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Started By
Message
Intermittent AC problem
Posted on 7/17/23 at 9:54 am
Posted on 7/17/23 at 9:54 am
The AC works fine for months on end, then randomly the outside unit will not kick on. The inside unit does kick on. Our fix has been to kill the breaker on the inside and outside unit for 10 minutes, then turn it on, and the AC comes on and cools the house and works fine for some amount of time (sometimes weeks, sometimes another month, sometimes less than a week) before it happens again. If it were a freezing up problem, the outside unit wouldn't kick on 10 minutes later I wouldn't think. I also have not seen any signs of the unit freezing up either.
A short in a signal wire is the only thing I can think would cause this sort of behavior, but I would think it would be more frequent of a problem if it were a short. I'm going to test the capacitor, and change the thermostat today.
Any other ideas on what to test for?
A short in a signal wire is the only thing I can think would cause this sort of behavior, but I would think it would be more frequent of a problem if it were a short. I'm going to test the capacitor, and change the thermostat today.
Any other ideas on what to test for?
4
Posted on 7/17/23 at 9:59 am to WhiskeyThrottle
May seem silly but I'd start by changing the batteries in the thermostat.
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:09 am to Ex-Popcorn
quote:
May seem silly but I'd start by changing the batteries in the thermostat.
I've done that a couple of times already. Should have mentioned that.
It would seem this is a signal wire issue on the surface though. Like the signal isn't getting from the thermostat to the outside unit.
Does it send the message to the inside unit then the outside, or does it signal both at the same time?
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:10 am to Ex-Popcorn
Since power reset restores it, your outside unit might have an amp monitoring loop in with the board. It could be seeing high amps. It could be a thermal switch on top the compressor. External.
It would take a visit, and some monitoring to figure it out.
I first thought of a float switch and a partially blocked ac drain, but you said power reset restores service. Thats boards and safeties.
It would take a visit, and some monitoring to figure it out.
I first thought of a float switch and a partially blocked ac drain, but you said power reset restores service. Thats boards and safeties.
This post was edited on 7/17/23 at 10:12 am
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:12 am to EF Hutton
Brand and age of outside unit ?
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:14 am to EF Hutton
2016 and I'll have to look at the brand. I want to say it was a rebranded Lenox.
ETA: M/N is 4HP14L60P.
AC Pro Manufactured by Allied.
ETA: M/N is 4HP14L60P.
AC Pro Manufactured by Allied.
This post was edited on 7/17/23 at 10:23 am
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:18 am to WhiskeyThrottle
Check attic for float switch in pvc drain
Blow drain with air. Must cut so air goes one way. Reglue after.
Check thermostat wires outside see if there is a splice. Tape , wire nuts, etc. if so, take it apart and re do.
Look at contactor points. See if ants got in the points, and if their body juices are in the points, when they got smushed in there.
Blow drain with air. Must cut so air goes one way. Reglue after.
Check thermostat wires outside see if there is a splice. Tape , wire nuts, etc. if so, take it apart and re do.
Look at contactor points. See if ants got in the points, and if their body juices are in the points, when they got smushed in there.
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:25 am to EF Hutton
Perfect. Will do all that. Thank you.
When they put the AC in, they did have a problem with the drain. He had to blow out the pipe to get it to drain properly. That doesn't 100% make sense because the drain pan doesn't have any water in it, and it isn't draining on the outside of the house.
But nothing about this problem makes sense so I'll do all of that.
When they put the AC in, they did have a problem with the drain. He had to blow out the pipe to get it to drain properly. That doesn't 100% make sense because the drain pan doesn't have any water in it, and it isn't draining on the outside of the house.
But nothing about this problem makes sense so I'll do all of that.
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:33 am to WhiskeyThrottle
Could be a controller or board issue.
FYI, Allied Air is a division of Lennox International.
FYI, Allied Air is a division of Lennox International.
Posted on 7/17/23 at 10:43 am to WhiskeyThrottle
Because the primary drain is plumbed into the house plumbing. It’s prob not that but if u have a float switch, check that.
Posted on 7/17/23 at 6:14 pm to WhiskeyThrottle
I’ve had a very similar problem and it was one of the boards on the outside units. I can’t remember the issue but power cycling did as you say and reset it, worked again.
I think it was a defrost board?
You need to allow it to happen and call an HVAC company out. They almost definitely won’t be able to fix it without the issue. It throws an error they need to read.
I think it was a defrost board?
You need to allow it to happen and call an HVAC company out. They almost definitely won’t be able to fix it without the issue. It throws an error they need to read.
Posted on 7/17/23 at 7:18 pm to WhiskeyThrottle
We had something similar and went through all the typical ones around the drain line, thermostat, etc.
On a brand new outside unit, the fan would always come on, but sometimes the compressor would not fire. Ended up needing a hard start capacitor and since then there has been no issue. The compressor just needed a little boost. Very cheap fix.
On a brand new outside unit, the fan would always come on, but sometimes the compressor would not fire. Ended up needing a hard start capacitor and since then there has been no issue. The compressor just needed a little boost. Very cheap fix.
Posted on 7/18/23 at 8:15 am to EF Hutton
It was the safety switch. Water had backed up in the overflow tube and kicked off the safety switch.
Posted on 7/18/23 at 8:22 am to WhiskeyThrottle
quote:
t was the safety switch. Water had backed up in the overflow tube and kicked off the safety switch.
--
Just curious, was there any water in the pan below?
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