AC not working well

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

.. snip ..

Great info! A good read.

I took these probably 5-10 mins after turning the system on (and to cool). The previous pictures were taken with the system off for over and hour.

ac3.jpg
ac4.jpg
ac5.jpg

You can clearly see where the frost is starting. The white streak on the radiator (evaporator?) is ice/frost that has formed and it is the only spot on the fins that is cold. The rest of the fin surface area is nearly room temp. Looks like I'll call my front office tomorrow when they open.

 

[Farang]

I suggest you rub the ice off your unit.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: 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.

Yea, I've seen those and a few other items aimed at pan maintenance available at the local AC supply jobber, problem is to get to my pan means a trip to the attic and shimmy my 220lb butt in between the trusses, then it's difficult to remove the panel while laying on your side! I could handle doing it once but 3-4 times a season, no way.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

2 charge the system with nitrogen and do a soap and bubbles test.

While this will work on new installations (although a experienced installer runs into a leak on a flare fitting or leaking silphos joint about as frequently as Bill Gates bounces a check!) typically leaks are in fractions of ounces per month! A halide pump can find absolutely minuscule leaks where they frequently occur. Distribution tubes downstream of TXV/AVXs are trouble spots particularly if regular PM'ing is not performed on the unit or if the mechanic does not separate the cap tubes and they rub together, etc.

Originally posted by: 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

Ugh that is absolutely disgusting. You should always bring this to the attention of the site engineer so they can contact the pest control operators that are on duty to terminate such filthy pestilence! :disgust:

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

I took these probably 5-10 mins after turning the system on (and to cool). The previous pictures were taken with the system off for over and hour.

ac3.jpg
ac4.jpg
ac5.jpg

Ice forming right where the capillary tube enters the evaporator within minutes of startup indicates a low charge. That unit is quite old and corroded. It may be better to replace the coil and condensing unit with an updated one that will be far more efficient too.

Originally posted by: BUTCH1

Yea, I've seen those and a few other items aimed at pan maintenance available at the local AC supply jobber, problem is to get to my pan means a trip to the attic and shimmy my 220lb butt in between the trusses, then it's difficult to remove the panel while laying on your side! I could handle doing it once but 3-4 times a season, no way.

I have to wonder what they are thinking when they put these air handlers/fan coils in places that are virtually inaccessible!

 

[jlee]

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.

You can have some of our air..it was 50° outside last night.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: JLee

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.

You can have some of our air..it was 50° outside last night.

Mmmm.. 50 degrees.

 

[Sea Moose]

I hate it when rubycon steals my thunder

While this will work on new installations (although a experienced installer runs into a leak on a flare fitting or leaking silphos joint about as frequently as Bill Gates bounces a check!) typically leaks are in fractions of ounces per month! A halide pump can find absolutely minuscule leaks where they frequently occur. Distribution tubes downstream of TXV/AVXs are trouble spots particularly if regular PM'ing is not performed on the unit or if the mechanic does not separate the cap tubes and they rub together, etc.

if your read the original post, he just had his compressor changed a month or two ago, that means that its a pretty substantial leak to go that fast. Either there is a leak or when the guys soldered the new donk in they let crap in the pipe and there is a blockage causing a low pressure fault.

Halide lamps arent allowed much anymore, the safety nazis have a problem with us using a large flame as an indicator. We have to use the electronic sniffers which are crap anyway. But, dunno bout america, but in australia if you read Australian Standards once you have identified that a system has a leak you must remove the refrigerant ASAP, lest you are dumping refrigerant to atmosphere, which is a major no no since we signed kyoto.


what would i know anyway, im just a hvac mechanic

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose


if your read the original post, he just had his compressor changed a month or two ago, that means that its a pretty substantial leak to go that fast.

Looks pretty old to be a rotolock. Then again GE was making them over 30 years ago long before Trane bought them out.

Brazing is all about preparation, preparation, preparation! There is nothing worse than creating a bigger problem THEN sealing it INSIDE the system. Then again you have some shady mechanics out there.

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Halide lamps arent allowed much anymore, the safety nazis have a problem with us using a large flame as an indicator. We have to use the electronic sniffers which are crap anyway. But, dunno bout america, but in australia if you read Australian Standards once you have identified that a system has a leak you must remove the refrigerant ASAP, lest you are dumping refrigerant to atmosphere, which is a major no no since we signed kyoto.

I said halide pump not torch. Perhaps you call them torches (not a flashlight!) there but indeed there was a halide torch that would use propane and an eductor tube (like a venturi) which would draw air in from the outside and mix it with the flame. A connected hose had its end passed near the suspect area. If even a minute amount of halide bearing compound was drawn in the flame color would change noticeably. These were dangerous to use in unventilated areas because halogenated refrigerants break down into very toxic compounds like phosgene when coming in contact with a hot surface. This is why one NEVER smokes around a big chiller, for example.

In any case these torches were replaced with a halide pump which used a small diaphragm pump not much different than an aquarium pump. The air is drawn in over a corona wire and the change in capacitance caused by the breakdown of O3 produces a click like a geiger counter. These are quite sensitive and when used properly can find leaks as small as a few tenths of an ounce PER YEAR! :Q

 

[Sea Moose]

never heard of a hallide pump, i was talking about a halide torch which is what you described.


I wonder if the op has bothered to follow up and read this thread?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose
never heard of a hallide pump,

That's what they're called here and I've read plenty of reference books - albeit dated - but should be fundamentally correct. Heck I say torch and most Americans say flashlight.

 

[Sea Moose]

and on atot they say fleshlight

 

[Rubycon]

Oh and screw those tree huggers. Nothing is more fun than using a bottle of 502 turned upside down to chill a heatsink on amplifier so it can play at 11 and a half all day! :laugh:

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

I wonder if the op has bothered to follow up and read this thread?

Probably still in the aisle with the mouse traps! :laugh:

Originally posted by: Sea Moose
and on atot they say fleshlight

In this thread it has jaws with a spring. It's D-Con brand and the motto is "Dicks cum in but they don't check out"! :laugh:

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Oh and screw those tree huggers. Nothing is more fun than using a bottle of 502 turned upside down to chill a heatsink on amplifier so it can play at 11 and a half all day! :laugh:

In england you now do jail time if you let refrigerants to atmosphere

(not including natural refrigerants, such as ammonia)

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

In england you now do jail time if you let refrigerants to atmosphere

(not including natural refrigerants, such as ammonia)

International waters - not applicable. I'm kidding of course and referring to dinner time chatter from the old timers that have doing this stuff from the '60's.

R717 is pretty nasty stuff when there's even a tiny leak. People working in food production know this well.

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

In england you now do jail time if you let refrigerants to atmosphere

(not including natural refrigerants, such as ammonia)

International waters - not applicable. I'm kidding of course and referring to dinner time chatter from the old timers that have doing this stuff from the '60's.

R717 is pretty nasty stuff when there's even a tiny leak. People working in food production know this well.

Yeah, i heard them talk here about moving R11 around in open drums and using R11 to clean parts.

 

[Sea Moose]

chlorodifluromethane is my favorite refrigerant

 

[Rubycon]

R11 is a great tool cleaner.

I still have a few bottles of carbon tetrachloride for a rainy day. A really rainy day.

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
R11 is a great tool cleaner.

I still have a few bottles of carbon tetrachloride for a rainy day. A really rainy day.

in the form of old extinguishers?

 

[Rubycon]

No they're solvent bottles.

 

[Sea Moose]

i wonder if op will tell us the mechanics report?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose
i wonder if op will tell us the mechanics report?

Well at that point I'll let you take over.

<- not an hvac mech.

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: Sea Moose
i wonder if op will tell us the mechanics report?

Well at that point I'll let you take over.

<- not an hvac mech.

cheers, you know more about loads of other stuff than me, let me have at least one useful place at atot.... helps me not become permabanned