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jlandreth · 06-25-2019, 06:49 AM

My 2019 Classic is at Jackson Center to repair my big mistake so I thought I would have them do some other things while it's there. Asked about the easy start and they want $600.00 per AC for them installed. Is this a reasonable price?

DaveP · 06-25-2019, 07:11 AM

The Easy Start cost around $300 from Micro-Air (with no discounts). I installed my own, but if you are not good with that kind of thing, then $300 per installation isn't terrible, but it is not cheap.

lsbrodsky · 06-25-2019, 07:13 AM

$300 for the unit, that means $300 of labor for 15-20 minutes of work. If you have any other choice for installation, it will be cheaper.
Larry

SteveSueMac · 06-25-2019, 07:23 AM

Well - for someone like me who has a very healthy respect for electricity and no skills; the other things the $300 in their labor buys are presumably:

1) some warranty of workmanship
2) peace of mind that I didn’t destroy the AC unit
3) not just the 20 minutes of their time, but the 3 hours of MY time I’d have spent otherwise trying to figure it out...I figure my time is worth $100/hr [emoji23]

I’ll play with lots of stuff to try it. Electrical stuff usually isn’t in that zone for me...

Good luck whatever you decide.

jlandreth · 06-25-2019, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

$300 for the unit, that means $300 of labor for 15-20 minutes of work. If you have any other choice for installation, it will be cheaper.
Larry

Thanks, I'll check with my dealer and see what he charges. Just thought it would be nice to have it done while it's there.

lsbrodsky · 06-25-2019, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlandreth

Thanks, I'll check with my dealer and see what he charges. Just thought it would be nice to have it done while it's there.

You are close to ODM and they are fully capable of doing this properly. I think they last charged me about $120/ hr of labor and this job should not be more than an hour. The only issue will be getting scheduled in there for any work.
Larry

Bill M. · 06-25-2019, 07:56 AM

It is indeed a high price. But probably in line with what JC charges for their other work. If you are going to the international rally there might be installation available there. There was at Salem. I figure you might save $300 to $400 on 2 installations somewhere else. Or not. I guess you have to decide if the extra hassle and risk of having someone else do it is worth it. JC understands that.
Are you going to run both AC units on a generator?

stevejones · 06-25-2019, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlandreth

My 2019 Classic is at Jackson Center to repair my big mistake so I thought I would have them do some other things while it's there. Asked about the easy start and they want $600.00 per AC for them installed. Is this a reasonable price?

Was the $600 an estimate or a firm price? Generally JC gives you estimates and $300 to install is a bit high.

In comparison, our installation for one AC cost us $70. That is for a half hour of labor which is about what it takes.

We love the team at JC and think they do great work. Since your trailer will already be there it may be worth paying their price. Plus they will stand behind their work. Consider your time, trouble, and expense to tow the trailer somewhere else to save a couple of hundred. May not be worth it.

Steve

Dave-n-Janet · 06-25-2019, 09:09 AM

It took me 1 1/2 hours to install. Mostly because I just worked off of an extension ladder and didn't climb on the roof - so had to reposition ladder a few times. There is an excellent video on one of the easy start threads to show clearly what needs to be done and how to do it. Same guy who did an excellent backing up video. Do get the installation kit ($10) if you are going to do yourself, well worth having all the connectors before you begin...

Kevinshortnh · 06-25-2019, 09:13 AM

MicroAire (maker of the EasyStart) will be at Doswell so I recommend you have them install them while you are at the rally!

mikextr · 06-25-2019, 09:20 AM

No. You're not being ripped off. The job is a little more involved than it sounds. I was quoted 275 for EasyStart installation by a local RV service center. Decided to do the job myself. Took me about 3 hours plus a trip to Home Depot. An experienced tech could do the installation in 30 minutes, but after that the EasyStart has to go through the learning phase which requires the AC unit to be cycled on an off 5 times which takes at least 6-10 minutes between cycles. Because of the AC compressor learning process, EasyStart installation is actually a 2 hour job that can easily turn into 3 hours if there is a problem.

dcasr · 06-25-2019, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlandreth

My 2019 Classic is at Jackson Center to repair my big mistake so I thought I would have them do some other things while it's there. Asked about the easy start and they want $600.00 per AC for them installed. Is this a reasonable price?

_________

At the last three Internationals that we have attended the Easy Start folks have been vendors on site and selling and installing their units. Check with them to see if they will be at Dozwell (if you are) and how much they want.

Anyway that's what I'm going to do.

PirateChris · 06-25-2019, 09:30 AM

$600 per unit is outrageous. I paid $350 fully installed in my Interstate, 6 months ago. I went to a local RV shop, and they did it in 45 minutes.

Camper World had a special last month where they will install anything you buy from them for $75. I'd start there

Be well and good luck.

PirateChris (St Petersburg FL)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlandreth

My 2019 Classic is at Jackson Center to repair my big mistake so I thought I would have them do some other things while it's there. Asked about the easy start and they want $600.00 per AC for them installed. Is this a reasonable price?

jlandreth · 06-25-2019, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcasr

_________

At the last three Internationals that we have attended the Easy Start folks have been vendors on site and selling and installing their units. Check with them to see if they will be at Dozwell (if you are) and how much they want.

Anyway that's what I'm going to do.

What and where is Dozwell? Thanks

Presitla99 · 06-25-2019, 10:31 AM

The price is high but I would pay it for one simple reason--warranty. If AS is willing to install it they can hardly refuse any future warranty work on the basis that it is a non-approved after-market modification. I wrote AS when I picked up my 2019 AS classic and asked if the warranty would be adversely affected if I installed one myself. They said yes. I passed on the self-install. When the 3 yr warranty expires I may install myself.

lsbrodsky · 06-25-2019, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presitla99

The price is high but I would pay it for one simple reason--warranty. If AS is willing to install it they can hardly refuse any future warranty work on the basis that it is a non-approved after-market modification. I wrote AS when I picked up my 2019 AS classic and asked if the warranty would be adversely affected if I installed one myself. They said yes. I passed on the self-install. When the 3 yr warranty expires I may install myself.

I don't think so. AS does not warranty the A/C, they refer you to the Dometic Warranty. Dometic would probably not honor the warranty no matter who installs it. However, if you buy the unit from Micro-Air, they sell insurance for $25 at the same time to apply the warranty, if your A/C is still under warranty. I think that is the only way you can be sure of the original A/C warranty.
Larry

Rgentum · 06-25-2019, 11:04 AM

At last year's International Rally, in Salem, OR, Micro-Aire installed them for free --- $295 parts & labor, as I recall. I imagine they'll do the same at this year's Rally, in Virginia. In Salem, they installed all the ones they brought within a couple of days & then drove back home. If you want one, get your name on their list early.

alreardon · 06-25-2019, 12:03 PM

I cannot get my Domestic thermostat to work. Does this easy start take the place of the thermostat?

dznf0g · 06-25-2019, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alreardon

I cannot get my Domestic thermostat to work. Does this easy start take the place of the thermostat?

No, you have something else going on.

**Hans627** · 06-25-2019, 01:22 PM

I contacted Micro-Air and they will be selling and installing the EZ Start at Doswell. The price for installing one is $135 and for installing two is $150. Of course each EZ Start unit is about $300.

I'm trying to decide if I should just get one or two (one for each A/C). Pros and cons? Any thoughts?

Thanks!