Central Air Unit on the fritz.

[autowasherfreak]

Some of you might remember my thread from last year about getting a new central air unit installed.  Well not even a year later, and it don't work worth a damn.  It's been on all day set at 70, and it's still 85 degrees on the first floor.  Called our finance company, they had in installed for us, the lady said she would call the installer.  If it's under warranty we won't have to pay anything, if it's not we have to pay to have it fixed.  Of course it's the hottest day of the year so far 91 deg. today.

 

 

Can't anything made these days last more than a year!

[this post was last edited: 5/10/2011-21:46]

 

[appnut]

did you check to see if the circuit breakers had been tripped in the breaker box? 

 

[autowasherfreak]

No blown breakers.  I can hear the compressor, and the fan blows, but the air coming from the registers isn't very cold.  I wonder if the coolant leaked out somehow during the winter.

 

 

[appnut]

I wonder if the coolant leaked out somehow during the winter

Jim, for your sake I hope not.  That would most likely mean a faulty, bad installation or they did something and din't close something up right. 

 

[autowasherfreak]

It worked perfectly last year, sometimes we were sitting in the living room watching TV we would cover up with a light blanket.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I'm with ya

After living in my house almost seven years, that's the only thing I've had go wrong (My Trane Heat Pump) all electric has went out five times from year three to year five. The last time was really expensive. Almost 1000 dollars. The compressor had to be replaced. Since then, it's been working fine for over a year (KNOCK ON WOOD)
......

I saw my neighbors have had the HVAC guy to their house across the street three times since January. They moved into their house around the same time I did.

Non-related to appliances. My driveway is eroding away in the middle. I was sweeping it off and small pieces of concrete (not very deep yet) is coming up.

 

[tolivac]

With your unit running -go outside and feel the air blowing out of the condenser-compresser unit-Is the air warm or hot-if not-sounds like you may have lost the refrigerant charge.For a unit that new-could be a faulty installation-a leak in the refrigerant piping.For the indoor air-if the unit is working properly-the your AC unit should be cooling the indoor air about 20 degrees cooler than the air outside.

 

[mark_wpduet]

tolivac

A properly working AC should cool the air 20 degrees cooler than the air outside?

HUH?

So if it's 100 degrees out it would be normal if the AC kept it at 80 inside, even if you had the AC set on, say 74?

Is that correct?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Hope your system is fixed soon.

The air coming out of the registers should be 15 to 20 degrees cooler than the air temp in the room.

Again, depending on just one appliance with no back up is asking for trouble. We were never without air conditioning when we had window units, but when we moved and had central, at least once a summer the thing went out. We put the newest window unit we had brought with us in and it would cool the kitchen, breakfast area and family room so we at least had some back up. I would suggest acquiring a window unit at least for your bedroom. Often, at night, it can keep you cool without having to cool the whole house.

Funny weather this spring. We often are the ones to get an early heat wave, but this year, it's the central part of the US that's baking.

 

[tolivac]

Mark-yes.That is the AHAM standard for residental AC units.

 

[autowasherfreak]

Absolutely NO Freon & No Leaks...........

Some S.O.B stole all of the freon out of the AC. There were no leaks. Going to put a tall fence around it, to bad I can't make it an electric fence and tie it into the 220v service, and shock the next S.O.B that tries to mess with the unit!!!

 

$220.00 to completely recharge the unit, and it's coming out of our pocket, since there was no leak anywhere to be found.  He said even if there was a leak there would be some Freon left, but it was completely dry.

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

I was wondering about that but thought that as new as the system was it would have the newer refrigerant in it and I wasn't sure that teenagers use that as an inhalent to get high, but they might huff that too. You might want to put a locking cage, anchored to the ground, around it. Sorry for your expense.

http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs07/708/index.htm

 

[autowasherfreak]

We are going to put something around it.  I'm not sure if it use Freon or not, I don't know what the new coolants are called, LOL.

 

A friend suggested putting video camera or one of those fake cameras somewhere close buy maybe that would scare them off.  Not sure if that would work or not. 

 

[3beltwesty]

looks like some locks are in order on the Freon ports

.

http://www.kfvs12.com/story/6861244/kids-huff-freon-to-get-high?redirected=true

 

[3beltwesty]

locks on ports

.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/120447/freon-locking-caps-make-good-sense

 

[3beltwesty]

Look at the B&W video in the link/advert where they steal a AC condensor for the copper scrap value.

http://www.wbsecurityproducts.com/

 

[112561]

Is this a disgusting new trend now, stealing Freon? How about the neighbors, are they going through similar obnoxious episodes? I hope whoever stole yours gets caught somehow.

 

[mark_wpduet]

That's pretty crazy. I had never heard of this.

It's okay though. There is a thing called "Karma".....

 

[appnut]

Well, doesn't surprise me.  We have theft of all the coppoer tubing in compressors and such around here.  Destroy systems just for that. 

 

[arbilab]

Stealing freon (22) is a pretty elegant crime. Can't remove more than half of it without either the system operating or an external compressor. Doesn't sound like teenagers, sounds like pirates. $220 charge sounds like R22 alright. The price is strictly a gov-regulation gouge. R22 is 1/20th as 'bad' as R12 but at exactly the same time R12 became contraband R22 tentupled in price.

 

[tolivac]

A NEW problem for AC owners-someone draining the system and "huffing" the refrigerant for a weird "high".R22 is now one of the more common refrigerants these days-the chillers at the place I work at use it-Oh boy if those huffers found this site-they would have a huffing party!Both of our 150 ton capacity units use the R22.Another thing a good tech will do in checking your unit-is measure the current draw of the compressor when the unit is operating.Abnormal current draws alert the tech if something is wrong without opening the system.If the system was drained surprized it would start.I hope the huffers realize or know--they may be huffing compressor lubricant along with the refrigerant-the lube will do wonders to your lungs!Wouldn't try it!

 

[arbilab]

Freon is not really an intoxicant, it's an asphyxiant. They'd do just as well with CO2 cartridges from a pellet gun and much better with nitrous oxide whipcream cartridges.

 

[tolivac]

CO2 is an asphxyant,too and the air gun CO2 cartridges contain a lubicant in vapor form in the cartridge to lube the gun when its fired.Air gun propellant cartridges should NEVER be used for inhaling or food use!Its even marked on their packages.Used to have a CO2 powered pelletgun-but they became as expensive to shoot as a .22.and for the nitrous oxide-guess you have to breathe the whipped cream,too-Bet dentists have to keep an eye on their nitrous oxide supply tanks.and breathing lubricants in vapors-they will asphyxiate you becuase they coat your lungs-air can't get thru.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I have a beautiful whip cream maker that uses the nitrous cartridges. It looks like those soda/seltzer makers except is gobular in shape. You put the cream in, seal the container and then give it gas. I could never figure out how to really clean it without using another cartridge for washing and one for rinsing. Because of the abuse of the gas, it was difficult to buy the carridges long ago. I don't know about now. I requested nitrous twice for dental procedures and it's really a nice feeling.

Refrigerant theft is such a problem that there are locking caps for the valves, like the locking nuts for lug nuts on wheels, but then someone might destroy the tube/coil to get it.

 

[tolivac]

Around my way-theft of ENTIRE HVAC condensor units is a problem-for the copper.churches for some reason get hit most-guess its becuase they are unattended most of the time.

 

[arbilab]

Not trying to give anyone nefarious ideas. Didn't know about the oil. Make that 'seltzer cartridges' then. Or just hold your breath, same thing happens.

 

[autowasherfreak]

<a name="start_34467.517150">Another thing a good tech will do in checking your unit-is measure the current draw of the compressor when the unit is operating.</a>

 

 

He is going to come back and do this, but he said that it has to be at least 72 deg. or warmer outside and the unit has to be running as well.  It hasn't been hot enough to really need it on yet.

 

[appnut]

that it has to be at least 72 deg. or warmer outside

That is very true.  Whenever I want preventive maintenance on mine, I have to wait until May so that I know the mornings won't be too "chilly". 

 

[filterflo58]

i just make sure that if it needs refrigerant that they add the CORRECT amount..if overloaded..wont work at all..and its another service call(free of charge to you since their error) but another day of shvitzing...

 

[autowasherfreak]

It's been running and doing an excellent job of cooing since yesterday afternoon.