San Antonio · AC Capacitor Repair · Family-Owned Since 1996
If your outdoor unit is humming but the fan isn't spinning — or it kicks on for a few seconds and quits — a $25 capacitor is the part that died. Most San Antonio capacitor jobs are done in under an hour.
Typical price
$180–$280 installed
Time to fix
30–60 minutes
Urgency
High — don't run it
A capacitor is a little can-shaped battery bolted inside your outdoor AC unit. Its only job is to give the motors (the compressor and the fan) a hard electrical kick to get them spinning, then keep them running smoothly.
In San Antonio heat, capacitors are the #1 part that fails — usually after 5 to 7 years. When one weakens, your AC starts struggling. When it dies completely, the unit just hums or clicks and shuts off. The repair is genuinely simple: the part itself is $15–$40 wholesale, and a good tech can swap it in 20 minutes.
Because the job is so quick, this is also the repair most companies try to mark up the hardest. We charge $180–$280 all-in. If anyone quotes you $500+ for 'a capacitor and a check,' get a second opinion.
What it costs in San Antonio
$180–$280 installed — Includes the part, labor, and a system check. No surprise fees. Our $59 diagnostic is waived when you approve the repair, so you only pay for the fix itself.
If two or more of these sound familiar, it's probably your ac capacitor.
Here's exactly what a Carnes and Sons tech does at your house — no mystery, no upselling.
We safely cut power, discharge the capacitor (it stores a lethal shock), and measure the microfarads against the rating printed on the can. Anything more than 6% below rated is failed.
A bulging top, oil residue, or burn marks means it's already blown. We also check the contactor right next to it — they often fail together in San Antonio heat.
We carry the common sizes (35/5, 40/5, 45/5, 55/5 MFD) on every truck. We install a 440V dual-rated cap even when the original was 370V — runs cooler, lasts longer.
We re-energize the unit, watch the startup, measure amp draw on the compressor and fan, and verify supply-air temperature drop is at least 18°F. Then we show you the readings.
Get Your AC Capacitor Diagnosed Today
Tell us what's happening. We'll text you back in minutes — no call center, no robo-calls.
$180 to $280 installed, depending on the size and whether it's a single-run or dual-run capacitor. Our $59 diagnostic gets waived when you approve the repair, so that's your total out the door. Beware of anyone quoting $400+ for a basic capacitor — it's a 20-minute job.
Technically yes, but capacitors store enough charge to seriously hurt or kill you even with the power off. They have to be safely discharged with an insulated tool before you touch the terminals. We also see DIY swaps where the wrong microfarad was used, which fries the compressor — a $2,000+ mistake. For $180 it's not worth the risk.
A quality 440V dual-rated capacitor (what we install) lasts 8 to 12 years in San Antonio. Cheap units from a parts house can fail in 2 to 3 summers. We back ours with a 5-year parts warranty.
Heat. Capacitors are rated for an internal temperature, and when your outdoor unit is sitting in 105° afternoon sun with the compressor running hot, the cap is the first thing to give up. Shade over the condenser, clean coils, and annual maintenance can double its life.
No. A weak or failing capacitor makes the compressor work harder, draw more amps, and run hotter — which can kill the compressor itself. A $200 capacitor failure can turn into a $2,500 compressor failure if you ignore it for a few weeks.
Yes — we keep same-day slots open every weekday for capacitor calls because they're the most common emergency. Text (210) 600-5091 and we'll give you a real arrival window.
$59 to diagnose. Waived entirely when you approve the repair. So if it's a capacitor and you say go, you only pay the repair price.
A single-run capacitor powers one motor (fan or compressor). A dual-run capacitor powers both from one unit — it has three terminals (HERM, FAN, C). Most residential San Antonio systems use a dual-run. We carry both.
Yes — 5 years parts on the capacitor itself, and we stand behind the labor for 1 year. If the new cap fails inside 5 years, we replace it free.
We're based in Stone Oak and roll trucks across San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country every day.
License TACLB29435E · Family-Owned Since 1996
Cities & neighborhoods we serve
San Antonio · Stone Oak · Alamo Heights · Hollywood Park · Hill Country Village · Shavano Park · Castle Hills · Leon Valley · Helotes · Boerne · Fair Oaks Ranch · Bulverde · Timberwood Park · Garden Ridge · Schertz · Cibolo · Selma · Universal City · Live Oak · Converse · Windcrest · New Braunfels
No call center. The owner or one of his sons picks up.
(210) 600-5091