Home Page link

Sparks/Arcing coming from Air conditioner duct work.

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 2 of 3       < 1 2 3 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Sparks/Arcing coming from Air conditioner duct work. mark.gustavson 09-12-2007
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by on September 12, 2007, 12:03 pm
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >>> > Last night at approx 1:30 am my wife and I awoke to a firecracker
> >>> > sound coming from the attic over our bedroom. It was very loud. I
> >>> > climbed up into the attic and saw sparks popping off of the main AC
> >>> > duct, looked like it was coming from an area that had been sealed by
> >>> > aluminum tape. We turned off the main breaker in the house and the
> >>> > sparks continued.
>
> >>> > It appears to be a chemical reaction of some sort, and not
> >>> > electrically created. If someone has ever heard of this or can give
> >>> > me some advice whether to call a Duct installer, or electrician it
> >>> > would be greatly appreciated.
>
> >>> > Thanks!
>
> >>> > Mark
>
> >>> Why do you think it's a chemical reaction?
>
> >> I turned off the main breaker and it still was sparking... there are
> >> no electrical wires near the location of the sparks unless there are
> >> wires inside the duct work
>
> > To me, this doesn't point to a chemical reaction, but hey...I could be
> > wrong. Let's see what others suggest.
>
> Only two things that I can think of...
>
> A wire has fallen onto the roof and is somehow grounding out on your
> ductwork. Not very likely though.
>
> The power supply on your A/C unit may have some large capacitors in it that
> could take a few minutes to drain after the power was cut.
>
> What did you do to finally get it to stop sparking?

It stopped on its own.


PexSupply PEX Tools 468x60
Posted by Meat Plow on September 12, 2007, 1:14 pm
On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:00:17 +0000, mark.gustavson wrote:

> Last night at approx 1:30 am my wife and I awoke to a firecracker
> sound coming from the attic over our bedroom. It was very loud. I
> climbed up into the attic and saw sparks popping off of the main AC
> duct, looked like it was coming from an area that had been sealed by
> aluminum tape. We turned off the main breaker in the house and the
> sparks continued.
>
> It appears to be a chemical reaction of some sort, and not
> electrically created. If someone has ever heard of this or can give
> me some advice whether to call a Duct installer, or electrician it
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mark

If it really happened and the mains breaker was off then the only thing
that could cause it was some kind of static electricity discharge.
Otherwise maybe you just were dreaming.


Posted by Uncle Monster on September 12, 2007, 2:30 pm
mark.gustavson@gmail.com wrote:
> Last night at approx 1:30 am my wife and I awoke to a firecracker
> sound coming from the attic over our bedroom. It was very loud. I
> climbed up into the attic and saw sparks popping off of the main AC
> duct, looked like it was coming from an area that had been sealed by
> aluminum tape. We turned off the main breaker in the house and the
> sparks continued.
>
> It appears to be a chemical reaction of some sort, and not
> electrically created. If someone has ever heard of this or can give
> me some advice whether to call a Duct installer, or electrician it
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mark
>

Many years ago when I was an adolescent because of my
age, I lived with my family on top of a mountain in NE
Alabamastan. When I was in the basement, building one of
the many Frankenstein machines of my youth, I noticed
that large sparks would jump off the metal ductwork that
ran the length of the house whenever lightning struck
within 5 miles. The house was long and in line with the
ridge with the main supply duct about 65 feet long. I had
to assume that the EMP from the lightning was being picked
up by the ductwork which acted like a big antennae or a
longitudinal inductor. It was scary to be sitting there
and suddenly hear popping and arcing from the ductwork,
then a few seconds later I would hear the thunder.
Just a thought, if a home is close to high voltage power
lines, a similar thing might happen.

[8~{} Uncle Monster

Posted by HeyBub on September 12, 2007, 2:52 pm
mark.gustavson@gmail.com wrote:
> Last night at approx 1:30 am my wife and I awoke to a firecracker
> sound coming from the attic over our bedroom. It was very loud. I
> climbed up into the attic and saw sparks popping off of the main AC
> duct, looked like it was coming from an area that had been sealed by
> aluminum tape. We turned off the main breaker in the house and the
> sparks continued.
>
> It appears to be a chemical reaction of some sort, and not
> electrically created. If someone has ever heard of this or can give
> me some advice whether to call a Duct installer, or electrician it
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>

St Elmo's Fire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo%27s_fire



Posted by on September 12, 2007, 3:03 pm
> mark.gustav...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Last night at approx 1:30 am my wife and I awoke to a firecracker
> > sound coming from the attic over our bedroom. It was very loud. I
> > climbed up into the attic and saw sparks popping off of the main AC
> > duct, looked like it was coming from an area that had been sealed by
> > aluminum tape. We turned off the main breaker in the house and the
> > sparks continued.
>
> > It appears to be a chemical reaction of some sort, and not
> > electrically created. If someone has ever heard of this or can give
> > me some advice whether to call a Duct installer, or electrician it
> > would be greatly appreciated.
>
> > Thanks!
>
> St Elmo's Fire.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Elmo%27s_fire

fixed! main for the AC is outside next to the package unit. I
followed the wires going into the unit and one of the lines was
rubbing against the frame of the unit and subsequently energizing the
duct work. After insulating with a piece of pvc and plenty of
electrical tape, all is well. Thanks for everyones help!


Page 2 of 3       < 1 2 3 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
Central Air-Conditioner Installation Duct Questions June 6, 2006, 6:53 pm
Hiding duct work in new closet August 23, 2005, 2:42 pm
Duct work material options July 28, 2006, 12:32 pm
Re: Water in duct work....slab foundation October 3, 2006, 11:11 am
No heat from vents : Duct work problems ? April 1, 2008, 2:09 pm
Is condensing coil in duct work for air handler a DIY project April 11, 2007, 7:57 pm
HOT Please help me... Air conditioner wont work HOT July 11, 2005, 6:58 pm
Moving duct work - interior partitionl removal project February 19, 2006, 4:18 pm
Ripoff from Heating Oil Service Rep on problem with my "condensing coil in duct work for air handler a DIY project" April 18, 2007, 1:28 pm
Replace flex duct with rigid duct? August 23, 2005, 6:11 am

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap