Air Conditioning - got the BIG TICKET diagnosis - now what?

yup, refrigerant leaking from copper coils around outside compressor - 4 ton 10 year old (maybe more) unit.

will get another estimate etc, but here's the first one.

replace inside and outside with new TRANE or RHEEM 4 ton SEER 13/13+ (including upgrading 3/4in refrig pipes to 7/8 and new slab) for about $5200.

the slab - i doubt it needs replacing, and they prob want $500 for that. I didn't get a detailed estimate yet.

the refrig lines - could be messy, or they might decide to externalize along the wall and thru soffit, attic - it's about 1o feet to the inside unit closet .

any advice ?

tnx as always!!

Mike

BTW the tech said
1) a leak in the coil surrounding the compressor is almost impossible to fix
2) replacing the coil, if he could find one for this older YORK, would be impractical or something (he wasn't willing to do it basically)
3) replacing just the outside unit was a bad idea cuz and old inside unit would not go well with new outside unit - somehow i dont remember exact reason.

Sound bogus or what?

as an aside, the timeline was this:

wednesday: called tech becuase breaker trips when AC comes on. He comes over and says "only 120 getting to compressor instead of 240 - power supply problem, get an electrician , could be inisde breaker or short in line" - he checked that the compressor wasn't groundin out, or frozen (by disconnecting and repowering). (well it couldn't be a short in line because the breaker doesn't trip until you try to power outside unit - "-10 points"!!)

Thursday: electrician replaces OUTSIDE breaker (i replaced inside one, no change - didn't think of outside one). Guess what? Compressor doesn't come on. Says "call an AC guy"

Friday: AC guy looks at it, gets compressor running, and then says "guess what, u got NO refrigerant in there. must be a BIG leak" - $150 bucks later he finds leak in outside coil.

I'm wondering if he should have known that on the FIRST visit?? or would he have to power up the compressor to know that??

Id say get 3 bids from other companys. Down there for sure. Yes new inside coil with new outdoor unit for sure . If you are running AC now this time of the year, Go for a seer of 15 or more It will pay you back.
Have a daughter down in West palm beach. Just went for the good stuff. A 4 ton Trane XL19i and V/S blower coil first electric bill down $90. Took out a old Rheem 3.5 ton
The first guy should have come up ,with out of freon
;)

Thanks - but again the outside coil is affected. Course the inside coils do NOT look that great, drip pan is about gone, etc.

and he SHOULD have gotten the no freon on the first visit eh? That's what i thought.

Thanks. I'll get a FEW estimates.

Aint been down here long but i dont remember needing AC in january!! and these AC bills were NEVER more that 200/month anyway!! Still think it'll go down to $110 in august??

I respectfully disagree that the tech should have found the leak on the first visit. If the compressor is not operating, the first step is to find out why. In your case it was no power (or bad power, one leg out). In many places a/c techs are not allowed to repair house wiring issues (anything before the outside disconnect). Your tech has to follows the rules of his license. At this point if your tech does not hold an electricians license (as well as the a/c license), an electrician will have to be called. Generally an a/c tech will not do a leak check until the compressor is in operation and the pressures suggest an undercharged condition. At that point, he will probably charge the system and recommend a leak check for an additional fee.

It is difficult to diagnose multiple problems when the system is not even running due to lack of power.

I agree with Jim.

The tech may not of put his gauge on in the first place, he was checking power.. if the compressor was running, then the gauges would gone on in the first place..

Friday: AC guy looks at it, gets compressor running, and then says "guess what, u got NO refrigerant in there. must be a BIG leak" - $150 bucks later he finds leak in outside coil.

Why didnt he get it running on wednesday

"Why didnt he get it running on wednesday"

Ed,.

Tech didn't have power to get it running..


"wednesday: called tech becuase breaker trips when AC comes on. He comes over and says "only 120 getting to compressor instead of 240 - power supply problem, get an electrician , could be inisde breaker or short in line" - he checked that the compressor wasn't groundin out, or frozen"

If one of my tech's didnt come up with no power to the unit and didnt fix it to run He would be gone for good. I would say that tech is a dummy ;)

tne need for the second visit makes sense ONLY if you NEED power to the compressor to test if system has refrigerant. Is that true??



Mike

I would have put gauges on first or checked for low pressure control. then found out why he had no power to unit. A good tech checks everything then does a diag. on it.

That tech the first time should have got it running and check for freon . It could have had a low PSi cut out in it. That could cut it off so it didnt run. WHO know's. I have found out that anyone down in FL that say they are a hvac tech . Ask for papers first are they will say you need a new unit right off.