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waterwoman · Sep 12, 2008, 06:14 PM

Have an AC and heating unit that won't work at all. Checked inside and outside breakersw and they are all okay. Batteries in thermostat were replaced so thermostat DOES register.

Have thought about replacing the thermostat but don't know if this is the problem. Also, where the coils are for the AC unit, there is a constant dripping of water into the hallway, we have buckets placed. Have tried resetting breakers, etc. Have removed the filter to the AC area but still even the FAN will not kick in to the on position. Is this all because of a faulty old thermostat??

EPMiller · Sep 12, 2008, 06:50 PM

Sounds like your AC unit is in the attic. Do you have a clogged condensate drain? Is the overflow pan full and did the safety cutoff float shut the system down? How long has it been down? Was the filter very dirty? Do you change it regularly? Perhaps you froze the system up because the evaporator is plugged. Your description doesn't give enough to do anything better than these guesses.

waterwoman · Sep 12, 2008, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by EPMiller

Sounds like your AC unit is in the attic. Do you have a clogged condensate drain? Is the overflow pan full and did the safety cutoff float shut the system down? How long has it been down? Was the filter very dirty? Do you change it regularly? Perhaps you froze the system up because the evaporator is plugged. Your description doesn't give enough to do anything better than these guesses.

Yes, the coils are in the attic. Getting to the AC in attic will be left for tomorrow. All I got into was where the filter was on the ceiling grate, for intake of air. Filter was dirty, was removed and cleaned. AC off for approx 3 weeks. Yes, I think the condensate drain is clogged and will address that tomorrow, also will check overflow pan to see if it caused the safety cutoff float to shut the system down. This is a friend's AC system. I found on internet that if I connect red to white wires on the thermostat, and reconnect the breaker (bypassing the thermostat) then I need a new thermostat if connecting red to white directly turns the AC back on. If the red to white connection, with breaker on, does not turn AC on, then the problem is not with the thermostat. Hmmmmm. And I am not even an AC/heating repair person. So, shall you gently tell me to call a professional?? LOL.

EPMiller · Sep 12, 2008, 07:16 PM

If that is a HEAT/COOL thermostat, connecting the red and white will turn the heat on. Yellow and red are more likely to call for cooling. Of course if it is a heat pump then it gets a bit harder. Also if the installer didn't use the standard color coding you could be even worse off. I only do that type of thing at the air handler where I can see the correct terminals.

If the unit has been off for 3 weeks then it isn't frozen any more.

And I didn't mean to insult your intelligence. :)

mygirlsdad77 · Sep 13, 2008, 02:01 PM

Have you tried the heat. Turn your thermostat to heat and crank it up. If your heat works, then you know it is not a power problem. Just start there and get back to me. You make it sound like nothing is happening at all. Does your outside unit turn on. My main concern is with the dripping water. Your condenser has to be on if you are getting condensation in your coil. Give some more details and I should be able to help out

waterwoman · Sep 13, 2008, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by mygirlsdad77

have you tried the heat. Turn your thermostat to heat and crank it up. If your heat works, then you know it is not a power problem. Just start there and get back to me. You make it sound like nothing is happening at all. Does your outside unit turn on. My main concern is with the dripping water. Your condenser has to be on if you are getting condensation in your coil. give some more details and i should be able to help out

Yes, once we got all the water out of the pan, and the two wires that had accidentally slipped into the pan of 5 gal of water, and turned the breaker back on, everything worked perfectly, but now there is a leak in the hallway probably from a clogged main condensate drain, which the handy man could not deal with correctly. So, now, the AC was turned back to 86 and it will sit until Wed until someone can be home to repair the AC, a PROFESSIONAL, lol, lol. However, the $89 thermostat can be taken back to the store as it wasn't that.

So far, it only cost $24 to have it looked at by a handyman, not an AC guy, who said to get the AC guy out to look at it thoroughly. The problem is that all house repairs must go through a trust to be paid and the bank is reluctant to pay for any repairs to the house.
Ongoing fight with family, bank and friend.
'Thanks for your help.