DIYbanter - View Single Post - Found crack in cylindrical part inside A/C condenser unit

Zyp

wrote:
On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:00:33 -0400, "Smarty"
wrote:

"JayN" wrote in message
...
I had my Central A/C tuned up at the beginning of June. It has been
working nicely, I still am getting cooling. My unit is a 4 ton
Carrier system. It is an older system that uses R22.

Today, I happened to take a peak through the top of the condenser
unit, and noticed that there is a crack in the metal case of light
grey colored cylindrical part.

Here are links to 2 photos:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeofpch/cracked_ac.jpg

and

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeofpch/cracked_ac2.jpg

What part is this? Does the crack in the metal case mean failure
will soon happen...if so how soon? What is the brown stuff I see
on the side of this part below the crack...is this oil? Do I have
a freon leak?

Nobody mentioned this during my tune-up. From the looks of it, it's
hard to believe the crack didn't exist at the beginning of the month
at all, and they didn't need to add any freon because pressure was
fine, and I'm still getting adequate cooling as far as I can tell.

Does anything need to be done?

Thanks,

Jay

Jay,

I am guessing that the light-colored cylindrical part you have
photographed is a large electrolytic capacitor, typically used to
start the outdoor

Dude - you're out of your area. Stick to electricity.

It's an accumulator, and regardless of how you probably relate
that word ( and the word 'condensor', knowing you :-) ) to
'capacitor', it's not.

It's a hollow steel cylinder with an inlet and an outlet pipe,
no wires. Liquid refrigerant goes in, vapor comes out ( in normal
operation ).

Thus, it gets cold. Contracts and expands. Sweats. Thus
the strain on the paint. Which separates sometimes.

Maybe some of the "experts" on this newsgroup can offer better
advice. Based on my participation on Usenet and Arpanet dating back
to the 1980's, I must say that I have never seen a more pathetic
collection of people than I have encountered here. Many questions
are answered with snide, sarcastic remarks

Like the one you just threw out ? Dont' get ****ign ****y all
of a sudden. Especially on a post where you just gave the most
incorrect answer imaginable.

by people have sniffed far too many chlorinated and fluorinated
hydrocarbons. Some questions are ignored altogether. You might
consider posing your question at alt.home.repair or one of the HVAC
forums on the Internet. This newsgroup is about as dysfunctional as
any I have every seen.

Then what the **** are you doing here handing out wrong
answers ?

I appreciated some of your comments in your area, electical,
but you are ****ing UNDER WATER on this one, so STFU.

And leave if you don't like it.

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Zyp