M.S. Bellows, Jr.

🧵
AC went out yesterday. The company that installed it 6 years ago got a technician out the same day. Yay! Service call was $185 (boo, But hey, they have expertise I don't and overhead people deserve to get paid so I can live with it). Guy arrives and diagnoses a bad capacitor.

Cool so far, except:

Capacitor costs $389. (That's the part, in addition to the $185 service call.) I do a web search and find the exact same capacitor for $32 at my local Ace hardware.

I call the company and ask what I'm missing. They say that they need to mark up the part cost because of overhead, trucks, travel, etc. Me: But that's what the $185 is for. Them: (mumble mumble mumble).

I asked the tech, if I run to Ace Hardware a mile away and I'm back in 15 minutes, will you stick around and just install the compressor I buy instead of the one you stock? Him: no problem....
1/3

Aug 14, 2025 at 4:58pmWeb
Show threadM.S. Bellows, Jr.Aug 14, 2025

2/3: I run to Ace Hardware and buy the exact same capacitor the technician proposed to install. I even bring the box from his capacitor to make sure they're literally identical. When I get back home about 20 minutes later (traffic), the tech is gone.

I call the company back and go ???. They get me to the service manager who says, no, we will not allow our tech to install a capacitor you bought.

I holler, just a little.

He says he'll come out personally this morning to make things right.

Cut to this morning:...

Show threadM.S. Bellows, Jr.Aug 14, 2025

3/3: I get up early and do a little homework on how to just replace the damn thing myself to avoid the service manager having to come. I could do it, except that yesterday's tech removed the old capacitor and left the wires dangling so I don't know what the connection sequence is.

Because I'm me, I also look more closely at the original, dead capacitor. It's a 45+5. I look again at the capacitor the tech was going to install. It's a 40+5. I research whether the two are interchangeable. They're not.

So yesterday they were going to charge me $185 to install the wrong capacitor at a 33x markup.

The service manager arrives. We have a conversation. After initially trying to justify the difference as falling within the ± 6% leeway (6% of 45 ≠ 5), he finally admits his guy tried to install the wrong one. The service manager installs the correct capacitor, closes everything up neatly, and waives all charges.

So our AC got fixed for free instead of for $570. (I'll be returning the one I bought from Ace.)

What's sad is that this is a well-reviewed contractor, which installed our AC in the first place just 6 years ago, and I would have used them forever if they had proved themselves greedy and inept.

It's 10:10 a.m. here in Oregon. Is that too early to start drinking?

Show threadAI6YR BenAug 14, 2025
@msbellows Grrrrr... I hate those kinds of companies. At least you got it managed. I had one company out here come to diagnose an A/C issue, said "it needs freon", charged me $800 for freon, which leaked out the next day and they wouldn't refund me the polluting freon they loaded into a leaking system.
Show threadShawn WilliamsAug 14, 2025
@msbellows tin knockers are the worst (I should know I’m in the industry). Last time I had a service call they came out and replaced my fan motor on my condenser (there wasn’t anything wrong with it). Good thing I was home because they put in an undersized motor and it would have burned out. Turns out their office mixed up the work orders for another customer with the same name. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Show threadCohoAug 14, 2025
@msbellows
I bet you could change the capacitor yourself, YouTube has detailed diy videos on every fix it issue in existence. I find it's empowering
Show threadM.S. Bellows, Jr.Aug 14, 2025
@Coho Yep, I finally realized that. It'll be easy now that I know how to pull the local cutoff and which wires go where.
Show threadCohoAug 17, 2025
@msbellows
Good for you! Repairing something successfully always gives me a little rush, and feeling of accomplishment.
My friend Peggy had a spark plugged break off in her truck engine. She couldn't afford a mechanic, so a diy YouTube guided her through reboring the plug hole, and her truck ran perfectly. We can diy anything.
Show threadM.S. Bellows, Jr.Aug 17, 2025
@Coho Agreed. (Which is why I was sad when my wife insisted on seeing the doctor instead of letting me DIY her pacemaker from leftover radio parts and a cell phone battery. No faith!)
Show threadCohoAug 20, 2025
@msbellows 😂 with the healthcare system as it is we may have to attempt things like that.
Show threadMichael FenichelAug 15, 2025

@msbellows

FWIW... Somehow I came across this post and immediately thought "this could be me!" .... VERY similar experience & reaction.

I agree, "fair is fair" and I was VERY happy with the replacement A/C company, the pricing, installers, contract etc.
Now a test.

I got a call, "no AC!" and 90℉ +.

Long distance got them out in a day, "no charge" but... the capacitor NOT covered by warranty, & $300-ish to replace! I also looked at net prices. 😱 Plus got a surge protector. #IIWII Keep cool!