ClimateMaster Geothermal troubleshooting

[sprdave]

Im trying to troubleshoot a Climatemaster ground source geothermal. It is about 10 years old, and a 2 stage unit (2 x 1.5 ton).

When it calls for first stage, the fan and circulation pump runs, the compressor starts, runs for about 2 minutes, then the compressor drops out (everything else keeps running as long as there's a call for heat), and thus no heat on first stage. It waits a few minutes and trys again a couple more times before it lockout. When second stage kicks in, it works fine (the second compressor runs, fan speeds up, etc).

When I go into test mode on the control board, I get fault code 4 which is FP1 (water coil freeze protection). The limit setting jumper is clipped, for the closed loop/antifreeze system. I checked the gray wires going to the thermistor, and I get ~16k ohms (or more when running), which is about right by the manual (60*F). The compressor when it does run draws about 3.2 Amps which seems ok.

Any other things to check before I tell him to call a refrigeration person?

[beenthere]

Nope, time to make the call.

[Milk man]

Call for service. It probably needs it's loop goosed regardless of the problem.

[geodude]

Call a company that has experiance in servicing geo units.
There a are three things you first look for in trouble shooting a geo unit, water flow, water flow and of course water flow.
The last thing you do on these things is to put your gauges on them.

[dude]

Im trying to troubleshoot a Climatemaster ground source geothermal. It is about 10 years old, and a 2 stage unit (2 x 1.5 ton).

When it calls for first stage, the fan and circulation pump runs, the compressor starts, runs for about 2 minutes, then the compressor drops out (everything else keeps running as long as there's a call for heat), and thus no heat on first stage. It waits a few minutes and trys again a couple more times before it lockout. When second stage kicks in, it works fine (the second compressor runs, fan speeds up, etc).

When I go into test mode on the control board, I get fault code 4 which is FP1 (water coil freeze protection). The limit setting jumper is clipped, for the closed loop/antifreeze system. I checked the gray wires going to the thermistor, and I get ~16k ohms (or more when running), which is about right by the manual (60*F). The compressor when it does run draws about 3.2 Amps which seems ok.

Any other things to check before I tell him to call a refrigeration person?

the last one i had do that, was doing it because it was undercharged. you will have to put the gauges on