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pvbearcat234 · May 6, 2009, 07:31 AM

Called tech found unit pressure switch tripped, reset added freon. Lasted less than a week. Appears tripped again. He mentioned fan could be the culprit when he was out.

Is there a way to eliminate this as a cause? Any other possible solutions? Brand new filter in unit after first episode.

Joshdta · May 6, 2009, 01:25 PM

Too much freon, line restriction, fan going bad. Reversing valve stuck, there are a number of things that could be causing this.

pvbearcat234 · May 6, 2009, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Joshdta

too much freon, line restriction, fan going bad. Reversing valve stuck, there are a number of things that could be causing this.

Any way to rule any of this out?

Joshdta · May 6, 2009, 07:23 PM

Have you ever hurd the unit running and the fan was not spinning? Does it trip in heat or cool?

pvbearcat234 · May 7, 2009, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by Joshdta

Have you ever hurd the unit running and the fan was not spinning? Does it trip in heat or cool?

This is tripped in cooling. I turn unit on cool and go outside and you can hear something trying to engage. I am almost sure the high pressure reset is tripped. When tech was out he turned the unit on cooling also and there was no response from the outside unit until he opened the access panel and tripped the reset. Fan started up at that point and it cooled house the rest of that day. Went to use a day or two later and the wife said she thought it wasn't cooling again.

I did as he had done when he visited and the outdoor fan is not moving again. I have yet to try the reset though.

Joshdta · May 7, 2009, 01:27 PM

How old is the unit? Maybe it is dirty. Spray it off good with a water hose this will bring the pressures donw and hopfully keep it from triping again.

pvbearcat234 · May 7, 2009, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by Joshdta

how old is the unit? maybe it is dirty. spray it off good with a water hose this will bring the pressures donw and hopfully keep it from triping again.

6-7 years. You talking spraying water and rinsing the fins out on outdoor unit? They are clean.

Joshdta · May 7, 2009, 06:58 PM

So you have clean fins? The freon charge is right? Clean filter inside? Could be a line dryer is cloged.

aj5150 · May 7, 2009, 07:07 PM

Did you say the high pressure switch is kicking or the breaker
If the high pressure switch depending on the unit the switch could be bad

T-Top · May 7, 2009, 07:11 PM

Let me guess do you have a rheem heat pump? You can have a bad Txv on the heat pump or fancoil. If they add freon in the summer time and it trips out in the winter(bad txv at the evaporator coil). If they add freon in the winter months and it trips in the summer(bad txv at the heat pump,check valve, restricted screen before the check valve)

pvbearcat234 · May 8, 2009, 05:24 AM

So everyone has clear info here this is an Amana Heat pump. The charge should be right since the tech was here last week and he added 1 lb if I remember correctly.

He claims that if the High Pressure Switch keeps kicking out the fan motor on the outside unit may be going bad.

Just don't want to pay for a part and it not be the root cause.

Joshdta · May 8, 2009, 05:27 AM

If the fan motor was going bad, if you watch the unit it should stop running with in 15 minutes or so. This will tell you weither or not it is the fan. But I bet there is anouther problem.

pvbearcat234 · May 10, 2009, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Joshdta

If the fan motor was going bad, if you watch the unit it sould stop running with in 15 mins or so. this will tell you weither or not it is the fan. but i bet there is anouther problem.

I just tried to reset the high pressure switch to see if the fan would come back on to test this out. I pushed the reset switch in but the fan did not respond?

Joshdta · May 10, 2009, 04:09 PM

Might need a capasitor or a n ew fan motor.

http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/377701..._Capacitor.jpg

pvbearcat234 · May 10, 2009, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Joshdta

might need a capasitor or a n ew fan motor.

http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/377701..._Capacitor.jpg

Is there a way to test either of these?

Joshdta · May 10, 2009, 06:17 PM

Check to see if the top of the capasitor is swollen or if a wire is burnt

T-Top · May 10, 2009, 08:20 PM

I would call the people back out, they should stand behind their work. The question is if the high pressure switch was tripped why did he add freon? Low on freon = low pressure not high pressure if you add refrigerant it only makes the pressures higher.

pvbearcat234 · May 11, 2009, 05:23 AM

Tech coming back out today. Hopefully we get this resolved.

pvbearcat234 · Jun 10, 2009, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by pvbearcat234

Tech coming back out today. Hopefully we get this resolved.

Well the story saga continues. Upon coming back out he did find a bad capacitor. Ran for a day or two and down again. Checked switch did not appear tripped. Called tech again now out of freon. Since I tried to reset this may be my mistake$$$$$

Leaking at pressure switch reset base. He repaired and recharged system, OUCH, lasted 2 days maybe. I wasn't about to touch this thing and check that reset again. Upon his return trip the switch was tripped again.

He suspects the fan or the switch itself. I monitored the unit every half hour for the next 3 hours and unit did not trip out. Motor on fan not hot. Unit is now running for the second day in a row.

He mentioned jumpering the other pressure swich and installing an external one?

Are we headed in the right direction here or are we chasing our tails. Seems I am back to square 1 with a definite hole in the wallet.

T-Top · Jun 11, 2009, 07:38 PM

Its hard to find some problems when it faults out after the tech is gone and working fine while their. A weak pressure switch is what I would start to look at and to rule it out is to only bypass the old and install the new. If the switch is soldered in place add an external switch to the liquid line for temp use. It's a start. Your problem is not uncommon sometimes it takes the prosses of elimination to find the problem.