dual capacitor ?

[jodybhvac]

I cannot believe that someone out there actually put a 5 and a 3 together to make a 7.5, wrapped it with duct tape, charged the customer and can sleep at night !

[dandyme]

it's done everyday, they certainly could have done a more professional application

so, how did you leave it?

[AC5096]

As long as it's wired in parallel, no problem. 8 mfd should be fine short term, but I would replace it with a 7.5. The duct tape is a nice touch.

I find electrical connections taped with duct tape. No wire nuts, just duct tape!

[meplumber]

I agree with the others, that this is done all over the country, everyday. There is nothing wrong with grouping capacitors to get out of a jam. We are in a very rural area, and can be an hour or more from a supply house, so sometimes it is your only choice.

That being said, it could have been done in a much more professional manner.

[84randomdude]

Looks a bit like the Run Cap Bandit has been there, but he would have left the caps in the box, so maybe not.

[jackintheboxtec]

I've been in this business a long time and have not seen this done before here in the So-Cal area. Went to visit some relatives in Tennessee and was checking their A/C when I was there and that's the first time I seen a set up like that.
So i think its like meplumber said its more in rural areas where the parts house is not close.

[jodybhvac]

Yeah, I have put 2 together to get the customer by over a weekend or whatever the case may have been, but the tape had been on here so long it had started to deteriorate. Don't know if it really matters but the caps were upside down too, I like to put them in terminal side up. If nothing else it looks professional and that is what the customer is paying for.

[dandyme]

caps wired in parallel = total of cap values

caps wired in series = approximately 1/2 of each in series

will dredge formula out later

bottom line is: just because you've never sen it doesn't mean it's not allowed/permissable/accepted

that's why if you're not learning something new, you're probably dead

[mark beiser]

There is nothing wrong with wiring capacitors in parallel to add up to the value needed, but there is a lot wrong with how those were mounted.

[prorefco]

Definately not my first choice for replacement caps, but I have done it many many times when the supply house is miles away. And I wouldn't mount them that way either, but the concept is very acceptable.

As a matter of fact, I believe it was demonstrated in some of my old traning manuals.

[jodybhvac]

ok, now I know it is ok to wire caps like that. Would like to see the formula for series and parralel wiring. I had never seen or heard anyone ever say it was ok, so I ASSumed it was wrong, Thanks for lernin me something, ha ha.

[JWB]

ugly hackery. Takes the professionalism right out of what we do, surprised he didn't have a 7.5 (I have at least 4) but did have a 3mfd.....I may have 1 or 2......anyway, what is embarrassing is opening up a panel like that and the homeowner asks you if that mounting was 'correct'. My answer is no. I have strap and drill tips in my toolbag and will secure those even on a maintenance. I want them to know that I am there to make sure their system is ok. I work for them, ultimately. Nice picture.

[Central NC Tech]

Professionalism is not a word that is used very often in HVAC. Its hard to maintain a positive outlook on what we do when over half the industry are all hacks. They make the same money per call we do and the end result looks like this picture shown above. Most customers complain over price so they call they guys who do this level of work. If you do not posses a inner drive to do a good job this industry will often not inspire it. (Present readers excluded)