Hi, I recently bought a house with a Carrier 58DXC downflow condensing furnace and have realized that there are no filters installed. The manual shows that two 16x20x1 filters must be inserted through the blower compartment and installed leaning against the walls of the return air plenum above. However, there is nowhere near enough space in the blower compartment to allow a filter of this size through. Guess I know why the previous owners didn't bother!
Do I try a smaller size (for a less upright lean), or is there a better solution? I'm including a photo of the blower compartment and the filter diagram. The bottom filter edges are supposed to rest on the metal brace across the top of the compartment.
Wow..... that is pretty lame and hard to get to.
It looks like a smaller area than 16x20.
What is the opening on each side ?
Is 20" the front to back measurement ?
Yes, the 20" is the front to back measurement. The blower compartment is just barely 16" tall, so the filter could theoretically slide in vertically along the left side of the blower if not for the multiple wires in the way.
Definitely no access to the plenum from above:
I'm wondering if there would be any harm in trying narrower filters, say, 12x20x1s. If I can actually get them in there, they would just lay flatter in the plenum than the 16x20s. Would that be any cause for concern?
Here are the instructions from the manual, for what they're worth. The referenced cleanable filters are long gone if they ever existed.
The first one like that I encountered left me thinking they wouldn't fit. -Except that I could see the old ones did-. Concentrate on getting the right one in first, then the left. The filter arrows should point down and after you do it once the next times are easy. I never needed tape of any type.
Yes..... you don't need to use any tape but it makes it easier for many people... including my customers.
Take a 3-5" piece of duct tape. Attach it to the front and back of the filter and fold in half.
Makes a handle to help get the filter in it its proper location.
May have return grill filters installed. That unit looks pretty clean to have never had filters.
By the way, you’ll want to get that unit checked out. It’s on the class action lawsuit list for faulty secondary heat exchangers.
Here’s the gist. 1990’s Armstrong down draft furnace. Currently in garage shop. New flame sensor, new old style limit switch. (It has the copper jumper wire on it) The kind with the spring coil control. Turn on heat, flame comes on, fan then shortly after. But, the fan comes on before the switch hits the point where the fan should kick on. Then after heating up a bit it starts clicking allot and the flame keeps shutting down and coming back on. Over and over. Note: The air coming in in probably pretty cold. Someone told me that could be a factor. It’s just a garage furnace a bypass would work unless it’s dangerous. I’m wanting to put a timer control on it anyway.
Hi!
As I am accumulating proposals to either replace of augment my old HVAC system, I keep questioning myself as to whether I am doing a disservice to my project by only calling 'HVAC Contractors' vs also getting quotes from the more abundant 'Plumbing & Heating' contractors in my area.
My thinking is that 'Plumbing & Heating' means that contactor spends most of their time on plumbing work, and is focused on keeping up with trends in the plumbing field-- HVAC contractors, at least in my mind, are focused on all things HVAC--which I assume means that they would be more focused on that field and up on technology improvements
Is this a completely arbitrary way of thinking? SHOULD I consider getting proposals from Plumbing & Heating shops for my project as well?
Thanks for any and all advice, as always!
--K
11-24-21, 01:59 PM
