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Frozen heat pump

Boon
Boon Member Posts: 260
edited January 2018 in THE MAIN WALL
Unfortunately I bought a house that has a heat pump. I thought the heat system just sucked but then I found it frozen solid a couple days ago.

Called a hvac guy, who - over the phone - suggested he would need to order some controller for it. This approach seems like throwing parts at it. Is it normal to throw a part at this symptom?

Photos attached. Thanks.
DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.

Comments

  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,609
    Low ambiant controller?
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,069
    All air to air heat pumps have a method of defrosting because whenever the have to provide heating and the outdoor air temperature is below 32 deg, Guess what??? they will ice up.

    Try starting it as an air conditioner it should reverse it's cycle and defrost the outside coil. It is supposed to have controls on it to do this automatically....maybe their not working...bad sensor????
  • DZoro
    DZoro Member Posts: 1,048
    The settings can be adjusted, have them increase the defrost timings.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,440
    When you have frost built up like that, it's indicative that the defrost control board is bad - or the reversing valve is stuck.

    If you called Todd, he'll fix it right. You won't get a better mechanic.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Boon
    Boon Member Posts: 260
    Thanks @ironman I did call Todd but he referred me to Kennedy.
    DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,440
    edited January 2018
    Todd's been sick like me. I'd just put it on emergency heat for now. At these temps, a standard heat pump is doing extremely little and running close to a 10 to 1 compression ratio. Yours is doing nothing with that coil frosted up.

    I'll call ya in the next couple of days if Danny hasn't gotten to you.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Boon
    Boon Member Posts: 260
    Thanks. I did turn on the emergency heat. I think it had been using it all week anyway because I’d see “aux heat” on the thermostat every so often.
    Hope you feel better soon!
    DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    From the looks of the last picture you are low on charge... Maybe. the defrost controllers are now pretty reliable. Your out door unit is only 3 years old. How old is your indoor? They may have just replace the outdoor unit and you might have a 15 plus indoor with a leaky coil. The pink wires under the blob of ice is your defrost stat which appears to be in place.
  • Boon
    Boon Member Posts: 260
    The indoor and outdoor were done at the same time.

    It is interesting to me that this could have gone unnoticed for a very long time.
    DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    Most people notice when their electric bill more then doubles since the back up heat is whats keeping the house warm.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,440
    edited January 2018
    The problem is a defrosting issue: it's not initiating. Look around the heat pump: there's no sign of any moister that has come from the heat pump defrosting and then frozen on the ground.

    When the coil is frosted, it's a defrost problem. When the coil is iced, it's a refrigeration problem.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    ratio
  • mikeg2015
    mikeg2015 Member Posts: 1,194
    I would have them check pressures but mainly need to check if it’s going into defrost. If it is, maybe it’s stopping too early.

    Could still be low on pressure and it’s timing out on defrost or the termination temp is too low. Sensor bad.
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    There is no ice or frost on the bottom 2 to 3 " of coil. The ice starts right at the outdoor piston maybe low maybe not.

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