Our very own P&R off topic thread (merged)

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

AC fixed b*tches! $2.97 total.

Capacitor only? Was it corroded, or are you having low voltage problems?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I'm eating Cheetos.

[GandD 5,966]

Capacitor only? Was it corroded, or are you having low voltage problems?

Yeah it was the capacitor for the HVAC fan. I replaced the capacitor for the AC unit earlier this year. Same deal on both, no corrosion, some bulging, and not passing enough current to kick on the fan motor. May have to have someone check into my Freon levels though. The pressure switch didn't kick off the AC unit yesterday when it started freezing up. Luckily a night with no AC gave it the change to thaw out before being used again.

[Teddy B 17,251]

Yeah it was the capacitor for the HVAC fan. I replaced the capacitor for the AC unit earlier this year. Same deal on both, no corrosion, some bulging, and not passing enough current to kick on the fan motor. May have to have someone check into my Freon levels though. The pressure switch didn't kick off the AC unit yesterday when it started freezing up. Luckily a night with no AC gave it the change to thaw out before being used again.

Had the unit been idle for a long period of time? It's not very common to have two capacitors go bad at the same time.

[Teddy B 17,251]

[GandD 5,966]

Had the unit been idle for a long period of time? It's not very common to have two capacitors go bad at the same time.

They were a few months apart and for different fans. No the unit's been used for as long as I've been there which is like 5 or 6 years now.

[Teddy B 17,251]

They were a few months apart and for different fans. No the unit's been used for as long as I've been there which is like 5 or 6 years now.

I get they were two different fans, it's uncommon for one household to experience two faulty capacitors in a decade, let alone a few months apart. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just not common. I was thinking there might be another problem causing them to breakdown, such as low or high line voltage coming into your home. Swollen capacitors is a sign of high voltage or overuse of the system.

[GandD 5,966]

I get they were two different fans, it's uncommon for one household to experience two faulty capacitors in a decade, let alone a few months apart. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just not common. I was thinking there might be another problem causing them to breakdown, such as low or high line voltage coming into your home. Swollen capacitors is a sign of high voltage or overuse of the system.

Overuse is almost certainly an issue. Its a 10 ton system trying to keep the house at 78 and it struggles to do that. Everything seems to run properly its just under powered. Like I mentioned to Bill, I think it may be worth having the Freon levels checked. Since the pressure switch didn't kick off the unit after it started freezing up. I've got a little duct insulation repair ahead of me this weekend too.

[Teddy B 17,251]

Overuse is almost certainly an issue. Its a 10 ton system trying to keep the house at 78 and it struggles to do that. Everything seems to run properly its just under powered. Like I mentioned to Bill, I think it may be worth having the Freon levels checked. Since the pressure switch didn't kick off the unit after it started freezing up. I've got a little duct insulation repair ahead of me this weekend too.

A 10 ton unit is pretty big. How many square feet is your house?

[GandD 5,966]

A 10 ton unit is pretty big. How many square feet is your house?

I might be wrong about that. I don't know so much about them there AC units. House is around 1200 square feet. I had a HVAC guy I know check it out like a year ago. He just did a visual inspection. He said everything looked ok and that it was an under powered unit for the house. I think he said something like 12 ton is the standard for a house my size now.

[Teddy B 17,251]

I might be wrong about that. I don't know so much about them there AC units. House is around 1200 square feet. I had a HVAC guy I know check it out like a year ago. He just did a visual inspection. He said everything looked ok and that it was an under powered unit for the house. I think he said something like 12 ton is the standard for a house my size now.

1 ton equals 12,000btu's. Rule of thumb is 1 ton (12,000btu's) per 500 square feet. If you've got a 10 ton unit, you should have icicles hanging from your nose.

Most houses use anywhere from a 4 to an 8 ton unit depending on their size.

[GandD 5,966]

1 ton equals 12,000btu's. Rule of thumb is 1 ton (12,000btu's) per 500 square feet. If you've got a 10 ton unit, you should have icicles hanging from your nose.

Most houses use anywhere from a 4 to an 8 ton unit depending on their size.

Well, I guess its clearly not a 10. Not sure what it is then. I'll look tonight.

Edited August 28, 2013 by GandD

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[Darnell 8,478]

Well, I guess its clearly not a 10. Not sure what it is then. I'll look tonight.

Can your wife make runs to the A/C parts store, during the day? What's she doing , during the day? I'd be in deep doo-doo with my wife if the A/C died and she wasn't shifted elsewhere to remain comfy.

[GandD 5,966]

Can your wife make runs to the A/C parts store, during the day? What's she doing , during the day? I'd be in deep doo-doo with my wife if the A/C died and she wasn't shifted elsewhere to remain comfy.

Oh it broke late yesterday afternoon sothe parts store was closed. I diagnosed yesterday and got/installed the part this morning before work. Now we're just talking preventative maintenance.