Capacitor replacement

It has to match the microfarad rating and at least the voltage rating on the original capacitor. There are plenty of youtube videos showing you how to discharge and replace a capacitor. Maybe it will fix it, maybe it won't.
But I hope you don't make it worse.

HD shouldn't be allowed to sell capacitors.

@HVACNUT

As we all know now capacitors used to almost last forever. Now it is probably one of the most common services calls there is. I had been in and out of our local hardware store a few times looking for something in the electrical isle and was very surprised to see they had a few contactors and capacitors. They never had them before.

My Neice's AC went down two weeks ago on a Sunday due to a mouse nest in the condenser. The cap was ok but chewed up wires and the contactor was disgusting.

I remembered the hardware store which was only 5 miles away and I bought the last contactor they had

@EBEBRATT-Ed did you repair the hole in the condenser housing so they can't get back in ? Otherwise they will be back.

that looks like what a chipmunk did in my grill. it hopped up on my trash can then jumped on the back of the grill and in the vent slot at the back of the lid.

They may not like it, but it would not surprise me if they did chew through it. I like more substantial methods of blocking their invasion. Have you brother makes sure he does not seal any inside.

Because people tend to be stupid. Example: "I don't own an electrical meter that reads uF. I don't own an electrical meter at all. I don't even know what "uF" means. But I saw a video of a guy and it looks easy and its cheap."

What shape are the spade connectors in? Snug fit? What's the compressor start and run amp draw when the new cap is in? Checks need to be done after replacing a capacitor. Will the new capacitor fit using the same strap? Let it hang or drill for a new strap and maybe drill through the coil? (Which I've seen.)

And don't we preach to not throw parts at the appliances?

They put razor blades behind lock and key, but a repetitive voltage jolter is easy pickings.

There's many things in stores that are far more dangerous than a 5/40 run cap.

If we use that reasoning, people shouldn't be allowed to buy camping stoves or match books either.

Cartridge razor blades are locked up because of their cost and size.

before we lost the people that were good at leak checking stuff before sending it out the door that was usually the problem in small single phase installations. even 50 years ago oem quality capacitors only lasted 10-15 years.

fortunately about a decade ago when the cap failed on my condenser on a sunday the local good hardware store had caps. even with test equipment unless the top of the can has bulged out or it is completely open is it a bit of an educated guess based on the compressor trying to start and tripping out the overload or the fan not seeming to get up to speed.

While many homeowners may be capable of replacing a capacitor, and while in general I believe you should be allowed to work on what you own, I don’t think it’s a good practice for Home Depot to be selling capacitors.

Here’s why:

1. There’s the danger of electrical shock. Most homeowners don’t have a good electric meter or necessarily know how to use one to determine if the power is off. Quite often they think the power is off if the thermostat or furnace is off. I’ve frequently seen where the disconnect switch has been bypassed leaving the circuit hot. Many also don’t know about discharging the capacitor.
2. The risk of damaging the equipment by mis-wiring because they don’t understand circuitry. It constantly gets posted in online forums of how to reconnect the wiring because they don’t understand terminal identification or circuitry. They also don’t understand that there’s a separate 24v circuit present and that wires that are the same color may not be the same.
3. Selecting the wrong component. Not to be unkind, but look how the OP listed what appears to be an irrelevant part number instead of the specs for the cap to determine what they need. Let them take that to HD or to a hardware store and ask a sales clerk for help. What’s the chances of getting a correct answer? What if it’s a dual or universal replacement? The chances of mis-wiring or mis-application are then increased.
   

On the other side of the coin, many HVAC contractors overcharge for replacing a capacitor, so I can see why a homeowner might want to attempt this.

Ummm…

The OP posted the part number on the part, it seems to be a valid and correct part number to me. The OP also stated "with the same specs". The speculation that the part number was not a part number or otherwise useless was by a popular HH poster and that opinion seems erroneous to me, apparently zero due diligence, just opinion. Many things being replaced are done simply by the part number.

Also going by the part number, maybe the manufacture updated the part to something different that provides better performance or longevity.

Pros screw things up daily too, hopefully it is just less than the amateurs (and not fatal for either). Pros should have a better chance of recognizing their mistake and correcting it before anyone else finds out, but not always, that's life. If they (the amateurs) don't find it at HD, than ebay or Amazon is next (or maybe first these days), the thing is, they will find it, if they keep trying.

And for all I know @missfox has a BSEE degree.

I changed the cap on my own unit a few weeks ago. No, I'm not the typical homeowner, I get that.

It was 11pm at night, I was ready for bed and realized the system wasn't running.

I went out, pulled the cover off, looked at the error code on the PCB, felt the cap which was still fairly warm, swapped a new cap in and waited for it to start, or not.

It started, sounded great, I put the cover in and went to bed. No meter, no tools other than a drill and a 5/16 hex driver. I have several meters, good meters, scopes etc.

Didn't need it for that, but that comes from experience and understanding what's going on. A few days later I did test it using my Fluke 179 just out of curiosity and it still tested good. But, that's not under load.

No, I don't have a way to do that yet.

I frequently hear people on this site referring to the "parts cannon". When something can't be properly diagnosed, just start replacing parts. Just because the part is cheap doesn't make it right IMO. Lots of wrong cheap parts could cost more in the end. To me there's a process in diagnostics. If you don't follow the process, it'll be anarchy. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. Maybe that's what the OP is afraid of with hiring an HVAC tech and getting charged an arm and a leg by the parts cannon.

Follow the evidence.

Test don't guess.

Know what you SHOULD be doing.

you could do it with an ammeter, voltmeter, and light bulb if you really wanted to.

or someone changed the fan mortor without changin the cap or any number of other inconsistency things tha happen….

Only slightly off topic… it's one reason why our farm tractors are Massey-Ferguson, not John Deere. The MF dealer lets me buy parts when (rarely) I need them. The John Deere is a fine machine, but the dragons at the parts desk wouldn't sell you a washer. Likewise cars and trucks. I love the engineering of some of the European and Japanese vehicles — but I can maintain my Chevys. And so on.

it’s the HO equipment

As far as I know no manufacturer has lost a suite over a HO being stupid!

Evenrude did and things changed, now There are warning labels everywhere!

that never stopped us before