[FlameOut]

What wold a ballpark figure be to replace my central air compressor? I'm not sure of the size of the unit, but it's an older Janitrol. The house is one story and about 950 sq ft.It's probably 15 years old. I know I need to replace my furnace and A/C soon, but I was hoping to get a couple years out both if possible

A few years ago, I had a capacitor(?) replaced, because the compressor would not kick on at all. After the new capacitor, the compressor kicks on and off every couple of minutes and I was told the compressor is bad. The repair guy said the refrigerant levels were fine, and it does blow cold air, but not enough to ever get below about 80 deg on a 90 deg day.

I'm just wondering if it might only be a couple hundred dollars or 5 or 6 hundred, or more

 

[Marty S.]

More like $1500-$1800 for an out of warranty compressor. The compressor turning on and off every couple minutes but yet the pressures are good doesn't make sence. Call another company for a second opinion.

 

[FlameOut]

More like $1500-$1800 for an out of warranty compressor. The compressor turning on and off every couple minutes but yet the pressures are good doesn't make sence. Call another company for a second opinion.

Thanks for that info. I never thought it would be that much. I guess maybe it might be time to just replace everything at once then. If I am dumping that much into an old unit, I'm better off getting more modern, energy efficient units.

 

[Marty S.]

That's for sure. Still get a second opinion on the compressor though. Could be nothing more then the guy put the wires on wrong to the capacitor.

 

[gregzoll]

A 2 ton 13seer cost me around $2200 with the indoor coil, tubing, and labor. I think the unit itself was around $1200 itself.

 

[dallastxtech]

Companies just want to sell new equipment. If the compressor won't kick on tell them to put a hard start capacitor it looks black not silver like the other ones.this hard start capacitor will kick on the compressor. If not replace the contactor or both contactor and hard start capacitor it should work. If it doesn't wotk tell them to test the compressor in front of you and let me know I tell you what they should do and what to know

 

[hvactech126]

Companies just want to sell new equipment. If the compressor won't kick on tell them to put a hard start capacitor it looks black not silver like the other ones.this hard start capacitor will kick on the compressor. If not replace the contactor or both contactor and hard start capacitor it should work. If it doesn't wotk tell them to test the compressor in front of you and let me know I tell you what they should do and what to know

hard starts are not a catch all..... I do agree get a second opinion. To fail a compressor they need to ohm the windings between each other and to each to ground. They can also be checked with an insulation tester/megohmeter.

 

[TJ198]

Does the hard start capacitor take the place of a regular capacitor? What doe sit do differently?

 

[dallastxtech]

It helps the compressor to kick on or to start the compressor on. And the hard start cap doesn't replace the capacitor.connect the hards start cap to fan and common on the capacitor.

 

[Marty S.]

Dallas means herm and common, not fan and common. Sometimes they wont start a stuck compressor at all, other times it will run for a few days and then die and other times they'll keep going for years. All depends on how damaged that compressor got drawing 80-100 amps while stuck.

 

[dallastxtech]

Dallas means herm and common, not fan and common. Sometimes they wont start a stuck compressor at all, other times it will run for a few days and then die and other times they'll keep going for years. All depends on how damaged that compressor got drawing 80-100 amps while stuck.

My bad I meant herm and common. Thanks Marty and you are right the hard start cap may or may not work depending on the compressor.

 

[FlameOut]

I just had the repair guy here to give me an idea on the AC. He said he could fix it, but in reality it would not be worth it in the long run. He said the unit is 17 years old. He then looked an my (forced air) furnace and said it was about 25 years old. Looked at the blower and said that was one of the reasons the house never cooled - it was a belt drive motor/blower and that most now were 3-speed direct drive

I asked him what would be a good unit to replace them both with, and he said he deals mainly with Rheem, and has never had any problems. I was a little shocked at the prices, but I guess he's probably right in line going by what some other have said they paid. A high efficiency furnace and ac unit at $6400 and a less efficient furnace (with some type of chimmeny liner?) was $5800. I'm going to get some other estimates and do lots of reading first

 

[fabrk8r]

FlameOut, what is your location?

 

[FlameOut]

FlameOut, what is your location?

I'm in SW PA.

I was just looking at different websites and reading different reviews and stumbled upon a HVAC calculator. How accurate are they in determining furnace/AC size? My current furnace is 80000 BTU but the calculator says I only need a 44000 BTU unit (and 2 ton air). I only have a small house. Single story ranch at a little under 1000 SF

 

[Marty S.]

Sounds like a reasonable load,maybe a bit high. Every house is different but mine's the same size and less then 30K(first stage of a 2 stage) kept it at 72 inside when it was -20F outside. Also have 2 stage cooling and first stage (less then a ton and a half) keeps the house at 74 so long as it's below 95 outside. Above that second stage(2 ton) kicks in for a little bit. The neighbors have a ton and a half which keeps their house at 78 even on the hottest days of the year.