On Apr 17, 4:41 pm, talkinggoat wrote:
i recently had to have the condensing unit changed out, in my home.
the unit is a 3 ton 13 seer amana condenser. i don't know what the
evaporator brand is, but it's about a 10 seer with the same tonnage.
The amana unit is only about 2 months old, but when it runs, sometimes
it squeals, sometimes the fan does not come on, and sometimes it acts
like it's straining to compress the refrigerant. it acted fine, for
about a month, then, one day, i walked outside, the compressor was
running, but the cooling fan was off, and the compressor was
squealing. ever since then, it exhibits the signs above. i had an a/c
tech come out and look at the unit. he advised that the condenser is
too inefficient for the evaporator, and the refrigerant is reaching
the compressor in a liquid state.

now, i know the basics of how refrigeration works, but i'm no expert,
although, i'm a quick study.i do build computers, so i know how to
read a wiring schematic. i noticed that the condenser has a 2 speed
fan, so i had him buy pass the low speed, to make sure that it wasn't
the speed switch. so far, i have not noticed the compressor running
with the fan off, but it has only been a day.

does the guy's theory about liquid refrigerant reaching the compressor
hold "liquid refrigerant" he didn't take any pressure readings from
the lines.

i just spoke to someone regarding this issue, that i know i can trust.
he advised that if the evaporator were not vaporizing the refrigerant,
the compressor would be making a chattering sound, from the valves,
not a squealing sound. he seems to think that it overheated or it is
not getting oiled properly.

the ac tech is trying to say that because the condenser is seer 13 and
the evaporator is seer 10, it is causing problems with the compressor
by not allowing the refrigerant to vaporize.

as far as i know, seer is just a measurement of efficiency, not a
measurement of btu or tonnage, and would not have the same effect as
putting a 4 ton condenser on a 3 ton evaporator, for example. am i
correct in assuming this?

my condenser and evaporator are both 3 ton units.