AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

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chuckwalla
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AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by chuckwalla »

Anyone have a rough estimate of how much it would cost to have someone replace the outside AC condenser fan motor in south California? Maybe replace the capacitor, too.

I already diagnosed it and trying to decide whether to do it myself or hire someone depending on the price. Called up a few places, but they all want to come out and do a $100 diagnostics before giving me a quote.
T4REngineer
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by T4REngineer »

Yuck, I bet that $100 gets you half way to a brand new fan motor and capacitor online.

Never done the job but I assume its essentially plug and play if you get like for like parts and if not at worst case its 3 flying lead wires you have to wire in.

I would watch a YouTube and DIY. my guess is you wont get someone out for less than $500 but that's a blind guess
Eazyndn
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by Eazyndn »

I live in the Los Angeles area, had a capacitor replaced last year, I paid $190. Had a fan motor replaced about 5 years ago on a different unit, it was $250. All the best.
neilpilot
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by neilpilot »

That will depand entirely on the motor you need, availability, and the vendor you choose.

I replaced the motor on my 2T Lennox 3 years ago, and bought it on Amazon for around $75 (it's up to $90 now https://www.amazon.com/12Y65-Lennox-Upg ... 14928&th=1 ).

Not sure if my old capacitor needed replacement, but paid about $9 for a new one at the same time. Easy DIY.
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CenTexan
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by CenTexan »

I did my motor and cap a few years ago. Totally do-able if you're handy. Research how before you start - there's a few tricks to know. One I remember is the placement height of the fan blade on the motor shaft, in perspective to the top of the unit, is critical.
tibbitts
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by tibbitts »

I'm sure your neighbor will tell you they just had their fan motor and capacitor replaced for $250 including parts and labor, but they "knew a guy" and he died last week. Whoever you call will give you a $2250 estimate, so you'll refuse and pay the $100, and find a part to d-i-y that's almost compatible. You'll spend a while trying to translate the Chinese wiring diagram since the wires are all the same color (there might be a reason that motor only cost $19.99 including shipping), but make a mistake and fry a control board. Ultimately you'll end up with a new hvac for $12,500 and after a startup glitch or two live happily until the 5-year warranty expires.

Seriously if you're sophisticated enough to diagnose the problem accurately and can buy OEM or truly 100%-compatible parts, then d-i-y. Otherwise you're going to have regrets about paying four times the price for the motor and capacitor vs. what you could find online, plus a few hundred dollars in labor. Or, just select a service provider as best you can and hope for the best. Either way is this really going to be a significant amount of money to you or just something that's going to mildly annoy you if you pay more than d-i-y prices? Years ago I had some work done on my car for $300 that I could have done myself in about one full day for under $20. I felt guilty about that for a long time but eventually got over it, and the repair has worked for all this time, decidedly unlike many repairs I've done myself, several of which have ended up costing much money than if I'd had them done by a pro.
4nursebee
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by 4nursebee »

Capacitor is a $25 part, potential for DIY.
I bet same for the motor. Check videos?
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chuckwalla
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by chuckwalla »

I called few more places and got 2 quotes over the phone, one for $1k and another for $800. Looks like I'll be doing it myself. If it was $200-$300 labor cost, I was going to hire someone.

Also called my local parts store and they have the motor for $120 ($67 if you have a business acct with them) and the capacitor for $9 (Chinese made) $6 (US made, same brand). Weird pricing on the capacitor. Maybe has to do with the tariffs or something.
ncbill
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by ncbill »

chuckwalla wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:03 pm I called few more places and got 2 quotes over the phone, one for $1k and another for $800. Looks like I'll be doing it myself. If it was $200-$300 labor cost, I was going to hire someone.

Also called my local parts store and they have the motor for $120 ($67 if you have a business acct with them) and the capacitor for $9 (Chinese made) $6 (US made, same brand). Weird pricing on the capacitor. Maybe has to do with the tariffs or something.
Buy the USA-made capacitor & try swapping that before anything else...that might be all you need.
sleepy06
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sleepy06 »

chuckwalla wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:03 pm I called few more places and got 2 quotes over the phone, one for $1k and another for $800. Looks like I'll be doing it myself. If it was $200-$300 labor cost, I was going to hire someone.

Also called my local parts store and they have the motor for $120 ($67 if you have a business acct with them) and the capacitor for $9 (Chinese made) $6 (US made, same brand). Weird pricing on the capacitor. Maybe has to do with the tariffs or something.
I'd ask the parts store if they know/recommend an independent person doing service work. Maybe you can buy both parts, and have the person just replace them both in one shot. Or, they can do one at a time and you can just give them the motor for future use if it doesn't need to be replaced. Or, see if you can return at the store, etc.

I think the transport fee/diagnostic fee thing is totally reasonable. They have expenses that have to be covered and calls are time consuming/resource intensive.
adamthesmythe
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by adamthesmythe »

If you have the ability to replace the fan, then you will undoubtedly find their cost too much. No need to spend the $100 diagnostic fee to find that out.
Topic Author
chuckwalla
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by chuckwalla »

Went ahead and replaced the fan and the capacitor. About $140 all in. Took about 2-3 hours to complete. The process was straight forward. I only had to reverse the polarity of the motor to turn in reverse direction as the motor sits facing up in my old AC.
ddbtoth
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by ddbtoth »

4nursebee wrote: Thu Jul 14, 2022 10:21 am Capacitor is a $25 part, potential for DIY.
I bet same for the motor. Check videos?
This. I watched my AC guy put in a motor and capacitor. Go to Amazon and buy a capacitor for back up, wire it up like it is.the motor is the same, easy to put in. He charged me $500 2 years ago here in South Tx. Capacitors are usually the first to go. Was you fan making grinding noises before it died (bearings going out)?
sophiainvests
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.

What I'm finding online is saying labor is $100 to $300 and if you add in parts its $200 to $700. So why are we going to pay $629 for just the labor? I was a little suspicious as the technician came out right away (same day within 2 hours) and I always thought it would be impossible in the summer heat to get someone out so fast.

We also had to pay a $89 diagnosis fee (does not go towards the work, if we were not members it would have been $109 and the labor $679).

Is our HVAC company taking advantage of us, or is this normal with inflation and all?? When I read the estimate, it mentioned the work they need to do to get the part (which is under warranty), replacing the condenser fan motor, and a capacitor. The technician did not even open anything up today to look in detail, but he did go out and tighten the bolts and move the condenser around a bit to try and stop the noise.

I have begun to worry about this company as just last week as we had their plumbing team come out (seems a lot of the AC companies are adding plumbing teams now) and they charged us $109 to come out and diagnose (does not go towards the work) plus two hours of labor ($270) to do three small things (change a neck on a shower, replace a washer in the shower head of another shower and tighten a plastic bolt on the toilet handle). It did not take two hours for the labor - I think maybe not even 1 hour (though with diagnosis, which we paid separately) maybe 1.5 hours total! When I asked about a drip in the kitchen sink, the guy told us we'd probably have to replace the whole faucet and quoted $250 if we get our own faucet. But after talking to his supervisor he raised it to $375 as they'd need to replace the pipes under the faucet and it would be hard for us to buy the correct part on our own for that. I figured it was just a washer or something and was going to try to fix it myself. The plumber said he can't guarantee if he tries to change the washer that the faucet won't be damaged and if you're going to have them out they might as well change the faucet, so this kind of worried me what would happen if I do it myself. On the other hand, it may just be the way these profit oriented companies need to think, whereas if you fix it yourself of course you just change the washer or cartridge.
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by tibbitts »

sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:00 am Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.

What I'm finding online is saying labor is $100 to $300 and if you add in parts its $200 to $700. So why are we going to pay $629 for just the labor? I was a little suspicious as the technician came out right away (same day within 2 hours) and I always thought it would be impossible in the summer heat to get someone out so fast.

We also had to pay a $89 diagnosis fee (does not go towards the work, if we were not members it would have been $109 and the labor $679).
The $629 seems excessive unless you have an unusual situation. $629 seems more like parts plus labor.
sophiainvests
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Thanks Tibbetts!

Maybe we need to look around for a new HVAC service provider. One challenge is it seems like the info on all our systems/ warranties are with this company, so we have some inertia. And things have worked out okay over the years, so some concern about going with the unknown.. But people who know little about AC like us are really quite vulnerable if someone wants to overcharge and it's possible this company has taken advantage (or just has really high overhead they need to address).

I also asked the technician about buying an especially quiet condenser once this one eventually goes out (since it's located just outside a bedroom window) and he told me the really quiet condensers are $30,000 and not appropriate to older homes like ours. When I checked online, seems there are some quiet focused ones for $5000 to $7000. He priced the standard condensers at $5k - $6k.
59Gibson
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by 59Gibson »

sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 2:09 am Thanks Tibbetts!

Maybe we need to look around for a new HVAC service provider. One challenge is it seems like the info on all our systems/ warranties are with this company, so we have some inertia. And things have worked out okay over the years, so some concern about going with the unknown.. But people who know little about AC like us are really quite vulnerable if someone wants to overcharge and it's possible this company has taken advantage (or just has really high overhead they need to address).

I also asked the technician about buying an especially quiet condenser once this one eventually goes out (since it's located just outside a bedroom window) and he told me the really quiet condensers are $30,000 and not appropriate to older homes like ours. When I checked online, seems there are some quiet focused ones for $5000 to $7000. He priced the standard condensers at $5k - $6k.
Uh? $30k!..yes you need to find another HVAC Co./tech
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by neilpilot »

sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:00 am Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.
Assuming the noise is really coming from the condenser fan, it's either due to motor issues (typically a bad bearing) or a fan that is occasionally impacting the fan guard (either due to bad fan mount bumpers or a blade that needs a very slight adjustment so it's lower on the motor shaft, away from the guard). These 2 issues make very different noises; i.e. a metal-on-metal ping vs a rhythmic grinding noise.

Since I typically diy that type of repair, I can only comment that the 2 times I replace a condenser fan motor I paid about $100-150 for the motor and spent maybe an hour doing this simple job.

BTW - when you write that they "replace the capacity", you mean capacitor. That would cost no more than $20 in parts and is even simpler. In fact some replacement condenser fan motors come with a new capacitor mounted to the motor.
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by tibbitts »

sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 2:09 am Thanks Tibbetts!

Maybe we need to look around for a new HVAC service provider. One challenge is it seems like the info on all our systems/ warranties are with this company, so we have some inertia. And things have worked out okay over the years, so some concern about going with the unknown.. But people who know little about AC like us are really quite vulnerable if someone wants to overcharge and it's possible this company has taken advantage (or just has really high overhead they need to address).

I also asked the technician about buying an especially quiet condenser once this one eventually goes out (since it's located just outside a bedroom window) and he told me the really quiet condensers are $30,000 and not appropriate to older homes like ours. When I checked online, seems there are some quiet focused ones for $5000 to $7000. He priced the standard condensers at $5k - $6k.
I'm not aware of any condenser for typical home that would cost $30k, but replacing a mid-sized condenser and coil would usually cost in the range you were quoted. If noise is that much of an issue maybe you could relocate the unit or do something to improve the sound insulation in the bedroom. I can see where some people would be annoyed by the sound of a typical condenser, even when it was operating properly.
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

I checked the estimate ($627.49 with membership or $679.17 with out) and it says: "install new fan motor quarter house power condenser motor." and "Task: Replace Warranty Condenser Fan Motor: includes shipping, handling, and warranty return paper work processing fees. Includes capacitor."

Thanks, Neilpilot: There is a buzzing sound which is more lower pitched - I'm guessing it may be the grinding you refer to, though not 100% sure it's not metal pinging metal, as I am not sure it's rhythmic, but there may be something like that (up and down variations in loudness, but not so obvious). I tried to watch the fan and see if it was hitting the protector and could not see that it was doing so, but it moves really fast. The technician had at first told us the shaft to the fan got bent due to the heat. Later I think he said he detected some oil coming out so thought there was a crack/ a bearing might have come out. I asked if that crack caused the bent shaft he noted, and he didn't want to say which might have caused which. I am wondering why (before he discovered the oil leak) he at first told us the bent shaft required a new fan motor. I could only guess the shaft is part of the condenser fan motor? This same company does preventive service/ checking on our system 2x per year. I looked at the condenser fan motor label and it's "genteq AB36BS - made in India 5KCP39KF". Things like it online (though did not find the exact numbers) seem to be around $150 to $175.

59Gibson - Thanks for the feedback. About the $30k condenser - maybe I had a miscommunications with the tech, then. I wonder if he understood my question about purchasing a quieter condenser when this one eventually goes out. Online I'm reading they have some that are just over 50 db on their lower operating mode, which could be pretty quiet with a good window on the bedroom that the condenser is placed outside of. The tech told me these newer 30k ones are only suitable to very new homes.

Tibbetts - Thanks again. My impression is that the tech was quoting $5-$6k for the condenser cost only and not installation. However, I think it will be good to clarify that so we have more data points on this company's pricing to figure out if we are continually overpaying with these folks. I am also wondering now when he told me $1500 for the part only (condenser fan motor if we didn't have the warranty), if instead he meant parts plus labor, but that would still be quite pricy. About the $30,000 - I'm going to have to confirm about that as it does seem crazy and maybe we had miscommunications. The condenser is in the back yard right by the master bedroom window - I would assume it has to remain somewhere very close to the house. Our neighbors have theirs on the side (outside of the backyard) and that seems better as it would be outside a bathroom or the kitchen, say, but for safety, does seem nice to have it enclosed in the backyard. So maybe looking into sound proofing windows for that bedroom could make sense.
sophiainvests
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

PS. Called the company to try and get further input on the pricing ($627 member/ $679 nonmember) for labor only to replace condenser fan motor. Here's what the dispatcher offered:

-Cost of everything has been going up and up and that is why they have had to raise prices.
-True the job will take about an hour, but the cost also includes processing the warranty and shipping and handling. The manufacturers have pushed more and more of the burden off on the customer - used to pay for shipping and handling, but no longer.
-The job includes capacitor if you end up needing one.
-Seasoned technician such as this one can diagnose the problem without taking off the top of the condenser unit.
-About the verbal estimate that the part alone would have been $1500 he had no idea, but suggested I could clarify with the technician. Same about the question of whether the $5,000-6,000 estimate for new condenser was part only as we had understood or also includes labor for installation.
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by neilpilot »

sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 3:20 pm PS. Called the company to try and get further input on the pricing ($627 member/ $679 nonmember) for labor only to replace condenser fan motor. Here's what the dispatcher offered:

-Cost of everything has been going up and up and that is why they have had to raise prices.
-True the job will take about an hour, but the cost also includes processing the warranty and shipping and handling. The manufacturers have pushed more and more of the burden off on the customer - used to pay for shipping and handling, but no longer.
-The job includes capacitor if you end up needing one.
-Seasoned technician such as this one can diagnose the problem without taking off the top of the condenser unit.
-About the verbal estimate that the part alone would have been $1500 he had no idea, but suggested I could clarify with the technician. Same about the question of whether the $5,000-6,000 estimate for new condenser was part only as we had understood or also includes labor for installation.
BS
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by Mel Lindauer »

FWIW, my fan motor was still under warranty for the part, but the labor quote was $500. Since my unit was seven years old and had lots of rust (I leave across the street from the ocean), I just replaced the unit instead of going down the "keep fixing it" rabbit hole.
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j9j
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by j9j »

neilpilot wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 3:25 pm
sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 3:20 pm PS. Called the company to try and get further input on the pricing ($627 member/ $679 nonmember) for labor only to replace condenser fan motor. Here's what the dispatcher offered:

-Cost of everything has been going up and up and that is why they have had to raise prices.
-True the job will take about an hour, but the cost also includes processing the warranty and shipping and handling. The manufacturers have pushed more and more of the burden off on the customer - used to pay for shipping and handling, but no longer.
-The job includes capacitor if you end up needing one.
-Seasoned technician such as this one can diagnose the problem without taking off the top of the condenser unit.
-About the verbal estimate that the part alone would have been $1500 he had no idea, but suggested I could clarify with the technician. Same about the question of whether the $5,000-6,000 estimate for new condenser was part only as we had understood or also includes labor for installation.
BS
Total BS

Shame they are pricing all this after performing periodic preventive checks.

I think you have enough data points to stop using this company and find a more reputable one.
nydoc
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by nydoc »

Try Homeserve. We just used if for our new house. Three AC. They came three consecutive days to do a lot of maintenance and repair. One ac was not working, one has water leak and one was not cooling. All covered by the plan- $9 per AC per month.
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Thanks Mel, j9j, nydoc!

Mel, that's pretty interesting you got a relatively high quote for this condenser fan motor replacement labor ($500) with same situation (part under warranty), though not as high as us ($627 member, $679 nonmember). I am starting to wonder if it is a big time sink for the AC repair co to get the parts under warranty and that's why they charge so much for an hour (or less?) of labor associated with a warranty. I wonder if I were to ask them for future repairs if they can tell us the part and let us get it on our own how they would respond. And, wonder then how much the bill would be. Did you use the same company to purchase and install the new condenser unit? How much were parts and labor if you recall?

j9j, appreciate the feedback. It had also crossed my mind that they are doing the maintenance, so should things be failing like this if we have good maintenance? As above, I also wonder if getting parts under warranty is too time consumptive for these companies and that is inflating the price - maybe it would be better if the homeowner did the follow up to get the part and let the AC repair guys just do what they are )hopefully) good at. I think we had something else go wrong with that condenser a few years ago and it also cost $600 or $700, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe the whole getting the warrantied parts thing cost us a pretty penny then as well. I also remember the guy didn't stay that long (maybe an hour). On the other hand, it could be that it's not much effort for them at all to get the warrantied parts, that this is just a way to pump up profits and they would not want us getting our own parts.

Nydoc, Homeserve is a pretty interesting idea. Went to the website and their AC service is not available in our area, but I figure there may be others like that that charge a monthly fee and then will make certain repairs for free. Ideally, they would do the twice year service check (once at start of AC season and once at start of heating season) as well, but I didn't see mention of that on the website. Do they do that?
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by Barsoom »

I had to replace a condenser motor last August in Spring, TX. It cost me $566. The capacitor was okay.

My condenser went out the day before my wife's birthday party at our home in the northern Houston metro area. Fortunately, the A/C technician was able to come out that day, find a replacement part that day, and install the new motor that day.

-B
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Thanks, a lot Barsoom. That's interesting. I'm assuming the $566 includes the part. Do you remember by any chance how they broke down the part versus the labor costs? (Ours is labor only, though they include in their work filling out the paperwork for the warranty part and paying for shipment.) Maybe I'll ask the technician how much shipping, etc. is - I'm starting to think the company is charging us as much to acquire the warranty part as might be paid for a new part without warranty! He did mention they have to mail back the broken part to the manufacturer to prove it was really broken!
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by acegolfer »

It's not hard to find parts and replace motor and capacitor on your own. Here's a tip. If your local HVAC store doesn't sell to general public, google "appliance parts" store, as they carry most HVAC parts.
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by snackdog »

I just had the AC guy out to look at a problem Lennox 3 ton AC unit (heat pump), vintage 1993. He quickly determined the fan blades were not moving. He used a stiff wire to loosen them up, then checked the capacitors which seemed fine. It did fire up but makes some noise. He indicated the fan motor was dying and likely had failing bearings. He estimated $1400 to replace the motor. I asked how much for the part and he said $500. I found it for $200 online so will likely replace it myself.

He advised not to replace it but rather to lubricate it myself (he did not offer to do this) and run it until it dies, then replace the entire unit. I looked online and saw that furnace and AC/heat pump fan blowers have oil inlets and should oiled every few years. I will attempt this today.

He advised eventual unit replacement because the freon was a bit low which he interprets to mean we may have a coil or heat pump leak. He said R22 was $300/lb which would be about $3500 for a full charge in my case. I looked on ebay and R22 is about $60/lb so I may order some but will need to find a tech to do the charging. He said a new Lennox unit and coil would be $9100. I like the old unit (solid construction) and will try to keep it running with Lennox parts.

Thoughts?
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by homebuyer6426 »

sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:00 am Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.

What I'm finding online is saying labor is $100 to $300 and if you add in parts its $200 to $700. So why are we going to pay $629 for just the labor? I was a little suspicious as the technician came out right away (same day within 2 hours) and I always thought it would be impossible in the summer heat to get someone out so fast.

We also had to pay a $89 diagnosis fee (does not go towards the work, if we were not members it would have been $109 and the labor $679).

Is our HVAC company taking advantage of us, or is this normal with inflation and all?? When I read the estimate, it mentioned the work they need to do to get the part (which is under warranty), replacing the condenser fan motor, and a capacitor. The technician did not even open anything up today to look in detail, but he did go out and tighten the bolts and move the condenser around a bit to try and stop the noise.

I have begun to worry about this company as just last week as we had their plumbing team come out (seems a lot of the AC companies are adding plumbing teams now) and they charged us $109 to come out and diagnose (does not go towards the work) plus two hours of labor ($270) to do three small things (change a neck on a shower, replace a washer in the shower head of another shower and tighten a plastic bolt on the toilet handle). It did not take two hours for the labor - I think maybe not even 1 hour (though with diagnosis, which we paid separately) maybe 1.5 hours total! When I asked about a drip in the kitchen sink, the guy told us we'd probably have to replace the whole faucet and quoted $250 if we get our own faucet. But after talking to his supervisor he raised it to $375 as they'd need to replace the pipes under the faucet and it would be hard for us to buy the correct part on our own for that. I figured it was just a washer or something and was going to try to fix it myself. The plumber said he can't guarantee if he tries to change the washer that the faucet won't be damaged and if you're going to have them out they might as well change the faucet, so this kind of worried me what would happen if I do it myself. On the other hand, it may just be the way these profit oriented companies need to think, whereas if you fix it yourself of course you just change the washer or cartridge.
Yes. I had an HVAC company come out and replace a part in my furnace. They charged me $100 for labor and $400 for the part. I looked up the OEM part online using the number on it. It's $30. They'll set their own price for the part and act like they're giving you a discount on it.
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stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by stoptothink »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:45 am
sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:00 am Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.

What I'm finding online is saying labor is $100 to $300 and if you add in parts its $200 to $700. So why are we going to pay $629 for just the labor? I was a little suspicious as the technician came out right away (same day within 2 hours) and I always thought it would be impossible in the summer heat to get someone out so fast.

We also had to pay a $89 diagnosis fee (does not go towards the work, if we were not members it would have been $109 and the labor $679).

Is our HVAC company taking advantage of us, or is this normal with inflation and all?? When I read the estimate, it mentioned the work they need to do to get the part (which is under warranty), replacing the condenser fan motor, and a capacitor. The technician did not even open anything up today to look in detail, but he did go out and tighten the bolts and move the condenser around a bit to try and stop the noise.

I have begun to worry about this company as just last week as we had their plumbing team come out (seems a lot of the AC companies are adding plumbing teams now) and they charged us $109 to come out and diagnose (does not go towards the work) plus two hours of labor ($270) to do three small things (change a neck on a shower, replace a washer in the shower head of another shower and tighten a plastic bolt on the toilet handle). It did not take two hours for the labor - I think maybe not even 1 hour (though with diagnosis, which we paid separately) maybe 1.5 hours total! When I asked about a drip in the kitchen sink, the guy told us we'd probably have to replace the whole faucet and quoted $250 if we get our own faucet. But after talking to his supervisor he raised it to $375 as they'd need to replace the pipes under the faucet and it would be hard for us to buy the correct part on our own for that. I figured it was just a washer or something and was going to try to fix it myself. The plumber said he can't guarantee if he tries to change the washer that the faucet won't be damaged and if you're going to have them out they might as well change the faucet, so this kind of worried me what would happen if I do it myself. On the other hand, it may just be the way these profit oriented companies need to think, whereas if you fix it yourself of course you just change the washer or cartridge.
Yes. I had an HVAC company come out and replace a part in my furnace. They charged me $100 for labor and $400 for the part. I looked up the OEM part online using the number on it. It's $30. They'll set their own price for the part and act like they're giving you a discount on it.
Had exact same experience a few weeks ago. They charged us $375, said the part was $175; checked online and it was like $25. They also told us the fan motor probably has ~2yrs left on it and that it would be ~$1000 to replace.

I'm not handy enough to diagnose or replace any of these things and wife will absolutely not go without AC, so we pay the prices.
homebuyer6426
Posts: 1830
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by homebuyer6426 »

stoptothink wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:50 am
homebuyer6426 wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:45 am
sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:00 am Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.

What I'm finding online is saying labor is $100 to $300 and if you add in parts its $200 to $700. So why are we going to pay $629 for just the labor? I was a little suspicious as the technician came out right away (same day within 2 hours) and I always thought it would be impossible in the summer heat to get someone out so fast.

We also had to pay a $89 diagnosis fee (does not go towards the work, if we were not members it would have been $109 and the labor $679).

Is our HVAC company taking advantage of us, or is this normal with inflation and all?? When I read the estimate, it mentioned the work they need to do to get the part (which is under warranty), replacing the condenser fan motor, and a capacitor. The technician did not even open anything up today to look in detail, but he did go out and tighten the bolts and move the condenser around a bit to try and stop the noise.

I have begun to worry about this company as just last week as we had their plumbing team come out (seems a lot of the AC companies are adding plumbing teams now) and they charged us $109 to come out and diagnose (does not go towards the work) plus two hours of labor ($270) to do three small things (change a neck on a shower, replace a washer in the shower head of another shower and tighten a plastic bolt on the toilet handle). It did not take two hours for the labor - I think maybe not even 1 hour (though with diagnosis, which we paid separately) maybe 1.5 hours total! When I asked about a drip in the kitchen sink, the guy told us we'd probably have to replace the whole faucet and quoted $250 if we get our own faucet. But after talking to his supervisor he raised it to $375 as they'd need to replace the pipes under the faucet and it would be hard for us to buy the correct part on our own for that. I figured it was just a washer or something and was going to try to fix it myself. The plumber said he can't guarantee if he tries to change the washer that the faucet won't be damaged and if you're going to have them out they might as well change the faucet, so this kind of worried me what would happen if I do it myself. On the other hand, it may just be the way these profit oriented companies need to think, whereas if you fix it yourself of course you just change the washer or cartridge.
Yes. I had an HVAC company come out and replace a part in my furnace. They charged me $100 for labor and $400 for the part. I looked up the OEM part online using the number on it. It's $30. They'll set their own price for the part and act like they're giving you a discount on it.
Had exact same experience a few weeks ago. They charged us $375, said the part was $175; checked online and it was like $25. They also told us the fan motor probably has ~2yrs left on it and that it would be ~$1000 to replace.

I'm not handy enough to diagnose or replace any of these things and wife will absolutely not go without AC, so we pay the prices.
I would at minimum put that HVAC company on your blacklist after they pull such a move. With any luck you should eventually discover an honest one. The next time I need an HVAC tech, I'm going with a small-time one, since it was a medium/large company who did this to me.
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random_walker_77
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by random_walker_77 »

I think that it's standard practice to overcharge on parts. Think MSRP, then multiply by 2 or 3 to cover their profit margin, and their "warranty" of replacing it if the part fails. My first capacitor cost me $220 for the tech to replace it. My 2nd one cost me $8 for me to replace it (taking all the necessary safety precautions).

An OEM fan motor listed as $400 on amazon. A generic one was $150. Plus $50 for the fan blade puller. That generic has been running happily for the last 7 years...
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by stoptothink »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:56 am
stoptothink wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:50 am
homebuyer6426 wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:45 am
sophiainvests wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:00 am Hi All - We just had a company that checks our HVAC system twice annually come out to check out a noisy condenser fan and they quoted us $629 labor only as the part is still under warranty. They also told us if we would have had to get the part it would have been $1,500. Everything I research online tells me both that crazy amount for the part is too high (though thankfully the part is a non-issue this time, just makes me worry about the company) as is the labor. I think they do plan to replace the capacity too, however.

What I'm finding online is saying labor is $100 to $300 and if you add in parts its $200 to $700. So why are we going to pay $629 for just the labor? I was a little suspicious as the technician came out right away (same day within 2 hours) and I always thought it would be impossible in the summer heat to get someone out so fast.

We also had to pay a $89 diagnosis fee (does not go towards the work, if we were not members it would have been $109 and the labor $679).

Is our HVAC company taking advantage of us, or is this normal with inflation and all?? When I read the estimate, it mentioned the work they need to do to get the part (which is under warranty), replacing the condenser fan motor, and a capacitor. The technician did not even open anything up today to look in detail, but he did go out and tighten the bolts and move the condenser around a bit to try and stop the noise.

I have begun to worry about this company as just last week as we had their plumbing team come out (seems a lot of the AC companies are adding plumbing teams now) and they charged us $109 to come out and diagnose (does not go towards the work) plus two hours of labor ($270) to do three small things (change a neck on a shower, replace a washer in the shower head of another shower and tighten a plastic bolt on the toilet handle). It did not take two hours for the labor - I think maybe not even 1 hour (though with diagnosis, which we paid separately) maybe 1.5 hours total! When I asked about a drip in the kitchen sink, the guy told us we'd probably have to replace the whole faucet and quoted $250 if we get our own faucet. But after talking to his supervisor he raised it to $375 as they'd need to replace the pipes under the faucet and it would be hard for us to buy the correct part on our own for that. I figured it was just a washer or something and was going to try to fix it myself. The plumber said he can't guarantee if he tries to change the washer that the faucet won't be damaged and if you're going to have them out they might as well change the faucet, so this kind of worried me what would happen if I do it myself. On the other hand, it may just be the way these profit oriented companies need to think, whereas if you fix it yourself of course you just change the washer or cartridge.
Yes. I had an HVAC company come out and replace a part in my furnace. They charged me $100 for labor and $400 for the part. I looked up the OEM part online using the number on it. It's $30. They'll set their own price for the part and act like they're giving you a discount on it.
Had exact same experience a few weeks ago. They charged us $375, said the part was $175; checked online and it was like $25. They also told us the fan motor probably has ~2yrs left on it and that it would be ~$1000 to replace.

I'm not handy enough to diagnose or replace any of these things and wife will absolutely not go without AC, so we pay the prices.
I would at minimum put that HVAC company on your blacklist after they pull such a move. With any luck you should eventually discover an honest one. The next time I need an HVAC tech, I'm going with a small-time one, since it was a medium/large company who did this to me.
It was actually a small local company, it was the owner (and one other individual) who came to our home. The larger company which we used previously and had a great experience with (tech made a mistake, so the owner came back did the entire thing for free) said they couldn't come for a week.

Similarly, our hot water heater went out ~3yrs ago. Family friend said he would do it for a home-cooked dinner (replacement was $460), but he could not do it until Saturday (it was like Tuesday). I was out of town, so she called around for the first person willing to come...cost us ~$1900. When she wants something done, she wants it done now - I just get out of the way.
sophiainvests
Posts: 161
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Great info - thank you everyone.

It's sounding like the AC business vis-a-vis figuring out fair prices is hard to entangle, as high charges for parts (even if it's just getting parts under warranty for you) and labor is common. Especially when the repairs may not be that difficult after all. I had thought a lot of deep expertise was involved. For those of us that are less handy, I wonder if some handymen will do this kind of work (replace condenser fan motor) if we obtain the part ourselves, but then again, I guess diagnosing the problem is part of the challenge. On the parts, with plumbers and electricians, it has become common to get your own parts. I am wondering if AC companies would accept that, given that huge parts mark-ups seem a key part of their business model. But I've not heard of people getting their own AC parts when having an AC service company do the work.

I am also wondering whether there are companies out there that will charge closer to reasonable labor costs or if the whole industry is crazily marked up and will similarly charge us something like $629 for labor only (one hour or less probably to install, but also the add'l time to do the work to get the part under warranty) plus $89 for the diagnostic visit (and these rates are "member" rates). And wonder if next time we can get our own parts under warranty, rather than pay whatever they are charging to do so and ask them for a lower fee for installation only.
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firebirdparts
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by firebirdparts »

snackdog wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:35 am I just had the AC guy out to look at a problem Lennox 3 ton AC unit (heat pump), vintage 1993. He quickly determined the fan blades were not moving. He used a stiff wire to loosen them up, then checked the capacitors which seemed fine. It did fire up but makes some noise. He indicated the fan motor was dying and likely had failing bearings. He estimated $1400 to replace the motor. I asked how much for the part and he said $500. I found it for $200 online so will likely replace it myself.

He advised not to replace it but rather to lubricate it myself (he did not offer to do this) and run it until it dies, then replace the entire unit. I looked online and saw that furnace and AC/heat pump fan blowers have oil inlets and should oiled every few years. I will attempt this today.

He advised eventual unit replacement because the freon was a bit low which he interprets to mean we may have a coil or heat pump leak. He said R22 was $300/lb which would be about $3500 for a full charge in my case. I looked on ebay and R22 is about $60/lb so I may order some but will need to find a tech to do the charging. He said a new Lennox unit and coil would be $9100. I like the old unit (solid construction) and will try to keep it running with Lennox parts.

Thoughts?
29 years? You got your money's worth out of that one. I would just caution you to read carefully using ebay. Some of the stuff is fake, substitutes, probably propane for $50 a pound. Those should be worded with some "wiggle" room such as "For R22 Systems" is telling you it's not really R22. But you can also find R-22, so they say. I went to ebay just to see how they handle EPA certification. I see there that if you lie about reselling it they seem to accept that. I am certified myself, it used to be very easy to get.
This time is the same
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snackdog
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by snackdog »

firebirdparts wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 10:10 pm 29 years? You got your money's worth out of that one. I would just caution you to read carefully using ebay. Some of the stuff is fake, substitutes, probably propane for $50 a pound. Those should be worded with some "wiggle" room such as "For R22 Systems" is telling you it's not really R22. But you can also find R-22, so they say. I went to ebay just to see how they handle EPA certification. I see there that if you lie about reselling it they seem to accept that. I am certified myself, it used to be very easy to get.
Good caution. I was looking at Ebay sellers who have sold hundreds of 5-gallon cannisters of "factory-sealed" R22 to satisfied customers.
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ncbill
Posts: 2049
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by ncbill »

firebirdparts wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 10:10 pm
snackdog wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 8:35 am I just had the AC guy out to look at a problem Lennox 3 ton AC unit (heat pump), vintage 1993. He quickly determined the fan blades were not moving. He used a stiff wire to loosen them up, then checked the capacitors which seemed fine. It did fire up but makes some noise. He indicated the fan motor was dying and likely had failing bearings. He estimated $1400 to replace the motor. I asked how much for the part and he said $500. I found it for $200 online so will likely replace it myself.

He advised not to replace it but rather to lubricate it myself (he did not offer to do this) and run it until it dies, then replace the entire unit. I looked online and saw that furnace and AC/heat pump fan blowers have oil inlets and should oiled every few years. I will attempt this today.

He advised eventual unit replacement because the freon was a bit low which he interprets to mean we may have a coil or heat pump leak. He said R22 was $300/lb which would be about $3500 for a full charge in my case. I looked on ebay and R22 is about $60/lb so I may order some but will need to find a tech to do the charging. He said a new Lennox unit and coil would be $9100. I like the old unit (solid construction) and will try to keep it running with Lennox parts.

Thoughts?
29 years? You got your money's worth out of that one. I would just caution you to read carefully using ebay. Some of the stuff is fake, substitutes, probably propane for $50 a pound. Those should be worded with some "wiggle" room such as "For R22 Systems" is telling you it's not really R22. But you can also find R-22, so they say. I went to ebay just to see how they handle EPA certification. I see there that if you lie about reselling it they seem to accept that. I am certified myself, it used to be very easy to get.
RS-44b @ ~$25/lb. is a direct replacement for R-22:

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/coms ... cement-r22

Technically one is not supposed to mix RS-44b with R-22 but it's clear it can be used to "top-off" R-22 systems:

https://www.replacementforr22.com/rs-44b-faq/
sophiainvests
Posts: 161
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Just a final (I think) update on our condenser fan motor situation and AC company pricing. The conclusion is I'm wondering if we just have to grin and bear the high prices if we can't do stuff ourselves..

We went ahead and had the AC company that services our system (and that I felt was overpriced) come and replace the condenser fan motor (quote was $629 for part under warranty). It took the guy only about 15 minutes. The rattling noise (which was the reason we asked them to come out in the first place) was still pretty loud after he replaced the part, though not quite as bad as before. He told us he never said the condenser fan motor was causing the noise (we thought he had, so I was pretty annoyed!). He said the noise was probably a result of the condenser fan motor being problematic that other things could have gotten messed up inside to cause the rattling (e.g. evaporation coil changed shape), but that the system was working fine. And he said they can't fix the rattling, but it doesn't mean that anything else will go wrong. He suggested we could buy rubber pads for the four feet of the condenser on Amazon and just put those under the feet ourselves.

When we asked more about pricing, he said their basic labor price is $600 or maybe $540 per hour, that they don't charge less than an hour and that any other company in the area (except mom and pop shops) charge about the same. (When I had called, the company said they don't do things by the hour, but by the job and that it wasn't just replacing the part, but handling the warranty paperwork and shipping.) Thus, my idea about getting the warrantied part ourselves wouldn't help much (since the job is still a minimum of 1 hour) and he said we'd be unable to get the parts ourselves without a license. (Same with new parts - said we can't get those ourselves without license.) And he said parts bought on Amazon aren't warrantied.

He said that parts have risen by like 100% in the past few years. I think he estimated $300-400 for the condenser fan motor part and when I told him I'd found it online for $150 he doubted that (except for maybe Amazon, though I think I found it at Granger). And lastly when I asked whether it might be better not to get the parts under warranty as they have to work so hard to get those, he said that their prices tend to be double if they have to include the parts. So by my estimates, that would have been $1260 for the condenser fan motor replacement as a member, non-member a bit more, I think around $1400.

In the end, because we were unhappy he discounted the total to something like $565 or so.

I had also asked him about some of the other numbers he gave us last time and he said that he didn't say those numbers. Maybe we had some miscommunication, but I also think maybe he was throwing out numbers last time and not very sure about them, this time being more conservative. For example, I had thought he'd said $1500 was the price of the condenser fan motor part alone. He said he never said that number at all. I asked whether it might be the price of the part and the labor and he said he couldn't say as he doesn't know the prices. (My guess is perhaps though, that's what he was estimating - if a non-member, it would be around $1400 according to what he told us about the part typically doubling the total price.) He told me he guessed if he said "$1,500" it was the condenser price - and he said that's the condenser price to them and not to us. And so I asked whether last time when he said $5,000 to $6,000 for the condenser if that included labor and he said he didn't say that number and he wouldn't say the (condenser) price to us as he doesn't know. When I asked about the $30,000 super quiet condenser, he said that was for the full AC system -- $25,000 to $30,000. When I asked if for the next condenser we could just get a quiet one like Carrier infinity which I saw online for $5-6k, he said that it wouldn't work with our current system.

In sum, sounds like what he is saying is that the going rate for non mom and pop shops is $540-$600 per hour with an hour minimum. So if this is right, we better get used to the most minor repair being $600 or find a mom and pop shop or handy man. He mentioned the risks of using a smaller outfit is that they may not be around to warranty the service and an inexperienced person if they do something wrong with the capacitor or something might fry the system. He mentioned they have to go through a lot of education to be licensed. I do wonder, though, if some jobs are simpler than others and for the simpler ones if a less high-level and less high-priced person will suffice.
sophiainvests
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Further to the above, just realized it can't be totally accurate to say everything is a min of $600 due to hourly labor rate, because the same company in Nov 2021 charged $192 for a float switch replacement (parts plus labor). Maybe also a 15 minute job. So maybe ordering the part under warranty is really the difference maker with the condenser fan motor ($629 and 15 minutes)..
neilpilot
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by neilpilot »

sophiainvests wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:18 pm Just a final (I think) update on our condenser fan motor situation and AC company pricing. The conclusion is I'm wondering if we just have to grin and bear the high prices if we can't do stuff ourselves..

We went ahead and had the AC company that services our system (and that I felt was overpriced) come and replace the condenser fan motor (quote was $629 for part under warranty). It took the guy only about 15 minutes. The rattling noise (which was the reason we asked them to come out in the first place) was still pretty loud after he replaced the part, though not quite as bad as before. He told us he never said the condenser fan motor was causing the noise (we thought he had, so I was pretty annoyed!). He said the noise was probably a result of the condenser fan motor being problematic that other things could have gotten messed up inside to cause the rattling (e.g. evaporation coil changed shape), but that the system was working fine. And he said they can't fix the rattling, but it doesn't mean that anything else will go wrong. He suggested we could buy rubber pads for the four feet of the condenser on Amazon and just put those under the feet ourselves.

When we asked more about pricing, he said their basic labor price is $600 or maybe $540 per hour, that they don't charge less than an hour and that any other company in the area (except mom and pop shops) charge about the same. (When I had called, the company said they don't do things by the hour, but by the job and that it wasn't just replacing the part, but handling the warranty paperwork and shipping.) Thus, my idea about getting the warrantied part ourselves wouldn't help much (since the job is still a minimum of 1 hour) and he said we'd be unable to get the parts ourselves without a license. (Same with new parts - said we can't get those ourselves without license.) And he said parts bought on Amazon aren't warrantied.

He said that parts have risen by like 100% in the past few years. I think he estimated $300-400 for the condenser fan motor part and when I told him I'd found it online for $150 he doubted that (except for maybe Amazon, though I think I found it at Granger). And lastly when I asked whether it might be better not to get the parts under warranty as they have to work so hard to get those, he said that their prices tend to be double if they have to include the parts. So by my estimates, that would have been $1260 for the condenser fan motor replacement as a member, non-member a bit more, I think around $1400.

In the end, because we were unhappy he discounted the total to something like $565 or so.

I had also asked him about some of the other numbers he gave us last time and he said that he didn't say those numbers. Maybe we had some miscommunication, but I also think maybe he was throwing out numbers last time and not very sure about them, this time being more conservative. For example, I had thought he'd said $1500 was the price of the condenser fan motor part alone. He said he never said that number at all. I asked whether it might be the price of the part and the labor and he said he couldn't say as he doesn't know the prices. (My guess is perhaps though, that's what he was estimating - if a non-member, it would be around $1400 according to what he told us about the part typically doubling the total price.) He told me he guessed if he said "$1,500" it was the condenser price - and he said that's the condenser price to them and not to us. And so I asked whether last time when he said $5,000 to $6,000 for the condenser if that included labor and he said he didn't say that number and he wouldn't say the (condenser) price to us as he doesn't know. When I asked about the $30,000 super quiet condenser, he said that was for the full AC system -- $25,000 to $30,000. When I asked if for the next condenser we could just get a quiet one like Carrier infinity which I saw online for $5-6k, he said that it wouldn't work with our current system.

In sum, sounds like what he is saying is that the going rate for non mom and pop shops is $540-$600 per hour with an hour minimum. So if this is right, we better get used to the most minor repair being $600 or find a mom and pop shop or handy man. He mentioned the risks of using a smaller outfit is that they may not be around to warranty the service and an inexperienced person if they do something wrong with the capacitor or something might fry the system. He mentioned they have to go through a lot of education to be licensed. I do wonder, though, if some jobs are simpler than others and for the simpler ones if a less high-level and less high-priced person will suffice.
As I posted above, BS. Totally. With what you are willing to pay for a warrantied part, you would have been way ahead just buying a perfectly fine condenser fan motor for at most $150 and paying someone who isn't a rip-off artist to install it. If you were my neighbor, I would have installed it for a 6-pack. In most cases a license is only required if R22 needs to be dispensed.
random_walker_77
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by random_walker_77 »

sophiainvests wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:18 pm Just a final (I think) update on our condenser fan motor situation and AC company pricing. The conclusion is I'm wondering if we just have to grin and bear the high prices if we can't do stuff ourselves..
I'm sorry, but I think you've been spun quite a tale. My recommendation is to investigate other AC companies to service your equipment going forwards, and perhaps to call 2 other places for competitive quotes on future work. I can't help but feel that "being a member" didn't save you any money here...
andypanda
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Location: Richmond, Virginia

Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by andypanda »

There are only so many work hours in a week and they have to pay for the van, shop, employees, billing, bookkeeping, tax prep, gas, city/fed/state taxes, workers comp, etc., etc., etc.
They go broke charging $50 or $100 to drive to a house to replace 2 x $10 Bussmann fuses on a heat pump. They have to cover expenses and make a living and $50 or $100 an hour doesn't cover overhead.

Every hour they spend doing nickel and dime jobs is time they aren't spending installing a $10k system.

That's life. (A buddy has been a self-employed plumber for nearly 50 years.)

Heck, when my buddy buys a new van the first thing he does is take it to a suspension place and have the running gear beefed up to carry his equipment, drain cleaning units, barrels of scrap metal(iron, brass, copper, etc.) and such.
tnf
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by tnf »

I replaced an outdoor AC unit's condensor fan motor last year. The unit is a 30 years old Lennox and the motor would draw too much current and trip it's internal OT protection. Just passing along my experience as this was a DIY job in case you are considering this route.

The replacement parts and tools (motor, cap, hub puller) cost me less than $400. The motor replacement itself is not difficult if you research the steps, but the toughest part of the install for me was getting the old fan off the corroded motor shaft. I tried everything I could do, peneterants, fan hub puller etc, but it would not budge. I ended up first cutting and then drilling the old motor's shaft to remove the old fan. I discovered the thinnest burr had formed on the shaft end and this was enough to lock the hub. The reason I had to go through this ridiculous effort was the difficulty I encountered getting a new fan, I could only find it online and could not have one shipped to me without encountering shipping damage to the blades. Hence the route to reuse the existent fan.
I also suspect that there are likely equivalent and cheaper HVAC part numbers from Grainger etc (so you can pickup retail) to the more widely available Lennox/equivalent PNs from supplyhouse.com etc. I had no access to the knowledge bases to confirm this, despite the published matching mechanical specs (not drawings). I was not confident in my conclusion that I had an equivalent fan at the local Grainger.

related thought: Most local HVAC supply houses (and Lennox) will not sell direct to a DIYer...was disappointed to realize this as DIY'ing is like a tradition for those who can-do. I came out of this experience with the conclusion that HVAC repair parts availability and pricing is more opaque than other areas.
tibbitts
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by tibbitts »

random_walker_77 wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 3:09 pm
sophiainvests wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:18 pm Just a final (I think) update on our condenser fan motor situation and AC company pricing. The conclusion is I'm wondering if we just have to grin and bear the high prices if we can't do stuff ourselves..
I'm sorry, but I think you've been spun quite a tale. My recommendation is to investigate other AC companies to service your equipment going forwards, and perhaps to call 2 other places for competitive quotes on future work. I can't help but feel that "being a member" didn't save you any money here...
My experience in the past has been that none of the companies I've contacted will quote service work (other than the annual maintenance visit) without charging for a service call. You can get countless estimates to replace a system for free of course. I think the free quotes for service are going to be more from the "know-a-guy" resources than from established hvac businesses.
JDave
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by JDave »

The cheap capacitors are made in China, and well, they're made in China. Amrad capacitors are the only ones made in the USA and cost about 3x the Chinese ones. Amazon sells the Chinese and the Amrad capacitors.
sophiainvests
Posts: 161
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:19 pm

Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Well now that the probably overpriced AC co has replaced the condenser fan motor and left, it seems to me the noise is back up to being as loud as before. He told us (after finishing the repair) that is just the way it is (though he didn't tell us that before we agreed to have the repair done, with the whole reason we brought him out being the noise and him telling us, a that time, the noise was abnormal). It was probably worthwhile to replace the condenser fan unit motor (he said it was pulling 1.5 Amps while rated for 1.2 Amps) but I don't think this loud of a noise is normal. The unit is 8 years old, Carrier brand. I wonder if the compressor is going bad and since it's under warranty if Carrier will provide a free part due to the noise (which implies it may be on its way out) or only provide the part if the compressor is not delivering on its AC criteria. (AC guy said everything was operating fine.) I may call Carrier, but not sure if they will engage with customers. I feel like we've already had to do about three significant ($500-$700 each) repairs on this condenser unit in it's 8 year life so far, though hard to recall exactly. One may have been an "optional" surge protector that they sold us supposedly to prevent other problems.
sophiainvests
Posts: 161
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:19 pm

Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by sophiainvests »

Update: Some progress on researching AC repair people. My mom's friend uses someone who we think is a solo practitioner that is $99 per hour. Interested to find out what's the difference with a big company and whether solo practitioners are able to get the parts under warranty from the manufacturer for you, or even if they can't if it's a lot cheaper to use them and just get new parts. I wonder if it makes sense to continue to use the big company for the twice annual checks and the solo guy for repairs. Or if the solo guy might also be better for the annual checks. I am also thinking of the possibility of having the solo guy come over and check out the noise problem with the unit that the company guy didn't end up getting rid of with his expensive 15 minute condenser fan motor replacement. It crossed my mind that under the company's business model it just doesn't make sense to try to get down to the bottom of the rattling if a big fee/ part replacement is not involved. I've been researching online and the finding seems to be if the noise is pretty loud compared to usual, there is something that can be done about it. (We had the same company's plumbing guy come out and when I showed him a drip in the faucet his answer is you might as well replace the faucet and lines. He said it might well be corroded and then he couldn't fix the drip without replacing it, so might as well go straight for the replacement given how they charge, but now I'm wondering about that.)
tibbitts
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Re: AC Condenser Fan Motor Replacement Cost

Post by tibbitts »

sophiainvests wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:14 pm (We had the same company's plumbing guy come out and when I showed him a drip in the faucet his answer is you might as well replace the faucet and lines. He said it might well be corroded and then he couldn't fix the drip without replacing it, so might as well go straight for the replacement given how they charge, but now I'm wondering about that.)
Regardless of whether you d-i-y or not, I'd probably replace a dripping faucet instead of fiddling with cartridges, washers, whatever. Well, as long as there wasn't some strange configuration and it was easy to buy a faucet that would fit without any extra work required. So I'd agree with him although I'm assuming you're going to buy the faucet yourself, since there would probably be a large markup involved having a plumbing company supply one.
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