Heat Pumps and Electric Heating - Slow fan and breaker trip/Lennox heat pump
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pullin4fun
10-04-08, 10:05 PM
I have a 5 year old Lennox heat pump that I need some troubleshooting help with. The heat pump tripped it's 60 amp circuit breaker. I reset the circuit breaker and turned the unit back on. The fan came on, but much slower than usual (though steady) and I could hear a definate hum from the unit. Is this the motor, a run capacitor or something else? Thanks
dac122
10-07-08, 07:35 AM
Can you determine where the humming is coming from?
If you have a stethoscope, open the access panel, put the stethoscope carefully on the fan motor housing and compressor and see which is humming. I'm thinking fan motor, run capacitor or compressor.
If you have a clamp on meter to measure amps draw to specs you can confirm a bad motor from the overamp draw.
If you have a stethoscope, open the access panel, put the stethoscope carefully on the fan motor housing and compressor and see which is humming. I'm thinking fan motor, run capacitor or compressor.
If you have a clamp on meter to measure amps draw to specs you can confirm a bad motor from the overamp draw.
pullin4fun
10-07-08, 03:58 PM
Thank you for the response. Bad news is, according to a Lennox serviceman, it was the compressor. So far the 5-year old Lennox heat pump has had a mother board replaced, a capacitor, a major freon leak and a fan motor replacement on the inside unit. I don't know if there is such a thing as a lemon HVAC system but, if so, mine is looking pretty ripe.
Former Member
10-10-08, 10:00 PM
:blah: Lennox makes good equipment you probably have a bad install there
pullin4fun
10-12-08, 07:24 AM
Maybe you are right, that thought has crossed my mind. The heat pump is installed under a deck though there is 10' of clearance from the top of the heat pump and the bottom of the deck. The sides are all open, nothing besides deck posts. Could the deck floor 10' above the heat pump be a contributing factor?
dac122
10-14-08, 06:37 AM
The heat pump is installed under a deck though there is 10' of clearance from the top of the heat pump and the bottom of the deck. The sides are all open, nothing besides deck posts. Could the deck floor 10' above the heat pump be a contributing factor?
That is definitely something I would look into. Check with Lennox on minimum distances. My thinking is that the decking might inhibit adequate cooling of the system, or its efficiency. All the things you mentioned could have failed due to excessive heat build up.
That is definitely something I would look into. Check with Lennox on minimum distances. My thinking is that the decking might inhibit adequate cooling of the system, or its efficiency. All the things you mentioned could have failed due to excessive heat build up.
mickblack
01-08-09, 11:16 AM
Speaking of lemons, I had a Lennox xp1536 heat pump installed Feb 2007 . I have had nothing but trouble with the thing since the instal. I would certainly recommend avoiding this model if you are contemplating buying a HP.
if my heating bill is enything to go by ( it doubled after the install ) heat pumps are not the b all and end all when it comes to saving energy !!.
In addition I signed a 10 year maintenance contract ($1,000.00) that covers parts and labour , but you should see how the service people dance around in order avoid meeting their commitnment under this piece of paper. I'm told that a part replaced is not a Part ...huh ? and is therefore not covered by the contract, when I enquired about the labour costs being covered, I was told it was only for "specialised work " whatever that is.
Lennox ?? never again.
if my heating bill is enything to go by ( it doubled after the install ) heat pumps are not the b all and end all when it comes to saving energy !!.
In addition I signed a 10 year maintenance contract ($1,000.00) that covers parts and labour , but you should see how the service people dance around in order avoid meeting their commitnment under this piece of paper. I'm told that a part replaced is not a Part ...huh ? and is therefore not covered by the contract, when I enquired about the labour costs being covered, I was told it was only for "specialised work " whatever that is.
Lennox ?? never again.