Central AC Advice

The Carrier heat pump / air conditioning unit (model 38YMA036300) installed on a 2700 sq ft house 15 years ago has stopped cooling. On the unit outside, the fan is blowing and the compressor is working, but the air after the radiator is not warm/hot. The copper pipe coming out of the compressor is hot and remains hot going into two parts of radiator, but none of the other copper U elbows feel hot or even warm. It seems the radiator is clogged. Is there a simply way to further verify that this is the problem?

Should I have the outside unit repaired or replace the entire system? Which brand provides a good value and above average reliability? Thx

Reply to
jay
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When was the last time you had a professional maintenance check on that system?

If you haven't bothered to have that done, then have you checked and cleaned the air filter and or the coil fins?

I'm assuming that thing you're calling a "radiator" is the evaporator in the air handler. They don't "clog", but the metering device in the high side line feeding them can and does.

I'm going to make a WAG that you're in over your head already. Ask around and learn who your friends and neighbors trust and call in a pro.

15 years is a reasonable lifetime for a home HVAC system so it's probably time to think about replacing both ends of the system. The improved efficiency of today's equipment will reduce your electric bill a noticable amount. I've had good luck with Trane equipment.

HTH,

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

Most recently about two years ago. He added some freon.

I replace the air filter inside the house approx every 3 months. On the unit outside, no leaves or debris are obstructing the air flow.

Sorry, for my terminology. By "radiator" I meant the condenser. In reference to the diagram shown at

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I am talking about the "outside unit". The orange tube comming out of the compressor is hot upto the first entry point of the condenser.

:)

So far local dealers quoted me REEM RAN13 for $3700 or Lennox 14ACX for $5000. I'll check on Trane. Thx.

Reply to
jay

The one that's properly sized, installed and set-up to operate with-in the manufacture's specifications!

Reply to
<kjpro

Why? Did he find and repair the leak at that time too?

No need too, the installer is far more important then the brand name!!!

Reply to
<kjpro

Assuming that the technician really did add some refrigerant then you had (have) a leak. Refrigerant doesn&#39;t get "used up" in a closed system. If the technician added freon without offering to fix the leak then they are a hack. In either case, avoid purchasing a new system from the company that did the previous sloppy maintenance.

I&#39;d recommend Trane / American Standard.

Reply to
Travis Jordan

I&#39;d recommend Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, Heil, Tempstar, AirQuest, Keeprite, Maratherm, Lennox, AirEase, Armstrong Air, Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Rheem, Ruud, Weathermaker, Gibson, Frigidaire, Tappen, Maytag, Goodman, Janitrol, York, Coleman, etc...

Anything but Trane / American Standard!!!!!

Reply to
<kjpro

Goodman?

Reply to
Travis Jordan

I&#39;ve had excellent service from my 1989 Trane, Don&#39;t know about current ones.

I&#39;d recommend Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, Heil, Tempstar, AirQuest, Keeprite, Maratherm, Lennox, AirEase, Armstrong Air, Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Rheem, Ruud, Weathermaker, Gibson, Frigidaire, Tappen, Maytag, Goodman, Janitrol, York, Coleman, etc...

Anything but Trane / American Standard!!!!!

Reply to
newman

I don&#39;t own one but I&#39;ve read that they are better than in the past.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Last I looked they were still dead last in the CR reliability charts (and by no narrow range, either). That, of course, is _possibly_ biased by older units that drag newer ones into the same mudpit as there&#39;s no separation by age/model/etc., which is a complaint I&#39;ve voiced before... :)

--

Reply to
dpb

He&#39;s right. AFAICT, there&#39;s nothing wrong with Goodman. I think they attract hatred only because they don&#39;t offer as much markup to the "professionals" who would prefer a higher profit margin.

Reply to
CJT

Give us your personal beef on Trane/Ameruican Standard. I think I may know what it might be. - udarrell

Reply to
udarrell

Yes, Goodman...

I&#39;m tired of people that continue to rate their products by name... it&#39;s a joke to rate HVAC equipment by name alone.

Who spec&#39;s the job? Who&#39;s the end manufacture? Who&#39;s the guy that tunes the equipment?

It&#39;s the HVAC company and their personnel.

So, until the day that HVAC products become "plug and play" devices... the name is only a small part of the complete installation.

Anyone who doesn&#39;t understand this, doesn&#39;t understand HVAC... PERIOD!!!! So, for the guys that rave on Trane/American Standard (being the best)... are usually the one&#39;s that don&#39;t understand what it takes to make today&#39;s equipment operate with-in the manufacture&#39;s specifications! And why one brand will outlast another (it&#39;s not because one is better than the other).

Reply to
<kjpro

My beef with Trane / American Standard?

It&#39;s that every dealer that uses this equipment THINKS it&#39;s the best equipment manufactured and that no other equipment comes close.

I will take any brand of unit that is proper sized, installed and tuned over a POS Trane/American Standard any day of the year. The other fact, is that while they rave their brand, they&#39;re normally the ones that don&#39;t understand why one brand last and another fails. You and I both know that the equipment is a small piece of the pie when it comes to longevity, efficiency and overall comfort.

The bigger piece is the designer, installer, serviceman and the overall service level of the HVAC contractor!

Reply to
<kjpro

I&#39;ve had a couple cases where I took apart and cleaned the outdoor unit, and the AC came back to life. Please make a few calls, and see if you can find a HVAC service company that&#39;s willing to take apart and clean the outdoor unit. They should use chemicals (sprayed on) and then a water hose to rinse it clean.

I&#39;m not there to get all the readings, but it sounds like your unit can run for several more years.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I ended up calling a repairman. He located a leak in the evaporator tubing inside the air handler located in the attic. He recommended either replacing the entire Carrier air handler ($1600 - 1800) or the entire system for with Lennox 14ACX / CBX26UH system for about $3300.

While getting quotes, some said you might as well switch to the R410A refrigerant as R22 will be start to phase out in 2009. Others said R22 is cheaper and will be around for a long while. Is it better to stick with a 14 SEER R22 system?

Reply to
jay

I like the old stuff. It&#39;s 14 years after they outlawed R-12, and a friend of mine has two thirty pounders of R-12 in his garage. He&#39;s going out of business, account of age. And offered to sell them to me. I&#39;ll call him back one day and see how much he wants.

I&#39;d go with the older R-22 stuff. It runs at lower pressures, and will be available for quite a while.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

But you just finished saying: "No need too, the installer is far more important then the brand name!!!

I take it you&#39;re an installer, and I can see why you&#39;d say that, because it&#39;s good for business. OTOH, I prefer to purchase brands that have a decent history of quality. While that&#39;s no guarantee that I won&#39;t have trouble, I&#39;m _less_likely_ than the buyer of the Yugo-quality item.

I like my regular vehicle mechanic, and he does a bang-up job, but I don&#39;t want to see him any more often than I have to. The best tradesman can&#39;t make a low-quality item a good product, and EVERY manufacturing sector has its quality brands and it&#39;s also-rans.

Reply to
xModem

Your two posts said it a much better than I ever could have! Way to go Man! - udarrell

Reality Is Not An Easy Thing To Be Confronted With, or to Accept!

Reply to
udarrell

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