: 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.
CY: Matched for tonnage is good.

: 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.
CY: Something seriously wrong. On most AC, the fan should come on
at the same time as the compressor.

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.
CY: A new outdoor unit would have a new condensor, which is as
efficient as you're gonna get. Makes me wonder if the indoor unit
is a problem. That could cause liquid to flood back to the
compressor.

:
: 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.
CY: yes, the outdoor fan should run with the compressor.

:
: does the guy's theory about liquid refrigerant reaching the
compressor
: hold "liquid refrigerant" he didn't take any pressure
readings from
: the lines.
CY: It's possible. If there is liquid coming back to the
compressor, it sounds like your indoor evaporator is dirty, or
low air flow. Or both.

:
: 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.
CY: I'm with you on the evaporator part. As to not oiled, well,
the oil is mixed in with the freon.

:
: 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.
CY: Or, the old evaporator may be totally dirty.

:
: 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?
CY: I've heard that it's not good to put a high seer condensor on
an older evaporator. Sounds like one of those cases.

:
: my condenser and evaporator are both 3 ton units.
CY: Best of luck. Let us know how things work out.
: