A/C&R tip...

Empire_2

What an invention huh? I know the Rheem or any condenser with the protective grill could use this or anything similar. As an sales riff,..... I can save the customer at least T&M if they only use this simple product....:-) I don't know about all of you, but in, I think in mid June to July this stiff goes up my noes and drives me nut's...

Mike T.

Unknown

Dirty condensers

I just came from a classic example of my favoritest pet peeve. Here we have 2-15 ton York cooling only package units. Besides age (~20) the complaint is high electric use and poor cooling. A quick checkup finds a totally plugged condenser on both units COUPLED to low freon charge. The big hint was they had rigged a friggin spray hose on each condenser and the guy in charge said they had to use it when it got over 95* ODT or the unit would shut down. On today the ODT was ~75. Head pressure on one circuit was 265 and suction was 62. Evap coil only sweating about half way through.

So what happened here? Easy, nobody, for many years it appears, identified the condenser coil as being plugged because it looks clean from the outside and meanwhile misidentified the high head as an overcharge and released (reclaimed?) freon to bring it down. I see it time and time again, I clean a plugged condenser and then have to add freon.

The best way to check a coil for cleanliness, besides the light technique, is to take your trusty screwdriver and open up a spot between the fins. Get a good look down in there. If it's a split coil open it up so you can see if the surface of the inner coil is covered. If it's a split coil the ONLY way to clean it is to dismantle it just enough to get between them and wash that second coil off. Sorry guys, that's just the way it is. Once you get the hang of it you can have most split coils apart cleaned and back together in about 1.5 hours.

Another tip is if you see the white fluffy stuff floating around every spring, wash those coils every three years. If it's real bad some people put window screen over the condensers and must remember to brush them off regularly.

The sad part, given the length of time this has gone on with these units, as soon as I clean them up and charge them, they could start blowing condenser fan motors and compressors because they'll actually start doing some work again.

Thanks for letting me vent...

Paul Fredricks_3

Oh, I hear ya

I used to spread the fins apart and take a picture of the stuff in there. Then I'd give the picture to the customer as part of the sales presentation. We pressure washed coils every year to get keep that stuff out.

And you have to love Cottonwood Seed.

Unknown

White fluffy gold...

LOL...

mtfallsmikey

Don't forget

The lovely yellow pollen from oak trees...makes a gummy mess.

Empire_2

Cotton Seed

I call it money floating in the air. Also I have customers use Cheese Cloth if you can find it.....That and a couple of magnets does the job.

Mike T.

Techman

Ah Yes!

To think of all the money that was made by simply using a garden hose and a little bit of chemical cleaner!

Unknown

Cheese cloth...

is a good idea too, I'ne never heard of using before but I like it!

Unknown

Yea,,,

taking apart them Rheems is a PITA. I imagine we have to replace the cheesecloth every season?