Heating Help

Everyone asks this Q:?

@ October 30, 2010 7:33 AM in Cover condensers for the winter?

The condensing unit is made to be out doors and as a result is subject to all the weather has to throw at it.  Covers are great to protect the paint job and keep stray leaves from fallins inside.  Your answer is "It wouldn't hurt".  Tarp is fine but just remember to take it off next spring or trouble will follow. 

Mike T.

Hi Brad?

@ October 22, 2010 11:31 PM in Run a Heat Pump Fan all the time?

There are t-stats that have the option of running the fan at timed intervals, you select.  I understand what you doing, but at what cost?  I give my customers the scenario of,...."fan on is nice when you have 30 people in your house at  Thanksgiving, so it's not so stuffy. 

Mike T.

Tim, My thoughts

@ October 22, 2010 11:21 PM in Heil gas furnace problem

Exactly.  Many of the newer furnaces will give you a basic "lockout" which will bring on the blo and posibly comb. blower.  It's so hard to solve problems by what somebody say's, but We try  so hard..

Peace

Mike T.,  Back on the air..........................:-)

Mistake as I once made......

@ October 22, 2010 11:06 PM in fan motor/board shorted

Dont feel bad.  your original motor  with the com and Brown/White strip is just DANDY, but when you get the new motor what the do not tell you is that your original set up at the cap is either to be wired identically (brown and wht) or with the new motor that usually does not give you this info and is wired in as CAP=Bro/Bro/wht.  But since you wired White or common to the other side of the cap, the result was a DIRECT short.

     Next time Cut the brown wire on the motor, and only use the whit/brown and then....Com on your ciucuit

Series circuit my friend........

@ October 22, 2010 10:46 PM in multiple controls wiring in parallel circuit

You have 1 load according to your post and the other circuits are N/C contacts and open when temp gets too hi.  PLEASE do not even try this as you will probably do what the other post said............  Call A PRO.

Mike T.

Does or can an excessive suction like cause a pressure droip?

@ August 10, 2010 7:07 AM in Does or can an excessive suction like cause a pressure droip?

Correct mi F I'm wrong, but can the excessive suction line cause a pressure drop.  I was on a job and measures the LL and SL.  Both were in excess of 110 foot.  Head seemed to be normal but the suction pressure maintained at about 52 psig with a S/H of 23*.....  Condenser is on ground floor and A/H on the second floor set back a way.   A Coil is spotless and absolutly no traps amywhere to be found.

Thanks:

Mike T.

Me too:

@ June 28, 2010 6:04 AM in Combustion analysis

I use 1/4" tap.  I have a nice tap set that you can purchase almost anywhere.  This fitting will never accidentally pop out.

Your used to do this.

@ June 22, 2010 6:28 AM in A/c troubles

York used this set up a while back.  The idea is the common suction is designed to bring on 50% of the total capacity under, usually non peak loads.  Kind of like an unloader.  Oil migration was never a problem as far as I could see. 

Mike T.

Hey Terry?

Good Morning Terry:

@ June 2, 2010 6:52 AM in Can't diagnose 2 1/2 ton residential AC

I think Wayne is on the right track.  Recover the charge and check that fixed restrictor, and or TXV.  Some come with a screen which may be clogged.  Your system is basically going into pump down..

Mike T.

Something to ad:

@ May 9, 2010 9:57 AM in Thermocouple Replacement

Ther HW t-couples are slightly shorter than others.  The silver screw on fitting generally does not need to be installed.  You will notice that it's way too big for installation.  Of corse,...Heed the post above.  The new tanks are totally different.

Mike T.

I can honestly say:

@ April 12, 2010 6:08 AM in Hard Start Relay,Honest Answer Please

I don't open the relay, BUT, I do check to see just how long the Contacts take to open and at what amperage.  I have seen in the past, a relay with contacts welded shut and thus over heat the compressor.  I actually took the place of the relay and disengaged the start cap my self, it worked great.  It's a neat experience if you ever run into it.  Energise your load and manually remove 1 lead from the relay of the start cap. You have now just become the Potential relay...

Mike T.

All is well Terry

@ April 10, 2010 11:48 AM in Empire

I have been working on a cooling tower from hell.   This thing has been neglected and water leaks every where.  Turns out tower was never drained before last winter so guess what happened?  Yup Crack!!!!!  You know as well as I that Crack in not good for you lol.  I have never seen a 4" "Y" strainer split completely apart....

Oh well Back to work....Peace

Mike T.

"J" in a nut shell

@ April 9, 2010 2:15 AM in Clean carbonized gas boiler or replace? lots of CO

SInce the age is way up there, well yea they can actually recope enough savings to pay for the ne one in 6 to 10 years.....   Your second Q:  ANY AND ALL boilers can be cleaned,  The question is what caused it in the first place.  What has changed, if anything.  If the CO is bad, it can get very costly in my book.  remember your name will be on it and cause of problem has to be identified.  That's what they pay us for.

Be sure in your diagnosis and the only reason I say that is that you asked in the first place.  If you are not familiar of cause and affect, it's not a bad thing but remember IT HAS TO BE DONE RIGHT if you clean in.

Me,......I would bet my house on it, but that's only me.  After 50 Years, this boiler ows them nothing.  It's done its job etc...etc...

Jokeingly, I heard they have a nursing home for boilers at the end of the rainbow.  Carbon sores are a serious problem and their never cleaned properny....

My  Dad in in the home and no Diss intended..

Mike T.

Sorry to inturupt.........

@ April 9, 2010 1:47 AM in hard start kit

We all agree that Potential relay's are used in high torque motors...:  As Techman Stated, it's operation is based on the increase in voltage as the load approaches and reaches it's rated speed.  The contacts in the off cycle remain closed,...ready to become a High torque relay..

Upon a call to start, and as the motor speed increases, Higher voltage, creates more magnetism in the coil pulling the contacts apart, opening the start winding.  Remember the coil in not only a magnet, but Weighted too.  Jokingly, it's a well oiled balancing act. 

Resistance of the contact points to voltage being applied must be high enough to prevent the points from opening before the load reaches 80 to 90% of its full speed.   excess resistance due to pitting or dirty environment can drastically throw off this relays ability to open and over heat the Load.  Remember the more voltage being applied through the relay  itself, but for only just a second will pull the armature apart, killing the start winding...................................BACK EMF this is the relation to voltage and the magnetic field it creates.......

My .02

See Attached..

Mike T.

Tom B/ and Terry have it.

@ April 9, 2010 12:13 AM in Three phase

Older Carrier and Chrysler systems also used this.  If you look at this same set up today, meaning the way it starts and runs,  Most simi's start unloaded and use either a electrical Bypass unloader, Hot gas unloader, or Suction unloader....And I'm sure the last one is incorrect since it's been a while/////////////  Techman, How the hech have you been?  Keeping busy?

Peace

Mike T.

Look at the manual.

@ April 6, 2010 5:51 PM in O & B TERMINALS

In the North East where we use "Fail safe heat",  where we energise the RV on a call for cooling "O" is generally energised on a call for cooling.  "B" is actually energised as soon as you flip the heat/cool switch to heat, where as the "O" will energise when the call is made.  "B" in this case can be used to energise a Isolation relay to separate the cooling circuit,...Y so that is will not back feed and energise thru the stat thus energising Y(Cool) G fan and "O".  In a nut shell "B" allows the separation of the 2 Modes at the condenser.
I know that doesn't make sense, let me look for the Wiring diagram to clear it up.  Don't forget it can do anything you want it to do, as long as we all think it through.  Think about it in HP mode and in heat, W1 calls for hp condenser....What is to stop that w1 circuit from back feeding right back through Y1 at the stat, which is also interconnected to G......and O??? Now were calling for cooling again..  What's really weird once you find and understand a wiring diagram you like,................Lennox, Heil, Carrier...etc.  every manufacturer is different.  Go figure.........I scratch my head sometimes.

Feed back please

Peace

Mike T.

Good Morning Mark:

@ March 9, 2010 6:18 AM in High CO levels on Burnham P Series

Nice article.  I am what you call a collector of information since reference material is sometimes at a premium.  For the young guy's,...Eat this stuff up since it may just save your life or the lives of others.  This stuff is free and always a great read.  O become an educator and educate the masses.

Again thanks mark for all you do.

Mike T.

John:

@ March 2, 2010 6:29 AM in heat pump won't run

Can you provide a wiring diagram?  I'm sure one of us can help you through it.  From what you are telling us, one of the safeties must be open.  Step back for a while and trouble shoot from the contactor back if you can.

Mike T.

HI Bob:

@ February 25, 2010 6:28 AM in AprilAire 500 controls

The "G" terminal is energised only when the stat calls for cooling or is turned on at the t-stat fan on switch.  I have used current sensing relays which connect around the common leg of the blower.  This way you have potential any time the blower energises.  The reason the W" circuit is not used is because in the past when anticipators were used, the water solenoid would affect the t-stat.
     You can use lennox Aux terminal, just install a cheap 20 VA t-former.

Mike T.

Sensor:

@ February 13, 2010 8:03 PM in Indoor Sensor

I guess my Q: to you would be have you actually compared the sensor with another temp device to make sure it's accurate?  Perhaps the sensor is bad or the wiring is excessive in length or gauge to give the correct reading..

Mike T.

Correct Tim....

@ February 9, 2010 6:51 PM in U - Tube Manometer

Since the red water, (oil mix) does have a different viscosity.  UEI, makes a differential meter for some bucks that can measure neg, pos, or diff pressures.  I use mine for pressure switches and the like.  For Large Air Rotation units, when measuring diff. across burners or static pressure, It's too sensitive and bounces way too much.  Inclined withe the so called RED stuff...:-) works great.

PS How are things Tim Mc.

Peace
Mike T.

I just love it when all of us comment

@ February 9, 2010 6:42 PM in water tower piping noise !

AND  the Q: is never Resolved or commented on by the Auther!!!.. WHay ask in the first place..............


Mike T.