[Richard]

One compressor running as viewed on the console ammeters, somewhere between 13 and 15 amps depending upon the outside ambient and humidity. If just measuring the compressor current at the circuit board using a clamp on ammeter 10 to 13 amps MAX. The difference is that the overhead ammeter is measuring both the current for the compressor and both fan motors. The fan motors will pull 3 to 4 amps combined. When you measure at the circuit board you are taking the fan motors out of the equation.

This situation gets more convoluted when both compressors are running. The logic in the circuit board moves one of the fans to the other leg to further balance the load between the legs.

[TJ Clark]

So I have been in 100F temps and not wanting to fiddle much with the AC, AS it works sometimes as is.

I have noticed a new anomaly. The things works only when I set it to manual on high and cool on the other switch.


Anyway I think I need to go see a man about a mini-split upgrade and do away with these old things.

[Jack Houpe]

I think you'll be very happy make sure its a heat pump. I know they make flexible refrigerant lines for R-410a but they are limited in length I wonder if they make a rubber hose, that would be so much easier to pull than annealed copper.

[Richard]

I am happy to help try to keep you cool in the meantime, but you have to run the diagnostics I asked for………

I too will probably install mini’s next winter, but they are far from a drop in solution if you want to do it right. Because each coach is a bit different, no one approach fits all the different configurations.

[hypoxia]

I have a different take on replacing R22 units with R410 units, I assume yours are currently R22?  My stick home has 30 year old R22 units which I will keep until a major failure.  I can do that since it only runs when I am there and I repair it myself.  Other properties have slowly been switched to R410 units since the techs always condemn them when I am travelling leaving me no recourse.  What a maintenance PIA the R410 units have been, mostly coil failures starting at the 3-5 year point.  The coils are aluminum and R410 pressures are so high on a hot day the coils develop leaks.  Coils and heat pumps have been impossible to get during the hot season which requires me to stock spare brand new heat pumps while 5 year old units that have leaking coils sit for a year waiting for parts.

The Green New Deal is driving the cost of refrigerants up, 30# of R410 is $400 now and will probably be $800 or more next year.  R134 is doing the same.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/bidens-c...-piling-up

[Jack Houpe]

I bought 25lbs of 410a a few years back thank goodness.

[BusNit]

I bought 25lbs of 410a a few years back thank goodness.

As did I! I have 12lbs of R22 saved up as well.

[encantotom]

yea i have about 25lbs of r22 as well. when i had the 3 units on my house replaced i had them save the r22 in the old units.

tom

[Jack Houpe]

Here is my uneducated thought on the new Freon gasses out there right now and their higher pressure. The old systems were on or off state, that means when setpoint was reached it turned off and when temp went above that set point it turned on, the old scroll compressors can't modulate the head pressure and the only way to get cooling is the turning liquid to gas through the orifice in the expansion valve at whatever pressure it requires. The new DC 3 phase compressors run almost 99 percent of the time but at different speeds, in order for the expansion valve to expand liquid to gas it must be at a higher pressure even at low compressor speed. Sure would like a HVAC guy to chime in.

[hypoxia]

Technology has its price.  In the past the evaporator and condenser fans were one speed, cheap, $100, and the capacitor was easily replaced for  $10-$20.  Now the motors are variable speed and the $2 capacitors are built into the motor circuit board which is $1000+.  But you did save $20.00 in electricity.  The same applies to the compressors.  I still do a little A/C repair on my own equipment but I don't like attics and have had too many friends fall off of ladders and roofs, I don't want to be the next.  I have the HVAC certification but it has been just for myself and friends, I never did it for a living.