AC not working well

[shocksyde]

I've never seen this before, so I'm guessing it means something is wrong. There's ice all over the copper tube that comes out of the condenser outside and then into the basement where the AC unit is.

What does this suggest?

 

[Fiat1]

This is one of the first signs your freon is low (maybe from a leak) call an ac company and have it recharged.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Originally posted by: Fiat1
This is one of the first signs your freon is low (maybe from a leak) call an ac company and have it recharged.

I had the exact same symptoms, and this was my problem.

 

[Evadman]

It suggests that the copper tube that comes out of the condenser is below freezing, and that there is water in the air.

 

[Ronstang]

You are definitely low on refrigerant the only question now is why? This could be as simple as a leaking shrader valve on one of the charging ports. If you have those crappy plastic caps that come standard on most units I suggest after having your refrigerant level brought back to normal you have the AC guy put on some good quality brass caps that you can tighten with a wrench. I had leaky units for years. It got so bad I was putting refrigerant in them every 2-3 weeks to keep them in the sweet spot. I put brass caps on and have not touched the same units this summer. I only suggest this first as it is simple anc cheap. If the problem persists then the price goes up.

 

[shocksyde]

Interesting, we just had a new condenser (or compressor, whatever it is) put in and they had to drain the freon and refill it. This was 2 months ago. I'm guessing that's bad news if the freon is already low after only 2 months.

One thing I read about online is it might be ice on the coils blocking the air flow. I've turned the AC off and will turn it back on when the ice is gone. We'll see what happens.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: Zaitsev

Originally posted by: Fiat1
This is one of the first signs your freon is low (maybe from a leak) call an ac company and have it recharged.

I had the exact same symptoms, and this was my problem.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: shocksyde
Interesting, we just had a new condenser (or compressor, whatever it is) put in and they had to drain the freon and refill it. This was 2 months ago. I'm guessing that's bad news if the freon is already low after only 2 months.

One thing I read about online is it might be ice on the coils blocking the air flow. I've turned the AC off and will turn it back on when the ice is gone. We'll see what happens.

If you just had the work done it may just be they made a bad solder joint on the copper tubing. Call the company you had do the work and have them check it out. You can check the solder joints outside yourself to see if there is a leak. You may or may not see it even if it is there. Try some soapy water if there is not any residue on the tubing near the solder joints. I only suggest this to keep the company that did the work honest as many AC contractors are not since most people know nothing about the systems at all and have to simply take their word.

 

[Sea Moose]

1) Check your air filters - dirty air filters restrict the amount of air going over the indoor coil and give the same symptom as being short on refrigerant.
2) When the filter is out - make sure the indoor coil is clean ( easy if you have a high wall spit harder if you have a ducted.) same problem as step 1

If you make sure you have clean filters and coil and this makes the frost disappear, you have saved yourself a hvac call out

3) Set the unit to its lowest setting in cooling, you should be getting 5-8 degrees C air off the coil. If you are getting higher than 10 degrees C then you are short on refrigerant and need to call a HVAC mechanic out.




what kind of system do you have? Make model? Is it a ducted or high wall split?


Please note : I am a hvac mechanic.

Originally posted by: shocksyde
Interesting, we just had a new condenser (or compressor, whatever it is) put in and they had to drain the freon and refill it. This was 2 months ago. I'm guessing that's bad news if the freon is already low after only 2 months.

One thing I read about online is it might be ice on the coils blocking the air flow. I've turned the AC off and will turn it back on when the ice is gone. We'll see what happens.

chances are it will frost up again. If you have just paid to change the compressor, and the system is now short on refrigerant, they didnt leak test properly. Perhaps this is what killed off the last compressor. Once you have followed my above steps i would turn it off and not use it, or you could damage the compressor. Make sure you claim next call out as warranty.

Get the guys back out and make sure they

1 Reclaim and weigh out the refrigerant <-- weighing out is very important, if they pull out the correct gas charge, there may be other issues, such as a blockage in the pipes.
2 charge the system with nitrogen and do a soap and bubbles test.
3 once the leak is found than make sure the have the vacuum pump running for at least an hour
4 weigh in the correct gas charge and check pressures/ air off temperature.

it should take them at least a minimum of four hours. any less and they have skipped a step.....

 

[Newbian]

Don't forget to check if a mouse is stuck in there.

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: Newbian
Don't forget to check if a mouse is stuck in there.

lol why would you think it has a mouse stuck in there?

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Originally posted by: Newbian
Don't forget to check if a mouse is stuck in there.

lol why would you think it has a mouse stuck in there?

This thread led to so many parody's and is a must whenever someone talks about a ac unit.

Much like the whole "bulk beef" sayings.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Originally posted by: Newbian
Don't forget to check if a mouse is stuck in there.

lol why would you think it has a mouse stuck in there?

Haha you have much to learn of ATOT lore. Text

 

[Sea Moose]

well its funny you say that.... i have really had mice/ rats in air conditioner units. Had 6 rats in a ducted system once, managed to trap them in the duct and then cutting out the duct dropping the rats in a bin (to determine they werent possums or anything) and then watched the farmer smash them with a hammer.

true story

another time was, in a brand new house next to the water. I was cutting in new grilles and when i pulled the duct through the ceiling, a mouse fell out. I stomped it and it squirted blood up the new walls. I went to grab a box to put it in, and it got up and ran like hell. This was in a 2 story house and ran over the balcony of the internal stair and landed on the electrician below.


another true story

 

[Jeffwo]

Originally posted by: shocksyde
Interesting, we just had a new condenser (or compressor, whatever it is) put in and they had to drain the freon and refill it. This was 2 months ago. I'm guessing that's bad news if the freon is already low after only 2 months.

One thing I read about online is it might be ice on the coils blocking the air flow. I've turned the AC off and will turn it back on when the ice is gone. We'll see what happens.

You need to call these guys back and make them fix their screw-up. They obviously left a small leak in the line when they installed the new compressor. The freon has just now leaked down to the point where your line is freezing up.

I would hold them responsible. At least that's where I would start.

And, turning the system off is just delaying the inevitable.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Evadman
It suggests that the copper tube that comes out of the condenser is below freezing, and that there is water in the air.

MENSA material right here. :thumbsup:

 

[dmcowen674]

I love ice

 

[Bill Brasky]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Evadman
It suggests that the copper tube that comes out of the condenser is below freezing, and that there is water in the air.

MENSA material right here. :thumbsup:

LOL

 

[TheVrolok]

I noticed mine isn't working properly today as well. Opened up the closet containing the unit here in my apartment and condensation was dripping fairly rapidly from it's innards. Guess I need to call the office on Monday. Good thing it's never hot here in South Florida.

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I noticed mine isn't working properly today as well. Opened up the closet containing the unit here in my apartment and condensation was dripping fairly rapidly from it's innards. Guess I need to call the office on Monday. Good thing it's never hot here in South Florida.

if your running the unit in cooling, then its normal for moisture to be coming off the coil. Make sure your drains are clear. Blow air down the pipes or get a vacuum cleaner and suck the pipes through.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I noticed mine isn't working properly today as well. Opened up the closet containing the unit here in my apartment and condensation was dripping fairly rapidly from it's innards. Guess I need to call the office on Monday. Good thing it's never hot here in South Florida.

if your running the unit in cooling, then its normal for moisture to be coming off the coil. Make sure your drains are clear. Blow air down the pipes or get a vacuum cleaner and suck the pipes through.

I love it when you talk dirty.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I noticed mine isn't working properly today as well. Opened up the closet containing the unit here in my apartment and condensation was dripping fairly rapidly from it's innards. Guess I need to call the office on Monday. Good thing it's never hot here in South Florida.

if your running the unit in cooling, then its normal for moisture to be coming off the coil. Make sure your drains are clear. Blow air down the pipes or get a vacuum cleaner and suck the pipes through.

I know next to nothing about AC units. The only pipe I see that I could possibly blow/vacuum seems like some sort of overflow pipe? Just some 3/4-1" PVC sticking up and open.

Couple pics for some clarity, if you feel like lookin'
ac1.jpg
ac1.jpg
ac1.jpg

 

[Rubycon]

Where it's icing up is important.
While your pictures are helpful in identifying the unit they do not show where icing is observed! Unit appears to be a small split system with the evaporator coil running under negative pressure.

The 3/4" pvc line called the escape line is attached to a small tray beneath the evaporator coil. This catches the condensate the collects on the evaporator coil fins and allows it to drain freely from the unit. Since your evaporator is on the suction side of the evaporator fan motor assembly a p-trap is required to hold water and maintain a vacuum break. This prevents suction from preventing water from draining correctly while the blower is running. This can cause overflows of the catch tray onto the floor (classic damp floor around the air handler and rusted out air handler chassis! It can also slurp and gulp (sounds like a rude pig at a restaurant that sucks every last femtogram of soda pop through a straw in their drink!)

In any case you need to verify proper charge, airflow through the evaporator and a correctly functioning metering device which on a unit this small is probably a capillary tube. Note the liquid line (the smaller copper tube which is normally carrying refrigerant in a liquid state - hence liquid line ) has refrigerant running TOWARDS the air handler. The capillary tube if equipped allows the liquid to evaporate into a cold vapor and this is where the changeover from the high side to low side occurs. This vapor quickly absorbs heat from the pipes carrying it (the evaporator) and this is where you cooling occurs as the return air is drawn through this coil. Now if you have a refrigerant filer/drier installed in this liquid line and the dessicant agents are saturated and there is a significant restriction here it begins to act as a metering device. This can be evidenced as a sweating filter drier. Severe clogging may result in ice formation on the drier too! The temperature difference between the inlet side (pipe facing the condenser) and outlet side (pipe going towards metering device) should be minimal. The differential or split between these two places is very close to being directly proportional to the magnitude of the clog or restriction.

If a system has been recently serviced a filter drier is often installed particularly if the system has been open to the atmosphere for a while. The scavenging ability of the dessicant (typically lithium chloride) is quite good compared to evacuation and hold for 3 hours at 10 microns vacuum. Technique of HVAC mechanics will vary too. Some may even skip evacuation altogether and just allow refrigerant to flow from one side to the other to purge the lines! This is definitely NOT recommended and typical practice of technically inadequate service folks. (or just plain lazy!)

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I noticed mine isn't working properly today as well. Opened up the closet containing the unit here in my apartment and condensation was dripping fairly rapidly from it's innards. Guess I need to call the office on Monday. Good thing it's never hot here in South Florida.

if your running the unit in cooling, then its normal for moisture to be coming off the coil. Make sure your drains are clear. Blow air down the pipes or get a vacuum cleaner and suck the pipes through.

I suck my drain line every spring and it eliminates a lot of potential problems, a wet/dry vac works well for this. Very few systems are "high wall split" here in the US, ducted split systems are the norm

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: BUTCH1

I suck my drain line every spring and it eliminates a lot of potential problems, a wet/dry vac works well for this. Very few systems are "high wall split" here in the US, ducted split systems are the norm

The key to good condensate removal maintenance is keeping your lines and pans slime free! While compressed air/vacuuming will remove a block and get things flowing again the slime will bring the slowdowns back much faster.

Fight back with tablets in your pan. Add as needed and your lines/pans will stay whistle clean.