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Contents: Overview | Troubleshooting: | AC Icing: | Maintenance: | PSE&G's Cool Customer Program (Radio-shutoff): | Terms: | Links: Note: In a combined heating - Air Conditioning system (HVAC) the blower fan and heating system is usually below the AC evaporation coils. (diagram)
The system works on the principal that when pressure is released from a liquid allowing it to expand to a gas it absorbs heat in the process (enthalpy of vaporization) i.e. becomes cold.
The compressor/condenser outside your house requires a lot more power (abt. 4,000 watts for a 2 ton system) than the blower motor inside (abt 460 watts) and the condenser usually has a 240 volt motor vs 120 volts for the blower, so they will require separate electrical circuits and circuit breakers. Troubleshooting: If your air conditioner is not working here are some things to check.
Air conditioner is not cooling the house down.
Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, A Homeowner's Guide To Air Conditioner Repair Central Air Conditioner Troubleshooting & Repairs | HomeTips AC Icing: A common problem with air conditioners is icing or freeze up. You will see ice on the outside condenser/compressor and the inside coils (the inside coils are behind the duct work so more difficult to spot). Turn it off and let the ice melt. The outside ice will melt quicker, while the inside ice may take overnight. Give it 4-5 hours to melt before a service technician shows up. They can't do anything while it is still frozen.
It can be caused by several things:
Coils Frost Up When Running the Central Air | Home Guides | SF Gate Maintenance: An improperly maintained system can loose 5% efficiency, which could cost $50 - $100.
It is probably a good idea to fork over the $70 - $100 for an annual maintenance (at least every few years) which should include, Inspection checks coils, capacitors, compressor & refrigerant.
A more complete checkup would include:
See: PSE&G's Cool Customer Program (Radio-shutoff): PSE&G was installing grey boxes on the side of your compressor which would allow them to turn off your AC for up to 15 mins. twice in an hour via a radio signal. Your fan would still run but just recirculate air without cooling. They would do this in case their system was getting overloaded. Since 2005, PSE&G has only initiated a total of eleven cycling events. A maximum of 3 events in 2008, 2011 and 2013.
As of 2015 they were not installing it on new systems. Terms: BTU - British Thermal Units - A measure of energy. The amount of energy needed to cool or heat one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. EER - Energy Efficiency Ratio - This number is less accurate than SEER because it doesn't account for fluctuations in temperature over the season. Enthalpy - Enthalpy is the amount of heat content used or released in a system at constant pressure. Enthalpy is usually expressed as the change in enthalpy. Enthalpy of Vaporization - Chemwiki - UCD - The kinetic energy of a gas is higher than the kinetic energy of a liquid. Heat provides the kinetic energy, heat goes into the gas as it is vaporized and remains there to keep the substance in a gaseous state. This lowers the temperature in the remaining liquid. Expansion Valve - see TXV below. HVAC - Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system. PSIA - Pounds per square inch absolute.
Refrigerant - The liquid in your air conditioner's coils that make it work. The most common was R-22 (Freon). R-22 is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compound, which contains ozone-depleting chlorine. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated the phaseout of R-22 through the Clean Air Act. As of 2010, the manufacture of systems using R-22 refrigerant will be prohibited, and by 2020 the production of R-22 itself must cease. SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio - High efficiency systems have a SEER of up to 24. To gain Energy Star status, a split-system A/C must have a SEER of at least 14.5
Split System - A typical home air conditioning system with one part (evaporator) inside inside and another part (condenser) outside. TXV - Thermostatic expansion valve - Also called a TX or TEV valve. - A metering device that egulates the rate at which liquid refrigerant flows into the evaporator. See alsoHVAC Glossary of Terms at ac-heatingconnect.com Refrigerants: The most common was R-22 (Freon). R-22 is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compound, which contains ozone-depleting chlorine. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated the phaseout of R-22 through the Clean Air Act. As of 2010, the manufacture of systems using R-22 refrigerant will be prohibited, and by 2020 the production of R-22 itself must cease. Newer systems use R-410A refrigerant. R-410A cannot be used in a system designed for R-22 and they cannot be mixed.. Under U.S. regulations, chemical companies can continue to make R-22 for service needs until 2020, and may offer R-22 reclaimed from equipment until 2030. HVAC equipment producers can manufacture R-22 HVAC repair parts as long as they are sold "dry," without the refrigerant.
Converting an R-22 system to R-410A is like converting a diesel engine to run on gasoline; it can't be done without making major changes to the entire system.
At some future point, though, system owners will find it more cost-effective to replace an old, breakdown-prone R-22 system with a new R-410A HVAC system.
Dry Charging:
The Difference Between R-22 and R-410A ac-heatingconnect.com Cooling Refrigerants | Lennox.com Links: Central Air Conditioning: Understand How It Works How to Inspect an HVAC System | Home Guides | SF Gate Why is my Air Conditioner Freezing Up? And How to Fix it. Pressure Enthalpy Diagram for the Mechanical PE Exam Air Conditioning / Heat Pump Repair Guides - how to troubleshoot your air conditioner or heat pump Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps: Diagnose & Repair Guide - how to fix an air conditioner or a heat pump Test Your Central Air's Cooling Ability | Lowes.com Boiler hot water Heating |