OK, I have a 10-year old Carrier Heat Pump that started blowing the 5V (24V DC) fuse. The unit would operate OK on emergency heat mode, but not in "real" heat pump mode. A local HVAC tech isolated the problem to the reversing valve (the unit basically was blowing the fuse when it went into defrost mode.

He thinks the problem is with the coil (solenoid?) on the reversing valve, not the valve itself. Unfortunately though, he says I have to replace the whole reversing valve, at a cost of about $600-700 because "they" don't just sell the coil. This sounds like BS to me... I have seen several references online to replacing the coil.

Anyone know about such things? Is my guy possibly right or is he hosing me to make more money?

Thanks!

Here is a site for you to look at and if you want to show it to the tech that told you that the coil could not be replaced show him up.

Heat pump reversing valve 101 (http://www.toad.net/~jsmeenen/reverse.html)

If the coil is bad it blow the fuse as soon as you turn your a/c to cooling. Or jumper R to O at the heat pump. Remember you can have a short in the thermostat wires all so that can cause the same reaction. A short in the defrost thermostat will all so give the same symptom. Yes you can buy just the coil.