Air Conditioning - Coil still freezing - cleaned - ran without filter
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jonmiles
05-04-05, 08:32 PM
Hi,
We have a older Ruud heat pump A/C unit which was working fine last year and seemed to work o.k. this year up until the past month.
Then the coils started trying to freeze and was dripping water on the filter. I cleaned the coils with water, air pressure, shop vac, pro coil cleaner. Same as I did last year and cleaned the filter ( reusable type ) turned the unit back on and noticed it was still trying to freeze up. It ran for about 2-4 hrs. non stop and was so frozen the line outside the box was frozen. The outside temp was about 90 and the inside temp was about 80 trying to cool to 76, it took between 2-4 hrs. before the unit dropped the temp from 80 to 78 and that is when I turned it off from freezing up so bad. I removed the cleaned reusable filter thinking it may be restricting air flow and ran the unit again (next day )for about 20 min. and noticed the bottom of the coils where trying to ice up again and there was so much water condensating on the pan around the bottom of coils that it was dripping on the floor. ( closet unit )
Unit was working fine before it started freezing recently. I cleaned coils and it still freezes. Fan is running ( blower ) So my question is ...
Does it sound like the unit needs freon (because it has developed a leak) and this is why it is freezing up ?
Thanks in advance for your help guys
We have a older Ruud heat pump A/C unit which was working fine last year and seemed to work o.k. this year up until the past month.
Then the coils started trying to freeze and was dripping water on the filter. I cleaned the coils with water, air pressure, shop vac, pro coil cleaner. Same as I did last year and cleaned the filter ( reusable type ) turned the unit back on and noticed it was still trying to freeze up. It ran for about 2-4 hrs. non stop and was so frozen the line outside the box was frozen. The outside temp was about 90 and the inside temp was about 80 trying to cool to 76, it took between 2-4 hrs. before the unit dropped the temp from 80 to 78 and that is when I turned it off from freezing up so bad. I removed the cleaned reusable filter thinking it may be restricting air flow and ran the unit again (next day )for about 20 min. and noticed the bottom of the coils where trying to ice up again and there was so much water condensating on the pan around the bottom of coils that it was dripping on the floor. ( closet unit )
Unit was working fine before it started freezing recently. I cleaned coils and it still freezes. Fan is running ( blower ) So my question is ...
Does it sound like the unit needs freon (because it has developed a leak) and this is why it is freezing up ?
Thanks in advance for your help guys
Jay11J
05-04-05, 10:37 PM
Yes, if yoru system has a leak, it will freeze.. Get some one out there to make the repair, and recharge the system.
Ed Imeduc
05-05-05, 07:33 AM
From all you did and say Low freon for sure. Like said dont run it any more . Make sure they look for the leak and find it. . Dont have anything to do with low freon. But Id get a pleated filter and use it. The washable ones dont work to good and do let dirt get up in the A coil. Put new one in ever 30 to 90 days .
ED ;)
ED ;)
jonmiles
05-05-05, 05:58 PM
Thanks guys....
hvac01453
05-05-05, 09:32 PM
to determine the low on freon signs do this... Set the unit to cooling and 10F ABOVE the room temperature. Next, let the fan run in the ON position till the ice blockage has melted completely. Go to each room and make sure the grills are ALL open and not covered by the couch, cabinet etc....Next make sure the return grills are not blocked, (especially if each room has one) sometimes theres just one in the hallway. You should feel plenty of airflow in each registar. next, inspect the indoor coil to make sure its clear of ice/frost...Providing all is well there...NOW...lower the set point to 10F BELOW the room temp, Let it run for ten minutes... feel the insulated suction line... if its cold, you have a lack of airflow across the coil. After an hour remove the side panel and if frost has formed on the bottom 1/3 of the coil, it's low on gas. Find the leak, repair and charge. If it's a lack of air flow I would think the fan stopped after running 20 minutes or so, or the squirrel cage set screw may be loose. The blades may be full of crud...In this position you should NEVER hear the indoor fan shut off, if it does suspect the motor.
jts
06-09-05, 08:19 PM
After having similar problems with coil freezes, after having turned it on for the early heat wave, I finally was able to figure out why mine were freezing. The solution may have been a two prong approach, but will have saved me some money.
If you have just purchased your house, the first thing I would do is to go around to all of your vents with a tissue and find out if the vent is an output or an intake. It sounds pretty silly, but not all the air intakes in my house are mounted on the side of the walls. Some of the intakes looked like regular output registers. Trying to force more air upstairs, I had accidently closed some of the intakes, which I'm pretty sure is a no-no.
Secondly, I removed the "re-usable" air filter I had bought of the winter. I guesstimated the air flow coming out of a single register with the filter in place, then removed the filter completely. The air-flow GREATLY improved, naturally without any resistance from the filter. I then bought a paper filter (Filtrete) and tested the output again. It was still a major improvment over the "re-usable" filter. I had just cleaned/dried the "re-usable" filter as well. I will never go back to it again.
If you have just purchased your house, the first thing I would do is to go around to all of your vents with a tissue and find out if the vent is an output or an intake. It sounds pretty silly, but not all the air intakes in my house are mounted on the side of the walls. Some of the intakes looked like regular output registers. Trying to force more air upstairs, I had accidently closed some of the intakes, which I'm pretty sure is a no-no.
Secondly, I removed the "re-usable" air filter I had bought of the winter. I guesstimated the air flow coming out of a single register with the filter in place, then removed the filter completely. The air-flow GREATLY improved, naturally without any resistance from the filter. I then bought a paper filter (Filtrete) and tested the output again. It was still a major improvment over the "re-usable" filter. I had just cleaned/dried the "re-usable" filter as well. I will never go back to it again.