Heat Pump and freon
#1
12-01-05, 06:43 AM
Heat Pump and freon
We were experiencing a low freon problem and had someone come out!
The guy said he put in 5 lb's of freon and it still needed more!
I thought that most residential heat pump units only required about 4 lb's to fill from dry.
Is there something wrong here?
It's a Trane unit outside, not sure whats inside. We only moved in about a year ago! The unit does not appear to be that old, it's the only thing the previous owners did not leave paperwork on.
Thanks in advance
Neil
The guy said he put in 5 lb's of freon and it still needed more!
I thought that most residential heat pump units only required about 4 lb's to fill from dry.Is there something wrong here?
It's a Trane unit outside, not sure whats inside. We only moved in about a year ago! The unit does not appear to be that old, it's the only thing the previous owners did not leave paperwork on.
Thanks in advance
Neil
#2
12-01-05, 06:47 AM
Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Cinti, OH
Posts: 5,315
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
The amount of refrigerant a unit holds depends on it's size. Can you get the model and serial numbers off of the outside unit and post them here.
Did the guy mention searching for the leak or was this done by a home warranty company ??
Did the guy mention searching for the leak or was this done by a home warranty company ??
#3
12-01-05, 07:03 AM
Will Check
The man checked for leaks and said there was none!
We seldom used the AC last summer but it did cool the house and did heat the past few times we used it last month!
I was concerned as the outside unit was frosting over and then the fan would stop. A couple of min's later the fan would dick back on! It seemed to cycle alot.
Will have my wife check for the numbers, it's a 40 mile drive from work!
Thank
Neil
We seldom used the AC last summer but it did cool the house and did heat the past few times we used it last month!
I was concerned as the outside unit was frosting over and then the fan would stop. A couple of min's later the fan would dick back on! It seemed to cycle alot.
Will have my wife check for the numbers, it's a 40 mile drive from work!
Thank
Neil
#4
12-01-05, 07:14 AM
Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Cinti, OH
Posts: 5,315
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by nbaptist
Will have my wife check for the numbers, it's a 40 mile drive from work!
Thank
Neil
Thank
Neil
No rush.
a lot of us hang out here at night too.There very well may not be a leak. After the service tech is done take some wax or white out or something else to mark the service valve caps for tampering. Kids nowadays actually huff the freon to get high.
#5
12-01-05, 07:35 AM
No Huffin here
Originally Posted by mattison
No rush. 
a lot of us hang out here at night too.
There very well may not be a leak. After the service tech is done take some wax or white out or something else to mark the service valve caps for tampering. Kids nowadays actually huff the freon to get high.
a lot of us hang out here at night too.There very well may not be a leak. After the service tech is done take some wax or white out or something else to mark the service valve caps for tampering. Kids nowadays actually huff the freon to get high.
#7
12-01-05, 10:15 AM
Originally Posted by nbaptist
I was concerned as the outside unit was frosting over and then the fan would stop. A couple of min's later the fan would dick back on! It seemed to cycle alot.
And if it got low of refrigerant there is a leak. the stuff doesn't just evaporate. that is if it was actually low, and not some other issue that made it seem low.
#8
12-01-05, 12:43 PM
Temp
The temp was in the mid to high 30's!
I just wanted to make sure the unit was working properly!
Seems funny that he could 5 lb's in it when they only hold about 4, and he claimed it needed more!
The unit worked about the same before and after he reportedly added the 5 lb's.
So ..........
I just wanted to make sure the unit was working properly!
Seems funny that he could 5 lb's in it when they only hold about 4, and he claimed it needed more!
The unit worked about the same before and after he reportedly added the 5 lb's.
So ..........
#9
12-01-05, 01:09 PM
Loose rule of thumb for refrigerant capacity is 2 1/2 lbs per ton you appear to have a 3 ton unit so it would hold approx 7lbs if it all had leaked out. My concern is that you may not have a leak and he may have overcharged your unit, a inexperienced service tech could do that easily if the unit is frozen up especially if he is not taking superheat and subcooling readings and allowing the unit to run long enough to stabilize. You said in your last post that the unit works the same as it did before the work was done, does that mean that it is still freezing up on the outside coil? Some freezup is normal at ambient temps below freezing but a properly charged unit with a properly operating defrost cycle will have minimal ice formation. You may have to invest in a service call from a more experienced tech. Put in some due diligence on the phone hunting down a reputable service company let them know the model numbers of your unit and make sure they send their best qualified person even if you have to wait for a few extra days. Sometimes Mr tech is yesterdays helper turned pro tech today due to high call volume, bossman is trying to stretch his manpower a bit LOL ask for what you want don't just expect them to take care of you, treat it like its your money you are spending, it is right?
#10
12-02-05, 08:56 AM
How much freon
Originally Posted by DNT1
Loose rule of thumb for refrigerant capacity is 2 1/2 lbs per ton you appear to have a 3 ton unit so it would hold approx 7lbs if it all had leaked out. My concern is that you may not have a leak and he may have overcharged your unit, a inexperienced service tech could do that easily if the unit is frozen up especially if he is not taking superheat and subcooling readings and allowing the unit to run long enough to stabilize. You said in your last post that the unit works the same as it did before the work was done, does that mean that it is still freezing up on the outside coil? Some freezup is normal at ambient temps below freezing but a properly charged unit with a properly operating defrost cycle will have minimal ice formation. You may have to invest in a service call from a more experienced tech. Put in some due diligence on the phone hunting down a reputable service company let them know the model numbers of your unit and make sure they send their best qualified person even if you have to wait for a few extra days. Sometimes Mr tech is yesterdays helper turned pro tech today due to high call volume, bossman is trying to stretch his manpower a bit LOL ask for what you want don't just expect them to take care of you, treat it like its your money you are spending, it is right?
What I was refering to was that the unit did heat but ran for long periods of time. The unit, after charge, does cycle in a normal maner now!
2.5 x 3 is 7.5 - 5 only leaves 2.5 lbs of freon!
I was just confused about how much freon was needed. If it is a 3 ton unit and needed 5 lb, would it supply any heat with that little freon in it?
We live in an area where no one will come! We are 25+ miles from and city of any size. The wife called several known good companys and all of them refused to drive up here! So sometimes you get what you can get but the guy was no beginner!
#11
12-02-05, 11:55 AM
Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Asheboro, NC
Posts: 332
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
This is where a heat pump can get ya...
Yes, if the compressor isnt charged correctly you can still heat, but not with the compressor...you would be heating with the electric heat strips in the air handler.
My first experiance with a heat pump had me paying $120.00 a month for electric when it was running right, then, without me noticing, the compressor went bad, and the next month I heated with the strips only....my electric bill was $420.00.
I have since replaced the unit, but a valuable lesson was learned.
Yes, if the compressor isnt charged correctly you can still heat, but not with the compressor...you would be heating with the electric heat strips in the air handler.
My first experiance with a heat pump had me paying $120.00 a month for electric when it was running right, then, without me noticing, the compressor went bad, and the next month I heated with the strips only....my electric bill was $420.00.
I have since replaced the unit, but a valuable lesson was learned.
#12
12-08-05, 09:26 AM
How much freon!
So was it low on freon or not! That is the question I keep asking myself!
The service guy came back out on Saturday and finished filling the system, well at least that's what he was trying to do!
The unit seems to run a little better!
It is a 3 ton unit so it should hold about 7 lbs of freon!
So if he put in 5+ lbs, I just don't think the unit would have worked at all with only 2 lb's in it.
All in all the bill was only $165 including 5 lbs of freon and a $45 trip charge.
The service guy came back out on Saturday and finished filling the system, well at least that's what he was trying to do!
The unit seems to run a little better!
It is a 3 ton unit so it should hold about 7 lbs of freon!
So if he put in 5+ lbs, I just don't think the unit would have worked at all with only 2 lb's in it.
All in all the bill was only $165 including 5 lbs of freon and a $45 trip charge.
