Heating Help

firedragon

@ September 26, 2012 4:05 PM in firedragon

is george lanthier acessable by email or phone for any questions about the adams furnace that i wish i never installed. they dont back their product.

no

@ September 3, 2012 11:39 AM in tankless gaskets

i am talking about normal tless gaskets. not o ring type. flat surface and round or square.like i said with silicone they squish out when tightening. for years i used nothing but they ship that silicone with coils and i thought it might help inperfections of  boiler coil plate. thanks for replys.

tankless gaskets

@ August 30, 2012 7:52 AM in tankless gaskets

when i do tankless gaskets and use silicone that comes with tankless or if i use regular silicone it always stretches out and the bolt holes start to slide out and the gasket just expands. they don't leak as the gasket must still be tight on the inside. i have even let the silicone skin and set for a bit but it still slides out. years ago i used to do them without silicone and don't remember this going on. anybody ever run into this situation? is there something i am missing? it would be nice to hear what other techs.have to say. i am almost ready to go back to not using any silicone. as i said they have not leaked but they are moving out to much and don't like whats happening. thx.

f&l

@ August 24, 2012 8:42 AM in fan&limit

there are line volts like regular limit,there is a 8184m primary control and the wires i am talking about that are plugged in to two terminals on f&l are coming from f on relay and other side to a low volt wire on 8184m. my thoughts are that this may start f&l earlier than waiting for temp. to turn on blower because of horizontal furnace. ?? what can you replace this with when it fails?its definitely a different control than standard type. thx

fan&limit

@ August 23, 2012 7:50 AM in fan&limit

honeywell L4064t fan and limit control on oil horizontal furnace. has two wires coming from ff terminals on cad relay and plugs into center of fan&limit control. does this start fan before temp. dial turns? can you replace with standard L4064 or does it have to be that style for areason?

mismatch

@ August 22, 2012 4:41 PM in txv on dry charge condensers

thx for replys, john, techman. i think this topic could go on forever. i think if i put any more 13 seer into 10 seer units i would add txv and inform customer in writing the consequences involved and if doesn't perform well or up to their expectations that a new coil upgrade to 13 seer would be on them and tell them they really should considering whole 410a upgrade first. also any service calls to adjust would not be covered underwarrantee as we don't know what will go on with mismatch. now granted i have been lucky i have replaced about 8 to 10 condensers in last 2 years and have not had a issue with operation and even have gone back for annual tune ups and no problems. but on the other hand i have read and heard alot of horror story's that make me want to walk away if they don't want whole system rather than make a sale and let someone else do it.i am really mixed up for sure. i only have been doing them on 12 year old or less. any input would be appreciated!!! thx

so

@ August 20, 2012 9:38 AM in txv on dry charge condensers

then a txv doent matter either. should we be putting these 13 seer units in 10 seer coils then at all?do you still install them? it sounds like it isn't worth it regardless. of the age if this stuff is going to happen. like i said i put a few in but wasn't happy with readings but i also haven't had any call backs for freezing coils or cooling complaints.wow this is confusing to say the least.  thx for replys

low head

@ August 19, 2012 8:05 PM in txv on dry charge condensers

techman i was wondering about what you said about lower head pressure on 13 seer condensers. why would that be a difference on pressure drop on metering device?would the evaporator coil being 13 seer cgange that low pressure? are not the metering devices the same? thx

isceon m099

@ August 19, 2012 7:59 PM in isceon m099

what is up with this new r22 replacement. just found out about it last week.is it ok to use on replacements?is it ok to replace r22 in exsisting systems as a replacement after evacuating?

dry charge

@ August 19, 2012 7:50 PM in txv on dry charge condensers

thx for your insight techman. i have noticed the same things with pressures and superheat and subcooling.i was putting in charge in and removing trying to set it right. i would finally get decent superheat and 17 to 20 degree drop on evaporator and was removing moisture and working good that way. but i am really wondering about these even though i put in 7 or 8 units.are you better off not doing this and just upgrading the whole system?when they have some age on them its easier to say hey you need new cond., coil, lineset etc. but when the evaporator or air handler is perfectly good and not old it gets more difficult to say everything has to be replaced. someone will change just the condenser if you don't give option. i am not saying i want to do the wrong move just to get the job . i am just throwing this out there as this is very confusing and alot of mixed opinions, you know what i mean.i just want to get educated with this stuff and move on.

txv on dry charge condensers

@ August 18, 2012 8:18 PM in txv on dry charge condensers

when putting in dry chge 13 seer condensers on 10 seer evaporator coils would it be better with a txv. if so can you get one that will fit on all different brand coils rather than try and find one for each unit ?.i do try to get people to go to 410a units but sometimes they don't want to tear out all of the equipment and spend more money. i have put in several without any problems,even some still have orifices and work good.a couple of the first ones i did ,they have txv on them because they were same brand as new condensing unit and were easy to get.i know alot of techs. don't like this option and say it doesn't work well and some say its ok. i personally haven't had issues, and years ago we were putting 10 seer into 8 seer coils and didn't think twice about it. i know this isn't best option for a number of reasons but the reality is that someone will get the work if you don't give option. i tell customers about efficiency issues and give them options and do suggest matching up is best.there seems to be a real mixed opinion subject for sure and continues to be this way still.i am not talking about real old stuff, i am only talking about 10 to 12 years or less on the evap. coil and no leaks etc.several wholesalers that sell them say there is no problems with or without txv installed and they have to process any warranty with condenser unit. i also have not seen any thing as of yet in writing that says about voiding warranty from manufacture as of yet about match ups. wow very confusing and just wanted to see what ideas and or experiences other guys had on this forum...

give me a break

@ July 31, 2012 7:30 PM in Are thermostats really this inaccurate?

mr. why dont you just pay the contractor for the completed job.why would you hold back 10%? you should have a contract that says you have a guarentee for a year on the installation. i would let you keep the 10% and wouldnt come back to your house until you paid up.you get it installed, it gets up and running and you dont pay the company, i am really not liking this post. then you come on here and cry why your thermostat isnt calibrated to your liking. i would say they have not changed it because you didnt pay them properly.a honest company is going to gaurentee the work and come back in good faith and fix any problems even after its paid for. you should have had a contract stating terms and could take other actions if they didnt follow contract, but to hold back money after job is completed and up and running is not right.

cfm test

@ July 18, 2012 8:10 AM in cfm

just a general question on checking existing equipmentwith no apprent problems.i know a new innstall will have exact specs. on setting it up with charts etc.

cfm

@ July 17, 2012 8:31 PM in cfm

how do you determine you have the right cfm on a ac airhandler? is there a simple way or a tool rather than all these complicated formulas i have seen.so you need proper air flow established b4 you adjust chge etc, what is a practical way of doing this. this has always been a guessing game for me!  thx

hi v alberta

@ July 10, 2012 6:56 PM in hi v alberta

anybody no anything about hi v system out of canada? high velocity looks like a spacepak or unico system. have they had problems with water leaking out of evaporator pan? i ran into my first one the other day and cut drain and flushed, pitched unit and it still seems to have a drip out of back corner of pan. the rep says you have to pump it down and take coil out and take it apart and check pan.i couldnt access inside really to see what was going on. any feed back or any problems with these would be appreciated.all you can see is a small part of pan in front cover area and has little hole channell for water to run from back to front drain thru evaporator coil.3 years old.  thx

free estimates

@ July 9, 2012 8:23 PM in free estimates

does anybody charge small fee for estimates of new equipment? there are to many bid chasers out there getting many estimates looking for cheapest price. i want to chge a small fee and give it back if get job. any thoughts about this approach?

uninsulated txv bulb

@ July 4, 2012 9:30 PM in uninsulated txv bulb

saw a txv bulb on a attic split system with no insulation on bulb on suction line outside of coil so attic heat could affect bulb. system in 5 years and i wrap it and had high superheat. when i put it back to the way i found it with no insulation it worked fine and good readings and superheat. i assume it has worked 5 years uninsulated, i see it and say oh wow needs to be wrapped and then it doesnt respond correctly. i found this on a routine check and they were not having any trouble until i insulated it.any ideas? is there such a type that is this way? is it defective and this is how someone got it to work?? very strange.

ding dong

@ July 4, 2012 10:49 AM in bad compressor?

very funny mike,just when you think you seen it all!

low volt shorts

@ July 2, 2012 9:17 PM in low volt shorts

is there any sites, liteture etc. on test procedures for troubleshooting shorts, opens etc. in ac/ heat low volt circuits.

no sale

@ July 1, 2012 9:32 AM in bad compressor?

ya don, looks like he doesnt need stuff from what i saw yesterday with both running great.units are 12 to 13 years old but if they were not dead and he didnt want to upgrade unless it neededto be done. i will see how they work for a week and follow up with him. these are older people and he is battling cancer and they were so happy i found out they were able to be fixed.i easily could have sold them new unit. it is hot and they know nothing about how the equipment works.i really could use the money also but i wont do this to people. now if i didnt try again to solve problem i would have changed unit and if both were running again at same time it would have hid problem and i still would have problems after installing new units when one was running, how would i look!! i would have been in a jam for sure.lesson learned for sure.every so often you get these wacky calls that are not normal every day service calls that you troubleshoot find problem and fix.

guess what

@ June 30, 2012 5:46 PM in bad compressor?

i went back to this job andguess what? the other unit at house was doing same thing as previous unit. now i said wait a minute cant be two with same symptoms right? wrong!! after racking my head thinking there might be wrong freon in unit, blockage bad or defective compressor etc.i found first floor condenser was controlled by 2nd floor tstat,and 2nd floor condenser was controlled by ist floor tstat. so when both were on at same time no problems. but if one was on when other was off the inside blower wasnt going!!that was giving me the previous readings posted.a electrician had run new low volt wires to each condenser and thats why it was screwing up because it was going to airhandlers that were not blowing unless the other one came on. make sense? holy cow. i was running inside and saying wow the blower is going good what is going on with these readings.it was ass backwards . today i said no way is two the same siuation without a common problem. so i went on a mission and had the blower going on on 2nd floor and turned on ist floor tstat and saw what i thought was ist floor condenser running nice and great performance outside, super heat, split etc. now i go into ist floor air handler and no performance. warm coil, no drop. i said to my son the heat is coming from somewhere to have good readings etc. on outside unit.now i said oh my god i run up to attic and its running superb at airhandler coil, swaeting etc, but  i only had ist floor tstat on! mystery solved. reverse wires on low vot at condensers and they ran like a top!even one at a time.condensers were not marked,freon piping was hidden in walls,and when i turned on the thermostats and saw compressors run i assumbed they were correct .but i was honest and got to the bottom of problems and was never satisfied with the other readings and was hesatint about replacing equipment without firm proof. thx for all the posts.i did two times say i think blower isnt going but when i ran in it was going. the problem is it was reversed and really screwed me up!!!!!!!!!!

stats

@ June 28, 2012 8:34 PM in bad compressor?

i didnt get exact temps. recorded, but how can it be low indoor flow with high super heat, if it was low on chge would have high super heat, with both with low suction readings right? next time having troubles to share i will write all readings down. this customer wants new equipment anyways. he said he doesnt want to play and convert to 410a with new coil, line set, and condenser. air flow was moving good inside and as i said superheat was high not low, air was warm as was inside coil. couldnt compressor valves just be bad eneogh where it isnt pumping and thats why high and low pressures are low?