Author Topic: HVAC (heating and AC) question (Read 60473 times)

aygart · « **Reply #280 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:31:14 PM »

Quote from: YitzyS on May 23, 2021, 01:27:30 PM

Thanks!

Filter was not changed in about 3 months, but I changed it last night and it worked briefly after that.

If it froze over, I should just turn it off for a while and try again? How long does it take to defrost?

And if the water triggered the auto shutoff, do you know if I need to deactivate it, or will it work again as soon as the water is cleaned up?

You need to make sure it is fully defrosted. Overnight should do that. It should work once the water is gone. If it still freezes over you are probably best off calling someone.

YitzyS · « **Reply #281 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:31:43 PM »

Quote from: aygart on May 23, 2021, 01:31:14 PM

You need to make sure it is fully defrosted. Overnight should do that. It should work once the water is gone. If it still freezes over you are probably best off calling someone.

Thank you so much! I'll try this.

rs242 · « **Reply #282 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:31:44 PM »

Quote from: YitzyS on May 23, 2021, 01:27:30 PM

Thanks!

Filter was not changed in about 3 months, but I changed it last night and it worked briefly after that.

If it froze over, I should just turn it off for a while and try again? How long does it take to defrost?

And if the water triggered the auto shutoff, do you know if I need to deactivate it, or will it work again as soon as the water is cleaned up?

When mine froze over my hvac friend told me to turn the heat on! Will defrost fast that way. U might want to get out if the house

aygart · « **Reply #283 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:33:22 PM »

Quote from: rs242 on May 23, 2021, 01:31:44 PM

When mine froze over my hvac friend told me to turn the heat on! Will defrost fast that way. U might want to get out if the house

Another option that takes longer but still faster than it sitting is to move up the thermostat and moving the fan to stay on. Extra bonus that the ice cools the air somewhat too.

YitzyS · « **Reply #284 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:34:19 PM »

Quote from: rs242 on May 23, 2021, 01:31:44 PM

When mine froze over my hvac friend told me to turn the heat on! Will defrost fast that way. U might want to get out if the house

Quote from: aygart on May 23, 2021, 01:33:22 PM

Another option that takes longer but still faster than it sitting is to move up the thermostat and moving the fan to stay on. Extra bonus that the ice cools the air somewhat too.

Thanks!

aygart · « **Reply #285 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:35:07 PM »

If it was off overnight then it should have defrosted either way.

YitzyS · « **Reply #286 on:** May 23, 2021, 01:40:19 PM »

Quote from: aygart on May 23, 2021, 01:35:07 PM

If it was off overnight then it should have defrosted either way.

It was only off for a few hours. The amount of water in the basin is growing.

I just turned on the fan-only, and the airflow seems strong, and it is slightly cool.

SamDaMan · « **Reply #287 on:** May 23, 2021, 02:51:12 PM »

I had same story over shabbos. Fridy night the ac stopped working. Temp started to rise. I looked at the machine and saw ice outside and on the inside unit. After shabbos , I changed the filter, turned it off and just let the fan go for 3 hours. Turned and it on and its been working just fine since. I'm having someone come down tomorrow just to make sure everything is working properly

S209 · « **Reply #288 on:** May 23, 2021, 03:05:00 PM »

Quote from: YitzyS on May 23, 2021, 01:27:30 PM

Thanks!

Filter was not changed in about 3 months, but I changed it last night and it worked briefly after that.

If it froze over, I should just turn it off for a while and try again? How long does it take to defrost?

And if the water triggered the auto shutoff, do you know if I need to deactivate it, or will it work again as soon as the water is cleaned up?

If the floor of the basin is not even full it will not have triggered the auto shutoff. Also, it would completely shut it off (not weaken it) and removing the water (with a shopvac) would make it restart again.

moko · « **Reply #289 on:** May 23, 2021, 03:16:36 PM »

Quote from: S209 on May 23, 2021, 03:05:00 PM

If the floor of the basin is not even full it will not have triggered the auto shutoff. Also, it would completely shut it off (not weaken it) and removing the water (with a shopvac) would make it restart again.

shouldn't there be a condensate drain in the basin?

S209 · « **Reply #290 on:** May 23, 2021, 03:36:36 PM »

Quote from: moko on May 23, 2021, 03:16:36 PM

shouldn't there be a condensate drain in the basin?

The drain should be by the condensate pump, the basin is for overflow (if it’s not draining for some reason). The drainage issue should be addressed, maybe a clogged pipe or something else.

aygart · « **Reply #291 on:** May 23, 2021, 03:37:10 PM »

Quote from: S209 on May 23, 2021, 03:05:00 PM

If the floor of the basin is not even full it will not have triggered the auto shutoff.

that depends on calibration

aygart · « **Reply #292 on:** May 23, 2021, 03:37:52 PM »

Quote from: moko on May 23, 2021, 03:16:36 PM

shouldn't there be a condensate drain in the basin?

It should but is not always pitched properly and often clogged.

moko · « **Reply #293 on:** May 23, 2021, 04:25:42 PM »

Quote from: aygart on May 23, 2021, 03:37:52 PM

It should but is not always pitched properly and often clogged.

well I know about that...I found out when water came through our upstairs ceiling.

CountValentine · « **Reply #294 on:** May 23, 2021, 05:16:06 PM »

Quote from: YitzyS on May 23, 2021, 12:46:42 PM

I'm having an issue with my HVAC, and I'm hoping the collective knowledge here can help me.

The HVAC system in my house was running non-stop over Shabbos. (It's always on, but the temperature got hot the last day or so, and it didn't go off.) On Shabbos afternoon, the temperature on one of my floors (separate system for each floor) started rising, and I noticed that the airflow seemed weak.

After Shabbos, I gave the system a half hour break and changed the filter. Turned it on and it seemed to start cooling, only to taper off an hour or so later. So I shut it off for a few hours, and when I turned it on again, it doesn't seem to be blowing at all.

I looked by the unit, and it seems to be letting off a little water. There is a small amount of water in the basin in which the machine sits, but it doesn't even cover the entire floor of the basin.

Here is my uneducated hypothosis. Can anyone tell me if it makes sense? I think that maybe the unit froze (do indoor central units even freeze?) and that is why the airflow and cooling was restricted. A short break allowed some thawing, which is why it worked briefly after, until it froze again. A longer break allowed for more thawing, which released water, and it triggered the auto shutoff (I know there is an auto shutoff when there is water pooling in the basin.)

I know nothing about HVAC systems, and I would love to know if there is any way I can fix this without spending money on a repairman. TIA!

1 - check filter which you have already done.
2 - let defrost completely which have already done.
3 - unfortunately many of these situations are caused by low freon (normally a leak).

moko · « **Reply #295 on:** May 23, 2021, 05:32:13 PM »

Quote from: CountValentine on May 23, 2021, 05:16:06 PM

3 - unfortunately many of these situations are caused by low freon (normally a leak).

good news is, if it's a really small leak, you can add freon and move on for a while.

YitzyS · « **Reply #296 on:** May 24, 2021, 08:26:09 AM »

Update: I kept the system on fan-only the whole day yesterday, and I turned it back to cool at about 5:00 PM. It had reached 80 degrees by that time, and I camped my children out in my playroom (on another floor) to sleep. B"H, the system seemed to be working fine, and although I lowered it in increments, giving it a break every few degrees, it was back down to 70 by midnight.

I'll keep an eye on it, but hopefully it's back to normal, and DDF saved me money once again.

Thank you!

yitzgar · « **Reply #297 on:** May 24, 2021, 08:34:37 AM »

Quote from: YitzyS on May 24, 2021, 08:26:09 AM

Update: I kept the system on fan-only the whole day yesterday, and I turned it back to cool at about 5:00 PM. It had reached 80 degrees by that time, and I camped my children out in my playroom (on another floor) to sleep. B"H, the system seemed to be working fine, and although I lowered it in increments, giving it a break every few degrees, it was back down to 70 by midnight.

I'll keep an eye on it, but hopefully it's back to normal, and DDF saved me money once again.

Thank you!

Glad it's working again. Btw, for situations such as these, it's worth having a spare window unit available.

S209 · « **Reply #298 on:** May 24, 2021, 01:01:55 PM »

Quote from: yitzgar on May 24, 2021, 08:34:37 AM

Glad it's working again. Btw, for situations such as these, it's worth having a spare window unit available.

Or portable

S209 · « **Reply #299 on:** May 24, 2021, 01:02:13 PM »

Quote from: YitzyS on May 24, 2021, 08:26:09 AM

Update: I kept the system on fan-only the whole day yesterday, and I turned it back to cool at about 5:00 PM. It had reached 80 degrees by that time, and I camped my children out in my playroom (on another floor) to sleep. B"H, the system seemed to be working fine, and although I lowered it in increments, giving it a break every few degrees, it was back down to 70 by midnight.

I'll keep an eye on it, but hopefully it's back to normal, and DDF saved me money once again.

Thank you!

Keep in mind it was only 70 outside in Lakewood last night..