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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

Hello,

The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.

I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.

My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.

Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?


Jo
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 24, 2:50*pm, Jo wrote:
Hello,

The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.

I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.

My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.

Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?

Jo


My first thought was a clogged filter, but you took care of that
already. The fact that both heating and A/C are bad would rule against
the problem being low Freon. If the blower is belt-driven this could
be caused by a broken belt. Everything works but the air won't get
blown through the house.

What happens at the furnace when the lights dim? Is that when the
motor kicks on? And what type of furnace is it, oil or gas?

Paul
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

Jo wrote:
Hello,

The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.

I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.

My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.

Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived problem? it could
something like a siezed fan motor. the motor attempts to kick on, drawing
lots of startup power, causing the dimming. the motor then overheats and the
thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the process repeats.

yes, the dimming could cause problems with your electronics. they don't like
frequent brownouts.


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out


"Jo" wrote in message
The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.

I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents.


He may have changed the filters, but the coil for t he AC may still be
clogged. Since the lights dim every few minutes, I'd guess the blower motor
is not working properly and is cycling off and on. There is a set of
potential problems such as lack of lubrication in the motor, the blower
bearings, belt loose etc.

You need a reputable service tech to check exactly what the problem is.
Also, at 24 years, it may be time to look for a new, more efficient AC that
will save you money.


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 24, 2:13*pm, "chaniarts" wrote:
Jo wrote:
Hello,


The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.


My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.


Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived problem? it could
something like a siezed fan motor. the motor attempts to kick on, drawing
lots of startup power, causing the dimming. the motor then overheats and the
thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the process repeats.

yes, the dimming could cause problems with your electronics. they don't like
frequent brownouts.




The lights used to dim only when something would come on/start every
so often. I'm thinking it's when the unit outside would come on that
the lights would dim but I'm not sure. But right now, that unit
outside (not sure what it's called) is running constantly. It does
seem like something is not running and that when the lights dim,
that's when it should start running.

I don't know what type of furnace it is, but it's not oil or gas.

Does any of that help narrow things down? We'd like to attempt
repairing things ourselves, if possible.

Can anyone give me more information about the dimming and if it would
indeed affect my electronics? I have my TVs and computers plugged into
surge protectors. But three of my TVs are CRTs and one is LCD, if that
makes a difference in anything. I know that my microwave "dims" along
with the lights.

Would it be best to just turn the A/C off? It does seem to be keeping
the house from get really hot, but I don't want my electronics getting
damaged.


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

If the compressor (the thing outside) is running constantly you'll be
getting a rather large electric bill.

Central A/C units now are at least twice as efficient as they were 20+
years ago so the time it takes to earn back the cost of a replacement
unit might not be that many years...
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 24, 3:29*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
"Jo" wrote in message
The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents.


He may have changed the filters, but the coil for t he AC may still be
clogged. *Since the lights dim every few minutes, I'd guess the blower motor
is not working properly and is cycling off and on. *There is a set of
potential problems such as lack of lubrication in the motor, the blower
bearings, belt loose etc.

You need a reputable service tech to check exactly what the problem is.
Also, at 24 years, it may be time to look for a new, more efficient *AC that
will save you money.


I air isn't blowing out even with the fan set to on, then something is
wrong with the air handler. Could be clogged up coils, failed motor,
etc.
Time for a service call. And with a system that's 24 years old, it
should
have been replaced last year when you could have gotten a 30% tax
credit. A new system would also cut your heating/cooling bills
substantially.
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 24, 2:55*pm, Jo wrote:
On May 24, 2:13*pm, "chaniarts" wrote:





Jo wrote:
Hello,


The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.


My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.


Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived problem? it could
something like a siezed fan motor. the motor attempts to kick on, drawing
lots of startup power, causing the dimming. the motor then overheats and the
thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the process repeats.


yes, the dimming could cause problems with your electronics. they don't like
frequent brownouts.


The lights used to dim only when something would come on/start every
so often. I'm thinking it's when the unit outside would come on that
the lights would dim but I'm not sure. But right now, that unit
outside (not sure what it's called) is running constantly. It does
seem like something is not running and that when the lights dim,
that's when it should start running.

I don't know what type of furnace it is, but it's not oil or gas.

Does any of that help narrow things down? We'd like to attempt
repairing things ourselves, if possible.

Can anyone give me more information about the dimming and if it would
indeed affect my electronics? I have my TVs and computers plugged into
surge protectors. But three of my TVs are CRTs and one is LCD, if that
makes a difference in anything. I know that my microwave "dims" along
with the lights.

Would it be best to just turn the A/C off? It does seem to be keeping
the house from get really hot, but I don't want my electronics getting
damaged.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


If it is not oil or gas, maybe it is a heat pump. You have got to get
and provide us with more information for anyone here to be able to
give you a coherent answer/suggestion.
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

I'D LOOK INTO IT BUT YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THE RACOON FAMILY THATS
TAKEN UP LODGING INSIDE YOUR DUCT WORK....
BOOWAHAHAHAHA...SNARF SNARLL GRUNNT.

TGITM
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 24, 6:46*pm, "
wrote:
On May 24, 3:29*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:



"Jo" wrote in message
The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents.


He may have changed the filters, but the coil for t he AC may still be
clogged. *Since the lights dim every few minutes, I'd guess the blower motor
is not working properly and is cycling off and on. *There is a set of
potential problems such as lack of lubrication in the motor, the blower
bearings, belt loose etc.


You need a reputable service tech to check exactly what the problem is.
Also, at 24 years, it may be time to look for a new, more efficient *AC that
will save you money.


I air isn't blowing out even with the fan set to on, then something is
wrong with the air handler. * Could be clogged up coils, failed motor,
etc.
Time for a service call. *And with a system that's 24 years old, it
should
have been replaced last year when you could have gotten a 30% tax
credit. *A new system would also cut your heating/cooling bills
substantially.




This is probably a stupid question, but any idea how much a new system
would cost for a 2 story house that's approximately 2400 sq. ft. plus
the basement which is about 1400 sq. ft.? I'm just kind of looking for
a range, just to get an idea as to how much something like this would
cost. I have no idea whether it would be $10,000 or $5,000 or $20,000.


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 25, 12:56*am, Jo wrote:
On May 24, 6:46*pm, "
wrote:





On May 24, 3:29*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:


"Jo" wrote in message
The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents.


He may have changed the filters, but the coil for t he AC may still be
clogged. *Since the lights dim every few minutes, I'd guess the blower motor
is not working properly and is cycling off and on. *There is a set of
potential problems such as lack of lubrication in the motor, the blower
bearings, belt loose etc.


You need a reputable service tech to check exactly what the problem is.
Also, at 24 years, it may be time to look for a new, more efficient *AC that
will save you money.


I air isn't blowing out even with the fan set to on, then something is
wrong with the air handler. * Could be clogged up coils, failed motor,
etc.
Time for a service call. *And with a system that's 24 years old, it
should
have been replaced last year when you could have gotten a 30% tax
credit. *A new system would also cut your heating/cooling bills
substantially.


This is probably a stupid question, but any idea how much a new system
would cost for a 2 story house that's approximately 2400 sq. ft. plus
the basement which is about 1400 sq. ft.? I'm just kind of looking for
a range, just to get an idea as to how much something like this would
cost. I have no idea whether it would be $10,000 or $5,000 or $20,000.


SO, WHAT IS IT A ONE OR TWO TON UNIT?
NOPE, YOU BETTER CALL IN AN EXPERT....GET THOSE COONS OUTA THERE
THOUGH.
BOOWAHAHAHA
TGITM
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 25, 12:56*am, Jo wrote:
On May 24, 6:46*pm, "
wrote:





On May 24, 3:29*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:


"Jo" wrote in message
The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents.


He may have changed the filters, but the coil for t he AC may still be
clogged. *Since the lights dim every few minutes, I'd guess the blower motor
is not working properly and is cycling off and on. *There is a set of
potential problems such as lack of lubrication in the motor, the blower
bearings, belt loose etc.


You need a reputable service tech to check exactly what the problem is.
Also, at 24 years, it may be time to look for a new, more efficient *AC that
will save you money.


I air isn't blowing out even with the fan set to on, then something is
wrong with the air handler. * Could be clogged up coils, failed motor,
etc.
Time for a service call. *And with a system that's 24 years old, it
should
have been replaced last year when you could have gotten a 30% tax
credit. *A new system would also cut your heating/cooling bills
substantially.


This is probably a stupid question, but any idea how much a new system
would cost for a 2 story house that's approximately 2400 sq. ft. plus
the basement which is about 1400 sq. ft.? I'm just kind of looking for
a range, just to get an idea as to how much something like this would
cost. I have no idea whether it would be $10,000 or $5,000 or $20,000.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


There isn't a lot to go on here. We don't even know the climate for
the location, fuel, etc. And what a system costs in NYC is going to
be different than what it cost 100 miles away in NY state.
But assuming it's middle America and just a straight replacement,
you should be more in the $5k to $10K range. Many utilities are
offering rebates on units that meet certain efficiency standards
that can bring down that cost.

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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

You want a ROUGH estimate? About four years ago I had a 3 ton unit
installed (3 tons is the size, not the actual weight of the unit), 16
SEER (that's the energy efficiency, higher # is better) in a 1600 sq
foot 2 story house (basement is not air conditioned) in the NYC area
for under $13,000. (that was the low bidder and they sucked, I
wouldn't make that mistake again- next time I go with a local
contractor, not a chain store's clowns).

That price included having to run all the duct work, and that's the
very labor-intensive part. The units themselves (compressor, air
handler) probably under $5000 plus installation.

But of course you'll have to ask a few contractors for bids, and this
is their busy season for A/C (although it'll get busier).
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 25, 12:56*am, Jo wrote:
On May 24, 6:46*pm, "
wrote:





On May 24, 3:29*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:


"Jo" wrote in message
The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents.


He may have changed the filters, but the coil for t he AC may still be
clogged. *Since the lights dim every few minutes, I'd guess the blower motor
is not working properly and is cycling off and on. *There is a set of
potential problems such as lack of lubrication in the motor, the blower
bearings, belt loose etc.


You need a reputable service tech to check exactly what the problem is.
Also, at 24 years, it may be time to look for a new, more efficient *AC that
will save you money.


I air isn't blowing out even with the fan set to on, then something is
wrong with the air handler. * Could be clogged up coils, failed motor,
etc.
Time for a service call. *And with a system that's 24 years old, it
should
have been replaced last year when you could have gotten a 30% tax
credit. *A new system would also cut your heating/cooling bills
substantially.


This is probably a stupid question, but any idea how much a new system
would cost for a 2 story house that's approximately 2400 sq. ft. plus
the basement which is about 1400 sq. ft.? I'm just kind of looking for
a range, just to get an idea as to how much something like this would
cost. I have no idea whether it would be $10,000 or $5,000 or $20,000.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You're getting a mix of advice here, some of it not worth much.

Brownouts will not damage modern electronics.

It sounds like you have a heat pump. It also sounds like the
compressor is not able to start. Heat pump (and ac) compressors have
an internal thermal overload breaker in them. When it cools down it
will try again. There could be any number of reasons why it can't
start. It's not likely that anyone over the internet will be able to
pinpoint it without directing you to do a number of tests that you
probably don't have the equipment or desire to do.

Simply turning the thermostat to the off position will turn the entire
system off.

No one will be able to give you an accurate estimate over the internet
either but you should be able to replace a complete basic single stage
heat pump system (without messing around with the ducts) for something
between $2.5k and $5k unless you select more advanced equipment.
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

In ,
chaniarts typed:
Jo wrote:
Hello,

The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working
properly and I need to figure out why. All the equipment
(or whatever you want to call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was
on. I noticed that hardly any air was blowing out of the
vents and the air that was blowing out was cool, not
warm. Also, the lights in different rooms would dim
every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this
point and notified the owners of the house who happen to
be my parents. I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is
happening. The lights in different rooms dim every 4
minutes or so and hardly any air is blowing out of the
vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything has been
running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago,
which is not normal. I think it's running nonstop
because the house temperature hasn't reached the
temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate, it
never will because it's hardly blowing out any air. My father says he
put in a new filter, but this was
after the problem started a month ago. He mentioned that
the unit might need more Freon, but I think he checked
that out because he came back saying he doesn't know
what the problem is. He mentioned something about
getting someone to check the pressure (whatever that
means), but knowing him this could take weeks and I'm
burning up. Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong?
And since the lights keep dimming, will that harm any of
my electronic equipment, like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived
problem? it could something like a siezed fan motor. the
motor attempts to kick on, drawing lots of startup power,
causing the dimming. the motor then overheats and the
thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the process
repeats.
yes, the dimming could cause problems with your
electronics. they don't like frequent brownouts.


they don't like frequent LONG AND SUSTAINED brownouts. A couple seconds or
so won't bother much of anything. Worst case, some of it might turn OFF if
it was ON. From the sound of it, if it was going to bother anything you
would already know that because it would have happened. A sustained brownout
might overheat motors trying to start/run and some electronic things that
are turned on might turn off when it hits, but that's about it.

HTH,

Twayne`




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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

In ,
Jo typed:
On May 24, 2:13 pm, "chaniarts"
wrote:
Jo wrote:
Hello,


The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working
properly and I need to figure out why. All the
equipment (or whatever you want to call it) is about 24
years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was
on. I noticed that hardly any air was blowing out of
the vents and the air that was blowing out was cool,
not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms would dim
every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this
point and notified the owners of the house who happen
to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is
happening. The lights in different rooms dim every 4
minutes or so and hardly any air is blowing out of the
vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything has been
running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago,
which is not normal. I think it's running nonstop
because the house temperature hasn't reached the
temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate, it
never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.


My father says he put in a new filter, but this was
after the problem started a month ago. He mentioned
that the unit might need more Freon, but I think he
checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about
getting someone to check the pressure (whatever that
means), but knowing him this could take weeks and I'm
burning up.


Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong?
And since the lights keep dimming, will that harm any
of my electronic equipment, like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived
problem? it could something like a siezed fan motor. the
motor attempts to kick on, drawing lots of startup
power, causing the dimming. the motor then overheats and
the thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the
process repeats.

yes, the dimming could cause problems with your
electronics. they don't like frequent brownouts.




The lights used to dim only when something would come
on/start every so often. I'm thinking it's when the unit
outside would come on that the lights would dim but I'm
not sure. But right now, that unit outside (not sure what
it's called) is running constantly. It does seem like
something is not running and that when the lights dim,
that's when it should start running.

I don't know what type of furnace it is, but it's not oil
or gas.

Does any of that help narrow things down? We'd like to
attempt repairing things ourselves, if possible.

Can anyone give me more information about the dimming and
if it would indeed affect my electronics? I have my TVs
and computers plugged into surge protectors. But three of
my TVs are CRTs and one is LCD, if that makes a
difference in anything. I know that my microwave "dims"
along with the lights.

Would it be best to just turn the A/C off? It does seem
to be keeping the house from get really hot, but I don't
want my electronics getting damaged.


See my previous response about that. BTW, lights dimming could be a sign of
a poor Earth ground somewhere, especially if you notice that other lights
get brighter on different ckts.

HTH,

Twayne`


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

In ,
hr(bob) typed:
On May 24, 2:55 pm, Jo wrote:
On May 24, 2:13 pm, "chaniarts"
wrote:





Jo wrote:
Hello,


The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working
properly and I need to figure out why. All the
equipment (or whatever you want to call it) is about
24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat
was on. I noticed that hardly any air was blowing out
of the vents and the air that was blowing out was
cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat
at this point and notified the owners of the house who
happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is
happening. The lights in different rooms dim every 4
minutes or so and hardly any air is blowing out of the
vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything has
been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs
ago, which is not normal. I think it's running nonstop
because the house temperature hasn't reached the
temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate, it
never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.


My father says he put in a new filter, but this was
after the problem started a month ago. He mentioned
that the unit might need more Freon, but I think he
checked that out because he came back saying he
doesn't know what the problem is. He mentioned
something about getting someone to check the pressure
(whatever that means), but knowing him this could take
weeks and I'm burning up.


Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be
wrong? And since the lights keep dimming, will that
harm any of my electronic equipment, like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived
problem? it could something like a siezed fan motor.
the motor attempts to kick on, drawing lots of startup
power, causing the dimming. the motor then overheats
and the thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the
process repeats.


yes, the dimming could cause problems with your
electronics. they don't like frequent brownouts.


The lights used to dim only when something would come
on/start every so often. I'm thinking it's when the unit
outside would come on that the lights would dim but I'm
not sure. But right now, that unit outside (not sure
what it's called) is running constantly. It does seem
like something is not running and that when the lights
dim, that's when it should start running.

I don't know what type of furnace it is, but it's not
oil or gas.

Does any of that help narrow things down? We'd like to
attempt repairing things ourselves, if possible.

Can anyone give me more information about the dimming
and if it would indeed affect my electronics? I have my
TVs and computers plugged into surge protectors. But
three of my TVs are CRTs and one is LCD, if that makes a
difference in anything. I know that my microwave "dims"
along with the lights.

Would it be best to just turn the A/C off? It does seem
to be keeping the house from get really hot, but I don't
want my electronics getting damaged.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


If it is not oil or gas, maybe it is a heat pump. You
have got to get and provide us with more information for
anyone here to be able to give you a coherent
answer/suggestion.


Or it could be electric, too.


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 25, 1:18*pm, "Twayne" wrote:
,
hr(bob) typed:





On May 24, 2:55 pm, Jo wrote:
On May 24, 2:13 pm, "chaniarts"
wrote:


Jo wrote:
Hello,


The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working
properly and I need to figure out why. All the
equipment (or whatever you want to call it) is about
24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat
was on. I noticed that hardly any air was blowing out
of the vents and the air that was blowing out was
cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat
at this point and notified the owners of the house who
happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is
happening. The lights in different rooms dim every 4
minutes or so and hardly any air is blowing out of the
vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything has
been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs
ago, which is not normal. I think it's running nonstop
because the house temperature hasn't reached the
temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate, it
never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.


My father says he put in a new filter, but this was
after the problem started a month ago. He mentioned
that the unit might need more Freon, but I think he
checked that out because he came back saying he
doesn't know what the problem is. He mentioned
something about getting someone to check the pressure
(whatever that means), but knowing him this could take
weeks and I'm burning up.


Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be
wrong? And since the lights keep dimming, will that
harm any of my electronic equipment, like my computer?


Jo


did the lights also dim before there was a perceived
problem? it could something like a siezed fan motor.
the motor attempts to kick on, drawing lots of startup
power, causing the dimming. the motor then overheats
and the thermal fuse shuts it off. when it cools, the
process repeats.


yes, the dimming could cause problems with your
electronics. they don't like frequent brownouts.


The lights used to dim only when something would come
on/start every so often. I'm thinking it's when the unit
outside would come on that the lights would dim but I'm
not sure. But right now, that unit outside (not sure
what it's called) is running constantly. It does seem
like something is not running and that when the lights
dim, that's when it should start running.


I don't know what type of furnace it is, but it's not
oil or gas.


Does any of that help narrow things down? We'd like to
attempt repairing things ourselves, if possible.


Can anyone give me more information about the dimming
and if it would indeed affect my electronics? I have my
TVs and computers plugged into surge protectors. But
three of my TVs are CRTs and one is LCD, if that makes a
difference in anything. I know that my microwave "dims"
along with the lights.


Would it be best to just turn the A/C off? It does seem
to be keeping the house from get really hot, but I don't
want my electronics getting damaged.- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -


If it is not oil or gas, maybe it is a heat pump. *You
have got to get and provide us with more information for
anyone here to be able to give you a coherent
answer/suggestion.


Or it could be electric, too.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


It's very likely the dimming is the compressor trying to start and the
cutout engaging. Ac compressors basically start under load so they
really can draw a lot of amps initially. 4 minutes is about the right
length of time for the cutout to cool and close.
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Posts: 10,530
Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

From what you write, the blower or the evaporator is clogged
with dust. A HVAC service company might be able to repair
the system. 20 years is about how long HVAC systems last,
and you might be better off to replace the furnace and AC.
Newones use less eneergy.

I doubt the computer will be harmed.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Jo" wrote in message
...
Hello,

The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly
and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you
want to
call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on.
I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air
that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in
different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at
this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my
parents.

I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is
happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and
hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but
everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs
ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house
temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At
this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.

My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after
the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need
more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying
he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about
getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him
this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.

Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And
since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic
equipment,
like my computer?


Jo


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Posted to alt.home.repair
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

Jo wrote:
Hello,

The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.

The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.

I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.

My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.

Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?



Whether the furnace or the AC is working properly is irrelevant to your
symptom. You've got a problem with the air handler - the thing that blows
the air around. The motor could be bad, the start capacitor could be bad, if
it has a belt, the belt could be slipping, the evaporator unit could be
clogged with stringy nasties or dozens of dead mice parts, a piece of duct
work could have come loose (so that you're cooling the attic!), or any
number of mechanical issues.

The good news is that whatever's the problem, it will be easy to spot.




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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 26, 10:38*am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Jo wrote:
Hello,


The central A/C and heat in my house aren't working properly and I
need to figure out why. All the equipment (or whatever you want to
call it) is about 24 years old.


The problem started about a month ago when the heat was on. I noticed
that hardly any air was blowing out of the vents and the air that was
blowing out was cool, not warm. Also, the lights in different rooms
would dim every 4 minutes or so. I turned off the heat at this point
and notified the owners of the house who happen to be my parents.


I turned on the A/C this morning and the same thing is happening. The
lights in different rooms dim every 4 minutes or so and hardly any air
is blowing out of the vents. The fan is set to "auto" but everything
has been running nonstop since I turned it on over 4 hrs ago, which is
not normal. I think it's running nonstop because the house temperature
hasn't reached the temperature I set the thermostat to. At this rate,
it never will because it's hardly blowing out any air.


My father says he put in a new filter, but this was after the problem
started a month ago. He mentioned that the unit might need more Freon,
but I think he checked that out because he came back saying he doesn't
know what the problem is. He mentioned something about getting someone
to check the pressure (whatever that means), but knowing him this
could take weeks and I'm burning up.


Does anyone have an any idea as to what might be wrong? And since the
lights keep dimming, will that harm any of my electronic equipment,
like my computer?


Whether the furnace or the AC is working properly is irrelevant to your
symptom. You've got a problem with the air handler - the thing that blows
the air around. The motor could be bad, the start capacitor could be bad, if
it has a belt, the belt could be slipping, the evaporator unit could be
clogged with stringy nasties or dozens of dead mice parts, a piece of duct
work could have come loose (so that you're cooling the attic!), or any
number of mechanical issues.

The good news is that whatever's the problem, it will be easy to spot.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


That's a conclusion that I don't think we can draw. Most homeowners
don't pay much attention to the volumn of airflow from the vents
unless they have a problem. So we don't know that his subjective
"hardly any" is a problem or not. Not to say it owuld not be worth
while to check the evaporator and airhandler. Almost no air handlers
have belts anymore btw.
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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

jamesgangnc wrote:

The good news is that whatever's the problem, it will be easy to
spot.- Hide quoted text -


That's a conclusion that I don't think we can draw. Most homeowners
don't pay much attention to the volumn of airflow from the vents
unless they have a problem. So we don't know that his subjective
"hardly any" is a problem or not. Not to say it owuld not be worth
while to check the evaporator and airhandler. Almost no air handlers
have belts anymore btw.


Agreed, but since the problem affects both heating and cooling, it would be
really weird for them both to fail simultaneously.

About the belt, you're right. Remember, though, his system is 24 years old
(mine's older and it doesn't have a belt), so who knows?


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Default Central A/C not working properly - hardly any air blowing out

On May 27, 6:19*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
jamesgangnc wrote:

The good news is that whatever's the problem, it will be easy to
spot.- Hide quoted text -


That's a conclusion that I don't think we can draw. *Most homeowners
don't pay much attention to the volumn of airflow from the vents
unless they have a problem. *So we don't know that his subjective
"hardly any" is a problem or not. *Not to say it owuld not be worth
while to check the evaporator and airhandler. *Almost no air handlers
have belts anymore btw.


Agreed, but since the problem affects both heating and cooling, it would be
really weird for them both to fail simultaneously.

About the belt, you're right. Remember, though, his system is 24 years old
(mine's older and it doesn't have a belt), so who knows?


It sounds a lot like he has heat pump. It failed to heat earlier in
the year and now fails to cool. And he is observing the lights
dimming at a frequency that suggests a compressor trying to start,
tripping the thermal cutout, and then repeating that a few minutes
later.
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