AC blows strong at first then weak


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Old 08-17-06, 06:20 AM
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AC blows strong at first then weak

We had a new HVAC split unit installed in February (Carrier Comfort 92.) A couple days ago the power went out. When the power came back on, the indoor fan was blowing, but the house wasn't cooling. We soon saw that the compressor wasn't blowing. After some checking of circuit breakers. We couldn't find the problem. A friend of a friend in the HVAC business came by. After checking the inside unit and testing a couple things, he found that it was a loose wire connection in the compressor. I have no idea if any of this could have to do with the power going out, but thought I'd mention it. Anyway, presto, the compressor came on and the house started cooling. A few hours later that night, we noticed the house had only gotten a little cooler. I found that the vents inside were only barely blowing, but the inside unit was on/blowing. The compressor was working. We turned the tstat to off overnight. The next morning, I turned on the tstat. The air was coming out of the vents cold and fast. Within 1-2 hours (wasnt' paying attention), the vents were back to barely blowing. What could be going on? I hate to call on the friend of a friend again, so I wanted to see if there was anything we could check before calling him or HVAC service.
 
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Old 08-17-06, 08:05 AM
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Wink

This new AC put in. Was it put on a older furnace? Is the inside blower a V/S one?? Filter clean???. When AC is on at the outdoor condenser unit. Is the big copper line cold and wet and the small copper line warm to hot.
Not there to see but you could be low on freon and the coil ice 's up cuts the air down ??? Not sure.

ED
 
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Old 08-17-06, 11:01 AM
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Thanks. The whole thing was replaced at the same time - AC and Furnace. I just changed the filter thinking that might have been the problem, no change.
I think you're right about the freon. I've had the AC off all day b/c I didn't want to mess up the unit. However, last night something dripped on me from the insulated copper pipe that connects into the AC. I'm now thinking it had frozen and was melting. Right now it's fairly cold. The other smaller copper pipe is slightly warm. I just turned the AC on and will check in an hour to see the status.
 
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Old 08-17-06, 11:58 AM
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You need to call the installer back. They may be able to void your warranty if you continue running it like this.
 
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Old 08-17-06, 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by mattison
You need to call the installer back. They may be able to void your warranty if you continue running it like this.
Absolutely....if the unit was installed in February then getting the charge just right in the dead of winter is sometimes iffy for the inexperienced.
 
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Old 08-18-06, 03:59 AM
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Here's the fun part. We used a friend that works for an HVAC company (project manager.) He had one of his guys install it. Anyway, the friend is off on his honeymoon, so I cannot get a hold of him for another week! I cannot remember the installer/company that he works for. Now is the time I start thinking that it doesn't "pay" to use friends... however we saved a ton of money. Anyway, this other guy that fixed the compressor said he could come back out. (I didn't even have him check the inside unit after the compressor was fixed - never thought there was a problem inside too!)
He said the same thing you guys are saying about the freezing copper pipe. I turned on the unit for a while, and the pipe froze.
Do I just need freon in order to fix the freezing pipe? Does he need to fix "the charge" as you stated below? I'm very curious how that works (and mad that the installer didn't do it right from the beginning - good deal or not!) Could anything void the warranty if it's not fixed by the original installer?
 
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Old 08-18-06, 05:56 AM
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Freon is the "charge". Your equipment mfr. warranty shouldn't be voided by someone else working on it. As far as your labor warranty by the original installer... well he's on his honeymoon and unavailable.
 
 

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