Top 5 Things AC Companies Don't Want You To Know How To Do!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

How many of these issues have you experienced? If you found this helpful, if you could let me know by leaving the video a like and leaving me a comment letting me know. Thanks a lot!

[@deadmanswife3625]

Never had and never want to have air conditioning. That solves one issue

[@billg2446]

There are reasons why homeowners shouldn’t be working on their own HVAC systems. Voiding warranty is just one. Also some of your practices are flat out dangerous in this video

[@HowToHomeDIY]

No they aren’t. You know Bill, I have found the more accurate and helpful a video is, the louder the pros in that field get and they tend to try and negate everything in the video or use scare tactics as to why it’s so bad. So I’m guessing that you are in the HVAC industry.

[@billg2446]

First of all, you never use a non insulated screwdriver to short the pins of a capacitor, nor to manually push in a contactor. I’ll stop there. So yeah keep posting vids like this, it keeps us busy.

[@MustahB]

I've had to replace capacitors on an AC compressor unit and run capacitors on the air handler. Both inexpensive, simple jobs that would've cost $100s to have an HVAC pro do. I have a great HVAC pro for more involved jobs. He has so much business, he's glad I don't call him for such basic diy stuff. When it comes to system installation and dealing with pressurized refrigerant, a pro is the way to go.

[@anthony-ju6qo]

I'm a snowbird in Florida and found out that my central A/C in NJ is not blowing cold air. I called two A/C contractors and both told me " Your Compressor is shot due to the age of the Unit". I asked them if they did a thorough check of everything.." Nope..just that your unit is old" . One company quoted me 6k and the other 11k for a new unit . I'm going back to NJ within two weeks and I will perform these tests myself. IMO , alot contractors today are out to make a fast buck. There are so many times I was told to Get a new machine, car or whatever else and get rid of it. I'm mechanicaly inclined and saved tons of money fixing it for peanuts. So thank you for this video and keep em coming. Subscribed !

[@RB-es1vx]

What happened after you checked the AC unit yourself?

[@CopterCrasher]

Just replaced my capacitor which fixed my A/C. Same day delivery from Amazon for the part and maybe 15 minutes total time. Saved $300-$400 dollars. I have always been a DIYer but KZbin and people like you is a game changer. Thank you for your service to the people.

[@jbone1383]

Ours just failed, too, on a 3 year-old unit...Well, technically it was still working but it was testing outside of the +/- 5% capacitance range...The part was still covered under the 5 year parts warranty but the a/c company still wanted $125 for labor to swap it out 😤 Picked up anew one from Ace hardware for 30 bucks & replaced it my damn self!!

[@kismyc0untryazz-491]

Thank you for making this video. I'm a first-time homeowner who bought a brand new house in Aug of 2020. After 3 years, my NEW ac has already cost me $3600 in repairs and / or replacements of non-warrent parts. Edit: Added: Your capacitor ONLY cost ten or eleven dollars? I was charged $300 to have a new one put in, and another $300 to have a new resistor put in. My days of getting ripped off are OVER thanks to people like you who are kind enough to share their knowledge so I can educate myself.

[@hillogical]

You weren't charged $300 for a new part. You were charged probably $20. The balance was labor cost, labor insurance, worker's comp, taxes, van cost, fuel, training, building maintenance for the shop.... etc. I wouldn't call a $300 service charge "over-priced", but with a little education we don't have to pay it.

[@cobrajoe2001]

Yup I know the feeling exactly

[@Epicfail-ms5wj]

⁠@@hillogicalnot when homeboy lives down the road from my house because I was charged 300$ as well. Also they don’t own a shop so come again.

[@hillogical]

@@Epicfail-ms5wj well you just let yourself get ripped off I guess.

[@ebony5766]

Well I followed your advice and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! I usually have my HVAC but do it....for $100. It took me about 20 minutes. I used a couple of drops of Dawn and a little bleach in a spray bottle and my hose. Holy cow the amount of pollen and dirt that washed away was amazing! The hardest part was.getting the top back on, I had to have everything lines up and give it a nudge, but I did it. I'm a 69 year old woman and am happy I learned this. Thanks!!

[@wholeNwon]

Never use bleach on or around any aluminum components. The cooling fins on condenser coils are usually aluminum. Newer coils themselves may be aluminum. Evaporator coils are usually aluminum now. Bleach, including fumes, can lead to permanent damage eventually producing premature failure. The Dawn was OK. Don't use automatic dishwasher detergent.

[@YahwehhasgivenaservanttoHis]

You are awesome!

[@southside6924]

Your not suppose to put soap are bleach on your unit honestly only water but you can use coil cleaner but you have to clean it real real good

[@roygould9454]

Careful using too much bleach. It's caustic and will eat some metals.

[@357-e2r]

@@southside6924 These videos are the kind of videos keeping HVAC companies quite busy

[@Cloverjay555]

This guy here is doing the lords work! Thank you very much!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Really glad to hear you liked it! Thanks a lot for the feedback and the Super Thanks Nicholas!

[@jragadio]

Good tips. TLDR: 1. Clean your condenser coils. 2. Change your air filter. 3. Cleanout your condensate drain using a shop vac. 4. Check your condenser contactor. 5. Check your run capacitor.

[@mikewall8798]

without a meter how you gonna check that cap? lick it?

[@leelunk8235]

CLEAN YOUR HANDLER WITH A BRUSH😅

[@rtazman2004]

Great Video . Thank you for sharing this information. I used to install HAVC years ago and trouble shoot and your video is so top notch and explains the information so will great job 9n you great video. 👍👍

[@jodopeg]

Pour a cup of white vinegar down the drain weekly for a clean flow

[@Hvacmania]

​@@rtazman2004Why did you stop doing HVAC?

[@Ephbaum]

I live in AZ and have done HVAC for 40 years. In my opinion, some of what he's saying is correct. Having a clean coil, drain and changing the filters regularly are no brainers. Using a coil cleaner of any type is not a good idea because I don't care what they say, they deteriorate the aluminum fins and there's not much there to begin with anymore. Even the mfg's will say to not use coil cleaners typically and only use water. Even aluminum 'brighteners' take some material away and often that's what they're using rather than real 'cleaner' because the end result is more impressive and shiny. It's 'value perceived' for the customers. There's 'acidic' and 'non-acidic' coil cleaners. Acidic are for commercial applications where they can be rinsed away easily with non-acidic for residential. Both need to be rinsed very, very well to prevent some of the cleaner from laying in the end rows of the coils and continuing to eat away at the aluminum which is very common. Best not to use them at all. With drains, more often than not, there is a tee/vent in the drain line after the trap so if you don't plug the tee with a piece of tape or something, you're not sucking anything out of the trap, which is the point. The contactor he's has in his unit is call a 1.5 or a 1+ shunt contactor. Only one side is switched so there is one side/leg of power there at all times unless the disconnect is out or the breaker is off. He's not using his meter right to read voltage. If he were to go to ground with one probe and the other on the right/non-switched leg he'd see there is 120V there. And he doesn't know the condition of the contacts in the contactor because he didn't remove the cover and inspect them. VERY IMPORTANT in older units. The bar/contacts will burn and you won't see it coming if you don't look. Checking continuity/ohms on the contactor coil is pointless and ambiguous because you don't know the ohm rating and aren't typically going to call or email the mfg to find out, unless you're a nut. Just read the 24v coming from the t-stat and know it's present. If you've got 24v and it's not closing, the contactor is bad. He's starting at the end and working backward rather than reading low voltage going in to assure it's there first. I don't like the way he's pulling the spade connectors on the end of the wires off of the terminals. You don't wiggle them, you pull them straight off. Otherwise you're bending them and they won't reconnect as tight and that can mean trouble down the road. Electrical connections, particularly any of those going to the compressor, have to be tight to prevent them from getting hot and burning off. Good connections are very, very important from the breaker to the disconnect to the unit. These are the reason many capacitors fail. Capacitors are junk anymore. Once they removed PCB's, in the late 80's I think, that ruined the program. I still have some from prior to the change that are still in value. Now, if that cap gets hot for any reason like a bad terminal or you lose a condenser motor, it's going to go out of value in the next few weeks. Seen it hundreds of time. If you lose a condenser motor that compressor cap is going to get hot and should be changed with the condenser motor and it's cap. Doesn't take much to ruin a cap now-a-days. And on an additional note, it's important to look inside of your disconnects for anything getting hot. There used to be a company called Connecticut Disconnect. Their disconnects would last 20+ years in most cases. They had dots of tar on the block you would pull out. If the tar was melted that showed that particular terminal was getting hot. More often than not simply bending the prongs that held the fuse would solve the problem. Their disconnects lasted so long they went out of business and now all we have is this chinese crap like he has. Make sure none of the plastic in these new ones is disfigured at all. That means it's getting hot and has to be replaced. No fixing these. I don't have a problem with people doing their own work. A lot of this stuff is simple. But what you and I see when we look in that control panel is completely different. That's why you pay me what you do. It's not what I do. It's what I know. When we service a unit we're looking at a lot more than what I've covered here. Keep doing what you can but every couple of years or so have someone that really knows what they're doing take a look at it. If you don't like the price you can always go and buy whatever you need and do it yourself. Avoid the large shops. Find a man that depends on his reputation to survive.

[@dh6035]

That little tip to cover the tee vent may be just what I've overlooked. My A/C condesate drain is tied to my wastewater so I don't have an outside drain and no one addresses how to clean those in their videos so I've been makng it up as I go along. Perhaps this will help me get farther down the line where I believe it's clogged. Thanks!

[@Ephbaum]

@@dh6035 Just another comment. You NEVER ties your condensate drain to the sewer system, even through a rooftop vent. You'll be sucking sewer gas into the fresh air space. Run the drain outside where you can get a shopvac on the end of it, tape off the tee and clear the trap. I use a 'bucket head' from Home Depot. They're small and the hose fits a PCV 90 perfectly. Don't even need to tape it on. See ya!

[@dh6035]

@@Ephbaum thank you! I never understood why it was set up like that. Must be a weird 70s thing.

[@woodworkking1099]

Excellent excellent response!

[@wholeNwon]

I've been around a long time and most of it taking care of my own AC systems and offering advice to friends. Your posting is by far one of the very best, if not the best, I have ever read concerning residential AC systems. Every homeowner with central air should read it. I would be even more emphatic about choosing a service: Never use a large company. By that I mean if you see their trucks running all over your area, that's not what you want at your house unless you want to be fleeced or worse, sabotaged. Find a smaller independent who has been in your area for years with a well-established reputation for doing quality repairs, not just over-priced and poorly executed replacements that are often not even necessary. Properly installed (VERY critical) systems are potentially much more durable than most homeowners tend to believe. My own units were still functioning at 47 yrs. when I replaced them.

[@drfirechief8958]

In all my 35 DIY homeowner years it's almost always been the drain(condensate) line or the capacitor. Both, relatively easy fixes. Thanks for the reinforcement.

[@nothanks5520]

and your filters make sure you buy the cheap green ones from walmart. the more expensive ones have too much restriction and cause your air handler to run harder thus making problems. went to school and worked in hvac for a while but went back to bartending i make way more money and its easier. i just fix family and friends stuff for them now.

[@itsDrewFOE]

@@nothanks5520 if you make more money bartending than doing HVAC, that’s a personal issue lmao.

[@nothanks5520]

@@itsDrewFOE who said it wasn't lol stuff is so expensive now i live in a kinda poor state they don't offer much

[@SonnySumampong-w1w]

@@nothanks5520 You are right, those high rating are expensive, make AC motor work hard, so I bought those washable filter about 50 bucks, merv 8, and clean it every 2 month, save money.

[@freckledtrout3299]

​@@nothanks5520 Unless you have 4 to 6 inch thick filters as you can get to MERV 11 and still have less pressure drop than a 1 inch filter.

[@herbiesnerd]

I changed out my capacitor about 3 years ago and I added a hard start capacitor as well. One of the wires to the capacitor had been getting so hot it finally burned away the insulation. I made 2 equal length pigtails to replace the one wire. Resistance causes heat so the extra wire reduces the resistance. It’s been working flawlessly ever since. I bought a can of the coil cleaner but never used it. After watching your video I’m going to tackle the cleaning next weekend, including condensate and filter. Thanks for the video.

[@50srefugee]

Note that some outdoor units are held in shape by the sheet metal top cover. When you pull it off, the unit will sag and go out of square. You'll have to struggle with it to get it back on. Don't force it; when you get the sides right, the cover will drop right into place. Put the screws in opposite each other rather than working your around.

[@Sourpusscandy]

Get a buddy to help do the lift/replacement.

[@cwinn414]

You’re a good man, the world needs more honest people like you. Thank you for this information…

[@jamesszalla4274]

Do not trust the disconnect to cut the 220v to the condenser. I did HVAC for 25+ years. I’ve seen several times where someone had jumped out the disconnect. I always verify the power is cut by checking it with a multimeter. If the power isn’t cut, you could be seriously injured or killed. When picking a coil cleaner, look for one that is not acidic. The ones with acid can damage your coils. Just use a garden hose with a nozzle to rinse the coil. Do not use a power washer. A power washer will blow the fins on the coils apart. If your air filter gets too dirty, it can cause your blower motor to overheat and fail. The motor needs air moving over it to stay cool. A dirty filter can also cause your system to freeze. Do not run your AC when the outside temperature is below 70F. Some systems are equipped to run at low outdoor temperatures. Most residential systems aren’t. At worst, you can damage your compressor. At best, the system will freeze and you’ll have a mess when it thaws.

[@BenDOlson]

Accurate, I have seen way too many times the disconnect not wired properly!

[@Deltron6060]

Damn right and never trust a wiggy!

[@occipitalexposure5059]

Came here to say the same thing. Last week I found out the previous homeowner or HVAC contractor bypassed my outdoor shut-off switch. Normally I flip the breaker inside in addition to using the outdoor shut-off, so I never knew. This time I skipped the breaker. I was about 1/2 inch away from pulling a wire and something made me stop and check with the multimeter. Had the wiring fixed but that was a close call. Definitely going back to my old method with the added redundancy.

[@efrainmaldonado5677]

The squirrel cage needs to cleaned. I stop doing a/c cause of my eyesight

[@mikelonzi8647]

Is the filter inside the AC unit or is it

[@scottgallagher5]

new home owner here. wow. no AC two hours ago. now it's getting nice and cool. not sure what I fixed, but seems testing contactor manually kicked it on, and it runs great now. Also had the confidence to disassemble and clean the unit. THANKS!!!!!

[@woodsie5474]

You knocked the bugs out of it.

[@jdp1956]

As always, excellent video. Old retired mechanical guy here. I worked with Trane Commercial Building Services for 44 years. I was a UA Local Pipefitter 725 Union member. I never worked in residential HVAC service, I specialized in starting up and commissioning 1000-5000 Ton chillers, cooling towers, chill water pumps, condenser pumps and airhandlers and overhauling this equipment once their time was up which is usually between 10-15 years. Your videos does help me a lot since residential are quite different than the equipment I repaired, since most of our equipment is 460 volt 3 phase we didn't use caps and our contactors were build into the chillers VFD unit. If I had a problem at home I would let one of my young appendices come over and he could get his practice, lol. Once again, thank you for the great job you are doing and helping folks out there save a few dollars doing simple repairs as long as your mechanically inclined.

[@shaffer4220]

Interesting comment. I am retired from Aerospace. CNC tech. Have many trades under my belt except HVAC. In the past I have worked within the field with others and it assisted my personal benefit at home all except Freon install. This gentleman put on a nice informative video and my training certainly comes in handy.

[@danwoodfield7575]

Howdy brother, retired UA Local 533 controls guy here. I second your statements.

[@jdp1956]

Thank you very much for the shout-out brother, I'm also retired and living in Naples Florida which is in Southwest Florida enjoying life now. 45 years with the local 725. ​@@danwoodfield7575

[@kingwr12]

+1 for vacuuming out the condensation lines. You can usually find pieces at your home supply store (PVC pipe section) to make and easy adapter. Others may think blowing them out (compressed air, etc.) is a solution but DON'T DO IT! If your AC contractor was lazy when the house was built AND DIDN'T GLUE-UP THE CONDENSATION PIPES, blowing the lines to clear an obstruction may blow them apart in a wall or other inaccessible spot, which is a real bummer (ask me how I know).

[@deep_fried_midget]

That blows (pun intended). You can use the blower end of a shop vac to do it. Very low and safe PSI for pipes, as opposed to compressed air, but should be enough to at least dislodge something stuck in the drain line, which can then be sucked out at the other end if need be.

[@philosothink]

@@deep_fried_midget , this is why I never use compressed air to blow clear a line. use a clean piece of pipe with a coupling and blow lung power, into that. Or in a pinch, grab the end of the pvc line with your hand, and blow into your HAND, not the pipe. Get out of the way fast... never, ever, suck when you do this.

[@kfelix2934]

For the condense line my blower are up in attic. I pour a mix of concentrate bleach and hot water down the pipe 2x a year b4 the summer start and b4 it get cold. My system has a tee to allow you to pour this mixture and just as easily look to see if the line is clogged. If it's clogged I blow air down the pipe ( you have to figure out the best way to do that ). Some time I place my mouth over that tee and give it a blow and any particle in the pipe is discharged. if you do a drain pipe flush with the bleach/water 2x a year you should never have drain pipe clog ups imho.

[@lamspam]

most people don't have compressed air laying around. hopefully those that do know to not exceed 30 PSI lol. shopvac/lungs should be safe to use, too

[@wmcomprev]

Cleaning the coils is easy. There are a couple of things to be aware of. 1) Don't blast the coil with a high pressure jet of water. You'll bend the fins, blocking airflow. 2) Some condensers have the coil on all 4 sides, but 1 side is covered. As long as you have the power off, you should be in good shape, but be careful with the water because under that cover is also where your electrical connections are located. There could be a charge on the capacitor and also, you don't want a water drop left over that may be shorting 2 terminals when you turn the power back on. In this video, his connections are on the corner of the unit and you can get to all sides of the coil without removing the cover. Also, close the cover on your disconnect so that you don't accidentally spray water into it. It is still energized, it's just no longer sending power to the air conditioner unit. I can confirm, cleaning the condenser coil can make a huge difference in efficiency. It may cause the air coming out of the vents in the house to be a little bit colder than they were before the cleaning. If the thermostat doesn't cause the contactor to pull in, one thing to be aware of is that there may be a time delay, especially if the unit has be run recently or power to the thermostat had be lost and was just restored. This delay is usually 5 minutes and is there to keep from doing a hot start on the compressor before the low & high side pressures have had a chance to equalize.

[@ryanfischer7080]

can you just use water from the hose or does it have to be purified? or doesn't matter

[@wmcomprev]

@@ryanfischer7080 You can use water from the host, just don't hit the fins with enough pressure to bend them. Remember, these devices are outdoors, so they have to be able to tolerate that environment, such as lawn sprinklers. Also, you can get kits that dribble water from a hose down the coil to help cool it while the unit is running. So yes, water from the hose is fine.

[@Kevin-ip8uf]

Maybe in your area...if you've got particularly hard water I wouldn't. The minerals will restrict more airflow than the dust did lol. If you've got a water softener and whole house filter you should be good though.

[@jamesszalla4274]

The contactor on the unit is shunted on the right and switched on the left. When there’s 220v present, both terminals on the right side of the contactor will be hot. The top terminal on the left will only be hot when the thermostat is calling for AC. When the thermostat is calling for AC, there should be 24v present on the the contactor side terminals. If you remove the wires from the side terminals with 24v present and they touch metal, you can short out the transformer or blow the low voltage fuse in your furnace or air handler

[@lazart8742]

Thank you for your video. AC crapped out in California last night. Ordered a capacitor for 17 bucks on Amazon. AC is back on. 😊

[@Teleman01]

My hvac is about 15 years old. I did about 90% of the work on it over the years to keep it running great. KZbin saved me a lot of money lol. From changing the capacitors, fan motors, igniters for the gas heat… I did most of that myself.

[@Anonymous_User_Incognito]

When's the last time the furnace heat exchangers were inspected for holes/cracks? Carbon monoxide poisoning is no joke. This is one area often overlooked by the DIYers saving a few bucks on annual maintenance. "That's why I have a CO detector". I have a smoke detector, that doesn't mean I'm not going to try and prevent fires in my home.....

[@cmdrcowboylloyd2182]

The cleaning part, some electric utilities will do this for free. They will clean the coils, blower fan, etc… They will also check refrigerant and top off if needed. Utilities call it an AC Tune-up. We have it here in Arkansas.

[@spyderingwithdandenise7064]

Settling on our new house in Florida this May 31st and have a friend in the same community that has told me one of the first things to do is get at least one replacement capacitor. Even though it's a new home build, get one on hand. Thanks for sharing!

[@matthewhowe3727]

New Florida homeowner myself in 2017. Capacitor gave out spring of 2022, I had a spare and the house didn't miss a beat.

[@petercohen3743]

I like to replace run capacitors about every 5 years. They generally cost less than 2 filters. Sometimes a bad capacitor can cause fan motor damage, so it seems like a good investment to just replace them periodically.

[@petercohen3743]

@@Bretware904 Interesting you say that. I am responsible for a building with 9 heat pump systems. I have had two different techs tell me that the strain of trying to start without the help of the capacitor can cause the motor to fail. In one case, he didn't have the motor available, so he put in a cap and it ran until he got the motor. Sounds like we never needed that motor. What really sucks are the newer motors with built-in capacitors where you have to spend $600- $800 for a whole motor when a $15 capacitor would have fixed it.

[@thomasirvin4159]

The new motors you speak of do not use an external run capacitor.

[@petercohen3743]

@@thomasirvin4159 And that's the problem. If they used an external run capacitor, you would not need to replace the whole motor when the capacitor fails.

[@billg2446]

@@Bretware904 it most certainly can.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

​@@petercohen3743 Is this like the old ball joint setup? Where you had to get a lube job every so often? Now you don't, but God help you when you hear POP POP POP! Behind the wheel when you turn almost to full lock. What WAS a $45 part is probably twice that now. Easily.

[@qingyuhu]

Great video! Last year AC technician ripped me off $400 dollars, this year I fixed more complicated issues myself and saved hundreds thanks to people like you! Knowledge is power and power to the people! Thank you!

[@xxxdpgxxxx1389]

What did he charge $400 for

[@libtardo4242]

5 great tips in 12 minutes ,clear concise to the point! The way it should be!

[@jordanhenshaw]

Another thing you just breezed over at 1 million miles an hour is you have to set the meter to uF and most meters that non HVAC people would have laying around don’t do uF. Sometimes it’s labelled on the meter as uF but usually it’s the schematic icon.

[@HeleneSecret]

You are AMAZING! Single female who needs issues like this to be explained to me in what I call "idiot proof"... Thank you so much for taking your time to make this video. I look forward to watching all your videos...to help me in my home. Helene 💗

[@nathantaylor1685]

Yes, as an HVAC tech I would love not having to run what I consider nuisance calls for capacitors, dirty condenser coils and such. I also don't like having to charge high prices for these calls to cover my overhead. So do it yourself on the easy stuff and when that doesn't seem to fix it then feel free to call a technician out. I'm sure we will all appreciate it very much.

[@Xb4rk3r]

Trust us, we would all love to save you from charging absolutely ridiculous "overhead" prices for a 30 dollar part, a 10 dollar can of coil cleaner and 6 minutes of your time as well.

[@robcurry6738]

I have had to have a capacitor replaced a few times. can do it myself after watching this video. My question is, where to buy them? I assumed you had to be a licensed HVAC pro to do so.

[@CommanderEllisWard]

Do an internet search for Appliance Parts companies in your area, then check their website or give them a call for the parts you are interested in. About the only thing you need a license for is to purchase refrigerant. Try to buy non-Chinese capacitors if available (worth the extra $$).

[@dantheinternetman1]

@@Xb4rk3r But it's not 6 minutes of their time. You have to factor in the time it takes to get to your home and back to the office, the associated risks, and the infrastructure required to keep the business in operation so that there is even a guy to call when you need it.

[@KarlChristofferson]

Very good job. youre a good teacher. I wish more people would be honest and upfront with things. Plus this really protects the consumer from all of the crooks out there.

[@mattmccauley5561]

The capacitor is the biggest bunch of crap. They charge a premium to replace a 15$ part and wire up a few wires.. luckily i know how to replace all that myslef and test for it all. My grandfather has been the best person for stuff like this to learn from as he's done damn near everything in his 79 years. I just hate that nore people dont know how to do their own stuff. Yes there's things you need to hire a professional to do but most things can be done by the homeowners at a much much cheaper cost, just time you know. Im glad i grew up with a grandfather and father like i have. Saved me tons of money so far in my life.

[@Anneem1]

Videos like this are so valuable to those of us who are willing to try to troubleshoot things before calling in a professional. Like now for instance, air conditioner quit cooling. It’s Saturday and really hot here and I’m already imagining suffering through the weekend before someone can come. Then I remembered that last year same thing happened and as a result of my research then, and folks like you willing to share this kind of information, I’d discovered that one of the two outside fuses had gone bad (thank goodness for the fuse box with lights). I replaced it and bought an extra. Fingers crossed I hoped it was the same issue and it was. I’m not that much of an idiot that I don’t recognize my limitations.

[@HeleneSecret]

Ann was it the same...the fuse? I'm in Florida and it's 86° in my house. I changed my filter and nothing changed. Now I'm looking to the next step.

[@arthmael7340]

Other than the contactor, I inform homeowners about how to do all these things. Maybe not the cap, unless they seem pretty technically inclined, or have done some kind of mechanical/electrical work. If homeowners would clean their own coils/condensate line, and change their filters, I'd have a much better summer. no more getting sprayed in the face with rusty water, or thawing out coils because their filter contains their 2 missing cats.

[@sprockkets]

If you want to know if your contactor is bad regarding its contact points, test with a multimeter the voltage top to bottom on the left side, then the right, while running. If you read around 3 volts, it's time to replace.

[@NackDSP]

Right on. That is great information. When the contacts are getting pitted and worn out, the resistance will go up. What a perfect and easy test.

[@bosspantherv262]

One important thing you failed to mention is that when taking the fan off the outdoor AC unit is to get at least 2 people to do it. On a lot of units the fan can be quite heavy and it is all to easy to damage fan blades or the outdoor coil. I'm a HVAC tech and had to pay for new fan blades out of my pocket. So I wait for help unless absolutely necessary.

[@johnpicard4909]

You are right about that!

[@PlymouthVT]

I agree its not easy. And all 4 sides of the case want to go out of square the second you remove the top plate with the motor attached. Its alot of pounding and coaxing to get that top plate back in on all 4 sides.

[@EfTheTank]

And the fan can be a $200 part by itself. Just had ours replaced earlier this year.

[@vamike5566]

To take off a fan? No way managers would get me help for that.

[@flippedwalrus]

Lol you need help pulling a condenser fan off a system?

[@mikentx57]

Wow, speaking of timing. Just 8 days ago our A/C stopped running. I had similar happen in the past and was pretty sure it was the capacitor that went bad on our 13yo unit. I bought a new one at an appliance supply store for $14. That fixed it. Then just last night our neighbor next door called to say that her A/C stopped running and did we know the name of a good A/C repair company. I asked if I could take a look at her unit first to see if was anything I could do and she said that would be great. I found her capacitor had gone bad. Her coils where super dirty and I cleaned them. Her filter is in the attic and she cannot get up there to change it. It was so dirty it was a thick blanket of dust on it. So I replaced it for her. it just cost her $34 for the filter and capacitor. And she offered to by my wife and I Fajitas to be delivered.

[@laquan017]

This vid saved the day!! I had 0V at the contactor, but heard a buzzing noise coming from it when I turned on the AC. Determined my DMM was crappy and that I needed a new contactor. The part was discontinued by the manufacturer so I had to ensure the replacement met the specs. Ordered, shipped, installed - everything is working now. Thanks for this vid!

[@maifreund4121]

Thanks. EXTREMELY useful. I've watched many KZbins to diagnose & fix household, car, and equipment problems. I appreciated your Concise delivery and editing to eliminate the UUUUUMMMMS, Ya knows, and other annoying speech patterns. Thank you, too for using a tripod. None of that annoying bouncing camera BS! Keep up the good work! I will be installing the Slow Start add-ons to my 2 5ton units not only to save money, but to allow AC when running my standby generator.

[@kjisnot]

I've learned to keep a spare capacitor handy. They don't fail often but when they do it might take days to get another one or get a tech to visit depending on the current conditions.

[@Rickmakes]

I was going to comment the same thing. Having one on hand could be the difference between fixing it in minutes for a few bucks or getting it fixed in days and/or for a lot of money.

[@johnhwang339]

Mine always seem to fail on a holiday weekend or late Sunday night. The one time it failed, it was the hottest day on record on July 4.

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

He has a video about that too.

[@KingofDoubleBogey]

Cap replacement is easy peasy, just discharge after pulling disconnect. Agree, always have a spare one and in 15 minutes back in business -

[@AfricanFlightStar]

Absolurely awesome stuff! The air-conditioning industry is such a huge racket here in Florida, people getting ripped off everywhere you look, being told that their air conditioners are “dead” and need to be replaced when very often it’s just a $20 or $30 part that’s required. Thanks for educating us on all of this, it’s a huge help for us DIY homeowners. 👍🏼💥👏🏼👏🏼

[@michaelmorgner5616]

Be safe what this video shows is not necessarily the truth always check to make sure nothing has power to it when you touch it. That is a single pole contactor. When it has 240 on one side it always going to have 120 on either of the two sides if the compressor and fan motor do not have open windings!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

And just like is mentioned in the video, don’t ever work on anything while the power is still on.

[@neilcharles2520]

You are absolutely right...Stay away from the company advertising $29.99-$49.99 maintenance check,they will even let out your freon if you don;t follow them like a hawk....then say you are low on freon,the coil cleaning in the inside unit is also big $$ for them..Thank god my very close friend has his own company and someone i can trust...Over 25 years ago when i moved to Florida,A/C not getting cold,i called a friend of a friend,came over and told me i needed a new A/C,i said let me get a second opinion,called someone else,he came over said the capacitor was bad..cost with part and Labor..$40.00....a friend of a friend...POS...and had the nerve to say he did not have the right tester...i just hanged up on him...

[@NiceDonkey3417]

Florida contractors are also sketch. I don't think I've hired one (all reputable) that someone didn't go behind them and say it was wrong or that they ripped me off. Thanks to them I've learned to do my own electrical, plumbing, construction, and now ac work. Oh and don't get me started on the mechanic that tried to tell me each of my wheels had 2 brakes (not pads).

[@designstudio8013]

It got so bad that I cut a hole in the wall and put a large window unit in which cools a thousand square feet of the house without the nasty duct work

[@ronmeljimenez3872]

As a home owner. This is by far the best video I've seen so far. God bless you.

[@jamesirby8355]

Thanks for the advice about cleaning the unit. I have had my unit for 10 years and didn’t realize that simply cleaning it would make the difference I experienced. The indoor temp immediately dropped 12 degrees at the in door vents!! I will be following your for other DYI tips. God bless you.

[@corcorandm]

Make sure to clean the condensate drain first if the contactor won't turn on after the thermostat should have turned it on. The float switch might be preventing the thermostat system from running the condenser/fan

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Yup! You are right about that! Thanks for the input.

[@ChrisCo0066]

Also most refrigerant pressure switches and other safeties are in that circuit they will also shut off the contactor but will require a technician, however not all manufacturers use the same safeties some units don’t even have a drain switches.

[@ewetoob6369]

I am willing to fix anything short of the refrigerant. After I installed a soft start I realized how simple my HVAC system is and understand how it all works.

[@TheDarkSkorpion]

Another HVAC tech here. I always advise homeowners on drain line service/maintenance, and to rinse their outdoor coils regularly. The other stuff you show here, no I don't tell homeowners how to do it. Why? Liability. I tell some stranger to open up their unit, and they break something or hurt themselves, they will blame me. "Well, he told me to do it..." If you don't rinse that coil cleaner off THOROUGHLY, it will destroy your coil, so just use water. You don't need a lot of pressure, just rinse it off a couple times a year. People also don't know how to use a multiimeter properly, yourself included. There's no voltage at the top of that contactor? Wrong, there was 120VAC. One side was shunted, so voltage is always present there. Meters read the difference in potential voltage, so electricity runs through the system and is backfed through the wire. Both sides have 120, so the difference in voltage is 0. Also, reading the bottom of the contactor like that will get you shocked for the same reason. If you lose a leg of electricity, either due to bad breaker/fuse or from the power company having an issue, there is still 120 and the meter will read it as 0. If you assumed there was no power there and touched any of those wires, you would be having a bad day, maybe your last. Use the meter to read each wire to equipment ground to be sure there is no power present. Never trust a circuit breaker. Verify with your meter. So it's not that we don't want you to know how to do these things, it's that people will hurt themselves. Including trying to follow bad or incomplete advice on KZbin videos.

[@woodworkking1099]

Exactly! This video is dangerous IMO.

[@stinkyham9050]

All these "tips the pros don't want you to know videos" are dangerous. It's ridiculous that home owners and YTers somehow think it's our job to teach them how to fix their equipment. When you hire a lawyer they don't sit down with you explain the process of filling out the paperwork you need for you're property transfer, they just do it themselves and charge you money for it. When you go to the doctor they don't teach you how to read a caridagraph. Home owners sticking their hands in the electrical section is just stupid. Especially if one of these ass hat DIYers has just sprayed down the coil with chemicals or water and then starts touching electrical.

[@barbarakauppi9915]

Hear, hear! The scary stuff I've personally seen even with my small sample is disturbing, to say the least, as well as the first hand stories I've heard. The old saying "having just enough knowledge to be dangerous" comes with more than its share of blood and tears. Btw, this is especially true for engineers. Their stereotype of arrogantly believing they know more than they do and are the smartest in the room is well earned, tragically, with precious few exceptions. It's not merely that they like to believe themselves inherently superior to technicians/mechanics/electricians and the like, they have a strangely unhealthy "need" to feel that way. It makes them dangerous as well as obnoxious... An experienced professional tech can far more likely see through that, but most laymen (and other engineers) are too starry-eyed to know better. Engineers with a proper practical knowledge and respect are the exception, not the rule. Just another note for folks to take care who they take "advice" from..

[@michaelschneider9305]

Ya but there are so many scum bags that rip you off when they come out to your home.

[@MhT843]

Dude don’t know what he talking about. There’s 120V on black wire please be safe everyone and if the unexpected happen please call the professional 😊

[@RobertDean-x5e]

Did mine last year with just a hose. A lot of pros don’t want to take the time to unbolt everything and I don’t blame them ! Having a unit that was 15 yrs. Old the units shell settles and things have to be encouraged a bit to screw back into place. But removing the outer shell makes a huge difference, do it right is my opinion and keep your air filter clean or you may end up needing to clean the A coil ( above furnace ) that not many people enjoy doing. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@thewolf5191]

Very glad to see you took a lot of time to explain discharging a capacitor. That is an extremely important safety point that many fail to mention.

[@TheDevonFoley]

As an hvac technician. I tell my customers everything, heres why, im lazy and i dont want to do it. If you feel confident go for it. If you screw up, guess who has a bigger charge, and guess who also never gets blamed for it.

[@TheSkunk1996]

LOL, here here!! The drive time is a killer as well.

[@ChrisCo0066]

Some of them drain calls are gross too if their willing to save money and my time then I’m all for the customer doing things themselves.

[@randyaivaz3356]

I talk my Customer through Problems on the Phone as well. May tell them to run their finger down rows lightly, not too much pressure to turn off a good Breaker, but enough to flip off a tripped but not thrown Breaker. Don't want to drive just to Reset a Breaker. Enough Broken things out there to keep you busy enough. They appreciate it, and Call again when needed. Strategic Electric & Security Stratmando

[@glennrishton5679]

Just had the capacitor replaced a month ago for $200. Second time it had to be replaced so was fairly sure that was the issue I was just too lazy to do it myself. Next time I'll probably do it.

[@civildk9077]

lol.. well said.

[@googull4778]

They overcharge like hell. I get it I’m a tradesman myself but to swap a $15 cap that takes maybe 15 mins. Over $200 is a bit steep. I keep a spare. My cutout box was warping and they wanted $250. Home Depot gave me one for $25. If you’re handy enough and logical about working with wiring, keep some spare parts for less than $100. Cheaper than a July/August callout that may take a day or two for them to get around to you.

[@JSATI]

Im curious your trade? Do you work for a company as an employee or do you own your business? The company has overhead. They provide good wages and benefits to employees, cover cost of vehicle & fuel associated with getting the tech there, are licensed and insured, and usually have a stocked truck to fix problem on site. The tech has probably done schooling, obtained federal license, and has thousands of dollars of tools. $200 for a cap is reasonable. This does not mean you cannot replace it for significantly less yourself. Good luck finding just about any tradesman to come out for any work less than $300. A handy man maybe but not a tradesman.

[@brucelytle1144]

I've had a "local" supply house not want to sell me refrigerant, they pulled that contractor stuff on me. All I really needed was my EPA card in the end. Get one, it's not that hard, ya just gotta know the "rules".

[@nd3498]

If you really are a tradesman then you know it's not just about replacing a $25.00 part. It's about the amount of time the technician is there doing the repair, the gas used to get there, the work truck being held up at your house, the girls in the office setting up the appointment, the company giving you a warranty for the work done, advertising cost, insurance cost and so much more. Plus the company wants a little left over to put into the bank. Companies who go out and under bid there jobs are usually out of business a few years later because of poor money management and who suffers for that, the customers of that company that's who suffers because say for instance you bought a brand new unit from them last year and you payed extra for a longer labor warranty but they end up going out of business well guess what no other company you use will honor another companies labor agreement. I will admit that there are a couple companies out there that do scam there customers and charge an exorbitant amount of money but there few and far between and are usually out of business anyways because of bad reviews and word of mouth.

[@brucelytle1144]

@@nd3498 You are so correct in what your saying. Did you include all the employment taxes, social security (matches what the employee pays) tax, business license fees? I wanted to start my own service business, after the state (WA) actually pay for me to go to a bunch of classes at WU (Vancouver) on what it takes to (legally 😉) do business in the State, I moved to Kansas and retired!

[@googull4778]

@@nd3498 Indeed, I am a tradesman. Most local HVAC companies don’t travel far. In mid July they are working jobs all day. I know this because I work with HVAC technicians as part of my trade because we need to keep our comm rooms cool. We also know some in the neighborhood. They are BUSY all summer. So $185 in labor for a 15 minute job that is between skill of changing a lightbulb and installing an outlet while using maybe a gallon of gas is again, a bit steep. If you need to change out control boards, diagnose ghosts in the machine, attic work, under house work then you’ve earned your money. Walking up to a unit that won’t turn on… it’s very much the first thing HVAC techs look at and likely the only thing.

[@suezinger8598]

Purchased: August 2022 - still works GREAT! kzbin.infoUgkxxsUnXhGsSJLim_XnMHyQK0u3XVaW-CGn I live in a studio and during the summer it gets scorching hot - really old building with no ac units. I can’t express how EASY it was to install.This unit has been a life savior during the summer and some days during other seasons where it can still be a bit warm at night. In this small place is my friend, a husky, poodle mix and myself. We need AC - lolI don’t use the dehumidifier option - I’m not sure if it will leak in my house, since I did not install the small draining hose that came with it. May look into it late but I don’t worry about much humidity in the apartment.I don’t understand why the negative reviews since all things mentioned, I personally did not find issues with. Definitely worth it!

[@tominaklan9702]

Excellent video DIY for someone with my background that’s straight forward. Do feel that a lot of folks don’t understand the safety issues involved that cap really can zap you good even after it’s been unplugged

[@freckledtrout3299]

I change mine in the spring every 5 years. Nice thing about that is that I can switch the power off because I don't need the AC, let it sit half an hour, then jump the contacts to discharge it if it held up that long(shouldn't).

[@timmiller9666]

Excellent video. You have a very good understanding of the functions in a typical household hvac unit. The difference between you and average Joe is that most people find less headache in calling a professional to work on their system. I have always preferred to do good business with someone over a lifetime versus ripping them off once. Unfortunately many hvac companies prefer the opposite.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Well said Tim. Totally agree with your mentality there at the end of what you said. Thanks for the feedback!

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Don't get a house w a boiler. That's a whole basket of snakes 🐍 and requires a skilled tech. Nit just whoever shows up w/o a license from whatever big co you find.

[@Shyblues]

@Tim Miller I love to hear this, in this day & age. Thank you for your honesty.

[@trvman1]

"The capacitor needs to be replaced, that part is $100.00 and my labor is another $100.00" Guy goes to his truck and gets the part he paid 15 bucks for. Done in 15 minutes. Pretty much how it works.

[@jm7974]

Less headache is fine. But paying a $400 service call, for something every man could basically do for himself in 10 minutes... most people would be better served to learn how and save the cash. I'll call the service guy without trying first when I have my yacht and mansion and don't have to break my back to make those $$$.

[@oldgreenbus]

You are hitting all the good topics for a home handyman.. Great content! Thanks

[@russellrun]

Great video! A couple follow up tips: When sucking out your condensate drain, its good practice to pour fresh clean water back into the evaporator pan (which leads to the drain) so that you can fill the trap back up. Sometimes if you have no water in the trap, the condensing water from the evaporator will not beat the static of the fan and stay in the pan, thus flooding out or tripping a pan cutoff switch. Also the trap being full prevents bugs and rodents from entering the drain from outside. Also when manually pressing a contactor, best to use something non-conducive to electricity, such as a pen or marker.

[@wholeNwon]

Great advice. Filling the trap is not an option; It's a necessity. If the air handler is above a living space, both the primary and secondary drain pans should have cutoff float switches.

[@richardhatano4351]

Thanks!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback and the Super Thanks!

[@stuartjohnson8171]

My start capacitor was the first looked at when my AC stopped working. It had corrosion looked like something had leaked. While taking it out I noticed the run capacitor was bulged. After replacing them the unit might work and then stop. The disconnect was sparking and not making consistent contact so it was replaced. Still wouldn't run until I replaced the 24 volt contactor. It's possible not everything needed replacing but when it's 107 degrees and people have homes needing the contractors I couldn't justify call for a repair in my hobby shop. Also the total cost of $71.77 and the satisfaction of fixing it myself for way less than a minimum call was well worth the hour or two spent in the process. Thanks for the coil cleaning tip.

[@Natureboy1607]

Been in the business since 85 . I love to read the comments posted in your videos ! They are funny and entertaining 😂 .

[@danoberste8146]

DO NOT 🚫 use a pressure washer to clean your coils!!!

[@dumpsterfire6351]

Do it do it 😂😂😂

[@petersmart1999]

Its a good way to destroy your unit!

[@muskywhiskerbisquet1156]

Where did this come from? I didn’t see anything about using a power washer…. I guess I should add…..DO NOT leave power on to unit and chew on wires….that is about as relevant…..

[@dumpsterfire6351]

@@muskywhiskerbisquet1156 Man your sense of humor is hot garbage

[@petersmart1999]

@@muskywhiskerbisquet1156 it was just a suggestion,some people will think if a hose will do it,a pressure washer will do ot faster and better! I have seen more than one roached coil from people thinking it was a great idea! One was a thirty thousand dollar dry cooler!

[@keldon_champion]

I can confirm this is all good info, also when ever you take the electrical cover panel off look at the capacitor for bulging, it can work fine but if it is bulging it is going to fail soon and if it pops it can cause a lot of damage, better off to just throw a $10 cap at it to be safe. Also as for the clogged condensate line I usually use compressed nitrogen and a hose (block around the hose with a rag) to clear them, I know a few guys that use water rams but that's like a $500 tool, an alternative if you have a small air compressor is pressurized air instead of nitrogen it will knock the clog out easy but be careful how much pressure you are building up in the pipe I don't want to hear about anyone bursting a drain line in a wall so you have been warned use at your own discretion, and don't completely block the hose end of the pipe that will allow you to push the clog but not pressurize the pipe too much.

[@danieicampbell6190]

Vacuum cleaner. If there are any unglued or badly glued joints in your drain line and its above a ceiling or in a wall you can blow the pipe apart using nitrogen or compressed air. Hook a vacuum cleaner up outside. Go to to the air handler and pour a gallon of very very hot water, but not boiling, down the drain.

[@keldon_champion]

@@danieicampbell6190 ya like I said do this at your own risk, and I won't do it if the drain does somewhere I can't see. I also work almost exclusively commercial so the odds of an unglued PVC joint are almost zero

[@cutehumor]

I had a hvac guy use compressed nitrogen in the attic on my condensate line. He never unclogged the line outside of the house. a few years later I developed a drain line burst in the downstairs wall where the line ran. 😒

[@keldon_champion]

@@cutehumor well you have to test that the clog came out and the drain actually clears water regardless of how you did it, if you use a vacuum you still need to dump water into the drain pan and make sure it fully empties. In your case it sounds like the guy either didn't remove the clog or he burst a joint and said fuck it. For the area I live in it is rare to see the drain plumbing disappear into a wall where you can't see it because if the unit is in the attic it goes out the wall and down the side of the house, if it's in the basement it goes out the wall and is then outside, which once the water is outside the house who cares

[@shannaidoo130]

Prevention is better than cure. It's so simple to remove filters and wash, dry and replace. A simple procedure saves you a lot of inconvenience and arguments with the wife.

[@BW12149]

When I cleaned my coils recently, I removed the top/ motor, used a shop vac to clean out all the debris and leaves on the bottom and flushed out the drain holes. Then used a coil cleaner and let it sit for awhile. Then flushed out from inside out all the coils until they were clean. We have a 6 year old Bryant 3ton, 16 seer unit and a 80% Bryant furnace. In Oklahoma we don’t need a 95% furnace. I regularly clean the coils from the outside about once a month, especially through the long term heat wave in triple digits for the past 6-7 weeks.

[@johnfisher8219]

EXTREMELY HELPFUL! Thanks for taking the time to teach DIYers the basics. No longer will it cost me $$$ to have the HVAC serviced. Thanks again!

[@rt3box6tx74]

I'm stunned to learn how inexpensive a new capacitor is. Wow, the profit on that one replacement has been exponential for my former HVAC Co. Lol, now I see why the independent I hired to install my new HVAC wasn't very impressed when I mentioned the old one had a new capacitor he could salvage. He has a lot of very low income, elderly customers he donates salvaged parts to.

[@Jimddddd1981]

Couple things here. You mentioned that you have seen quotes for up to $500 for a coil cleaning. Is that for a basic condenser coil cleaning like you demonstrated in the video? Or is that for an evaporator coil pull and clean? There is a huge difference. Next, what are you referring to that AC companies “don’t allow you to do”? Are you referring to refrigerant handling? If so, that has nothing to do with AC companies, it is federal law. There is nothing preventing anybody that wants to take/pass the EPA exam and get their card. They can then purchase all the specialty tools required to do open system work. At that point they would never have to pay an HVAC contractor again.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Those aren’t my words. I didn’t say AC companies don’t allow you to do. I said what they don’t want you to know how to do.

[@Jimddddd1981]

@@HowToHomeDIY Literally the first line of the video you say that you are “going to go over some of the top things that AC companies don’t want you knowing how to do or that you’re even allowed to do them”. Those are your exact words.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

@@Jimddddd1981 Yes Jim, where does that say that AC companies dont allow you to do something? That is the continuation of the sentence.

[@mikewall8798]

@@HowToHomeDIY false, we love customers that have an understanding of their system. I make sure they know as much as they feel comfortable. Whats bad is 1 person is gonna use this info and end up hurting themselves which is 1 person to many just to save $100...AC companies dont hurt for work so go ahead and maintain it yourself and than when you either mess it up or cant fix it, its cost more to refix all the magaveered units prior to eing able to properly diagnose.

[@alexfriedeck1978]

All of the specialty tools are let's see: Digital gauges $500, recovery machine and tank $1000, nitrogen tank $120, regulator to flow nitrogen when your brazing $80, welding set to braze with $400, heated diode leak detector $300, digital multimeter $300, large selection of Klein screwdrivers and pliers $300, valve core remover $80, vacuum pump $400, micron gauge $250, pipe bender with assorted dies $300, cordless flaring machine $300, Veto bag $300, Milwaukee drill driver combo set $300, iPad $300, GoPro to film KZbin videos $250, and some I missed $500. What you have is not a huge high dollar amount of tools to warrant the crazy costs. All the prices are new top of the line tools also buying them at a supply house. If you don't lose your tools and treat them right, they will last you for years. The HVAC industry has been shadowed by fraud for decades and the supply houses were coconspirators. Now with a battery powered device with unlimited research capabilities in the palm of everyone's hand it has come to light that HVAC work is not an exclusive trade that doesn't share any skillset with other trades and there's really not thousands of different part configurations like there are for cars. Now very few of the supply houses don't sell to the public because of internet retailers. Walk in with your make and model and the part you want like AutoZone and pay for it and go home. Of course, they're not going to help you fix it just like AutoZone won't. And you're not going to get the same pricing as the volume customers do just like you won't at AutoZone. If you want a comparison of specialty tool costs the next time you get your car fixed ask the technician what the top two drawers of his box cost. It will be double what your ENTIRE set cost. And not one those technitions at any repair shop is preaching that if you use internet advice you may end up paying double what it would have cost had you not tried to fix it first. You sir are one of those fraudsters and you are mad your gravy train is ending and you're going to have to start working for your money just like the rest of us do repairing anything mechanical.

[@DGTubbs]

This was incredibly helpful! I learned a lot about the contactor. I replaced my capacitor once when I was in my old house. But I just found one that was exactly the same as the old one. It's good to know what those numbers mean. 😅

[@ozzstars_cars]

Also check at the contactor for 24V at the wires that come from the thermostat/air handler. There could be a break or short in those signal wires and the contactor will not be commanded on.

[@LeJiaInvesting]

Followed the step and get it fixed. THANKS A LOT. IT IS LIKE A LIFE SAVER IN THIS 100 DEGREE PERIOD

[@karlschneider5198]

Im a retired hvac/r contractor with 25+years in the biz...this is good advice as far as it goes but i dont suggest the homeowner do some of this just because the average homeowner can easily screw it up and make a little problem into a huge problem...as far as being ripped off by crooked ac guys, yep that happens...years ago the tv show 20/20 did an expose' on home repair ripoffs and focused on the a/c guys...one of the "suggestions" they made was to watch over the shoulder of the repair guy to keep him honest, which is a good idea even if you dont understand what he is doing..BUT YOU need to understand a trained HVAC/R tech could do things right under your nose to make your A/C fail HOURS OR DAYS after he leaves....

[@HeleneSecret]

Maybe you can give me advice. I've noticed this past week my AC wasn't cooling very well as it always has. Yesterday it stopped cooling and it's 86 in my FL home. Today I changed the air filter and let it run for an hour, no change. I'm afraid to clean the coils but maybe I should, what do you recommend?

[@sirrebral]

About 10 years ago I arranged for an HVAC inspection by a local company. My system was running fine, but it was about 15 years old and hadn't been serviced since I bought the house, so I was interested in what the inspection would turn up. The technician quickly identified that the capacitor was not performing up to spec, the contactor was pitted, and that the power disconnect was damaged due to excessive heat. While I appreciated the assessment, his repair quote--$175 for the capacitor, $225 for the contactor, and $350 for the disconnect--seemed to be excessive, so I declined his repair quote...and his system replacement quote...and his pitch for a 20% discount in exchange for signing up for a $175 maintenance program. After I paid for the inspection (a $49 promo) and sent him on his way, I got online and confirmed that the parts could be had for much, much less. I ended up spending $25 for a capacitor and $20 for a contactor at a local appliance store (Amazon was even cheaper, but I chose to shop local), and another $30 for a disconnect box and replacement conduit whip at my local big box home improvement store. I then paid an HVAC tech freelancer 100 bucks to do the work, which he completed in less than an hour. That experience left me with a healthy amount of skepticism concerning service providers who take advantage of situations where customers are under pressure to get a non-working air system up and running asap.

[@jeffshore682]

I've been in the HVAC business for 40 years, most diy people don't have a very good understanding of how much it costs to run a service business. That's why we get a bad rap

[@sirrebral]

@@jeffshore682 Yes, some people don't understand, but I do; facilities, inventory, staffing, marketing/customer acquisition, insurance, warranty-related expenses, and more have to be accounted for in the business model. But the gap between that reality and a more shallow understanding of operational and logistical requirements isn't the only reason why the service industry gets a bad rap; perverse incentives are all too common in the service industry, whether it's HVAC or something else.

[@jonah8720]

Watch out for the companies that offer a cheap promo to inspect your AC or furnace. They do exactly what you just described. They're eating the cost on the inspection to rip you off on the parts.

[@sprockkets]

Well, is that tech freelancer going to come back and warranty anything they did for a year? Those prices quoted seem high, but they aren't. If a company touches your system they are effectively married to that system, and if anything else goes wrong with it, ppl imply all sorts of warranties with it. I mean, you don't think that a side of guac costs $6 with only a dollar's worth of avocado in it, do you?

[@sirrebral]

@@sprockkets I value warranties and understand that they are to be included in the price structure. But I'd caution any service provider to provide a clearly-stated one rather than allowing "implied" warranties to drain their time and resources.

[@missingfamilyforever]

Agree with all of this; however I've never noticed a difference with efficiency from cleaning my compressor coils so I rarely do it. I always keep a spare contactor and starter/run capacitor (most often) on hand just in case I have a problem in the heat of summer. Standard maintenance for me in northwest Florida is shop vac condensate lines in spring and sometimes fall.

[@TheDarkSkorpion]

Depends on the environment. I've seen outdoor coils clogged with lint because the dryer vent is right next to it, hair because the golden shepherd sleeps next to it, dirt because the yard is just fine dry dirt. The big thing is the closer you live to the beach, the more often you need to rinse the salt off. Where I live I just rinse it with the hose once a year or so when I'm using the hose anyways. It can make a difference and only takes a few minutes a year, so why not?

[@thekeithbutts]

If you have a condenser coil like the one in the video you’ve likely never cleaned it correctly which is why you’ve never noticed a difference. That coil is a dual pass coil which needs to be separated to be cleaned.

[@mikewall8798]

you dont understand the need for it, got it. The condenser coils are to help remove the heat from your home when the freon cycles back out to the compressor. So you can have all the cool air dumping you want but if that coil is dirty, its not gonna reach temp as quick or at all.

[@freckledtrout3299]

@@TheDarkSkorpion Yeah that is my house. Why they put the dryer vent right by them is beyond me. Its never clogged because I clean the coils with a water hose a couple times a year but still some of us have to deal with it.

[@Fenderstratosphere98]

You’ve never noticed a difference in efficiency? Are you an engineer doing all that crazy math? I doubt it. You’re system needs to dump all that excess heat produced by the compressor. Clean your coils.

[@aaronp888]

Just changed out the capacitor today and got mc AC working again. Glad it's no longer 91 degrees in the house. 😅 Thanks for the tips!

[@SuperS05]

1:35 the coil cleaner usually isn't needed. Just water is more than enough. Use a flat spray and direct it perpendicular to the coil and not too close. (a sprayer was used in this video, which is not very useful without the cleaner) The idea is to make sure water is coming out the other side clean.

[@NorCAL_Stacker]

Where do you purchase these parts if needed? I’ve tried looking for them online, Lowes, Home Depot. They don’t have them. Was forced to hire an AC repair company to fix my $20 capacitor got $150 bucks. So where can you buy these parts?

[@Bigfoot14000]

Amazon has many capacitors, from about $9 and up. Not a bad thing to order and have on hand, as they always seem to fail on the hottest Sunday of the year.

[@bigdog8008]

I ran into this. Motor start cap died on the hottest day of summer. Local supply houses that carried them were all sold out. Could buy online but had to wait a few days for it. Called local AC repair guy, he had one in stock for $50. OK - so I ended up buying the cap from the repair guy and installed it myself. I consider this as paying $16 for the cap plus $34 for same day delivery.

[@chuckquinn8026]

Amazon

[@MustahB]

Grainger has been the best source for me.

[@garyronan5568]

There are parts dealer's in most large cities that sell appliance parts similar to stores that sell auto parts. They cater to appliance repair professionals but most will sell to the general public. In my area an outfit called Dey Brothers Appliance used to only sell to the Profesional tradesmen but I guess they decided they didn't want to see the online stores getting all that loot so now they sell to anyone. Another outfit that handles appliance parts is Granger. They also only sold to tradesmen. Used to ask for your tax number. No tax number no sale! They also saw all that pretty money slip through their fingers and changed their tune! They will sell on line as well as in person.

[@morallyinsane7639]

Here is some advice from a professional HVAC contractor. His filter advice is fine, not all condensate drains have a safety, but if water is coming out of your air handler, the shop vac method of cleaning is fine. The rest you should never do for your own safety, it requires a trained professional. Things to remember, don’t allow companies to rip you off, run capacitor generally cost about $20 or less and a company should not charge you more then double the price. Also with coil cleaning, just use a hose, do not attempt to take apart the unit. Most AC condenser never get that dirty and beside on commercial units I have never has to clean a condenser coil, it’s rare or has seen other contractors do it. Depends what part of the country you live in, but here in the northeast it’s rarely done. As for your condenser contacter, the only reason they are changed is because the contacts get pitted and worn, they almost never fail.

[@efrainmaldonado5677]

They use to be 5 dollars

[@BobBob-db2xq]

Man we always have problems with shorted contactors.. blown fuses after a/c start up...other thing I noticed was he will end up getting someone shocked..we have bad pull outs that people wire nut together 😮 if nothing else a good jolt from the capacitor

[@marcinhernik1270]

Great videos so far! Basics every home owner should be able to do! I had my ac unit replaced way back when and did replace the capacitor and cleaned the unit as mentioned here. The only thing I have yet to figure out is why I hear a loud buzz sound indoors as opposed to the outdoors when the unit kicks on.

[@dirtbikeheaven1129]

Thanks for the great information. The outside of my capacitor was so rusted the numbers were not legible. My local heating and A/C dealer was able to get that info from my model number. He actually had two of the correct capacitors sitting on the counter👏🏻 I had it up and running in 10 minutes! Thanks again.

[@MsckMatt]

I get the clickbait title, but the truth is most ac companies dont care whether you know any of this or not. When im on a service call I talk to the customer and explain a ton of things about their system to them that they dont know. I tell them how to clean their coils, and why the capacitor needs changed, and any questions they have. Theres no point trying to keep info from people it just makes you look like youre hiding anything. But in the middle of summer most companies are so balls deep busy that no ones going to care what you do and dont know, we are just there to fix the ac and move on to the next 5 calls you have after. But yes things cost more than if you do it yourself. It also costs more to go to a mechanic. It also costs more to have a company come put carpet in your house. There is a shop full of people behind the scenes that bring in zero income. Dispatch answering phones, accounting doing accounting, shop guys making metal, ect. Being the tech on the ground is what funds the entire company for the most part, as well as pays for your van, car insurance, gas, and health insurance for the whole company.

[@alexfriedeck1978]

This is 2023. It could be shop women making metal also.

[@skeletor8250]

When manually closing the "contactor" ( a relay, actually), you need to keep in mind that , on many systems, there is a 5 minute timer ( or Anti-short cycle timer) which will prevent the compressor from re-starting again within 5 minutes of the last ON cycle. This has to do with the physics of the refrigerant, but it needs to be known, because a DIYer who manually pushes in the relay button once , may be tempted to push it again, just to confirm that it works as expected ( or just for fun ), and the second time, the compressor won't start. This could lead to some really big question marks and exclamation marks swirling over the DIY's head.

[@samsammy1952]

Delay Timer that opens low voltage circuit will not prevent Compressor from starting if you are manually pushing in contactor.

[@stinkyham9050]

​@@samsammy1952 You are correct. Delays are in series with the contactors coil. This comment is a super example of why DIYers usually don't have a clue what they're taking about.

[@mikedaley2939]

Super dangerous without confirming power when you shut a system down

[@M.H357]

Thank you for the quick and valuable information. There is an inverter inside the unit itself and cost 20-35&, I did it myself in under 10 minutes. Company quoted me 380$. I have basic knowledge in AC maintenance. Thanks again

[@JesusIsLord1976]

I've had a number of ac tech professionals over to help an issue. Was surprised they all left not knowing the cause or solution. I live in a newer construction community where all the houses have same type and brand of AC unit. None of others I've met, about 34 people. Has this issue. The issue is the fan on the unit outside. The fan just randomly comes on. Without any thermostat ever turned on. Sometimes fan starts spinning 20 times a day. This has been ongoing 3 years now. Thank you, God bless

[@chessman9548]

I worked in Electrical work for 12 years and another 12 years in Apartment Maintenance, this guy speaks the TRUTH. AC companies are generally dishonest, find and honest company for your repairs.

[@graphguy]

Biggest thing about AC companies that they don't want to know? None of these (albeit great) tips... No, What they don't want you to know that the new $20,000 AC they are quoting you cost them $3,000. They make a HUGE PROFIT.

[@tgriebe]

Yes, it is a shady trade from the manufacturers to the installers to the parts sellers to the repair guys. All will cheat you if given the chance.

[@dgapp76]

As a licensed contractor myself, I can tell you that not all AC companies are crooks although there are plenty of them out there that give the good ones a bad name. The honest guys have lifetime customers and tons of referrals. Big companies sometimes pay their techs commission only. This means your "tech" is actually a salesman. Beware.

[@dirankomorov]

And guarantee 90+% of that $17k profit goes to the company itself - more than likely, the CEO

[@furnaceworlddispatchemail4831]

There are no companies charging $20,000 for what cost them 3,000. THINK about what you're saying. 90% of the quotes we do, we're competing with other contractors. A quote can vary in price based on the recommendations. Example: we may advise adding an additional return duct to finished construction. It's more than just the AC unit. It's about designing a system that will condition your entire home.

[@101perspective]

These parts have long shelf lives also. When I replaced my contactor and capacitor a few years ago I bought an extra one of each. Sure enough, this year we had a power outage during a storm and when the power came back on the AC unit wasn't working. I put in the extra capacitor within 5 minutes and was back up and running.

[@nvasudeva]

You just saved me a call to the repair guy.. in my case, it was the contactor ! The fan unit that was outside was not moving, i changed the fuse in the furnace, and then the capacitor and that did not fix the issue. Finally ended up replacing contactor and that did the trick ! Thanks a lot !

[@billg2446]

When you finished changing the cap, did you check it under load, did you check the charge? What was the sub cool? Did you check your indoor blower wheel? What were the indoor blower amps? If you didn’t do any of these, you failed to tell people the importance of having a qualified technician diagnose the problem. There are numerous reasons a capacitor fails. Also there’s no reason to use coil cleaner on the inside of the coil, there are also manufacturers who specifically state to use water only. It’s also bad advice to short the pins on a capacitor using a non insulated screwdriver. Unless you’re a certified HVAC technician you really shouldn’t be posting videos such as this.

[@kouryeways3998]

Is there no middle ground on this? If people were honest and good to customers as a whole then people wouldn’t be trying this themselves or perhaps less people would be. All these comments about HVAC overhead just all getting passed on plus some huge upsell. That’s why this is happening on a larger scale. No one is trying to replace skilled professionals, but there is a difference between that and screwing people over to make money to grow your business. I’m not saying you screw people but many companies is do. Doctors do this, so do insurance companies, mechanics etc. just understanding some of what goes into the job will help you know what’s happening and if you are getting jacked by someone sleazy. Knowledge is power. It also doesn’t ever replace skill and experience but there is always a middle ground.

[@williamgooding4856]

Your work on the contactor and capacitor is VERY dangerous. Obliviously you have no training in Arc Flash, as required by OSHA. I would suggest before posting a video for DYI, that you have a safety professional review it. This area is very litigious. You could be sued by the DYI person & their property insurance company. This is covered under general liability so there is no dollar limit. In court all they have to do is show your video & cite the safety violations. Who do you think wins when a Dad is dead, and a ten year old is crying in front of the jury. Have about 10 million in compensatory & punitive damages. Did I also mention legal fees. By the way forewords & statements just help the prosecution prove you knew it was dangerous. Last of all there is criminal, being charged with manslaughter. By the way I really like your videos, they are very helpful, and remind/encourage people to do things the right way. So take all of this as free advice; I'm just trying to protect you. Thanks for your time.

[@p-dru2205]

I first watched your video on capacitor scam avoidance (very well done, btw) which brought me to this video. My comments - as far as cleaning the coils, your "very easy ...and only 30 minutes of time" comments - I am 69, have a testy back and both hips, and it was 105 when I decided I needed to try to clean my coils because they were dirty and our AC was struggling to keep up with the heat. It took me about 15 mins to remove the outer protective grate, then I rested inside for 15 mins, 20 mins to clean 2 sides of the just the outside of the coils, rest for 15 mins, another 15 mins to clean the other 2 sides, another rest for 10 mins, then about 2 HOURS to put the outside back on. By the time I was done, I was suffering borderline heat exhaustion (I won't gross everyone out with my symptoms - suffice to say my wife, who is a nurse, really wanted to take me to ER for IV fluids but I said no), my back and hips were killing me. But the air temp in my vents dropped from 70 to 63, so I call that part a success. But if you are older, somewhat infirm, and inexperienced - viewers beware - it just. might. be. worth the $150 if you have it. I did not, and knowing we were going into (and are still in) a prolonged heat wave I did not want to risk losing the AC altogether. But I am glad I did it, and without instructional videos like yours I would not have known to try - or even how to try. Thank you! (I hit the subscribe and the like, btw.)

[@brendaggiegigem6742]

Another thing to be aware of is your thermostat could be bad. I had this happen with a Nest and 1st HVAC quoted $2k to replace compressor of a 7 yo Trane. I felt from codes Nest was giving it was wiring or board going bad. Called a second HVAC and he listened to me, diagnosed the Nest had gone bad and recommended replacing. Thankfully, I kept old thermostats when replacing with Nest and pulled it out. I wired it in and running ever since.

[@OGThinkster]

Good tips. It's unfortunate though that a lot of homeowners are not knowledgeable in anything maintenance related or scared and won't touch anything electrical. This leads to service companies taking advantage of these kind of people because they don't know any better and are gullible. A relative had an AC unit that wasn't working and a dishonest service guy came and told her it needed a new motor and he could fix it the same day for $800. He hadn't even properly troubleshooted it either! Luckily I came by the following day with proper tools and a multimeter and analog VOM and determined it was just the capacitor. Replaced it for $7 and saved her $793!

[@bradactual]

Good solid video. I change my filters monthly. I get the cheaper ones, and have two women, 3 cats and a dog in the house. All good stuff. My uncle and I put in my HVAC system in 17 years ago. just on our own. The house wasn't designed for central HVAC. I change out my capacitor every 2 years and keep older ones. Even though I keep a spare capacitor ready. While out of town AC went out and the wife paid about $250 - summer in Dallas, TX. So now I just save myself the headache I clean it all up. power wash it (outside) and change out the capacitor (every two years) if I'm already involved enough to turn the system off etc. then I might as well do it all. I'm planning on replacing my whole system. duct work and all. local pro companies are quoting 20-28k$. crazy. I can't get pricing legally in TX without a license. But I can get all the duct work etc. HVAC guys make a killing. I encourage young people to look at the trades for a profession. we're gonna need them.

[@mikeoneill81]

Wow! I have a little bit of background of electronics from working 20 yrs of radio maintenance in the AF. I had no idea how easygoing AC repairs could actually be. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do my own repairs from now on.

[@dangorgas2845]

Thank you for your content. I am a new homeowner with gaps in my knowledge of how to manage many home care issues. I just discovered your channel today and have already found two of your videos helpful. You explain things very well.

[@SuperS05]

2:32 not everyone has their air handler/furnace in the attic. Basement and slab installs are most often drained to an interior drain. They don't normally use a safety switch. Cleaning is still suggested, just a different location.

[@Mahssaba]

Yeah, my HVAC company wanted $300 plus labor to change out the start run capacitor. Of course I said no, bought one on Amazon for $18 and changed it in about five minutes. Runs great. On another note I have a capacitor tester and the one he said was going bad and needing replacement tested just fine. Needless to say, I won't use them again!

[@tommyteamer9037]

Thanks for showing how to check out the ace unite and how to check the contactor and the compassitior on the ace unite if it's not blowing cool air.

[@WilliamCooper-l6f]

Very useful information. You are a blue collar saint and I appreciate your honesty.

[@solidgadium]

This was a great video…thanks for sharing. I have a bit of an odd situation with a unit that’s only 3 years old. The fan will not shut off unless I pull the breaker. The Nest will not make it go off but I can control the temperature. Not even the AC float switches will make it go off. I feel it may be a relay but have no clue how to test for that.

[@efrainmaldonado5677]

The answer I have for that is your contractor is stuck,probably because of ants,spider or small lizard got caught on the contact.

[@krisreddish3066]

I used to do HVAC in the early 90s and it is always leaks, blown run caps and blower motors, with a few clogged or damaged thermostatic valves here and there. If I ever move away from rental I will be doing HVAC again. I am good at spark chasing, and thermodynamics, the only thing I dislike is messing with fiberglass duct boards in the hot Texas summers and bad runs between the wall for the lines and the thermostat being just sorta hard to get at sometimes. Though roots in the drains are an issue that can suck as well.

[@ChessClockCentral]

Would love to see a video about setting up Moca internet connection including identifying the coax cables on the outside box of the house. Thanks for investing time -your videos are really helpful and many appreciate what you do

[@BradandChitraDavis]

AC went out. NEST thermostat said E6 error, leakage on A7 line to AC. Measured resistance across contactor as you noted in video, was about 0 ohms, $20 purchase on Amazon and AC back working properly. Will order spare contactor and capacitor, about $30, this way can fix AC next time and not need to wait 2 days for Amazon. Need to follow your advice on the drain and cleaning coils. Good video.

[@MrSerioLok69]

Thanks for spilling the beans. No wonder my service calls has dropped. I heard homeowners intend to fix but end up getting hurt and make the problem worse. “Do not intend to fix your self, your going to make things worse and hurt your self” it’s high voltage.