Centeral Air working intermittently - any ideas?

Hello, I?m having a problem with the air conditioning and unfortunately things a re heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north east. The thermostat is a Honeywell FocusPro TH6000 that has been working fine fo r the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connects to the ducts in the crawlspace. The problem is that in the late afternoon the system hasn?t been cooling the house down, you can see on the thermostat display that the temperature is set for 75 but actual temp on the thermostat reads 80.It is set to cool but however no cool air is flowing out of the vents. We had an AC service p erson come over to the house and unfortunately everything was working fine then, the problem is intermittent, and the guy said he need to examine the system when it?s not working. So now we have to schedule another expensiv e visit and the soonest will be a week from now and hope that thing is not working then. The ac generally works in the morning but then konks out in t he afternoon but not every day. Does anyone have any idea what the prob lem is? We?d be willing to start replacing components to address this? Thanks

Reply to
strangways
Loading thread data ...

Could be tripping off, on thermal overload. Anyhow, when AC isn't working, the first thing to do is to clean the condensor.

Disconnect the power. See if you can find the bolts that hold the top on the outdoor unit. Open it up, and rinse the dust and pollen out of the fins, with a garden hose. Careful not to get the fan or the electrical wet. Hold the nozzle inside the unit, spray from the inside out. Often that is a big help.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

are heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north east .

I was born in May in the early 1970's, no air conditioning, and I survived. Your new baby isn't the delicate flower you think he/she is, and he/she wi ll not melt if it gets a little warm.

If the air conks out, open up the windows and use fans to move air around.

If you're that soft and can't tough out a little warm weather for a few hou rs, go to walmart and spend $100 on a room air conditioner for the baby's r oom.

for the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connects to the ducts in the crawlspace.

g the house down

You've got yourself one fine AC contractor there. He's either incompetent o r crooked. He'll keep coming out and finding nothing wrong as long as you k eep paying him.

So I'd imagine the limits of your diagnostic skill is to hold your hand in front of the vent and judge hot or cold. Do you know where the compressor i s? Do you know what it's supposed to sound like when it's working? These ar e things any responsible homeowner should know.

Reply to
dennisgauge

, the first thing to do is to clean the condensor.

the outdoor unit. Open it up, and rinse the dust and pollen out of the fins , with a garden hose. Careful not to get the fan or the electrical wet. Hol d the nozzle inside the unit, spray from the inside out. Often that is a bi g help.

The first step is defining what exactly is meant by it not working. He says there is no cold air blowing out, but is there air? no air? When this happens you need to know if the air handler is running, but the AC is not chilling the air, or if the whole system including the air handler is not running, etc. Assuming the air handler is running and you have air coming out, next question is the compressor outside running? Is the fan on the outside unit running?

Presumably the system is charged correctly and working correctly at times, since it was doing so when the AC guy checked it.

If you get that info, then we can proceed with the diagnosis.

Reply to
trader4

heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north east.

Your new baby isn't the delicate flower you think he/she is, and he/she will not melt if it gets a little warm.

go to walmart and spend $100 on a room air conditioner for the baby's room.

the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connects to the ducts in the crawlspace.

house down

crooked. He'll keep coming out and finding nothing wrong as long as you keep paying him.

front of the vent and judge hot or cold. Do you know where the compressor is? Do you know what it's supposed to sound like when it's working? These are things any responsible homeowner should know.

Some people just aren't good at mechanical things. I know graduate engineers who aren't much better at diagnostics than this homeowner so you are being pretty harsh.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

gs are heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north ea st.

d. Your new baby isn't the delicate flower you think he/she is, and he/she will not melt if it gets a little warm.

ours, go to walmart and spend $100 on a room air conditioner for the baby's room.

e for the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connect s to the ducts in the crawlspace.

ing the house down

or crooked. He'll keep coming out and finding nothing wrong as long as you keep paying him.

You've never seen an intermittent problem, where a system stops working for short periods, yet when you check it, you can't find anything wrong? Seems to me the contractor could just be an honest one. A shyster could have told him he needs a new HVAC system.

n front of the vent and judge hot or cold. Do you know where the compressor is? Do you know what it's supposed to sound like when it's working? These are things any responsible homeowner should know.

And yet you blame the HVAC guy? If the homeowner didn't tell the HVAC guy any more than what was posted here, that certainly hinders his ability to fix it. For example, if it's a defective thermostat, that sometimes just doesn't turn on the system once a day, how exactly is the best HVAC guy going to find that if it's working when he's there?

Reply to
trader4

Defining exectally what is going on with the system is most important.

It could be the coils are freezing up and not letting any air or a very reduced ammount of air through the vents. At night when it is cool and the unit is not running, the ice melts and it will cool for a while in the morning.

When it is not cooling, see if any air is comming out of the vents. Then check to see if the motor is running on the inside air handler. Next check to see if the compressor and fan are running on the outside unit. The motors on the inside and outside should cycle off and on at the same time. There may be a short delay on some of the newer systems as the motors ramp us to speed.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north east.

Your new baby isn't the delicate flower you think he/she is, and he/she will not melt if it gets a little warm.

go to walmart and spend $100 on a room air conditioner for the baby's room.

the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connects to the ducts in the crawlspace.

house down

crooked. He'll keep coming out and finding nothing wrong as long as you keep paying him.

front of the vent and judge hot or cold. Do you know where the compressor is? Do you know what it's supposed to sound like when it's working? These are things any responsible homeowner should know.

Hmmm, Did you get out of wrong side of the bed today? Doesn't sound like happy man.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north east.

the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connects to the ducts in the crawlspace.

house down, you can see on the thermostat display that the temperature is set for 75 but actual temp on the thermostat reads 80.It is set to cool but however no cool air is flowing out of the vents. We had an AC service person come over to the house and unfortunately everything was working fine then, the problem is intermittent, and the guy said he need to examine the system when it?s not working. So now we have to schedule another expensive visit and the soonest will be a week from now and hope that thing is not working then. The ac generally works in the morning but then konks out in the afternoon but not every day. Does anyone have any idea what the problem is? We?d be willing to start replacing components to address this? Thanks

Hi, Wonder if the system was regularly maintained by annual check up B4 season starts? Can you tell if there is a sign of ice build up on evaporator coil? Very basic thing to check is, the air filter clean? When it is acting up, is the system still running?; your out door unit(compressor) and air handler(blower)

Reply to
Tony Hwang

The first step is defining what exactly is meant by it not working. He says there is no cold air blowing out, but is there air? no air? When this happens you need to know if the air handler is running, but the AC is not chilling the air, or if the whole system including the air handler is not running, etc. Assuming the air handler is running and you have air coming out, next question is the compressor outside running? Is the fan on the outside unit running?

Presumably the system is charged correctly and working correctly at times, since it was doing so when the AC guy checked it.

If you get that info, then we can proceed with the diagnosis.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com... >The first step is defining what exactly is m eant by it not >working. He says there is no cold air blowing out, but is > there air? no air? When this happens you need to know if >the air handler i s running, but the AC is not chilling the air, >or if the whole system incl uding the air handler is not running, >etc. Assuming the air handler is run ning and you have air >coming out, next question is the compressor outside running? >Is the fan on the outside unit running? Defining exectally what i s going on with the system is most important. It could be the coils are fre ezing up and not letting any air or a very reduced ammount of air through t he vents. At night when it is cool and the unit is not running, the ice mel ts and it will cool for a while in the morning. When it is not cooling, see if any air is comming out of the vents. Then check to see if the motor is running on the inside air handler. Next check to see if the compressor and fan are running on the outside unit. The motors on the inside and outside s hould cycle off and on at the same time. There may be a short delay on some of the newer systems as the motors ramp us to speed.

We need to OP to tell us:

  1. Is there air flow velocity/amount the same when it is cooling or just bl owing non-cooled air.

  1. Does he know what the compressor and outdoor fan sound like when the un it is ok and when it is not cooling.

  2. Has he looked inside the outside compressor unit to see if the contactor /relay operates when there is cooling demand.

4, Does the OP own or have a friend with a voltmeter?

Answers to these questions will allow folks here to give intelligent though ts about the situation.

Reply to
hrhofmann

y things are heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the no rth east.

d. Your new baby isn't the delicate flower you think he/she is, and he/she will not melt if it gets a little warm.

ours, go to walmart and spend $100 on a room air conditioner for the baby's room.

e for the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that connect s to the ducts in the crawlspace.

n cooling the house down

or crooked. He'll keep coming out and finding nothing wrong as long as you keep paying him.

n front of the vent and judge hot or cold. Do you know where the compressor is? Do you know what it's supposed to sound like when it's working? These are things any responsible homeowner should know.

denni, you're an idiot

Reply to
jpm9871

ely things are heating up and we have new baby. This is for a house in the north east.

ved. Your new baby isn't the delicate flower you think he/she is, and he/sh e will not melt if it gets a little warm.

hours, go to walmart and spend $100 on a room air conditioner for the baby 's room.

ine for the last few years, there is one outside compressor unit that conne cts to the ducts in the crawlspace.

een cooling the house down

nt or crooked. He'll keep coming out and finding nothing wrong as long as y ou keep paying him.

in front of the vent and judge hot or cold. Do you know where the compress or is? Do you know what it's supposed to sound like when it's working? Thes e are things any responsible homeowner should know.

Almost as idiotic as calling someone an idiot 3 years after they posted.

Have you been saving that up for just the right moment?

Reply to
DerbyDad03

HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA, good call!!

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.