Is this a sign of low refrigerant?


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Old 04-27-21, 12:44 PM
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Is this a sign of low refrigerant?

I posted this awhile ago while it works the evaporator has some ice and this thing and copper tubes has some ice as long as the compressor is running it has ice but as soon as it shuts off it melts like right away.
Is this low on refrigerant?

oh the 61°F is the room temperature as read by the thermistor on the evaporator coil it is off like 3 degrees.


 
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Old 04-27-21, 07:23 PM
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Freezing can be a symptom of low refrigerant but in your case, you're keeping it too cold.
Don't set below 68 and don't run the a/c when it's below 60 outside.
 
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Old 04-27-21, 08:25 PM
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Freezing can be a symptom of low refrigerant but in your case, you're keeping it too cold.
Don't set below 68 and don't run the a/c when it's below 60 outside.
Cool (I guess literally also) It was around 62 °F outside when I took these pictures.

The temperature goes from 61° - 86°F it shuts the compressor off 3 degrees below the set-point so 58°F in this case.

What is that big thing beside the compressor? filter and or dryer?

I guess this ac has low refrigerant? LoL

This one was also a trash find which has since been put back where I got it from


 
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Old 04-27-21, 10:47 PM
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Test it again when it's 68f or above outside and a normal room temperature.
It may not be low on refrigerant, was probably just too cold for testing.

If the coil starts freezing from one side in more normal conditions, it's a refrigeration problem.
If it freezes evenly, it's an airflow problem.
When it's too cold, it will exhibit the same symptoms as being low on refrigerant.
 
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Old 04-28-21, 04:22 PM
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normal room temperature
OK but what is considered a "Normal" room temperature? I like it cold the closer to 62°F the better!
Anyway the outside was around 75°F today and no ice was present on the inside evaporator just a slight frosting on that line and thing outside but not like yesterday, so I assume it's fine then?
 
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Old 04-28-21, 05:49 PM
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62° is an unreasonable setpoint to expect for comfort cooling. Your getting into high temp refrigeration at such temperatures. It also can cause mold and mildew growth within the walls, as the vast majority of structures do not offer adequate insulation and vapor barriers to protect against such a large difference in indoor/outdoor temperature.
 
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Old 04-29-21, 12:17 PM
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high temp refrigeration
Okay never understood the "chemical science" talk behind the different refrigerants high vs low temperature etc.
I do know most commercial coolers use R-404 and some use R-134A and the older ones Used R-12 never seen one use R-22 however I have seen older buses and bigger commercial vehicles AC use R-22 when most vehicles use either R-12 or R-134A but now use R-1234YF (whose name sounds like a 5th grader thought of it).

I don't own the place but they did replace the windows a year or so ago and when the removed the old ones the insulation was moldy and looked like it got soaked with rain and/or AC condensate but I never had an AC in this window before (until now)

Why do most AC units go to 61°F if this is not good for the place?

Also legal advice please (if not appropriate please remove this part)
I am now getting harassed by the management for having a window AC as they are no longer allowed because they installed the damn mini-split that does not work!

Anyway I have medical reasons for AC as the humidity does no good for my Asthma as I was in the ER is 2018 for this reason!

Anyway they sent an "informal" notice as in a letter stuck in tenants mail boxes but the lease says nothing about window rattlers being banned so I think they really have no legal grounds to do anything to me?

Thanks
 
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Old 04-29-21, 01:20 PM
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I believe your minisplit no longer works because your purposely released all the refrigerant from it?
Your creating an unhealthy environment turning the system down that far. Humidity, following the psychometric chart, begins to increase dramatically at low temps. So your actually increasing your humidity setting the systems that low.
It’s just the range of settings on the thermostat. It’s kind of like a vehicle, just because the speedometer goes to 120 doesn’t mean you should go that fast. Other specialty built buildings need to be that cool.
R22 was used for refrigeration and comfort cooling. However the setup of window shakers and comfort cooling systems doesn’t allow them to maintain that low of a setpoint.
 
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Old 04-29-21, 04:19 PM
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It’s kind of like a vehicle, just because the speedometer goes to 120 doesn’t mean you should go that fast
This I know all too well as my stepfather had a 2007 Toyota Rav 4 The speedometer went to 140 MPH it could barely go 75 without falling apart with the RPM's 2 notches below red line!

I believe your minisplit no longer works because your purposely released all the refrigerant from it?
No I only went as far as opening the access door where the fittings are but did nothing else as I did not want to get in trouble plus it and the fittings were already coated in oil (I had nothing to do with that!) it looked like it mostly came from the red high pressure side.

The mini-split never worked properly since it was put in in late 2017 installer issue as the people they hired to do all 186 units were idiots to put in "kindly" most are not even level (both indoor and outdoor pieces).



They even forgot to connect the drain line on about 5 apartments they are no longer in business Gee I wonder why Not!

It does have a dehumidifier mode but I don't see any sign of a humidity sensor when I had it apart to clean or in the service manual I think it is just temperature based?

Your creating an unhealthy environment turning the system down that far. Humidity, following the psychometric chart, begins to increase dramatically at low temps. So your actually increasing your humidity setting the systems that low.
Never knew that but when the compressor does turn off the humidity spikes up as I guess the fan makes the water arriate like those old humidifiers that used a spinning disk in a jug of water same principle I think?
 
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Old 04-29-21, 04:39 PM
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Your evaporating the moisture on the evaporator back out into the space. Running the fan constantly in cooling mode will elevate humidity.
 
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Old 04-29-21, 05:59 PM
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I guess setting a sane temperature and running it on "energy saver" mode is the best way then? It shuts the fan off 2 minutes after the compressor shuts off and makes the off cycle somewhat longer why I don't know?

I did that many many many years ago with a big 12K window rattler with 2 dials and switches it had one neat feature that newer units lack is "air swing" as Panasonic called it it had a separate motor to move the air directing louvers.
 
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Old 04-29-21, 06:22 PM
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A sensible cooling setpoint and separate dehumidifier would work well, if your sensitive to humidity.
 
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Old 04-30-21, 06:35 AM
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Your evaporating the moisture on the evaporator back out into the space. Running the fan constantly in cooling mode will elevate humidity.
OK stupid question again sorry but what if I have it on cool mode with the compressor on but shut the fan off? My older dial ones did just this if I had the fan speed selector in the middle of two speeds as I guess the switches are break before make as two speed windings on is not good (never tried it, what will happen anyway?) I assume the coil will ice up as no air is moving though it and it will get too cold thus ice?

A sensible cooling setpoint and separate dehumidifier would work well, if your sensitive to humidity.
I used to be sensitive to both I used to be a lot fatter but since COVID I lost almost 90 pounds (the exact opposite of most people LoL)

I can now feel cold again so even the 62°F is cold for me now I just keep it on to dehumidify the air as this place is build on a concrete slab and no basement! so in the summer the indoor RH can be as high as 85% the humidity is what bothers me the most now.

I'll see if I can get an older dehumidifier as the modern ones suck! they don't last more then a year if that!

Also is 65°F OK or maybe 66°F?

I assume I can run both the AC and dehumidifier at the same time with out making one or both work harder?

I know to use separate circuits also the AC is on a 15A breaker with a few lights (that dim quite a bit when the compressor starts is it normal for another circuit to also dim when the compressor starts?)

Thanks
 
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Old 04-30-21, 08:40 AM
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68-70° is the normal limit. Can’t run a compressor without the fan. You need heat exchange.
Humidity that high consistently will cause mold and mildew growth.
 
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Old 04-30-21, 08:50 AM
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68-70°
So 66°F will be pushing it? Yes I get mold all of the time and now they are passing this issue on the tenants but not my fault the place was built like this! and their "improvements" made it worse actually! Cheap crap doors windows everything they had put in or replaced is junk the old stuff was better quality and was actually installed right! I see so many gaps in the new porch awnings and stuff!

Can’t run a compressor without the fan. You need heat exchange
forgot about that as the fan is actually 2 in one 2 sets of blower wheels one of each end one for the evaporator and one for the condenser and if the hot side does not air out I assume the compressor will overheat?
 
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Old 04-30-21, 02:06 PM
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Well I think it is low! I had it on for two hours and I was hot and I took the cover off and the whole evaporator was iced over, not as bad as the one above but a slight frosting on the whole thing I had the air vents pointing up and I had my curtains in the way I did not notice this can it sucking it's own cold LOL cause this also?
I moved the vent down and melted the ice with my heat gun (tripped the 15A breaker as I did not turn it off oops!)
 
 

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