Lennox HPA16 heat pump compressor failure

[Shantz]

I have 2.5 year old Lennox HPA16-060 heat pump. Stopped working. Tech says bad circuit board. Replaces board (now it runs) and says some solenoid is shorted to ground so I only have first stage heating and cooling performance. Since solenoid is part of compressor "unit" the full fix, and presumably revival of the second stage, will require compressor replacement. Performance right now seems OK and I wouldn't know of the compressor failure if tech hadn't told me. 10 year warranty on parts (compressor) but labor not covered will be $1000. Seems to me compressor failed too soon and Lennox should have more responsibility for the repair. Should I wait and see if I even notice the second stage not working? How would I know?

I'm a pretty good mechanic. If Lennox provides me the compressor (which I bet they won't) can I install it or am I being an idiot? I assume I would have to have the system charged by somebody.

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[Steve]

Your being an idiot. Pay the man.

[Stormin Mormon]

Well, all you'd need would be a few things. I'll guess at prices. An EPA certificate, $150 and take the test and wait a couple weeks for them to mail it. A recovery tank about $100, set of manifold gages, $100, recovery pump about $500, acetylene torch $200, some silver braze $75, basic wiring tools, some lenths of copper ACR tubing in various sizes, bunch of copper fittings. You'd have to practice brazing for awhile, on other equipment. And then you could charge it right up, with a charge weight scale $250, and then beep for leaks with your $300 beeper. Weigh in the charge of freon from the $300 bottle of freon. I bought my tools years ago, and mostly guessing at prices. I'm sure I'm low on most of them. But, then, you could do it yourself.

[Stormin Mormon]

He's in the learning phase. Needs to know some about the ACR guy's job.