Very unusal to find a A/C unit and furnance both the same age 1977 same age as the home. Question # 1 Just wondering how many know how to tell if a compressor has been changed out in a condensing unit and do you include that information in your report if it has be replaced.
Question # 2 same house downflow furnace 1977 with the return air a local return no duct installed what is that behind the grill and what would you say about it.
BTW In 1976 I bid a apartment complex and installed 50 A/C units just like the one in the Pic we called them Ham can carriers as they resembled a ham can at the time. I wonder how many are still operating
I think I recall that post, it was about dryers, but there are idiots out there that will not put in a dryer or as i found the other day put in the wrong part because that was what was on the truck, such as an 8 cu in dyer on a 5 ton unit:D
He told me that the suction line will have a large drier filter on it. It looks like the one on the pressure line but larger. I don’t know any other way to notice if they forgot to put it on which is what the the thread was about when I learned this. What you report on? The compressor failed at one point but it was replaced, properly installed and works great now? Are there things you need to watch out for when the compressor has been changed?
I have some ideas about your other question but Im not sure. I don’t want to make to much of an *** of myself trying to giess
He told you correct but some jack leg conractors might not install a suction line dryer and one can usually tell this by how the suction lines are re-installed solder joints different. When the compressor has been changed out it extends the average life expectancy of the unit and should be taken into account.
Everyone has a A** why does that bother ya Guess away;-)
Looks like the furnace flue running through the return vent. If it is a flue it is too close to combustible material. Some people just like to die. :shock:
Yes sir a compressor is normally changed out because of a direct short in the motor windings we call it a burn out. Burnt windings create acid in the oil and some of the old oil always remains in the line set and the condenser tubes thus a suction line dryer is installed to clean and retain any acid within the system. The suction line dryer/filter should be replaced after a short 30 days of operation most don’t do it.
Even if the compressor is not changed out but a complete exterior condensing unit is installed a suction dryer should still be used as the A-coil and line set will also have acid in the old oil
Interesting. Thanks, I had no idea. So as a generalist, should I be “calling out” the lack of a suction line dryer if I know or suspect that the compressor has been changed out? Is it actually a “defect?”
Not necessarily, the valves could have gone out and a good tech will run an acid test purge the line, ya I am old school, now they reclaim and then pull a good long deep vacuum before recharging system
No because you have no way of knowing the cause of the changout. Its
a best practice policy one might just make a reference that it was not installed and may shorten the life of the unit
You are correct again but a vacuum does not remove any entraped oil that may have acid, purging the system would help but not totally make it clean. A Vacuum only removes moisture why because in a vacuum the moisture becomes a vapor and is drawn into the vacuum pump I know you understand this but I am just talking for those that might be interested
If you see one, you know there was a burn out, change out.
The suction dryer must also be removed if there is a pressure drop across the dryer, so it may no longer be there.
Another point: if the lines feel cooler on one line to the dryer over the line on the other side (or there is frost on the dryer) it must be removed ASAP.
Suction dryers remove moisture and naturalize acid in the compressor oil (and must be removed after they have done their job).
Reporting is simple report what you see;-)