Hamilton Electric Works

I brought my lathe into Hamilton yesterday and it was fixed by this afternoon! I don’t know if they are always that fast or if my job was just a simple fix but I was pleased with the quick service! When I dropped it off there were a couple of younger guys (nice enough) who helped me out and when I picked it up today the two brothers (owners I think) completed my transaction. They were totally nice but not in that uncomfortable way that makes you think they haven’t talked to a female in a decade (which is kind of typical in male dominated industries/​shops) and they even carried my heavy dirty machine out to my car which is very thoughtful I think. I hope that I won’t be needing any electrical services in the future but if I do manage to break one of my tools I will definitely go back to them.

Great customer service, friendly troubleshooting over the phone on my AC condenser. Called to buy a $ 150 motor but offered to test motor. Only needed a $ 35 capacitor. Honest and helpful … Thank you!

Needed a simple part for a fan motor and I guess the guy was having a bad day or he’s always a jerk because I was very passive aggressively insulted. «I figured you didn’t know what you were doing» was his second line. I just had to check my notes on the part number is all. So not only will I not be back but I won’t allow any of my employees to be back. I’ll agree somebody doesn’t know what they are doing.

Late Friday night, our home A/​C stops cooling. Outside condenser unit not working.
A bit of investigation leads to a bad capacitor. Not difficult to replace oneself if done carefully. However…
Every A/​C company I could find open on Saturday morning told me they would not sell me the inexpensive part. Said I had to pay for service call and installation, who knows when on one of the hottest weekends of the year.
A/​C repair is an utter racket — I get the restrictions on refrigerant, it’s a chemical — but a simple mechanical part, of which you have hundreds in stock? Give me a break.
Took the part to Hamilton, they had a perfect replacement at a reasonable price. If anyone else finds themselves in need of this common repair and part, go to Hamilton Electric Works before you pay the A/​C extortion fees.

The’ve been in business since 1946. The sign in front makes quiet a few declarations of what the can do. Too bad it is all a big lie when it comes to repair work. The main goal of this business is to get you to purchase a new electric motor.
I brought in a 1940’s 3 hp single phase electric motor because it would start up and after a few seconds blow the 30 amp braker on my fuse panel. I have a background (30 years) in vintage internal combustion motors of both industrial and commerical vehicles. I pulled this motor apart to visually inspect and clean the bearings and armature. The bronze bearing and armature shaft ends were in very good condition in that there was no lateral play, but had allowable end play for the motor. The starting capacitors were replaced and the the starting contactor worked perfectly. The motor would start every time before blowing the braker as indicated before, so this was not the issue.
I took the motor over on a monday, they called me the next day to tell me the motor was not worth saving, that the bearings were shot, the starter contactor was damaged and the field coil was grounding out. I knew already that two of these finds were false, so I told them that I would pick the motor up at the end of the week.
I picked up the motor today (friday) and it was all apart. When I told them I brought them a complete motor, that’s what I expected to get in return when they sad the could not fix it, they told me the motor was a boat anchor and it was not worth returning to it’s original state. If I wanted it back like I brought it to them I would have to pay the mechanic who wouldn’t be back in an hour to do it.
They gave me my stuff back in a box. The starter contactor had been broken by the moron who took it apart and the field coil has a wire that appeared to be broken and they passed off as if had always been that way.
This business is a dishonest one when it comes to repair work, they are unable to do it correctly. If this motor was beyond the ability of a business that has been around since 1946, you got to wonder what business that was because it wasn’t electrical repair. They should have said so instead of having an inexperienced fellow break parts that have been operational since the 40’s through inexperience and ignorance. I am very unhappy with all of this. They need to stick to selling new electric motors and farm out the repair work to an honest and reputable business.
Learn from my mistake don’t let them take you too.

Their specialty seems to be motors. I went in with a very old exhaust fan motor I needed replaced. They didnt have one exactly like it. So they took a similar one, cut the shaft to size, cut off mounting screws that would have been in the way, gave me a couple of wire connectors cause I said I didn’t have Any. All for no extra cost. Can’t beat that kind of service.

If you like crappy service and poor selection this place is for you! While they did have the bus fuses I was looking for I was primarily in the store to buy a 50amp zinsco circuit breaker. «we dont sell circuit breakers» I was told. Now what kind of electric supply store doesn’t sell circuit breakers? I’ll tell you, a crappy one.

Last year, the fan on the condenser from our A/​C died. On the advice of my Father-​In-​Law, I removed it and took it in to Hamilton Electric.
They not only sold me a replacement motor for a good price, they mounted the fan blade and and helped me get the wiring sorted out so we’d be sure to hook it up right.
I got fast, old-​fashioned good service and we had no problems installing the new fan.