Heating Help

What I was told

@ April 9, 2012 10:40 PM in stay brite#8

Sat through Lennox class on 410a in 2000?(sometime around then). Do not use solder!! Stay Brite was brought up, again the answer, no soft solder to be used on R410a systems.
Sat through Carriers R410a class twice, again do not use soft solder. I believe the biggest concern for both manufacturers was the flux and the possible contamination with the POE oil.
Now, that was the official answer, although as Bergy said they haven't had any problems on their systems. So as most people do in this industry, use what works for you, just don't expect the OEM to back you up if you have problems.
Question for Bergy, Do you use stay brite on heat pumps too, or just ac's?
Don in MO

Never legal

@ March 8, 2012 12:39 PM in epa rule on r-22

Been a while, but it was never legal to pull any refrigerant from one customer's unit and install it in another customers unit. I can pull refrigerant from a customers unit and install in the same customers other equipment all day.

Refrigerant is supposed to be ceritfied to ARI 700? if it changes ownership.

Now what happens in the real world like another respondent said........

Don in MO

What purpose

@ December 31, 2011 4:10 PM in white rodgers cycle pilot burner burns for short time and recycles

Tim, what purpose does the pressure switch serve in the gas valve? I would assume proper gas pressure, anything else? Any other manufacturers use this type of switch in their gas valves?
Don in MO

Past experiances

@ December 31, 2011 7:42 AM in white rodgers cycle pilot burner burns for short time and recycles

I have seen this ignition system on different gas burners and none of them work well. Any one remember the Carrier Multi-Zone roof top units? I worked on four of them at the local community college. The hoof of the pilot would warp and not direct enough flame to keep the mercury bulb hot enough to keep the main flame on. The cycle was like this:

Pilot lights, flame heats mercury bulb, switch closes to bring main flame on, main burner lights, burns for anywhere from seconds to minutes then main flame goes off and pilot heats up mercury bulb again to close switch to bring on main burner and keeps cycling like that till your pilot times out(if pilot actually goes off and starts sparking to relight) or thermostat actually satisfies. I have seen this on the aforementioned Multi-Zone, Clare furnaces, & Heat Controller Furnaces. For some reason I have seen the Cycle Pilot on Boilers but they never seemed to have this problem.

I know that you are not supposed to re-engineer the gas train, but that is what I did with some Clare furnaces when I had to wait for the hot surface ignition re-work kit. Used White Rodgers wonderful(in my opinion) hot surface ignition components that would come in the OEM kit from Clare. Call Weil McLain, see if they have a rework kit so it is OEM(no warranty or liability issues). Other wise I would make my own and not have the continual problem of the Cycle Pilot. You also could install a Honeywell spark ignition kit that converts from standing pilot to spark ignition. Have done that also in the Multi-Zone unit. Worked like a charm.

If you stay with the cycle pilot system, unless you did this when you changed the sensor, replace the pilot assembly. Like I mentioned above, the hood of the pilot can warp and not direct enough flame to keep the sensor hot. When the main burner comes on, enough heat is lost to the sensor that you loose main flame. Or something else has happened to cause the flame to disrupt and not heat the sensor properly.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Don in MO

Check pilot

@ December 30, 2011 1:59 PM in white rodgers cycle pilot burner burns for short time and recycles

Try cleaning the pilot. If it is dirty, it will not produce enought heat to trip the switch if it is dirty. If it is LP, good luck!

Personally, I would call Weil Mclain and see if you can convert to Hot Surface Ignition, wether it is Nat. or LP(propane). I did that with some Clare furnaces. I wish there was a bounty on cycle pilots, not a good ignition system!

Don in MO

eventually

@ December 19, 2011 9:30 AM in Analog or Digital Manifold?

Eventually the majority will be digital. They will get cheaper and you will see two or more hanging in a truck, along with an analog.

Back ups are a must, but can get out of hand.

Don in MO

SMAN 3

@ November 12, 2011 10:56 PM in Analog or Digital Manifold?

Used the SMAN 3 this summer. Loved the micron gauge in it. Almost bought the Testo 550, but was told the sman 3 included hoses and would have been a better buy, but no hoses. Glad I have the sman 3. Would like to use the Testo and see if better or just different.

Would like it if  FieldPiece woudl have a 4 valve manifold..

.Don in Mo

Unico fan question

@ November 10, 2011 10:17 AM in Unico fan question

Hi all,

Looked at a customers heat pump the other day. They told me every once in a while they would have to "hit" the control box to have the blower shut off. It has a variable speed control on the side that is adjustable and three relays inside.
M# MB3642L 

Anyone run into that before? Of course it would not fail while I was there, normal for those situations.

Thanks for any insight!

Don in MO

That's it!

@ October 14, 2011 11:45 AM in TXV Kits

Thanks!

I got a price from the wholesaler this morning for it. Don't know why they included filter-driers? If I would buy your kit, I probably already have the driers.

Now if I get one, will I really use it?! Customers have been fickle lately. Which I don't blame them, money is tight everywhere. Me included.
Don in Mo

That's it!

@ October 14, 2011 11:45 AM in TXV Kits

Thanks!

I got a price from the wholesaler this morning for it. Don't know why they included filter-driers? If I would buy your kit, I probably already have the driers.

Now if I get one, will I really use it?! Customers have been fickle lately. Which I don't blame them, money is tight everywhere. Me included.
Don in Mo

TXV Kits

@ October 13, 2011 4:27 PM in TXV Kits

Saw an add in a trade magazine about a kit by Sporlan(Parker) that had OEM fittings(chatleff, etc,) and a TXV body, so you could add a TXV to any coil(A/C, HP) using the OEM fittings. Anyone remember that add or actually have one and the order number to get one from the Sporlan rep?

Not talking about the Q, BQ kits. They are strictly flare or sweat.

Thanks,

Don in Moberly MO

Thanks Tim

@ August 30, 2011 2:00 PM in Truck Inventory

Tim,

Do you think that the advances in technology prevent contractors from having  a good inventory on the trucks?

I know there are universal parts, but they can't be used for warranty and a lot is still OEM.

Don in MO

Truck Inventory

@ August 29, 2011 3:41 PM in Truck Inventory

Question about inventory you are keeping on your truck. What parts are you keeping? OEM, universal, standing pilot parts, millivolt, space heater, etc.
 
Interested if your inventory list has changed that much in the last 10 years?

Working on an inventory list for heating parts, why I am asking.

Thanks in Advance!
Don in MO

Sorry about the double

@ May 30, 2011 7:52 PM in Balanced Port TXV

When in IA

@ May 30, 2011 7:52 PM in Balanced Port TXV

We switched to the balance port Sporlan kit. We used it for 95% refrigeration use, but every once in a while would install on an AC system. Loved the Sporlan kits. Now that I don't do refrigeration, don't carry a kit anymore.

Techman, do you carry the Sporlan kit with you? Flare and solder bodies?

I don't see why you would not use a BP txv in any system?

Don in MO

Thanks for the ideas

@ May 30, 2011 7:45 PM in Water not staying in drain pan

But the problem was a low charge and freezing up of the coil. I believe it blocked the drain and that is when it would overflow.
Charged it up last Thursday right before I left work.  OK for now. Looks like a leak or multiple leaks in the evap coil. Need to re-check it with more pressure in the system and see if I can pinpoint it. Coil under warranty, so no big deal either way.

Just got to find the time to fix it permanently!

Didn't want to leave everyone hanging, hate it myself when someone doesn't  follow up.
Don in MO

Water not staying in drain pan

@ May 23, 2011 2:46 PM in Water not staying in drain pan

Hi all,
Got a York M# FC48C3XN1A, S# A0C7571528 A-Coil on aYork M# GY9S080C16UP11J, S# WOC6096611 gas furnace. York filter rack on the side with Air Bear 20 X 25 filter in it.

This year the condensate is "overflowing"? even though it is draining. I installed an EZ-Trap, but the problem has come back. It seems to be after a long cooling cycle, the ac is 2 degrees off setpoint.

Any ideas? When I installed the trap, I also inspected the coil and pan, clean. Went ahead and sprayed coil with self-rinsing coil cleaner.

This is our unit. Boss said didn't do that last year. (I wasn't working for him then). Only thing that has changed from last year that I know about is the new stat I installed 3 months ago.

Any ideas? When we looked at it this afternoon it was draining fine, but making gurgling noises, which alerted us to the problem.

Thanks Don in MO

Thanks!

@ May 8, 2011 10:47 AM in Lennox model numbers

Always nice to have the manufacturers info! Just wish they would share for all.

I'm with you now!

@ May 6, 2011 2:27 PM in Lennox model numbers

Clicked the link and it fell into place, the same thing I had seen before.

So 2 ton would = 291
  3.5 ton would=252
  4 ton would=258
and 5 ton would =261
or close to those numbers

Thanks again!

So.........

@ May 6, 2011 2:12 PM in Lennox model numbers

a model HS9-411-6P would be 41,000 btu, 3.5 ton, not 3 ton, which is the coil they have mated to this condenser?

Thanks, sorry my brain is so tough to get through!

Lennox model numbers

@ May 6, 2011 1:41 PM in Lennox model numbers

I know this has been mentioned before, but could not find in my search.
Lennox M# HS18-311-4P, Evap coil M# CH16-31-1FF.
What size am I looking at? I am guessing 2.5 ton, but could not remember for sure.
Thanks!
Don in MO

Bad airflow?

@ March 13, 2011 12:25 PM in Martco

I am with Techman, a little more information would help tremendously!

But a guess is a guess, check your airflow, bad capacitor on blower motor, bad bearing on small self contained, what ever would make your airflow inconsistant.

Don in MO