Central AC outside unit freezing up

Posted by over40pirate@aol.com on June 4, 2007, 11:12 am

I have a Goodman central AC that is 9 years old.
Recently it started freezing up the valve (expansion valve?) at the
outside compressor unit.
When this is froozen the compressor is still running, but the Air
Handler is not running.
I had a HVAC man look at it and said the freon was OK and he cleaned
the coil in the Air Handler. The problem was still there. It may work
for a day or two, then freeze up.
It froze up yesterday around noon. The tenant shut it off, and back on
after the valve thawed out. It has been running OK for the last 10
hours or so.
Thanks for any help.

Posted by tom on June 4, 2007, 11:35 am

> I have a Goodman central AC that is 9 years old.
> Recently it started freezing up the valve (expansion valve?) at the
> outside compressor unit.
> When this is froozen the compressor is still running, but the Air
> Handler is not running.
> I had a HVAC man look at it and said the freon was OK and he cleaned
> the coil in the Air Handler. The problem was still there. It may work
> for a day or two, then freeze up.
> It froze up yesterday around noon. The tenant shut it off, and back on
> after the valve thawed out. It has been running OK for the last 10
> hours or so.
> Thanks for any help.

I use a 24000BTU window unit that will freeze up if I turn the thermostat up
to where the compressor runs continuously. If I set the thermostat back to
where it shuts off every now and then it seems to allow the compressor to
melt off (or keep from accumulating) any ice build up and doesn't freeze up.
In my case the unit still does a good job of cooling even with the
compressor occasionally cycling off.

Posted by Meat Plow on June 4, 2007, 12:02 pm

On Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:12:19 -0700, over40pirate@aol.com wrote:

The expansion valve is at the coil in the handler. Kind of hard to comment
on what might be freezing up you suction line at the compressor if the
freon level is ok That's usually indicative of a low charge.

Posted by Stormin Mormon on June 4, 2007, 4:29 pm

Might make it easier for us to understand if you quit using trade
terms (probably incorrectly). Just tell us what's the unit doing,
and what part you're talking about.

"The small tube with the bare copper has frost on it, but the fat
tube with the rubber insulation is warm to the touch" is far more
useful than trying to use trade terms. Especially when it sounds
like you know a few words, but not what they mean.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

: I have a Goodman central AC that is 9 years old.
: Recently it started freezing up the valve (expansion valve?) at
the
: outside compressor unit.
: When this is froozen the compressor is still running, but the
Air
: Handler is not running.
: I had a HVAC man look at it and said the freon was OK and he
cleaned
: the coil in the Air Handler. The problem was still there. It
may work
: for a day or two, then freeze up.
: It froze up yesterday around noon. The tenant shut it off, and
back on
: after the valve thawed out. It has been running OK for the last
10
: hours or so.
: Thanks for any help.
:

Posted by over40pirate@aol.com on June 4, 2007, 5:50 pm

On Jun 4, 4:29?pm, "Stormin Mormon"

> Might make it easier for us to understand if you quit using trade
> terms (probably incorrectly). Just tell us what's the unit doing,
> and what part you're talking about.
> "The small tube with the bare copper has frost on it, but the fat
> tube with the rubber insulation is warm to the touch" is far more
> useful than trying to use trade terms. Especially when it sounds
> like you know a few words, but not what they mean.
> --
> Christopher A. Young
> You can't shout down a troll.
> You have to starve them.
> .
> <Morman, First, thanks for your reply.

1 - It's not cooling. (No trade terms here)
2 - The gizmo (looks like a valve) at the end of the insulated tubing
at the compressor, gets frozen.
3 - The unit outside with a fan in the center of it is running, and
the unit in the crawl space ( I won't use the word, air handler, which
I was told it is) is not running and blowing air.
4 - The gizmo mentioned above, was frozen yesterday around noon. They
turned the unit off and it thawed and worked when they turned it back
on. It's been running OK for about 30 hours.
5 - A "a/c repair person" came and checked the freon (said it was OK)
and cleaned what he called the coil in the unit in the house.
He said the unit didn't have enough "return" (his term) The unit has
worked since instalation with the return ducts it has, so this didn't
make sence to me.
I hope this info helps. Other places I have asked mention it might be
a fan relay sticking.

Now I'm ready for your answer on how to fix it. Feel free to use
Trade terms. I will look up any terms I don't know.
I appreciate your time.
Thanks again

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