AC unit turns on and off immediately

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07-22-06, 07:40 PM

tcdo6666

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AC unit turns on and off immediately

Hi All,

I'm not an expert in any way as far as AC units are concerned so I wanted to get some peoples opinions before I called the service people. Here is what happens:

When I turn on the AC "ON" on the thermostat, the AC unit outside starts up and after about 2-3 seconds, turns off and never comes back on. So, obviously, no cooling is occuring at all. When I went back inside the house, I found that one of the clocks in a room had reset and was blinking. Went to check the circuit breakers and none of the breakers were tripped (which explains why the clock was back on).

So, I just wanted to know what you guys think might be the problem? Is the AC unit drawing too much current? Is there a safety mechanism that shuts the AC unit off automatically? Note that I moved into this house at the beginning of the year so I only tested it once and it worked.

Thanks for all your replies/thoughts,
Toan

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07-22-06, 07:57 PM

brentwoodpmg

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the more you tell us about your system, the age, type,etc., the better we may be able to help, remember, we are not at site and we need the most info that you can provide to get a general idea of the problem(s). but this sounds like a control
board/wiring problem

barry

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07-22-06, 08:21 PM

tcdo6666

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Barry,

The condensing unit is a Carrier 38HDC (38HD036321). I can't tell you how old the unit is though. I just moved in about 6 months ago. The house itself is 40 years old and the furnace was replaced May 2005. I'm not sure when/if the AC was replaced. Unit seems in fairly good shape though.

What do you mean by control board wiring problem? Can I check anything (using a multimeter)?

Thanks,
Toan

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Air Conditioning and Cooling Systems
New central AC/heat install in SoCal

K

kellyandjulie on Jul 21, 2006

Hi all - I read through pages and pages of threads, and have learned a lot. We bought our house in Nov, and plan to stay at least 10 years. I am getting quotes for a new install of AC and heat, since I currently only have a floor heater. The house is 1250sf, and I live in the LA area. I know that waiting until a heat wave to install AC was probably a bad idea, but the wife is ready to strangle me unless I get it installed asap. I have gotten 3 quotes: #1: $10,600. Lennox 3-ton #13ACD36 AC unit; #G40-36-70 Furnace; Fampro (?) 6000 digital thermostat; "pet package" filtration ("prefilter" and "media filter," doesn't specify brand/model); new ducting with 9 outlets. $500 additional for 3.5-ton unit. 1-day install. #2: $9,800. Lennox 3-ton #XC15 036-230 AC (R410A); #G61MVP 36-70 furnace; Aspen coil; Lennox Signature thermostat; new ducting, # of outlets not specified. Lennox PureAir filtration $1450 extra. 4-day install. #3: $9,800. Carrier 3.5-ton #24APA5 42-3 AC (Puron); 58DLX 090-14 furnace; 3.5-ton coil (Puron); digital programmable thermostat; new ducting, # of outlets not specified. EAC 1000 electronic air cleaner $425 extra. 4-day install. I'm curious if these prices are what can be expected right now, or are these guys trying to gouge me? Each one seems very different in the equipment selection. #2 seems to have the best equipment, but no filtration. What is the best bang for the buck, filtration-wise? Do I need 3.5 tons with 1250sf in sunny SoCal, or is 3 enough? Do I need variable speed, 2-stage, etc, etc, or is the extra complexity asking for higher repair bills down the road? Which of these would be best to go with? Or should I specify lower/higher grade equipment? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Air Conditioning and Cooling Systems
Pricing on Trane 2ton Heatpump System

G

gbhomeowner on Jul 22, 2006

I had been having problems with my current 2ton heatpump system. Had a new company come up and check my system since the previous company did not seem to be helping me find the problem -- the just kept adding freon every season for the past two years. The problem has gotten worse and the new company said the condenser in the handler has a lot of leaks and has also been corroded with a lot of rust. It is about 20 years old. The 2ton heat pump outside is 12 years old. When they checked it they said the compressor is dead. At this point the system is just blowing air around inside -- not cooling. I live in a 1200sqft townhome near Baltimore. The basement is finished but has no air ducts. Basically, I'm just heating and cooling the two top floors. My townhouse is an interior unit so it pretty well insulated. The prices for a new unit -- Trane 2Ton Heat Pump System are as follows ro replace the handler and heat pump: 16 seer (with R-410A) - $7203.00 14 seer (with R-410A) -- $6420.00 14 seer (with R-22) -- $6295.00 13 seer (with R-22) -- $5530.00 These are all with a 10 yr comp warranty 13 seer (With R-22) -- $5389.00 -- with a 5 yr comp warranty. These prices are just for the systems using my existing ductwork. I will get a couple more estimates but I was wondering what your opinions were of these prices and systems. I'm a new homeowner and don't know very much about HVAC systems. Thanks for your help.