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Have the capacitor checked on a regular basis too. I just had my system checked, it hadn't been cleaned for a few years. It was pretty dirty but otherwise OK. I'm in Vegas and it's very hot. My AC is set to 79 during the day and 75 at night, it works fine.
Have the capacitor checked on a regular basis too. I just had my system checked, it hadn't been cleaned for a few years. It was pretty dirty but otherwise OK. I'm in Vegas and it's very hot. My AC is set to 79 during the day and 75 at night, it works fine.
A failing run cap can be difficult to notice without testing it, motor will run hot/rough/slow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ
Quote:
Originally Posted by movin1
Have the capacitor checked on a regular basis too. I just had my system checked, it hadn't been cleaned for a few years. It was pretty dirty but otherwise OK. I'm in Vegas and it's very hot. My AC is set to 79 during the day and 75 at night, it works fine.
Current "humidity?"
9%
But you're right, it's also currently 109F.
At that minimal humidity, swamp coolers can actually work!
OTOH, low outdoor humidity has little or no impact on the efficiency or heat rejection capacity of conventional (compressor-type) air conditioners.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit33
Well, the cap will tell you when it's failed; the compressor won't start.
Common to have both "start" and "run" capacitors, combined or split.
A failing run cap can be difficult to notice without testing it, motor will run hot/rough/slow. That said, the run capacitor is under less stress than the start capacitor and can last 20+ years.
There are some products people have sworn by to lower summer electric bill, all involve misting the condenser unit. Higher end models are electrically tied to the unit so that the misting valve opens when the fan is running and closes the valve when the fan is off. Low end versions can be as simple as a loop of misting nozzles connected to a garden hose and left on during the hottest part of the day. We don’t have them due to quality of water from the city. Misting nozzles are prone to clogs from minerals in the water.
We signed up for the service contract when we bought our new central air unit. They come out twice a year to service the unit, inside and out. The heater is gas and the unit is electronically controlled with all sorts of codes and diagnostic settings.
In our previous home I did the routine coil cleaning and condensate drain flushing myself but it was far easier to access than our current unit and it was of an old design.
Even if the air filter you bought says 3 months, still check it the first week of the month. During high demand months your air filter could get dirty enough to need replacing within a month or two. Using a cheap poly fiber furnace air filter can lower electric bill but will result in dirty AC coils over time.
There are some products people have sworn by to lower summer electric bill, all involve misting the condenser unit. Higher end models are electrically tied to the unit so that the misting valve opens when the fan is running and closes the valve when the fan is off. Low end versions can be as simple as a loop of misting nozzles connected to a garden hose and left on during the hottest part of the day. We don’t have them due to quality of water from the city. Misting nozzles are prone to clogs from minerals in the water.
We signed up for the service contract when we bought our new central air unit. They come out twice a year to service the unit, inside and out. The heater is gas and the unit is electronically controlled with all sorts of codes and diagnostic settings.
In our previous home I did the routine coil cleaning and condensate drain flushing myself but it was far easier to access than our current unit and it was of an old design.
Even if the air filter you bought says 3 months, still check it the first week of the month. During high demand months your air filter could get dirty enough to need replacing within a month or two. Using a cheap poly fiber furnace air filter can lower electric bill but will result in dirty AC coils over time.
RE that first paragraph:
Unless you are planning to replace your AC the following year or move, do NOT use misters on the condenser coil.
I studied up on the idea years ago, and found the the University of Florida had done actual tests, as well as the math. The maximum savings from using a mist or other coil cooling was only 12 percent.
Further, the mist will do one of two things over time. If your water is acid, it will rot the aluminum fins, and possibly coils. If your water is even slightly hard, there will be a buildup of lime that will end up lowering efficiency.
If you still want to try to use evaporative cooling on the coil, the safe way is to build an loose aspen bark filter that has water dripping on it to keep it wet (much like a swamp cooler). The difference between hot air temp and dew point temp will determine efficiency, but if the airflow is sufficient it will lower the cooling costs some and also keep the condenser coil cleaner.
The better way to lower cooling costs is almost always upgrading insulation and looking for sub-optimal entry points for make-up air. A simple example is a bathroom fan vent that has no damper. Hot roof air (which is generally about the hottest air near your home) will come in through the vent.
Unless you are planning to replace your AC the following year or move, do NOT use misters on the condenser coil.
I studied up on the idea years ago, and found the the University of Florida had done actual tests, as well as the math. The maximum savings from using a mist or other coil cooling was only 12 percent.
Further, the mist will do one of two things over time. If your water is acid, it will rot the aluminum fins, and possibly coils. If your water is even slightly hard, there will be a buildup of lime that will end up lowering efficiency.
If you still want to try to use evaporative cooling on the coil, the safe way is to build an loose aspen bark filter that has water dripping on it to keep it wet (much like a swamp cooler). The difference between hot air temp and dew point temp will determine efficiency, but if the airflow is sufficient it will lower the cooling costs some and also keep the condenser coil cleaner.
The better way to lower cooling costs is almost always upgrading insulation and looking for sub-optimal entry points for make-up air. A simple example is a bathroom fan vent that has no damper. Hot roof air (which is generally about the hottest air near your home) will come in through the vent.
Agree. I would never recommend misting all the time the AC is running. I would suggest one consider using the misting during an excessive heat wave during daylight hours as an emergency temporary solution. We just got our electric bill and it’s the highest we e gotten so far at $151. This is Lafayette Louisiana and our home is always in the sun and is 1300 square feet. We did the insulation, replace central air unit, and added storm windows and solar screens to our existing single pane windows. I know our water is horrible and would not use misting on our unit unless it was first passed through a reverse osmosis filter and that’s not going to happen. Even our dog won’t drink the water from the faucet. We have a built in water filter in the refrigerator for the ice and water dispenser as well as a Pur water filter pitcher in the refrigerator for cold drinking water. The dog will drink the water from the refrigerator door dispenser.
Agree. I would never recommend misting all the time the AC is running. I would suggest one consider using the misting during an excessive heat wave during daylight hours as an emergency temporary solution. We just got our electric bill and it’s the highest we e gotten so far at $151. This is Lafayette Louisiana and our home is always in the sun and is 1300 square feet. We did the insulation, replace central air unit, and added storm windows and solar screens to our existing single pane windows. I know our water is horrible and would not use misting on our unit unless it was first passed through a reverse osmosis filter and that’s not going to happen. Even our dog won’t drink the water from the faucet. We have a built in water filter in the refrigerator for the ice and water dispenser as well as a Pur water filter pitcher in the refrigerator for cold drinking water. The dog will drink the water from the refrigerator door dispenser.
I can accept doing that in extreme conditions when the drop in temperature across the evaporator coil is less than 20 degrees, but what most people don't understand is that cooling the condenser coil does NOT directly cool the house. The purpose of the condenser and compressor are to turn the gaseous refrigerant back into a liquid. The coil is sufficiently large/long to accomplish that and remove the heat that didn't get transferred out of the compressor casing.
The temperature of the liquid refrigerant is only a minor factor in cooling the house. If is the heat of vaporization that is the big factor, in the same way that it takes much more energy to turn a pot of water into steam that it does to get it to boiling temperature.
The primary effect of cooling a condenser coil is to reduce the pressure the compressor has to work against to liquify the refrigerant. In effect, it is similar to making the coil longer.
I've regularly puzzled why AC units don't have a scavenger coil after the condenser to use any waste heat to heat or pre-heat the domestic water. It does add a little complexity, but the benefits could easily make it a cash positive change. The idea of running an electric water heater on the same day that you are dumping heat to the outside is pretty nuts.
I have the system professionally serviced twice a year. Seems to keep it humming along.
I also change the filters on the air returns in the house on a quarterly basis. This is cheap insurance. Filters are not expensive but repairing your a/c sure is.
Never had mine looked at in 9 years. I clean the outside unit. Other than 4 blower motors nothing has ever been touched.
Never had mine looked at in 9 years. I clean the outside unit. Other than 4 blower motors nothing has ever been touched.
Our unit is less than 5 years old and the service yesterday revealed the capacitor is going bad and should be replaced soon. Some things today aren’t built to last as in the past. Starting tomorrow our projected high temperatures will be in the 100s. We’ve had weeks of mid to upper 90s with humidity heat index of 110. The complexity of high efficiency units is just too tempting for Murphy’s Law.
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A failing run cap can be difficult to notice without testing it, motor will run hot/rough/slow.
