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View Full Version : Very Puzzling: Different Supply Air Temps



calleserra
08-05-2009, 01:04 PM
I need thoughts/ ideas on what might be happening. My A/C tech is clueless and I am, too. Please jump in and give me your honest opinion on how to approach this before we tear it down.

Problem: Supply air temp varies by as much as 20 degrees between rooms. For example, masters bedroom supply is at 49 deg F, while the family room is at 72 deg F. Duct lengths coming from the supply plenum to both rooms are the same length- about 12 feet. Masters bedroom is 8" big and the family room is 10". All are flexducts.

Another bedroom at the other end of the house is being supplied with a 35 feet long, 12-inch flexiduct with supply grill temp of 59 deg F.
All flexduct runs are up in the attic. In the example above, return air temp is around 76 deg F (one return grill for thw whole house, size is 14x30).

My system: American Standard 13-SEER 4-ton unit mounted horizontally up in the attic. It was brand new when installed January 2008. I have a 2000 square foot house with good insulation and double pane windows. I also have active attic fans.

How can supply ducts have that huge temperature gap between each other. I can understand if they are off a couple of degrees which perhaps may be due to duct length variation. But 20 degrees gap is too much to stomach specially the two ducts are the same length and exposed to the same attic ambient air temp. My understanding is supply plenum should have one common temperature being shared by all supply ducts. Any clues?

Kevin O'Neill
08-05-2009, 01:16 PM
What city/state are you in?

How much duct insulation?

How long is the duct to the warmest register? The coolest register?

How long is the trunk before the first branch?

Kevin O'Neill
08-05-2009, 01:18 PM
If the supply register boot is not sealed at the ceiling, attic air leaking into the register could be the problem.

Kevin O'Neill
08-05-2009, 01:19 PM
The return seems awful small. Has your air flow been tested?

Kevin O'Neill
08-05-2009, 01:22 PM
If you have a short supply plenum, the temperatures of the air may not mix well. I have seen 20 degrees from one side of a trunk to the other side in a short trunk, especially in heating season.

A short return may keep the coil from feeding air uniformly.

koldair
08-05-2009, 07:26 PM
Check all of your connections, at the plenum and at the boots. Make sure they are properly fitted and sealed with mastic. You could possibly have a infiltration problem. Also what are you using to obtain your temp. readings? The return does seem like it is too small, the area is 420 sq. inches and that’s not “free” area. You may want to get the builder involved and have a HVAC contractor of your choice evaluate the system. Good luck.

rbrt1969
08-05-2009, 07:46 PM
maybe restriction in half of coil or noncondencables in coil ,half of coil not getting cold and the air coming off that side would be return air temp.

bmathews
08-05-2009, 08:04 PM
maybe restriction in half of coil or noncondencables in coil ,half of coil not getting cold and the air coming off that side would be return air temp.

It sounds like a bunk coil or too short of a plenum. I took my coil out a few years ago to clean it after I bought the house and whoever installed the coil left a very nasty and moldy shirt on one side of the A-coil.

jdblack
08-05-2009, 08:47 PM
(one return grill for thw whole house, size is 14x30).

4-ton unit

Does it sound like a train whistle near your return grill?:D

You should have a another contractor come out right away before you ruin equipment. If the next contractor comes out and doesn't find the problem right away, keep looking for contractors.

I can't offer DIY advice here other than to tell you that you have a major airflow issue and continued use could be detrimental to the life of your equipment.

heaterman
08-06-2009, 08:49 AM
A thermometer at the run terminations won't tell you anything at this point. Time to send the tech to the attic to investigate the duct system and evaporator coil.