Any benefit to adding 5-inch media filter when new system is installed?

[Florida Joy]

Yep, it definitely indicates it is a high pressure reset button; which means something else is happening to trip it...

Like what, for instance?

[Workin4TheMan]

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[Florida Joy]

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No offense, but you're not an asterisked pro member, so please stop responding to my posts.... leave it to the pro's, please!

BTW, refrigerant pressures/temps were checked and double-checked by the tech when he repaired leaks and replaced the accumulator two months ago. Since then, except for the reset issue related to filter change, the system has been cooling better than ever.

[Florida Joy]

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You may be funny, to some, but you're not helping me at all.

No offense, but you're not an asterisked pro member, so please stop responding to my posts.... leave it to the pro's, please!

[Workin4TheMan]

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[beenthere]

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[RoBoTeq]

Could be bad txv, trash in the metering device, partially blocked filter drier, bad pressure switch, gremlins or ghosts in the machine. It needs to be thoroughly checked or more damage may be being done.

[jtrammel]

The air filter shouldn't have anything to do with a high head preasure trip unless the unit is in heat mode. In ac it could be dirty condenser coil, weak or stopping condenser fan motor, overcharged with refrigerant, or a restriction in the refrigeration circuit. It's odd that it seems directly correlated with a filter change.

[Florida Joy]

The air filter shouldn't have anything to do with a high head preasure trip unless the unit is in heat mode. In ac it could be dirty condenser coil, weak or stopping condenser fan motor, overcharged with refrigerant, or a restriction in the refrigeration circuit. It's odd that it seems directly correlated with a filter change.

Odd, indeed. The condenser fan is running strong, with lots of hot air exhaust. I put my hand on the compressor housing and it's not hot. BTW, it was hot when the switch tripped after the filter change, both with the Honeywell MERV 10 and the MERV 11. The coil fins are quite corroded, but no dirtier than usual. I'm afraid if I try to run a hose through the coil the fins will fall off. Yes, I do know the coil has to be rinsed from the inside out.

[Florida Joy]

a 1" MERV 11 could probably ' trip me out' from 200 miles away.

Not sure of the specific impact from a 4" MERV 10.
I would Not use more than a MERV 8 in any case.

If I had health issues, I'd get a portable HEPA unit, that way both me and my equipment can survive.

I'll stick with the MERV 8 for the time being. No real health issues, but too much dust, pollen, etc. does make me sneeze and aggravates my post nasal drip (side effect from blood pressure meds). So far, haven't had that problem inside my house.

But I'd like to know what 3-ton equipment you have in your home that gets you a high bill of $130? Your house is close to mine in square footage (~1800). I'm home alone most of the time and don't use many appliances, but my high bill in mid-August is $250, at about 74 kWh/day. My low bills in mid-December and mid-February are $60 each, at about 19 kWh/day.

My high bill in VA every year, over the 7 years I lived there, was $130 in a 2200 sf 3-story townhouse. I sure would like to see bills like that again!

[udarrell]

The air filter shouldn't have anything to do with a high head pressure trip unless the unit is in heat mode.

In ac it could be dirty condenser coil, weak or stopping condenser fan motor, overcharged with refrigerant, or a restriction in the refrigeration circuit. It's odd that it seems directly correlated with a filter change.

Since you're running it in the cooling mode; jtrammel is on target, except for some restriction exceptions which though usually high, depending on where located, some locations cause the system to pump down.

Maybe it is getting attic air leaked into the return air; then a clean filter would allow an increased evaporator airflow heat-load to possibly trip the head pressure shut-down; it's even more apt to happen, due to hot moisture loaded attic air, if the system is overcharged or has a lot of non-condensibles in the refrigerant system.

[RoBoTeq]

Odd, indeed. The condenser fan is running strong, with lots of hot air exhaust. I put my hand on the compressor housing and it's not hot. BTW, it was hot when the switch tripped after the filter change, both with the Honeywell MERV 10 and the MERV 11. The coil fins are quite corroded, but no dirtier than usual. I'm afraid if I try to run a hose through the coil the fins will fall off. Yes, I do know the coil has to be rinsed from the inside out.

I think you found your problem. If the aluminum fins are eroded, the outdoor coil is not removing enough heat and the head pressure is going up. The only way to be certain is to have the system professionally tested.

[54regcab]

I'll stick with the MERV 8 for the time being. No real health issues, but too much dust, pollen, etc. does make me sneeze and aggravates my post nasal drip (side effect from blood pressure meds). So far, haven't had that problem inside my house.

But I'd like to know what 3-ton equipment you have in your home that gets you a high bill of $130? Your house is close to mine in square footage (~1800). I'm home alone most of the time and don't use many appliances, but my high bill in mid-August is $250, at about 74 kWh/day. My low bills in mid-December and mid-February are $60 each, at about 19 kWh/day.

My high bill in VA every year, over the 7 years I lived there, was $130 in a 2200 sf 3-story townhouse. I sure would like to see bills like that again!

If the bill is only $130 on a 3 ton unit either the person has low electric rates or an oversized AC unit. Figure 12+ hrs per day run time in a peak month for a properly sized unit at a 3,000Watt draw. The AC alone would use 1080KWH per month if sized to run 12hrs per day in a peak month. At 10 cents per KWH that's $108 for AC alone. This doesn't include any other use in the house or the base meter charges/taxes/fees.