Spinoff- Don't waste money on an A/C tech. DYI preventive maint.

Nah. You can even stand it a 5 gallon bucket of water while changing the capacitors. It's that safe.














FYI, please don't mess with 220V.

the worst shock of my life was from a capacitor in an old tv set...I won't be touching another capacitor in my life, if I can help it.

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Depends on what YouTube video you watch and if you went to school in Livingston Parish......

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Smarter than you bitch

Sorry. But this is very dumb advice,

and a huge waste of money.

I've seen contactors 30 years old. Capacitors aren't AA batteries, they can easily last 10 years or so.

These parts are VERY easy to buy at your local parts house if there is an issue, no certication needed.

The effort is way better suited to preventative maintenance that will make a difference like:

Hosing down your condenser coils and clearing nearby vegetation at least yearly

Aerosol coil clean your evaporator coils at most every two years

Keep your goddamn filter clean, or changed out EVERY month.

This is the kind of prevent maint that will make a difference.

"Sorry. But this is very dumb advice, and a huge waste of money. "
Yup, I wasted $12.00 on 4 capacitors on eBay, your opinion sounds legit.


"I've seen contactors 30 years old."

I agree, but for $4 a set why not change them vs. sweat your balls off trying to figure out what's wrong with you wore out 30 year old contacts.



"Capacitors aren't AA batteries, they can easily last 10 years or so. These parts are VERY easy to buy at your local parts house if there is an issue, no certication needed. "

Yup, you can easily drive 20 miles to pay $18.00 for something you can get for $3.00 on eBay... You sound really smart..



"The effort is way better suited to preventative maintenance that will make a difference like: Hosing down your condenser coils and clearing nearby vegetation at least yearly Aerosol coil clean your evaporator coils at most every two years Keep your goddamn filter clean, or changed out EVERY month. This is the kind of prevent maint that will make a difference."

Thanks for adding the additional PM info I mentioned in my last sentence.

Sorry for trying to help...

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Always short anything with capacitance before working on it.

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Which means pull the outside unit's disconnect. Remove the capacitor's electrical connections with rubber handled pliers after taking a picture for reference.

Then take a screw driver and touch all the removed capacitor's exposed electrical contacts, two or three at a time.

Then proceed to test the capacitor or change it out. Life goes on.

You're totally right. I'm sure there's plenty of YouTube videos that will teach you how to braze a new compressor into your condenser, right?

Easy peazy.