How Do You On Any Air Conditioning Unit, Determine What The Low Side Pressure...

scattercat

How do you on any air conditioning unit, determine what the low side pressure should be on your low side gages, by taking into account the ambient temperature

HVAC Doc

As well as ambient temp. you need to know the temp. of the suction line and it helps to know the temp. drop across the coil as well so you can make sure the superheat you are reading is correct and not low/high due to dirty coil or filter or blower speed set too high/low.

Unregistered

If you are not e.p.a. certified then you have no business even checking pressures. It is big fines from the epa if they find out you are screwing around with refrigerant. Just get off the wallett and let a pro service your equipment. And if I find out that one of my customers are trying to perform their own maintenance on a piece of equipment that is still under factory warranty the I will void the warranty and call the manufacturer to inform them also.

Unregistered

Oh My! Does someone feel threatened here. I became certified 608 and 609 for 50 bucks total and about a half hour for each online, open book test. Air conditioning is not that complicated, its actually quite simple. As they say it's not rocket science. I installed my own heat pump system and it works perfectly. I also do my own auto ac.

There will always be plenty of work out there for all "pro" HVAC people, so don't sweat the few amateurs trying to do their own. Besides, from what I've seen, many so called "pros" do a lot of r22 venting with little or no recovery. Chill out! No pun intended.

Unregistered

Actually if you were seeing that many venting, you wouldn't be here running your mouth you would be cashing in on it with the EPA. True it's not rocket science but an EPA card doesn't teach you sh#t about how an a/c works in the real world. Funny how you said it works so well but yet in your first post you ain't got a flippin' clue how tro read guages DUH!!! I am sure you followed your local codes and had it inspected as well (of course you will post back here saying how the inspector just raved about your installation blah blah blah). Yup take your EPA card and go show it to your buddies as that is about all it is worth. Get a journeyman's or mech masters license and a few certifications like NATE, ARI, ACCA, RSES and some factory certification and then you might impress someone on this board other than yourself.

Cheers!!

Unregistered

I guess the homeowner forgot about his voided warranty on the equipment.Since there was not a competent contractor that installed the unit. And by the way I wonder where he will buy parts when he needs them since the supply houses does not sell to homeowners. And why if the unit is operating properly would he be on here asking such simple questions? I guess the truth is that one of us out here will get his business. We will get the last laugh. And no i do not feel offended. maby he can get this information from hacks-R-us.

Unregistered

My previous post was my first post here, someone else has a problem reading gauges, not me.

Actually, if you read the Rhuud warranty, and others, it does not say anything about a licensed contractor installation as a condition of warranty. Warranty repacement parts are available from the distributor where I bought the unit or any HVAC company can get the parts using the serial number which is date coded. Yes, supply houses do sell to homeowners, at least the ones in my area do. I was not trying to impress anyone with an EPA card. If you had read a bit more closely you would have seen I was making light of it.

There are a lot of people like me out there. Do it yourselfers who have the capability to do professional quality work or better. Many of us can do better than pro work because we are not time constrained like the pros can be. We come here to gain knowledge from people like yourselves. Instead we get insults. Take a clue from the HVAC Man. He's a class act. Don't lower youself by taking cheap shots at those who you think know less than you.

HVAC Doc

WOW this thread took an ugly turn. Do realize that even though I stated what needs to be checked/done, it does not mean I condone DIY for HVAC. While I will agree I have seen some installations that were well done, a majority of what I have seen has not and wouldn't have passed an inspection if they had pulled a permit. And Scattercat, while you may have a distributor that will currently sell you parts, that may not be so in the near future. There are companies that do put into writing voiding of warranty for internet purchases and non-licensed contractor installations. They also go a step further with stating that they will only warranty parts from a state certified or licensed contractor. This is just a sample (below) of the Amana wararnty which also applies to Goodman. From my understanding, Carrier/Bryant will be following suit shortly.

This Amana® brand heating or air conditioning product is warranted by Goodman
Company, L.P. (“Goodman”) to be free from defects in materials and workmanship
under normal use and maintenance, as described below:
• The COMPRESSOR is warranted for a period of 10 YEARS, except as provided
below.
• All remaining parts are warranted for a period of 5 YEARS, except as provided below.
Neither warranty continues after the product is removed from the location where it was
originally installed.
Neither warranty applies to, and no warranty is offered by Goodman on, any product
ordered over the Internet.
The warranty period begins on the date of the original installation. If that date cannot
be verified, the warranty period begins three months from the month of manufacture
(indicated by the first four digits of the serial number (yymm)).
As its only responsibility, and your only remedy, Goodman will furnish a replacement
part, without charge for the part only, to replace any part that is found to be defective
due to workmanship or materials under normal use and maintenance.
For warranty credit, the defective part must be returned to an Amana® heating and air
conditioning products distributor by a state certified or licensed contractor. Any part
replaced pursuant to this warranty is warranted only for the unexpired portion of the
warranty term applying to the original part.

Unregistered

As a Rheem/Ruud dealer there is a line on the warranty paperwork for the name of the INSTALLING CONTRACTOR along with the address of the INSTALLING CONTRACTOR.Ruud/Rheem warranty Part E of the exclusions-this limited WARRANTY WILL NOT apply to, states units which are not installed in accordance with appliciable codes,ordinances, and good trade practices. This means if not installed by certified contractor. if there is any questions call rheem/ruud @ 479-646-4311. On the installation instructions it states these instructions are as an aid to a qualified,licensed service personnel for proper installation,adjustment, and operation of this unit.Read these instructions thoroghly before attempting installation or operation. Failure to follow these instructions may result in improper installation,adjustment,service,or maintenance, possibly resulting in fire, electrical shock,property damage, personal injury or death. How Plain can it be!! Get your head out of your a$$ and wake up. You have no business installing this unit if you cant even determine the propper operating pressures. I would imagine that there was no purge performed when soldering, no pressure test performed to insure no leaks and probably no vaccume pulled before you opened the service valves. This means there is probably acid, non-condensibles. inside the system eating away at your compressor and will result in FAILURE due to impropper instalation and will not be covered by warranty. PAY A CONTRACTOR NOW OR PAY HIM LATER its up to you. Could you please be so kind to inform us as to what supply house sold you your equipment and what town they are located in.

UncleSam

Gosh! Big Fellow your such a nice person Momma had you cut off for a while hey? Well things will get better when your attitude changes try it and see lordy,lordy,lordy.

__________________
Life is too important to take seriously. :Thumbs:

Unregistered

pay a contractor enough money and anyone will stamp work or put their name on warranty papers. It's not exactly "rocket science" to fool a warranty company or manufacturer. There will alway be someone to get parts from. A buddy of mine is nonlicensed and installed his own heating and A/C unit. Did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. Filled out somekind of warranty card or whatever...Had somekind of problem with the unit that was not his fault but somekind of problem that was covered by warranty. They paid parts and gave him money for labor. Wasn't a whole lot of money, but point being they gave it.

Had another friend with a condensor problem and the warranty covered the damage because there was no suspicion of fall play so they covered all parts. No questions asked. Doesn't matter who you are, but what the problem might be. Depending on they manufacturer and the damage, the odds are they're not going to send out someone to check your stuff unless they suspect something or a great amount of money is involved. And again, doesn't take much to get someone to cover your azz. As many laws that are out there are as many ways 10 fold to get around them. I see nother wrong with a homeowner trying to save a few pennies by doing it themselves. The fact is just because you own a home doesn't mean you can afford to pay someone else to fix it.

Unregistered

Just goes to prove there will always be hack homeowners and joe blow know it alls like you around to keep legitimate HVAC contractors in business fixing your screw ups. I feel sorry for anyone who buys you or anyone elses homes with a half arsed thing you call a "system" installed in it. Oh well, I am sure you will sleep well knowing your family and someones elses family will be living with that mess. Good for you and pat on the back for your ability to break the law!!! We will just add you in with the rest of the riff raff law breaking trash as well.

Bjd

EPA and venting? thats bull !! I had a condo complex that had the siding replaced, the contractor "Tipped" the compessors so as to remove and replace the siding, 75 + units where done this way, almost all leaked and vented.
I was called by the mangment to do repairs to the units, when I saw what happened I called the contractor and informed him of the possible fines.
He called the EPA, and they sent me a pile of paperwork to fill out, as to how and when such venting took place and what I did to prevent this from happening.

BJD

ziggy

came across this thread while surfing and was enraged...must comment.

Professional hvac persons...Joke 1 out of twenty know what they are doing. NONE yet have fixed my heat pump and its 10 years old now. I have had a leak since day one on both of my units. RHEEM 2 ton split unit. Twice a year for each unit I have to get them to come back and add freon. They would rather do that than crawl under the house I guess. They charge anywhere from 75-150.00 just to show up. That is why you have diy peoples out there. I would rather personally pay someone to fix my units but they won't do it. so you so called pro's who follow epa guidelines with refrigerants what do you say about that!

ziggy

Oh my units were installed by "professionals"..Suppose to be the best in the area. And when I say best I am not talking about best price.

ziggy

Since no one else seemed to answer him, What I learned from an old man whom has been servicing AC since the invention; Charge until the low side sweats. Been keeping me and my family cool without the 75-150 service charges.

Teetorbilt

Right Ziggy and I remember going by the high side, ambient+100. That was a long time ago. I still have my gauges and still do marine AC but when it comes down to my house I call in the pros.
Forgot to mention all of the EPA regs now in effect. This may seem kinda wierd but to do AC on homes and cars requires recovery and certifications. On a boat I can still legally blow down a system the same as in the old days, I don't do it but go figure.

ziggy

yes we do need to remember the regulations and do our part for the environment. We all need to be responsible which is why communication is very important.