how common is rusting accumulators?

[emcoasthvacr]

I was wondering whether you guys see rusting accumulators as a common problem that causes a tech to condemn the outdoor unit on heat pumps?

It appears that sweating on a suction gas accumulator would cause rust, and possibly give out before a compressor.

[Mr Bill]

I was wondering whether you guys see rusting accumulators as a common problem that causes a tech to condemn the outdoor unit on heat pumps?

It appears that sweating on a suction gas accumulator would cause rust, and possibly give out before a compressor.

Not picking on Carrier here but if I had a 10 bucks for every Carrier accumulator I changed out in the past I could probably take a nice cruise. http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l286/mrbillpro/Cruise.jpg

[doc havoc]

I can't say I've seen a lot of them rust from the condensation, but have noticed that the majority I've seen fail were due to the drain holes in the bottom of the outdoor unit being clogged and the water never drains out, causing the accumulator to sit in a puddle of water most of it's life.

[t527ed]

don't do any heat pumps but i have cut a load of rusted out accumulaters out of carrier a/c units. none of them were low enough in the unit to sit in water.

sweaty steel will always rust. :eek:

[emcoasthvacr]

:D

I would think manufacturers would coat the accumulator with a tough rust preventitive to prevent rusting from occuring when it sweats -- apparently big blue falls behind on this one.

[mark beiser]

I hate to pile on here, but other than a few units that had like a foot of accumulated leaves in them that had been there so long that they were breaking down into nice mulch, the ONLY units I have ever found a rusted out leaking accumulator on is Carrier....

I like heat pumps that use a TXV for the outdoor metering device. No accumulator needed. Trane and Lennox have been like that for many years, but I have been seeing more other brands go that rout in recent years.

[Downeasthvac]

In S.W Florida I think the majority of the rusted out accumulators I have seen came from york equipment, although I have seen carrier as well. Not to mention the condenser coils falling apart constantly on the yorks.

[emcoasthvacr]

Mark,

Do you mean that the trend is to have fixed-bore metering and accumulators on outdoor units, rather than TXV metering?

thanks

I like heat pumps that use a TXV for the outdoor metering device. No accumulator needed. Trane and Lennox have been like that for many years, but I have been seeing more other brands go that rout in recent years.[/QUOTE]

[aircooled53]

Carrier isn't the only one with rusty accumulators:
Goodman
Coleman
Arcoaire
Tempstar

[mark beiser]

Mark,

Do you mean that the trend is to have fixed-bore metering and accumulators on outdoor units, rather than TXV metering?

No, I have seen more different brands with a TXV in the outdoor unit and no accumulator, on some models, than I remember seeing in the past.

Of course there are the brands that think its ok to leave the accumulator out with fixed metering just because they now use a scroll compressor.

[msredneck]

The vast majority of the ones I have changed out seamed to be caused from dirt building up underneath. I think the dirt holds moisture and causes the bottom to rust out.

[flyin'gator]

i agree, carrier and goodman tanks go bad often. unless the unit is 8 yrs or older or has a bad coil, we typically do not condemn the unit. we replace the tank, pull hard vacuum, check for additional leaks, add a filter dryer and recharge the system

[hungryjack]

This is common on heat pumps. They do sweat, ya know. That makes them rust...

[always learnin]

Add me to the Carrier pile on, although I have seen some Yorks leak too. I guess it depends what type of equipment is mostly sold in the area of the country you work in.

[RoBoTeq]

Carrier isn't the only one with rusty accumulators:
Goodman
Coleman
Arcoaire
Tempstar

Add Rheem/Ruud to that list for my experiences. I would imagine the most we each see are simply the most of that brand equipment installed in our respective areas. After all, accumulators are vendored components and about the same in every unit.

If I saw a rusty connection on an accumulator of a unit I was working on, I would wire brush the connection and hit the top of the accumulator and the piping connection with a shot of Rustoleum paint. Same with filter/driers.

[air2spare]

Janitrol heatpump the other day that had the txv on the condenser coil as well as a cheap ole Ducane...I dont know what Carrier was thinkin







I hate to pile on here, but other than a few units that had like a foot of accumulated leaves in them that had been there so long that they were breaking down into nice mulch, the ONLY units I have ever found a rusted out leaking accumulator on is Carrier....

I like heat pumps that use a TXV for the outdoor metering device. No accumulator needed. Trane and Lennox have been like that for many years, but I have been seeing more other brands go that rout in recent years.

[erc tech]

Just yesterday no heat call, rheem 2 ton h/p rusted accumulator, This unit 9 yrs old.

[gevans]

I find rusted accumulators on most makes of heatpumps. Most of the accumulators are made by one of three manufacturers, so the brand of the heatpump doesn't really matter. Tecumseh accumulators have a little dimple we call the "weep hole" because that dimple seems to rust out first.
I don't know why they insist on making accumulators out of steel. A brass or copper one would cost more, but it would never rust out.

[heatpumpguru]

We see it mostly on Yorks.

[coolperfect]

I have had a job where the compressor shell rusted thrugh and leaking but that was at a fish market Also seen steel stubs rotted out on comp suction and gas inlet and outlet on chiller barrels On the chiller we took end bell off and had new stubs welded on than reinstalled tx valves repipe suction

[dngtig]

I was wondering whether you guys see rusting accumulators as a common problem that causes a tech to condemn the outdoor unit on heat pumps?

It appears that sweating on a suction gas accumulator would cause rust, and possibly give out before a compressor.

Yes rusting accumulators are common problems on some units and yes many units get replaced because of it. Worked for a Carrier dealer for 13 years and replaced many accumulators. A lot of leaks under the monkey **** they put on the stubs. Why was that stuff there? Maybe to prevent rusting ?

[gsxrsquid]

Rheem/Ruud accumulator change outs are money in the bank for us. The old units had a nice depression around the stubs on top of the accumulator so water would accumulate there and rust though. Apparently the factory caught on to the problem and the new ones I see have what looks like epoxy around the base of the stubs to prevent that from happening. haven't changed one with the epoxy yet.