Trane Low Ambient Kit

[Joseph]

Guys,

I just did startup on three Trane split HPs with low ambient kits. I was called in because the tech who was there doing it said his compressor was "surging". I get there and get a few things fixed up and started the check out (outside ambient is below 70 degrees F). The condenser fan is cycling on and off, 3 seconds on, 3 seconds off, which basically is causing the fan to speed up and slow down continually. I thought to myself, "Now that's different" and got out the installers guide and sure enough that's how it's supposed to work. OK, is it just me or does this sound like a bad idea? I am a big fan of Trane equipment but this has got to be hard on the fan motor and the relay(s) involved.

Joseph

[Bubba]

like a

Ive never seen a compressor "surge" in all my days yet. He sounds like an idiot. Condenser fan on and off 3 seconds at a time. You cant read or you've been smoking something. Point me to what/where you read so I can see it myself. Bubba

[<kjpro]

sound like a

Somethings wrong no doubt... 3 sec on/off... That shit wouldn&#39;t last long and I thought you couldn&#39;t stop a trane. :-)

[Joseph]

The surge was the fan reving up and down.

I don&#39;t smoke but I will drink on occasion.

This was 7 am and I read it in black and white in the installer&#39;s guide (at least twice). I&#39;ll get a copy of it and post it. I wouldn&#39;t shit you guys... :)

It&#39;s just the way it is designed, no kidding.

Another thing I thought was odd is that these HPs have a filter/dryer installed

6 inches from the compressor on the discharge line. I was taught not to do that... What&#39;s going on??? Was there a meeting I didn&#39;t get invited to, where these things were thought up???

Joseph

[<kjpro]

guide (at least

filter/dryer installed

these things

That&#39;s not a filter/drier, it&#39;s a muffler.

[Bubba]

(at least

Stop reading in the dark at 7am without your glasses on. :-)

Hey Joe, I think someone just showed us that they are not too "worthy" with that last statement you made. :-) And YES, I would love for you to post me those install instruction about the 3 sec on , 3 sec off being correct operation. Bubba

things

[Zyp]

I saw a TRANE stopped by a fire once! :)

[Joseph]

I don&#39;t think so, Trane uses bullet mufflers IIRC.

[Joseph]

OK I&#39;ll check the dryers, though I haven&#39;t seen Trane put them there before and they didn&#39;t look like factory welds. IIRC Trane uses bullet dryer/muffler for the factory installs.

You got it.

things

[Noon-Air]

Ummm..... check again and actually *READ* what it says on it.......it looks like a filter/dryer, but looks can be deceiving.

[Joseph]

Yeah I&#39;ll have to do that, just saw one through the grille and then checked a couple of others and they all had them and the welds looked pretty bad for a factory install. I am curious now and will have to go back by and find out.

[<kjpro]

before and

ICP started using them when they added their 13 SEER line. I would guess that Trane may have done the same thing.

[Bubba]

and

things

Aint learnin (just keeping on top) a bitch? :-) Bubba

[Joseph]

snip

It&#39;s like swimming upstream, just treading water will put you out to sea... :)

It used to be fun going to all the tech meetings the vendors used to sponsor. These days they have just about dropped all pretense of them being any more than just a sales pitch. Last few I attended there were only a few techs there. The demand has either went away or the techs just got tired of the sales pitches, hard to tell. Some of the most "effective training" I received, as a young tech, was the free night stuff the vendors put on. The old Techs that I could talk to at these meetings are what made the difference for me, and they knew their stuff too. It was a confidence builder to be able to teach the Boss and the rest of the guys the right way to do things. Didn&#39;t hurt when it came time for raises either.

Joseph

[Bill]

Amazes me that so many aren&#39;t RSES members or subscribers to any trade publications. How can they think to keep up or even get ahead?

[Joseph]

like

Finally got the installer&#39;s guide to the low ambient kit. Part # BAYLOAM103. Consists of a control module, oa sensor and Liquid line temperature sensor. It appears to be a simple head pressure control that cycles the fan to maintain a liquid line temp set point. You use the high side charging chart to determine the set point. It looks like the cycling rate of the fan is controlled by the module. It says it will cool down to zero degrees F ambient temp.

The fan will only cycle when the ambient temp is below 70 degrees F. Nothing said about cycle rates and what the minimum or max rates are, however, there is a test switch that puts the condenser fan into a cycling rate of 3 seconds on/3 seconds off with a call for cooling. The cycling rate appears to be what ever it takes to meet the liquid line set point. When I watched the condensers they were not in test mode and the condenser fan was cycling at a 3 on/3 off pace (three units).

Couldn&#39;t find the tech manuals online but the kit is on eBay for sale...

HVAC-Talk...

Joseph

(never got back to check the mufflers)

[muddycatpaws]

Did you set the dip switches for the temps you want? Sounds like it is in test mode.