Heat pump checkup - what to check?
 

I have a couple Lennox heat pumps I want to have checked. Aside from gas
pressure and current draw, what else would they check, or should I
specifically have them check? I regularly change the filters so they
shouldn't need to check those.

I could easily check the current draw with a clamp-on ammeter myself - how
good is current draw an indicator of a system health?

Lastly, is it really a big deal to check line pressures? Should I get a set
of gauges and Do It Myself?

checking system pressures is unnecessary if it is cooling well, if they were
not correct, it would not be cooling well

how is it cooling? fine? then leave the gauges alone

if you feel the need to do something, clean outside coil with lye based coil
cleaner and comb out any bent fins on both indoor and outdoor coils

modern HVAC systems are maintenance free, except for keeping the coils clean

"routine maintenance" doesn't extend the life of the system, and could
easily damage something that was not broken in the first place



"JohnH" wrote in message
...
I have a couple Lennox heat pumps I want to have checked. Aside from gas
pressure and current draw, what else would they check, or should I
specifically have them check? I regularly change the filters so they
shouldn't need to check those.

I could easily check the current draw with a clamp-on ammeter myself - how
good is current draw an indicator of a system health?

Lastly, is it really a big deal to check line pressures? Should I get a
set of gauges and Do It Myself?

Does that apply to modern cars to Papaya? The thing that I cannot understand
in this forum is why some people feel the urgency to reply to questions that
they have absolutely NO idea of what they are talking about. Firstly yes the
system is capable of cooling with an inaccurate charge for a period of time.
Guages are required to determine the charge and superheat of the system.
Inaccurate charging not only nulifies efficiency ratings it also damages the
compressor. Do you know how to read a set of guages John? Can you convert to
superheat? Do you have a clue about wet bulb? Secondly if you need to ask if
current draw provides any indication of the systems components condition,
then you are apparently also have no business with an amprobe. Why would you
go buy these things if you have absolutely no idea of what their readings
indicate? And Papaya....a lye based coil cleaner? What are you friends of
the Clampetts for Christ sake. The only other thing I can figure is you
might be a contractor feeding this bull**** to naive HO's to generate
business I would suggest you both stick with what you
know...........whatever it might be, obviously HVAC ain't it.

The common factor in ALL your problems..............
..................is you.







"papaya" wrote in message
...
checking system pressures is unnecessary if it is cooling well, if they
were
not correct, it would not be cooling well

how is it cooling? fine? then leave the gauges alone

if you feel the need to do something, clean outside coil with lye based
coil
cleaner and comb out any bent fins on both indoor and outdoor coils

modern HVAC systems are maintenance free, except for keeping the coils
clean

"routine maintenance" doesn't extend the life of the system, and could
easily damage something that was not broken in the first place



"JohnH" wrote in message
...
I have a couple Lennox heat pumps I want to have checked. Aside from gas
pressure and current draw, what else would they check, or should I
specifically have them check? I regularly change the filters so they
shouldn't need to check those.

I could easily check the current draw with a clamp-on ammeter myself -
how
good is current draw an indicator of a system health?

Lastly, is it really a big deal to check line pressures? Should I get a
set of gauges and Do It Myself?

Guages are required to
determine the charge and superheat of the system. Inaccurate charging
not only nulifies efficiency ratings it also damages the compressor.
Do you know how to read a set of guages John? Can you convert to
superheat? Do you have a clue about wet bulb? Secondly if you need to
ask if current draw provides any indication of the systems components
condition, then you are apparently also have no business with an
amprobe.

Golly, that sure is technical! I could NEVER understand that! I would have
thought there is a chart or something I could reference to see if the system
had the proper charge or was pulling the proper current; I had no idea I had
to know everything about HVAC theory to read some gauges! Those needles
pointing to numbers, how in the would would anyone ever figure out what they
mean?

Anthony, you are a lifesaver!

JohnH wrote:

Guages are required to
determine the charge and superheat of the system. Inaccurate charging
not only nulifies efficiency ratings it also damages the compressor.
Do you know how to read a set of guages John? Can you convert to
superheat? Do you have a clue about wet bulb? Secondly if you need to
ask if current draw provides any indication of the systems components
condition, then you are apparently also have no business with an
amprobe.

Golly, that sure is technical! I could NEVER understand that! I would have
thought there is a chart or something I could reference to see if the system
had the proper charge or was pulling the proper current; I had no idea I had
to know everything about HVAC theory to read some gauges! Those needles
pointing to numbers, how in the would would anyone ever figure out what they
mean?

Training, training, training... :)

Papaya,

Cleaning the coil with a lye based coil cleaner will corrode the coil.
Why would you want to do that? Better to use a mild detergent
formulated for cleaning ac coils.

Stretch

And you're a ****ing idiot....I assume you know about the federal law that
also prohibits you from dicking with refrigerants, my little boy has learned
to read guages, it does NOT mean he knows what the readings indicate. I
LLLOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEEE homeowners like you though, you are an outstanding
source of job security for real technicians.
"JohnH" wrote in message
...
Guages are required to
determine the charge and superheat of the system. Inaccurate charging
not only nulifies efficiency ratings it also damages the compressor.
Do you know how to read a set of guages John? Can you convert to
superheat? Do you have a clue about wet bulb? Secondly if you need to
ask if current draw provides any indication of the systems components
condition, then you are apparently also have no business with an
amprobe.

Golly, that sure is technical! I could NEVER understand that! I would
have
thought there is a chart or something I could reference to see if the
system
had the proper charge or was pulling the proper current; I had no idea I
had
to know everything about HVAC theory to read some gauges! Those needles
pointing to numbers, how in the would would anyone ever figure out what
they
mean?

Anthony, you are a lifesaver!

Yep. Of course John can read a P-T chart so he's probably ready to go to
Carrier and redesign the entire mechanical refrigeration cycle.....I mean if
you can read it, it must surely mean you can do it. Right John?
"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
JohnH wrote:

Guages are required to
determine the charge and superheat of the system. Inaccurate charging
not only nulifies efficiency ratings it also damages the compressor.
Do you know how to read a set of guages John? Can you convert to
superheat? Do you have a clue about wet bulb? Secondly if you need to
ask if current draw provides any indication of the systems components
condition, then you are apparently also have no business with an
amprobe.

Golly, that sure is technical! I could NEVER understand that! I would
have
thought there is a chart or something I could reference to see if the
system
had the proper charge or was pulling the proper current; I had no idea I
had
to know everything about HVAC theory to read some gauges! Those needles
pointing to numbers, how in the would would anyone ever figure out what
they
mean?

Training, training, training... :)