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Heat Pump icing up in heat mode
Posted on 1/11/23 at 7:06 pm
Posted on 1/11/23 at 7:06 pm
Electric Heat pump, was installed 2015. Has been freezing up the past few years, generally I just reverse the cycle, turn it on AC and defrost it that way.
My HVAC guy thinks there is a leak some where, but can't seem to find where or how. But adds refrigerant when he checks it once a year.
Any ideas on what is going on and if this can be fixed?
My HVAC guy thinks there is a leak some where, but can't seem to find where or how. But adds refrigerant when he checks it once a year.
Any ideas on what is going on and if this can be fixed?
3
Posted on 1/11/23 at 8:16 pm to burger bearcat
quote:
My HVAC guy thinks there is a leak some where, but can't seem to find where or how. But adds refrigerant when he checks it once a year.
Does adding additional refrigerant “fix” the problem, at least temporarily? Certainly low refrigerant levels will result in the coil freezing up.
If so, indoor coils (evaporator coil when in cool mode/condenser coil in heat mode on a heat pump) are prone to leakage when 5 to 7 years old, and your unit is that age.
An experienced HVAC tech with the correct tools (electronic leak detector, etc) should be able isolate the source of the leak, if that is indeed the issue.
Sounds to me you going to need to hire another HVAC tech with a better diagnostic skill set than the tech you are currently using.
Posted on 1/11/23 at 8:39 pm to CrawDude
quote:
Does adding additional refrigerant “fix” the problem, at least temporarily? Certainly low refrigerant levels will result in the coil freezing up.
Yes. It seems to make the problem go away. The HP works great in the 40s/50s, but once it dips close to freezing or below for an extended time it starts to ice up, and then eventually my heat goes into aux heat which is extremely expensive.
I'm going to have my HVAC guy look at it again this week. He is my buddy, but if he can't figure it out beyond adding more refrigerant, might have to get another tech on the issue.
Posted on 1/11/23 at 9:34 pm to burger bearcat
I’m no ac pro but if your heat pump has a refrigerant issue it should have a refrigerant issue in summer also.
Posted on 1/11/23 at 10:07 pm to baldona
He should check the defrost board to make sure that is operating correctly. Even in the heating mode, the unit will go into the cooling mode to defrost the outdoor coil and the heat is maintained in the home by the aux heat.
Posted on 1/11/23 at 10:12 pm to baldona
quote:
I’m no ac pro but if your heat pump has a refrigerant issue it should have a refrigerant issue in summer also
I do not have any issues in the summer. Seems to only be a winter issue.
Posted on 1/11/23 at 10:14 pm to UPGDude
quote:
He should check the defrost board to make sure that is operating correctly. Even in the heating mode, the unit will go into the cooling mode to defrost the outdoor coil and the heat is maintained in the home by the aux heat.
Makes sense. I have basically been manually putting it into the defrost cycle when I see it ice up. But would probably be much more efficient if it was doing that itself.
Posted on 1/11/23 at 11:20 pm to burger bearcat
quote:
I do not have any issues in the summer. Seems to only be a winter issue.
If you have a small/slow leak in the inside coil, and if the refrigerant is being added in the winter to correct the icing problem and provide heat, there may sufficient refrigerant in the system to provide cooling during the spring, summer and fall but by winter the system has leaked sufficient refrigerant for the problem to re-occur.
I suppose you could also have an issue/failure with the defrost board, it’s not an common issue with air-sourced heat pumps, but if refrigerant is having to the added each winter and it temporarily fixes the issue then also have a slow leak, as I assume you know a HVAC does not consume refrigerant. So you could have a couple issues in play.
Major parts should be under warranty for 10 years if you are the original owner and the system was registered with the manufacturer, but labor to fix it would be chargeable.
Posted on 1/12/23 at 8:07 am to CrawDude
Leak, if it were just the board he would be experiencing high pressure trips by now from the repeated top offs. In the old days a top off was a favor from your service guy. That's not the case with today's refrigerant prices. If you are capable and can access the indoor coil and open the front panel, you would be looking for an oily area. If you find one, see if you can cover the area with thinned dish soap. If you see bubbles, your guy just wasn't inclined.
Posted on 1/12/23 at 5:09 pm to Wraytex
Defrost board. It would freeze up anytime if it was low on Freon, not just when it’s at or below freezing outside.
Posted on 1/13/23 at 6:49 pm to burger bearcat
quote:warranty?
Electric Heat pump, was installed 2015.
Posted on 1/15/23 at 7:44 pm to burger bearcat
Question, which coil is freezing? Indoor or outdoor? Heat pumps are not designed to operate below freezing. An air conditioner is designed for a 40 degree evaporator temperature. When is heat mode the outdoor unit is actually the evaporator and the indoor is the condenser. They achieve this by reversing the flow of refrigerant via the reversing valve. This is why there are defrost control boards in the outdoor unit that has a temperature sensor that reads the coil temperature.
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