:Off Topic: Home A/C

[Nigtmare]

I bought a 2 ton Arcoaire and decided to install it myself. I do A/C in cars, and I didn't think there would be much difference. My installation was good, no leaks, and all wiring was done well. The unit comes pre-charged and its a 410A system. The problem that I'm having is that when I put the gauges on, and it shows me pressures of 110 on the low side, and 250 on the high. The system seems to be working ok, but could be a little colder. It has been going on for two hours now and the temperature in the house has dropped two degrees. I'm puzzled that actually the high side pipe is just warm, and I think it should be hot. The low side is cold, but not freezing. The compressor sounds normal, it's just the pressures and the temperatures are throwing me off. If there is any techs here, please let me know what I did wrong.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[Ron Olson]

Another question for Mark Sholund, prop Guru and HVAC man extraordinaire! It might cost you a shipment of Baklava though!

 

[Buddy Beaird]

Assuming a proper installation it sounds like it is undercharged. The low side is in the ball park because the txv is wide open trying to satisfy superheat. Was it a precharged unit. A lot of these do not have the proper charge especially with a long line set. High side pressure will be in the 300's, or higher under a high heat load. Your guage set is not designed for these pressures, BE CAREFUL!

Best bet, have a qualified tech check and charge the system.

Good luck,

Buddy.

 

[SayMikey]

Assuming a proper installation it sounds like it is undercharged. The low side is in the ball park because the txv is wide open trying to satisfy superheat. Was it a precharged unit. A lot of these do not have the proper charge especially with a long line set. High side pressure will be in the 300's, or higher under a high heat load. Your guage set is not designed for these pressures, BE CAREFUL!Best bet, have a qualified tech check and charge the system.

Good luck,

Buddy.

I agree with Buddy high side should be in the upper 300psi i charged a home unit myself after watching a guy charge me 2 years straight. Being an auto tech i knew i could do it

 

[Rigged]

Any condensation on the suction line at the compressor? How hot is it outside when you put the guages on? Last time guages were calibrated?

 

[JKramer]

I would say low on charge but put a current meter on the system and see it it is drawing the proper current. If the current draw is low, add to the charge.

That will also work the other way, to high of current draw you need to lower the charge.

 

[Nigtmare]

Another question for Mark Sholund, prop Guru and HVAC man extraordinaire! It might cost you a shipment of Baklava though!

If its just the baklava it wouldnt be any problems. Knowing him, he'd want a souvlaki dinner and a half a lamb. :lol:

Assuming a proper installation it sounds like it is undercharged. The low side is in the ball park because the txv is wide open trying to satisfy superheat. Was it a precharged unit. A lot of these do not have the proper charge especially with a long line set. High side pressure will be in the 300's, or higher under a high heat load. Your guage set is not designed for these pressures, BE CAREFUL!Best bet, have a qualified tech check and charge the system.

Good luck,

Buddy.

Buddy, the unit was pre charged. It said on the instructions that if i run less than 15 ft of line(which I did) that I would not need any more freon. I didn't know that actually the pressures were suppose to be that high. My low pressure gauge only goes to 110. I just went outside and checked again. Its a little hotter today and my pressure on the low side is above 110 and the high 260. I have set the temperature to 75, and the place is nice and cold, and the system cycles on and off. Does the high side pipe get hot to the touch?

Thanks for letting me know about my gauges.

Any condensation on the suction line at the compressor? How hot is it outside when you put the guages on? Last time guages were calibrated?

There is no condensation on the suction line. Today is 26c outside and the gauges have never been calibrated. By the sounds of it, I have to go get a set that is actually safe to hook on.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[Buddy Beaird]

Not all these units have correct charge no matter what manu. says. Did you get a temp, pressure chart with unit. That would help you a lot. Still sounds like low charge.

 

[john v]

no the liquid line should not be hot , should be approx 105-110 deg. the unit may be factory undercharged, do you have a expansion valve on the liquid line? if yes than put in a sightglass and this will tell you if charge is correct

 

[dave roach]

Worked on my home AC last week and it was 86 deg out side and the low side was 50 and the high side was 250 added 1 pound of freon and the low side is now 55- 60.Your system is low on freon.If your low side line going to the AC unit in the house has a long way to go than it is low on freon.

Dave R

 

[Preston_Hall]

Yo Nick,

Just park you ice cream trucks inside. That should do the trick. :lol:

I can't believe you actually bought something. There must be a catch considering you are a man that knows how to get so much for free. A few more weeks and you will be beating the snow off your dish again. Can't you get something like a wireless A/C router. :lol:

 

[Nigtmare]

Not all these units have correct charge no matter what manu. says. Did you get a temp, pressure chart with unit. That would help you a lot. Still sounds like low charge.

Yes I did get a chart but I dont understand how it works. Buddy, one thing I didnt mention is this thing is a two stage variable speed unit. I haven't heard it going into second stage yet. So would that change readings? Or readings should be the same on stage one and two?

Thanks

no the liquid line should not be hot , should be approx 105-110 deg. the unit may be factory undercharged, do you have a expansion valve on the liquid line? if yes than put in a sightglass and this will tell you if charge is correct

The liquid is about that. It's a little more than warm. And now, I'm getting condensation from the low side from the compressor out. I wonder if maybe everything is ok, and that that two stage thing has anything to do with it.

Yo Nick,Just park you ice cream trucks inside. That should do the trick. :lol:

I can't believe you actually bought something. There must be a catch considering you are a man that knows how to get so much for free. A few more weeks and you will be beating the snow off your dish again. Can't you get something like a wireless A/C router. :lol:

hey my little redneck friend, :lol:

I've tried to teaching you some of the tricks of the trade, but I forgot how to teach you how to get free air condition. You just go to the neighbor next door and attach two lines to his compressor, and put an evaporator in your basement and now you have free air condition. :lol: Preston, it's 32c here today, and even though the snow is just around the corner, we needed this air condition badly. We have suffered without it for many years, and when this deal came, I had to act on it fast. I'm glad I did it, and I learned a few stuff on the way. How are things down your way? Phone me up or email me. You should try to come up to the northern NATS. Get john, don, and the rest of the boys, and come and spend the weekend with us.

Thank you,

Nick

 

[john v]

the 2 stage fan i think is something new to the residential world, always had single speed blowers in my house, in the commercial world variable speed fans are common, not sure what will make the fan go from high to low automatically, maybe low is for heat and high is for cooling?. if they have a static pressure control inside the air handler then you may use a variable speed fan. the installation paperwork should tell you.

john virgalla

 

[top fuel 1]

for a txv valve 410a use sub cooling not superheat calc. you need a gauge set used for 410a systems, look at the tag on the outside of the unit and it will have subcooling number, also did you vaccum the system down before you opened the valves 410a puron does not like moisture.

 

[Nigtmare]

for a txv valve 410a use sub cooling not superheat calc. you need a gauge set used for 410a systems, look at the tag on the outside of the unit and it will have subcooling number, also did you vaccum the system down before you opened the valves 410a puron does not like moisture.

Yes I pulled a 1hr vacuum @ the low side before I open the valves and there is a drier installed close to the coil no side glass.I'll go out side and look @ the tag.

Thanks Nick

 

[top fuel 1]

see what the tag says, i have a subcooling calculator and can tell you were the pressure should be with liquid line temperature. 410a systems normally run at a higher pressure then r 22 .

 

[zboter1]

see what the tag says, i have a subcooling calculator and can tell you were the pressure should be with liquid line temperature. 410a systems normally run at a higher pressure then r 22 .

If the vapor line (low) is condensing and your making a considerable amount of condensation at the Acoil I will say you are pretty close. You should have close to 20deg. cooler or better coming from vent vrs. outside temp. pressures are diff. based on tempetures outside. ect. I am not an AC specialist but I do have a very good friend that is. He has moved on to biger things and all the newer sytems run dif. #s at the lines. Anyhow I do know you canot mix and match the old Acoils with the new condensers. all new design. I too can see it done once and do it myself next time. Don't be scared man, you can do it. LOL. I also just put in a complete new sytem easy as pie. like the previous man said vavume it down to 28-30 for 20-30 min. then shut off and see if she holds if so no leaks. If you have a leak early detection by vacume will usualy only go to 20 or less. if she wont pull 30 off the bat your leaking ect. My consenser was pre charged and generally like the other man said usually they have enough for a 25' or less line set. Mine works like a champ.

Good luck Paul

 

[Nigtmare]

see what the tag says, i have a subcooling calculator and can tell you were the pressure should be with liquid line temperature. 410a systems normally run at a higher pressure then r 22 .

Here is some readings on the tag. I think everything is ok because I have air in the house and the compressor cycles.

If the vapor line (low) is condensing and your making a considerable amount of condensation at the Acoil I will say you are pretty close. You should have close to 20deg. cooler or better coming from vent vrs. outside temp. pressures are diff. based on tempetures outside. ect. I am not an AC specialist but I do have a very good friend that is. He has moved on to biger things and all the newer sytems run dif. #s at the lines. Anyhow I do know you canot mix and match the old Acoils with the new condensers. all new design. I too can see it done once and do it myself next time. Don't be scared man, you can do it. LOL. I also just put in a complete new sytem easy as pie. like the previous man said vavume it down to 28-30 for 20-30 min. then shut off and see if she holds if so no leaks. If you have a leak early detection by vacume will usualy only go to 20 or less. if she wont pull 30 off the bat your leaking ect. My consenser was pre charged and generally like the other man said usually they have enough for a 25' or less line set. Mine works like a champ.
Good luck Paul

Todays temperature outside is 92, and the temperature at the vent is 48. That's 44 degrees difference. And yes, I do get alot of water running out of the coil. Now that the system has stabilized, and everything is running normal. I'm afraid to put the gauges on just in case it pops in my face. I'll leave things alone, since they're running ok. And the first chance i get to meet someone with proper gauges, I'll bring him down and get him to check it for me.

Thanks for the help everyone,

Nick

 

[top fuel 1]

48degrees thats cold, I look for a temp differential of 17- 20 degrees, put a digital thermo inside the retrun air duct at the furnace filter take a reading then check it at the plenum just above the coil. the difference between the two should be about 17-20, then you good to go, 48 pretty cold, but as long as there is no coil freezing i would leave it alone , could be over charged or over sized for the house as long as it cycles and cools leave it alone.

 

[Nigtmare]

48degrees thats cold, I look for a temp differential of 17- 20 degrees, put a digital thermo inside the retrun air duct at the furnace filter take a reading then check it at the plenum just above the coil. the difference between the two should be about 17-20, then you good to go, 48 pretty cold, but as long as there is no coil freezing i would leave it alone , could be over charged or over sized for the house as long as it cycles and cools leave it alone.

The reading that I took was from where the low side pipe is coming out of the plenum, with my digital thermometer. I have the thermostat at 75 and the place is nice and comfy. The unit is 2 tons, the house is 2000 sq ft, I installed a 3 ton coil in the system, and I'm only running 12 ft of line. Thank god nothing happened to the gauges when I first hooked them up two that thing. I guess someone is looking down on me.

Thanks for everything,

Nick