Question about my Maytag 8000BTU A/C

[Jethro]

Good golly it is hot!!!!

Having said that, I am concerned that my 2-year-old Maytag 8000BTU A/C should be doing a better job than it is.

I have it in my 12' X 18' so-called sun-room. The blinds are all shut. We were away for several days, and of course the room was quite hot when we returned.

I put the A/C on High Cool, but after some 3 hours the room temp is still some 84 degrees. I put a reefer thermometer in the outlet of the unit, and it reads about 65 degrees at the lowest. No wonder the room stays hot. Shouldn't the 65 degree-reading be lower - say, 50-55 at least?

I do hear the compressor cycling.

What does anyone think?

Thanks

Jethro

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Hi,

JMO!

Give it 24 hours. Approx 15-20 difference between the air temp in and the air temp out is normal for the 8,000 BTU unit.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[Jethro]

I feel better now - even if I am hot.

Thanks for reply

Jethro

[Edwin Pawlowski]

What is the outdoor temperature? A 20 degree drop over the coils is about right. With the recent very high temperature we've been having in most of hte US, you won't get the same cooking you got last year when the outdoor temperature was 15 to 25 degree less.

My question though, is the compressor cycling. Do you mean it turns off and on? Seems to me at 84 degrees, it should stay on for some time. Is the filter clean? Coils clean?

[udarrell]

Room units usually have two or three fan speeds. Does it feel humid in your home? Try medium speed for several hours for a cooler cooling coil. If you have acute humidity problems, try low speed for a umber of hours.

Buy a thermometer that also reads percent of humidity and try for 50% or less!

After things cool down:

[DT]

Well, I measure temperatures a lot (retired engineer). Both of my cars' A/Cs (R12 units) put out 42-45 degree air when they are recirculating on medium fan speed, about 49-50 degrees when flowing through at 80 F outside.

My Hampton Bay (Home Depot) 5,000 btu window unit in the bedroom puts out 45-47 degree air with the temperature controller set at around 72 degrees and cycling on and off.

My new 12,000 btu mini-split puts out about 50 degree air if the room is warmer (76-77), and finally gets down to 46 degree output when it is controlling the room at 74-75. I'm measuring it right now, as a matter of fact.

-- Dennis

[Jethro]

Thanks for response.

It was 100 degrees here yesterday, which is quite high. No, it was not cycling much if at all. I can set the threshold to make it cycle. Yes the filter is clean as are the coils. I checked.

It just surprised me that the temp of the air coming from the thing was as high as it was. My RV's roof A/C, for example, puts out air so cold that it has a 'bite'. Much less than 65 degrees. Same is true of both of my auto A/C's.

This AM, the ambient air outside is in the 80's. I want to see how it behaves this morning (it was off overnight).

Jethro

[Jethro]

This is more like what I would expect.

Jethro

[Stormin Mormon]

Dear Dennis, I'm finding that engineers may cease their day job, but they never really retire. One (retired) engineer friend of mine came to my place one time to help with the brakes on my truck. At one point we snapped off a bolt. So, he pulls a multi function calculator out of his pocket, and proceeds to calculate the size of the drill needed to tap for threads. A retirement home full of engineers would be an interesting experience. Imagine the food service workers, being told that their food wasn't hot enough, and a report with three signifigant figure data to back it up?

[DT]

Hah! I think you are right, Stormin! Now, the question I ponder: do we think that way because we are engineers, or do we become engineers because we think that way to begin with?

-- Dennis

[Jethro]

As an 'almost EE', I can appreciate what you say.

Jethro

[Edwin Pawlowski]

This shows what a central unit air temperature should be. I don't know about a room unit.

I do know that the auto AC is very high capacity and the leaving air temperature is lower than a residential unit.

You may do better overall leaving hte AC on overnight too. The solar heat gain may be more than the capacity so running at night reduces the sensible heat to start out the next day.