# Snowblower Maintenance Saved My Air Conditioner!



## CalgaryPT (Aug 22, 2019)

I was out by my devoted snowblower shed today. I also use the shed to hang my longer metal stock from the roof. I was looking at my Honda HSS724ACTD and HS720CC and thinking what I need to do to get ready for the season. Last year I was debating whether to sell the two stage 724 this spring, but now glad I didn't.

While looking at my ladies, I heard my Lennox Air Conditioner making an odd sound. Went inside the house: blower in furnace OK. Evaporator coil not frozen, only warm air from register though. When I cycled unit on and off I noticed condenser fan wasn't spinning, but would spin if kick-started.

Went to local parts dealer and picked up new start/run capacitor for $54. Runs like a dream now.

Years ago my neighbour had a similar problem but didn't address it soon enough. The thermal overload eventually failed in the compressor and it cost him almost $2000 for repairs.

I'm sure in the next day or two I would have noticed the house temp not falling and investigated. But catching it so soon may have helped.


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## DPittman (Aug 23, 2019)

Well good thing you live in a place that gets enough snow to have a snowblower or else your air conditioner would be toast! LOL


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## Hruul (Aug 23, 2019)

Nice catch.  I paid to have my capacitor replaced a couple years ago when the air conditioner was not working.  They came and replaced the capacitor and everything was fine for a couple days, then the fan quit.  Called the repair place again and there response was "ya, that quite often happens, we can schedule again".  My thought was if this is a common thing, why did you not check the fan or give me some warning.  I was there when the tech replaced the capacitor and that was all he did was test the capacitor and replace it.  I ended up going to motor repair place in town and the guy was super helpful, helped me with the wiring that i needed and revised the capacitor for me since the new one was not the correct size for the new fan motor.  

So long story short, watch the fan does not quit all together.


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## CalgaryPT (Aug 23, 2019)

Hruul said:


> Nice catch.  I paid to have my capacitor replaced a couple years ago when the air conditioner was not working.  They came and replaced the capacitor and everything was fine for a couple days, then the fan quit.  Called the repair place again and there response was "ya, that quite often happens, we can schedule again".  My thought was if this is a common thing, why did you not check the fan or give me some warning.  I was there when the tech replaced the capacitor and that was all he did was test the capacitor and replace it.  I ended up going to motor repair place in town and the guy was super helpful, helped me with the wiring that i needed and revised the capacitor for me since the new one was not the correct size for the new fan motor.
> 
> So long story short, watch the fan does not quit all together.


Thanks for the tip. I will watch for that now.

I get your frustration. Most repairmen are plug and play now, and just do what the error light or SOP tells them to do. Occasionally you find one that explains things like the motor issue and gives you options. Those are the guys who I try to get back. 

The cynic in me says since the advent of parts online (and being able to buy stuff cheap from multiple sites) that they make more on the service call, not the part. Swapping out a capacitor takes two mins. But I'm sure the call wasn't pro rated for you.

Hope you have no other issues...we love our air conditioning.


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## DPittman (May 18, 2021)

While the above message might be timely as the May long weekend is just a couple of days away, I gotta think it's spam, no?


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## Janger (May 18, 2021)

Good catch Don yup I nuked it. There was a fake snow blower safety message  after calgaryPTs note. Gone now.


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## Janger (May 18, 2021)

Hruul said:


> Nice catch.  I paid to have my capacitor replaced a couple years ago when the air conditioner was not working.  They came and replaced the capacitor and everything was fine for a couple days, then the fan quit.  Called the repair place again and there response was "ya, that quite often happens, we can schedule again".  My thought was if this is a common thing, why did you not check the fan or give me some warning.  I was there when the tech replaced the capacitor and that was all he did was test the capacitor and replace it.  I ended up going to motor repair place in town and the guy was super helpful, helped me with the wiring that i needed and revised the capacitor for me since the new one was not the correct size for the new fan motor.
> 
> So long story short, watch the fan does not quit all together.



Did they put in the wrong size capacitor on purpose knowing the motor would go doing that? I hate being so suspicious...


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## Hruul (May 18, 2021)

No, I don't think so.  I believe they put in the the cap for the motor that was in there.  But the new motor I got was not a Lennox original and needed a slightly different sized capacitor.


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