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Home > Archive > Home Repair forum > July 2005 > HVAC Hard start cap question
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HVAC Hard start cap question
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| I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local plumbing
/HVACcompany.
The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to improve
the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted to charge
me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a google
search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
Questions:
What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
installed/removed it pretty quick.
Thanks for your time.
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"Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message
news:jvOBe.64225$R21.64196@lakeread06...
quote:
> I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local
plumbing
quote:
> /HVACcompany.
>
> The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to
improve
quote:
> the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted
to charge
quote:
> me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a
google
quote:
> search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
>
> Questions:
>
> What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
>
> Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
> installed/removed it pretty quick.
>
> Thanks for your time.
Yeah, you can install it yourself if you're handy. Just make sure you
lock out all the power to the outdoor unit.
Like the name says, just makes the compressor easier to start...
..
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"Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message
news:jvOBe.64225$R21.64196@lakeread06...
quote:
> I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local
plumbing
quote:
> /HVACcompany.
>
> The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to
improve
quote:
> the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted
to charge
quote:
> me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a
google
quote:
> search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
>
> Questions:
>
> What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
>
> Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
> installed/removed it pretty quick.
>
> Thanks for your time.
http://arnoldservice.com/compressor...rt_boosters.htm
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"Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message
news:jvOBe.64225$R21.64196@lakeread06...
quote:
> I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local
plumbing
quote:
> /HVACcompany.
>
> The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to
improve
quote:
> the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted
to charge
quote:
> me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a
google
quote:
> search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
>
> Questions:
>
> What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
>
> Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
> installed/removed it pretty quick.
>
> Thanks for your time.
But before you do all that, WHY did he say you needed one? Any
symptoms of hard starting?
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| He said that the compressor was not starting. Now, he was screwing with
something on the unit at the time. He put on the hard-start unit, the
compressor started fine, then told me about the $400.00 part. I said 'I
don't think so', and he took the part off. Seems to be starting fine now
though. I just want to be safe, but there was no way I was paying $400.00
for a $40.00 part.
"Rick" <notta@goodone.com> wrote in message
news:HKOBe.10946$aY6.6016@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
quote:
>
> "Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message
> news:jvOBe.64225$R21.64196@lakeread06...
> plumbing
> improve
> to charge
> google
>
>
> But before you do all that, WHY did he say you needed one? Any
> symptoms of hard starting?
>
>
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| Stretch 2005-07-15, 12:25 pm |
| It does not make it more efficient, that is a bald faced lie. All the
goodman units I have ever seen (And as a common brand, I see a lot of
them), have a pston type metering device. These have the Freon
pressures equalze in the off cycle. The only reasons you would need a
hard start kit is with a low voltage situation or if the compressor
bearings are getting tight. If he is installing it that easily he is
using a Superboost, which is not a true hard start kit, but is a start
assist. A true hard start kit has a start capacitor and a start relay
wired to the compressor. Yeah, the selling price for start assists
around here is $25.00 to $75.00 plus labor, depending on the exact
model.
Geta new contractor. He will keep feeding you lines till he gets your
money. You can bet the tech is on commission.
Stretch
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"Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message
news:raPBe.64229$R21.52683@lakeread06...
quote:
> He said that the compressor was not starting. Now, he was screwing
with
quote:
> something on the unit at the time. He put on the hard-start unit,
the
quote:
> compressor started fine, then told me about the $400.00 part. I
said 'I
quote:
> don't think so', and he took the part off. Seems to be starting
fine now
quote:
> though. I just want to be safe, but there was no way I was paying
$400.00
quote:
> for a $40.00 part.
Listen to the wise words of Stretch-sounds like "Gem" is also looking
for a gold mine...
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"Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message
news:jvOBe.64225$R21.64196@lakeread06...
quote:
> I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local plumbing
> /HVACcompany.
>
> The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to
improve
quote:
> the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted to
charge
quote:
> me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a
google
quote:
> search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
>
> Questions:
>
> What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
>
> Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
> installed/removed it pretty quick.
>
> Thanks for your time.
Sounds like you got a company that pays commissions to the techs.
Hard start just has more power to turn the compressor over.
Yes you can pick up one and install it your self. Be careful the charged
capisitors have a hidden wake up call inside. Best to disconnect all of the
wiring then ground them out before handling.
Unless of course you like those wake up calls.
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| TURTLE 2005-07-15, 6:25 pm |
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"Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote in message news:jvOBe.64225$R21.64196@lakeread06...
quote:
>I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local plumbing
>/HVACcompany.
>
> The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to improve
> the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted to charge
> me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a google
> search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
>
> Questions:
>
> What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
>
> Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
> installed/removed it pretty quick.
>
> Thanks for your time.
>
This is Turtle
CLJ-30 is one of Goodmans newer model numbers and might be still under the 10
year warranty on the compressor. When you see a goodman non-scroll compressor
start out of the blue needing a hard-start kit. You will be changing the
compressor in less than 2 years. The Compressor is just warning you about a up
coming event.
Gem wanting $400.00 for Sex is just too high. Anybody all over will give you
this Retail for $50.00 or $75.00 or so. Now they have the useless SPP-1 for
about $15.00. You need a SPP-6 or Up.
A Hard start kit is not hard to install at all if you know what your doing.
TURTLE
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| Richard J Kinch 2005-07-16, 4:25 am |
| Jack writes:
quote:
> What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
Nothing.
While sometimes indicated, this item is usually an upsell swindle from the
service company. Obviously in your case due to the obscene price.
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| hvactech2 2005-07-16, 4:25 am |
| On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 09:04:15 -0400, "Jack" <jack@jack.net> wrote:
quote:
>I have a Goodman Unit clj30. I had a service call from a local plumbing
>/HVACcompany.
>
>The senior HVAC tech told me I needed a hard start capacitor kit to improve
>the 'efficiency'. The local plumbing outfit (GEM plumbing) wanted to charge
>me $400.00 a piece for just the part. I said no, and promptly did a google
>search. Seems they wanted to charge me a 1000% markup.
>
>Questions:
>
>What does a hard start capacitor have to do with efficiency?
>
>Is this a part I can install myself? He did a test with one, and he
>installed/removed it pretty quick.
>
>Thanks for your time.
>
Did you have a problem with the unit starting? if not you don't need
the hard start kit. it doesn't have anything to do with efficiency but
is needed if the compressor has a starting problem.
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