Help....it's cold...I need advice

[john stiles]

The last few days shot down into the 30s and we/I turned on the heatpump[TRANE X1200]...it's only blowing cold unless I engage the heat strip. I have noticed that the lights in my house are dimming momentarily when the pump[compressor?]tries to start...but it won't start up...is it shot, or out of coolant(oil), can anyone give me a idea of what I'm lookin at here, because I'm on a fixed income[pension]...my wife and 5yr old daughter live w/me...so I just would like a rough idea how bad the damage is gonna be and whether it might be better to contract for a new unit. It's past the 10yr warranty, and my service has lapsed for budget reasons! Any advice will be greatly appreciated.~John

[BaldLoonie]

Either the compressor has locked up or you've lost a capacitor which helps the compressor start. Gonna take a technician to figure out which. Put on emergency heat until it can be checked.

[john stiles]

I can hear the compressor start, and the unit begins to shake a little as it does usually..but then it kicks out, and after oh say 2 minutes it kicks back on and turns for a couple secs and kicks back out again...did that all night, my wife is scared it will burn the house down....but I told her it wouldnt, but she don't like it kickin on and off...I'm trying to contact the people who installed it, but they might be outta business?? I'm way in the boonies. Would it have a "low coolant switch" that's causeing it to turn itself off? Theres a guy in the next town that is kinda a HVAC, but I don't think he's TRANE trained!~John

[BaldLoonie]

Leave it off til it is checked. If only the capacitor which is cheap, could fry the compressor from trying to start.