Let's talk about your A/C system... (refinishing, sink, cleaning)
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Yeah, I read where its warranted for 5 years as long as the condenser unit was left at the original location. But unfortunately the previous owner removed the outside condenser unit long before I bought the house, so it looks like the 5 year warranty will no longer apply.
Line sets, do you mean the lines running to the condenser? The ends of the copper lines were crimped and covered with tape as well as the wiring. I have no idea if there is still pressure in the condenser, and have no way to really test it. I want to reinstall the condenser and get it reconnected but I will have to wait until I get the electrical done on the house first, since the unit uses a 40-amp breaker.
Edit: I just went back to read the label on the unit. Thanks to the documents you linked I was able to determine that the unit was manufactured in June of '03. As far as pressure in the condenser, there's no pressure at all at the valves so most likely what refrigerant was there is now all gone. System uses the R-22 stuff.
Last edited by AVTechMan; 08-02-2008 at 07:25 PM..
Reason: added new info
Yeah, I read where its warranted for 5 years as long as the condenser unit was left at the original location. But unfortunately the previous owner removed the outside condenser unit long before I bought the house, so it looks like the 5 year warranty will no longer apply.
Line sets, do you mean the lines running to the condenser? The ends of the copper lines were crimped and covered with tape as well as the wiring. I have no idea if there is still pressure in the condenser, and have no way to really test it. I want to reinstall the condenser and get it reconnected but I will have to wait until I get the electrical done on the house first, since the unit uses a 40-amp breaker.
Edit: I just went back to read the label on the unit. Thanks to the documents you linked I was able to determine that the unit was manufactured in June of '03. As far as pressure in the condenser, there's no pressure at all at the valves so most likely what refrigerant was there is now all gone. System uses the R-22 stuff.
Take the schradder cap offf and slightly depress the core...if pressure exits you know.
If you do it I suggest getting the line sets replaced....they weren't properly sealed.
P.s. Reading your reply I wouldn't trust that equipment as far as I could throw it.
Take the schradder cap offf and slightly depress the core...if pressure exits you know.
If you do it I suggest getting the line sets replaced....they weren't properly sealed.
P.s. Reading your reply I wouldn't trust that equipment as far as I could throw it.
Thats what I did....i slightly depressed the core, nothing so no pressure. What do you mean by 'line sets'?
The condenser/fan unit itself is in very good shape, and looks like it will run fine. I won't really know until I get it reconnected and have it tested. Because I know getting a new system installed will be expensive, I will have to work with what I have for now until I save up the money to look into another system. And getting a higher SEER unit would be beneficial as well.
I seriously need to learn/read into air conditioning and how to work with it.
The problem is the oxidation that occurs if the line set isn't properly sealed and cleaned b being vacuumed out.
Oxidation occurs on the inside and outside of the system. It henders the ability for the copper to gain and release heat like it should. It may require several filter dryer installs once it's been installed to ensure the refrigerant itself is clean.
Lineset = all the copper in the system including both coils and interconnecting lines.
Ok, I'll give this a shot. I have a central A/C system in my house, it was installed by someone that used to live here, but he obviously knew what he was doing because it works great. Here's my question though, I have to use the washable kind of filter that you can cut to the right size because the place where you put the filter doesn't fit any standard type they sell. Here's my question, the filter never gets dirty. I run the system all summer long every year, but the filter never shows signs of needing to be cleaned or changed.
Why is this? Just a very clean house or something not working right?
I've seen several articles claiming that during the annual preseason checkup of central air system, the tech should clean certain parts of the air handler. We've had central air in every house owned since the 1970s and never once did the tech do anything but check to make sure everything was okay. Seriously, the only tools the guy ever took with him into the attic was the stuff on his toolbelt. Our current system is a Carrier 38TDB060 with an AprilAire 2200 filter attached. We use a fiberglass filter in the return (changed every 3 months) and usually the AprilAire media-filter stays so clean that it only needs changing every other spring (no pets, no smoking, no carpets in our house). Could the fan coils really remain so clean for five or six years that they truly NEVER need to be cleaned? Or are the techs around here just too lazy to bother with cleaning them unless a customer complains about the performance of the system? Ours is used for heat (oil hydronic; there's a heating coil for winter use) as well as cooling, by the way, so it does get used year-round. Just wondering whether the $331 we pay each year for the service contract should include more than just a visual check of the seals to the air handler and whether the AprilAire filter needs to be changed out or not. (we do realize that the real value of the contract is in case something goes wrong, but still.... the guy who does the annual service on our oil-heat burner and boiler always works on it for at least an hour!)
Ok, I'll give this a shot. I have a central A/C system in my house, it was installed by someone that used to live here, but he obviously knew what he was doing because it works great. Here's my question though, I have to use the washable kind of filter that you can cut to the right size because the place where you put the filter doesn't fit any standard type they sell. Here's my question, the filter never gets dirty. I run the system all summer long every year, but the filter never shows signs of needing to be cleaned or changed.
Why is this? Just a very clean house or something not working right?
You probably have a large return leak. In almost any case even with extremely clean homes the filter should get dirty from just duct particulate and human debris like hair, skin....ect.
I would look real close at the return plenum and whatever ducts lead up to the air handler or furnace.
I've seen several articles claiming that during the annual preseason checkup of central air system, the tech should clean certain parts of the air handler. We've had central air in every house owned since the 1970s and never once did the tech do anything but check to make sure everything was okay. Seriously, the only tools the guy ever took with him into the attic was the stuff on his toolbelt. Our current system is a Carrier 38TDB060 with an AprilAire 2200 filter attached. We use a fiberglass filter in the return (changed every 3 months) and usually the AprilAire media-filter stays so clean that it only needs changing every other spring (no pets, no smoking, no carpets in our house). Could the fan coils really remain so clean for five or six years that they truly NEVER need to be cleaned? Or are the techs around here just too lazy to bother with cleaning them unless a customer complains about the performance of the system? Ours is used for heat (oil hydronic; there's a heating coil for winter use) as well as cooling, by the way, so it does get used year-round. Just wondering whether the $331 we pay each year for the service contract should include more than just a visual check of the seals to the air handler and whether the AprilAire filter needs to be changed out or not. (we do realize that the real value of the contract is in case something goes wrong, but still.... the guy who does the annual service on our oil-heat burner and boiler always works on it for at least an hour!)
I would find out exactly what tuneup means in your contract...sounds more like an inspection than a tune up. If it was being tuned up he would at least spray a cleaning agent on the coil (maybe even on of the non rinse types) change the filter and clean the outdoor condenser coil. It doesn't sound like they are tuning anything. Even cooking and things of that sort tend to leave oils on the coils that attract more dirt and debris. Just looking at the coils is pretty much worthless......he either needs to check pressure drop across the coils to see if they are dirty or they need to be verifying airflow with a anemometer or manometer....ect....the human senses are accurate enough to say something is working as it should or shouldn't....that's old ways of thinking from people that have "done it 30 years that way" and it's still wrong.
Bare minimum tuneup that you pay for from an A/C company should at least spray the evap coil once a year with a degreaser type cleaner wither it be rinse or non rinse types. The filter should be changed regularly at least 4 times a year and the cond. coil fan cover should be taken off and the coil cleaned from the indie out. Once the system has dried or has been operating 15 minutes he should check pressures and line temps along with verifying fan motor amp draw, capacitor, contactor...ect...All of those items can be verified with a regular ammeter and volt ohm meter...something every tech should have. The superheat and subcooling should match what the mfg recommends it to be for the inside and outside conditions.
Sounds like the typical hire inexperienced tech for basic tuneups and send them on their way....never checking or caring until somehting goes wrong...and even then if they make the company enough money they may still not care...sad but true.
I would find out exactly what tuneup means in your contract...sounds more like an inspection than a tune up.
Thanks BigJon, I just pulled out our Service Agreement and this is what it says:
'Spring CheckUp Will Include: Inspecting filters. Checking refrigerant pressures. Tightening electrical connections. Check for proper voltage and amp draw. Oiling and greasing motors if required. Checking and cleaning condensate drains. Insuring that controls are working properly. Inspecting indoor and outdoor coils.'
I know that the tech does check the Puron pressure in the outdoor unit. But 've never heard him say that anything needs oiling or cleaning. To be honest, both my SO and I are EXTREMELY sensitive to chemicals and odors and fragrances of ANY kind, and so I would not allow a tech to spray anything into the air handler anyway; I'd tell him he has to remove it, clean it, and replace it after any smell has dissipated. (When we take our cars in for service and the cabin air filters need to be changed, we have to specify "Do NOT use any kind of spray cleaner/deodorizer!" because of the potential for an allergic reaction.) Trust me: If a tech ever sprayed anything into the air handler, I'd know it in a minute because I'd be smelling it in the time it takes for the air moving across it to reach the nearest register.
Well if you have stated that (chemical smell) to the HVAC co. then that's why he isn't spraying anything.
It would be extremely expensive for a removal of the coil to take it outside and clean it....although it's been done plenty of times it's not practical for most peoples wallets....but if that's what you require it could be done.
If he is checking pressures and temp's then he would know also if the coil was getting dirty or the fan motor was getting weaker.
The fan motors may be perm. sealed and not require oiling....some do though...usually every 5 years seems to be most common. Just take notice next time they come by see if they are using their meters.
If that's the items your paying for then you should be getting them. Obviously the chemical thing is a problem so if you can't have them clean it in place then they could at least brush the coil and vacuum it..they make special combs.
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Question about annual checkup
