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Both a/c break down at the same time?? Walter R. 07-16-2006
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Posted by Walter R. on July 16, 2006, 10:39 am
What is going on? I had 2 air conditioners (Rheem 3t) installed last
October.

Last Friday the first one bit the dust and Saturday the other one failed
completely. How is this possible with independent units??

While the a/c were running, they stopped dead: The fans (separate circuits)
keep running but the condensers just sit there, dead.

I checked the fuses at the units, I tripped and reset the circuit breakers,
I waited an hour and tried again, to no avail.

What can cause 2 units to stop working at nearly the same time? Is there
anything I can do before the service people come out on Tuesday? We are
right in a heat wave with temps around 105.


--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-



Posted by Big Al on July 16, 2006, 11:22 am

> What is going on? I had 2 air conditioners (Rheem 3t) installed last
> October.
>
> Last Friday the first one bit the dust and Saturday the other one failed
> completely. How is this possible with independent units??
>
> While the a/c were running, they stopped dead: The fans (separate
circuits)
> keep running but the condensers just sit there, dead.
>
> I checked the fuses at the units, I tripped and reset the circuit
breakers,
> I waited an hour and tried again, to no avail.
>
> What can cause 2 units to stop working at nearly the same time? Is there
> anything I can do before the service people come out on Tuesday? We are
> right in a heat wave with temps around 105.
>
>
> --
> Walter

Did you check to see if there is power getting to the units? Just because
the breakers are closed does not mean you actually have power to the
condensing units. That where I would start. You said the fans still run. Do
they go off and on with the thermostat when set to "Auto?"

Al



Posted by Walter R. on July 16, 2006, 11:52 am
Yes, the fans were running in compliance with the thermostats. The power
(235 V) is available right into the unit.

Could this be a refrigerant (Freon) problem. Maybe a leak, or an
insufficient charging with Freon at the time of installation? But, 2
separate units?

Does an a/c turn off the power if it senses that it has insufficient Freon?

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
>
>> What is going on? I had 2 air conditioners (Rheem 3t) installed last
>> October.
>>
>> Last Friday the first one bit the dust and Saturday the other one failed
>> completely. How is this possible with independent units??
>>
>> While the a/c were running, they stopped dead: The fans (separate
> circuits)
>> keep running but the condensers just sit there, dead.
>>
>> I checked the fuses at the units, I tripped and reset the circuit
> breakers,
>> I waited an hour and tried again, to no avail.
>>
>> What can cause 2 units to stop working at nearly the same time? Is there
>> anything I can do before the service people come out on Tuesday? We are
>> right in a heat wave with temps around 105.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Walter
>
> Did you check to see if there is power getting to the units? Just because
> the breakers are closed does not mean you actually have power to the
> condensing units. That where I would start. You said the fans still run.
> Do
> they go off and on with the thermostat when set to "Auto?"
>
> Al
>
>



Posted by udarrell on July 16, 2006, 1:45 pm
Walter R. wrote:

>Yes, the fans were running in compliance with the thermostats. The power
>(235 V) is available right into the unit.
>
>Could this be a refrigerant (Freon) problem. Maybe a leak, or an
>insufficient charging with Freon at the time of installation? But, 2
>separate units?
>Does an a/c turn off the power if it senses that it has insufficient Freon?
>
>
If it has a low pressure switch the control low voltage will be opened.
Do they have manual reset buttons?

Are the control contactors' not closing, "due to no low control voltage?"
Do those units use two control voltage transformers for each system?
Did you check all the breakers in case the TRs are on a separate
breaker, (it would be strange).

It is unusual for both to quit on the same day.

- udarrell - Darrell

--
Air Conditioning's Affordable Path to the "Human Comfort Zone Goal"
http://www.udarrell.com/air-conditioning-total-heat-enthalpy-latent-heat.html

Posted by Randy Cox on July 16, 2006, 11:37 am

> What is going on? I had 2 air conditioners (Rheem 3t) installed last
> October.
>
> Last Friday the first one bit the dust and Saturday the other one failed
> completely. How is this possible with independent units??
>
> While the a/c were running, they stopped dead: The fans (separate
> circuits) keep running but the condensers just sit there, dead.
>
> I checked the fuses at the units, I tripped and reset the circuit
> breakers, I waited an hour and tried again, to no avail.
>
> What can cause 2 units to stop working at nearly the same time? Is there
> anything I can do before the service people come out on Tuesday? We are
> right in a heat wave with temps around 105.
>
>
> --
> Walter
> www.rationality.net

If the conditions are right and the units working overtime, ice can build up
around the compressors causing them to fail. Two days ago my ten year old
window unit was blowing hot air. Because it is old, I assumed it finally
gave up the ghost. I turned it off and tried again about two hours
later.....no use.

Then right before I left to go to Home Depot for a new one, I tried one last
time. It worked great. It's been working great since then. Look for ice
build up around the compressor an or the coils. If you see ice, smile, a
little thaw and you may be good to go.

Good Luck,
Randy R. Cox






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