I have three 18 year old carrier units. I was checking R22 pressures on
all. Scrader valve apprarently stuck open and leaking on unit #3. The
next day I found cooling fan running with compressor not running but
bubbles comming out of scrader valve on suction line. I checked
pressures on high an low side, both about 125. The next day I installed
manifold gage and started unit. The suction started to drop and I open
the R22 supply. Pressure dropped to about 80 when compressor stopped
running. The fan kept running very slow. Checked 220 line and found lug
on panel beaker melted away from buss bar. Replace mini 220 beaker with
full size 220 breaker. When stating system the condensor fan runs slow
until contactor closed by thermostat then fan runs full speed. The
compressor tries to start but fail after 3 seconds. The system was
running and cooling well before I tested the pressures. At least it was
running better than the other two units.

Here are my questions:
1. Is there a low level freon cutout switch shutting the compressor
down?
2. Did a loss of freon and or oil cause the compressor to seize?
3. Did the faulty breaker cause the motor to sort-out or did a high
current from low freon overload the breakers or both?
4. What do you recommend?

Thanks for any advise,
Randy


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Randy Roberts wrote:

I have three 18 year old carrier units. I was checking R22 pressures on
all. Scrader valve apprarently stuck open and leaking on unit #3. The
next day I found cooling fan running with compressor not running but
bubbles comming out of scrader valve on suction line. I checked
pressures on high an low side, both about 125. The next day I installed
manifold gage and started unit. The suction started to drop and I open
the R22 supply. Pressure dropped to about 80 when compressor stopped
running. The fan kept running very slow. Checked 220 line and found lug
on panel beaker melted away from buss bar. Replace mini 220 beaker with
full size 220 breaker. When stating system the condensor fan runs slow
until contactor closed by thermostat then fan runs full speed. The
compressor tries to start but fail after 3 seconds. The system was
running and cooling well before I tested the pressures. At least it was
running better than the other two units.

Here are my questions:
1. Is there a low level freon cutout switch shutting the compressor
down?

Not at 80psig.

2. Did a loss of freon and or oil cause the compressor to seize?

Could've been that, or maybe a slug of liquid from somebody randomly
dumping in freon.

3. Did the faulty breaker cause the motor to sort-out or did a high
current from low freon overload the breakers or both?

Possible, not likely, but possible.

4. What do you recommend?

Two things:
1) A new unit
2) That you quit while you're ahead.

Why would you be checking pressures when you obviously know nothing
about air conditioning systems. What good is knowing the pressures when
you don't even know what they mean? You don't just dump freon into a
system on a whim, hell you probably caused every bit of the problems. I
recommend that you call somebody competent to check the systems
periodically; it'll be less expensive for you in the long run.

hvacrmedic

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 00:33:19 -0400, Randy Roberts
wrote:


I have three 18 year old carrier units. I was checking R22 pressures on
all. Scrader valve apprarently stuck open and leaking on unit #3. The
next day I found cooling fan running with compressor not running but
bubbles comming out of scrader valve on suction line. I checked
pressures on high an low side, both about 125. The next day I installed
manifold gage and started unit. The suction started to drop and I open
the R22 supply. Pressure dropped to about 80 when compressor stopped
running. The fan kept running very slow. Checked 220 line and found lug
on panel beaker melted away from buss bar. Replace mini 220 beaker with
full size 220 breaker. When stating system the condensor fan runs slow
until contactor closed by thermostat then fan runs full speed. The
compressor tries to start but fail after 3 seconds. The system was
running and cooling well before I tested the pressures. At least it was
running better than the other two units.

Here are my questions:
1. Is there a low level freon cutout switch shutting the compressor
down?

Some units do have a low pressure switch but the fact that it tries to
start says it isn't that.

2. Did a loss of freon and or oil cause the compressor to seize?
3. Did the faulty breaker cause the motor to sort-out or did a high
current from low freon overload the breakers or both?
4. What do you recommend?

Thanks for any advise,
Randy

The only way to find out what is wrong is to have it diagnosed by a
local pro who can take the needed readings. it could be any one of a
number of things.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++
spam protection measure, Please remove the 33 to send e-mail

"Randy Roberts" wrote in message
...

I have three 18 year old carrier units. I was checking R22 pressures on
all.
CY: Why? Were they working poorly? Did you check them running, or turned
off? Were you calculating superheat?


Scrader valve apprarently stuck open and leaking on unit #3. The
next day I found cooling fan running with compressor not running but
bubbles comming out of scrader valve on suction line. I checked
pressures on high an low side, both about 125.
CY: Sounds lke compressor not running.... but you already said that.

The next day I installed
manifold gage and started unit. The suction started to drop and I open
the R22 supply. Pressure dropped to about 80 when compressor stopped
running.
CY: Wonder if the two factoids are related?

The fan kept running very slow. Checked 220 line and found lug
on panel beaker melted away from buss bar. Replace mini 220 beaker with
full size 220 breaker. When stating system the condensor fan runs slow
until contactor closed by thermostat then fan runs full speed. The
compressor tries to start but fail after 3 seconds.
CY: Could be locked rotor, or possibly bad starting components. Or maybe not
getting enough power.


The system was
running and cooling well before I tested the pressures. At least it was
running better than the other two units.

Here are my questions:
1. Is there a low level freon cutout switch shutting the compressor
down?
CY: Possibly. I'm not sure about those units.

2. Did a loss of freon and or oil cause the compressor to seize?
CY: Doubt you'd lose enough oil. But, if you were injecting liquid, you
might have slugged the compressor. Not sure about AC compressors, but I have
known of an ignorant person to spray ether into a generator spark plug hole,
and then the next time starting it threw a piston rod. So, you might have
rinsed the lube out of the piston chamber of the compressor.

3. Did the faulty breaker cause the motor to sort-out or did a high
current from low freon overload the breakers or both?
CY: Not sure about this.

4. What do you recommend?
CY: At this point, it sounds like you made it worse instead of better. It's
a learning experience. I'd suggest check for 220 volt power at the
compressor. And then change out the compressor starting components. Maybe a
super boost kit. Cheaper than the next step -- which would be to replace the
condensing unit.


Thanks for any advise,
Randy
CY: Wish I had better news.

--
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To set the record straight there was no freon added to this unit. Thanks
for those with helpfull hints. If the hvacmedic replies are going to be
errogant then the advise will be of no benifit to this forum. Those of
us who want to learn and make better choices when selecting contractors
for repairs will have to seek advise only from those who are polite and
helpful. Are you looking for repeat buisness or just bolster you own
ego.

Thanks again to the others who were of help.

Have a nice day.
Randy


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"Randy Roberts" wrote in message
...

To set the record straight there was no freon added to this unit. Thanks
for those with helpfull hints. If the hvacmedic replies are going to be
errogant then the advise will be of no benifit to this forum. Those of
us who want to learn and make better choices when selecting contractors
for repairs will have to seek advise only from those who are polite and
helpful. Are you looking for repeat buisness or just bolster you own
ego.

RAndy:

Arrogant replies are not as arrogant if you are willing to learn from those
of us that deal with stupidity on a daily basis, those of us that deal with
other so called contractors screw ups on a daily basis, and those of us that
might know a bit more than Joe Blow down the street.
As far as business on here, or off the net period, I have gotten MORE for
being up front, perhaps NOT saying what you want to hear, and not being
sugar coated.
After a while, people hate to be bull****ted and I have actually had people
in my area read this forum and call....sure, I lost a few, but here is a
hint...if you dont like what you might be told, I could give a damn less if
they are on my customer list, since those that are, know that if I tell them
soomethings wrong, they KNOW its wrong.


Thanks again to the others who were of help.

Have a nice day.
Randy


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