, the motor is an old model (20+ years) and the chances are very high that this model is not manufactured anymore. He also had no time frame for when the part would arrive - estimating likely upwards of a week to get the part and to schedule service. I flat out refused the $399 cleaning (opting to spend $9.99 for consdenser cleaner at Lowes and my own vacuum and water (I did pay $9.99 for a new variable flow hose attachment)) so I guess that's $20.00 Ordered the motor off of Electric Motor Warehouse for $139.00 plus $20.00 shipping. So, about $170 there. So....$190.00 in parts and accessories. Job was done in about 90 minutes using my garbage can of parts. Oh, about a half dozen sites (including Grainger and several non-OEM knockoffs were available). Grainger was most expensive (of course) at $350.00 for the unit. So how we get from $190 (or $370) to $1,600 is beyond me. Besides being deceptive on parts availability, the total experience left a bad taste in my mouth and a small victory for Team DIY! submitted by /u/PinheadtheCenobite [link] [comments]
Thanks to some offline DIY tips and a couple of assists from local Reddit users, I managed to save well over $1500 in A/C repair costs by replacing my own outdoor A/C compressor motor. The bearing had gone bad and the compressor sounded like a dying whale - squealing, groaning, chirping, etc.
A/C service came out (regular service - not emergency timing). The tech wanted to charge a) $1,150 to replace the motor (including) labor, 2) $399 to clean the outside condenser, and 3) a reserve of $150 for a A/C stater capacitor because in his words, the motor is an old model (20+ years) and the chances are very high that this model is not manufactured anymore. He also had no time frame for when the part would arrive - estimating likely upwards of a week to get the part and to schedule service.
I flat out refused the $399 cleaning (opting to spend $9.99 for consdenser cleaner at Lowes and my own vacuum and water (I did pay $9.99 for a new variable flow hose attachment)) so I guess that's $20.00
Ordered the motor off of Electric Motor Warehouse for $139.00 plus $20.00 shipping. So, about $170 there.
So....$190.00 in parts and accessories. Job was done in about 90 minutes using my garbage can of parts. Oh, about a half dozen sites (including Grainger and several non-OEM knockoffs were available). Grainger was most expensive (of course) at $350.00 for the unit.
So how we get from $190 (or $370) to $1,600 is beyond me. Besides being deceptive on parts availability, the total experience left a bad taste in my mouth and a small victory for Team DIY!
[link] [comments]
