How long for an iced coil to melt?

Chuck_17

Ball park guess? - 1 day? 2 day?
Older residential outdoor packaged cooling only probably 1-1/2 or 2 tons.
It is off now. 72 out now. Probably down to 60 over night.
I don't know if there would be any air flow if it were not a block of ice.

pecmsg

Less then 30 mins with the fan on!

EBEBRATT-Ed

If totally iced so the fan can't move air through the coil it could take a few hours.

Get a hot water hose on it to thaw it faster.

No ice picks

HVACNUT

Cooling only probably?
What's frozen? The evap or condenser?
And why did it freeze?

Chuck_17

Thanks for the replies.
There was no air flow. I don't know if it is because the evap coil was totally frozen (not letting air through) or that is the reason it is frozen (fan failed for some reason).
(I could only see the end of the coil though a service access panel. It was all ice.)

jumper

Hair dryer takes patience. Set up a big fan when it's warm outside and go have lunch.

HVACNUT

Sounds like you need a pro.

realliveplumber

If it's a big block of ice, I let it sit overnight. Sometimes a garden hose off is the drain of the water heater. It makes a mess though.

John Mills_5

Odds are the suction line is well frozen too. You can thaw the coil rather quickly with the blower on but if the suction line is frozen under the tubing insulation, that will throw off readings when the tech is trying to recharge it.

Alan Welch

Switch it from cool to heat at the thermostat.

EBEBRATT-Ed

warm water from a hose is the fastest if you can control the water