Problems with Rheem unit

[myersjeremy]

Let me explain my dilema. I have a Rheem Seer 10 heat pump that I am having issues with. On most cold days the unit will function normally. On days like today when the temp hits above 60 and the night dips into the 30's is when I have the problems. I am not very knowledgeable on heating and air but want to gain some insight before I call the repair man. On the 60 degree days the fan will continue to run non-stop without the compressor running. I can go outside and press the reset button on the unit and the compressor will begin working again and start heating the house. After a few minutes the compressor will stop again. I can keep repeating the reset button but I dont know the damage I am doing to the compressor or what safety issues are involved when I keep overriding the shutdown. Any ideas on what could be causing the compressor to stop while the fan continues to run? My first thought is the freon.....I remember back in school that pressure is proportional to temperature so maybe I am either over/undercharged on freon. Just a guess....... Thanks for any advice. I just dont want to get the runaround when I call in the service request.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Paladin]

Jeremy I sincerely hope you can find a good company to service your system. Trust is a major factor with me and I always try to educate my customer as to how their equipment works, what the problem is, and what the options/consequences of repair strategies. Ask around at work to see if someone has been doing business with a company they trust. Here in Colorado we have a large number of Heating/A/C contractors and customers go by word of mouth to find someone they can trust. The good technicians who frequent this site could make some mighty fine guesses as to the problem, but having a tech on site with the proper diagnostic equipment is crucial.

[wasp]

You are resetting the high pressure switch, which could be weak. Your evaporator coil could be dirty and blower wheel dirty, dirty filter, return air big enough? Possibly overcharged. Does the reversing valve shift all the way when you switch it from heat to cool? May be stuck or sticking halfway.

These are some of the things you can check yourself if you have the tools.

Does it run ok in the cool mode? That should have been the first thing I asked.

Oh yeah, the most obvious one--- Is your indoor blower running?

Liquid line drier could be stopped up. Make sure it is a bi-flow drier. It could be stopped up one way and not the other.

Good luck!!

[Edited by wasp on 02-21-2005 at 10:50 PM]

[dave82323]

sounds like you could have a problem with you outdoor metering device. It may be restricted and causing pressure problems, need more info, does it shut down right away or ? ? this could be a low or high pressure problem.... tell us more..

[dave82323]

wasp is on the right path, but tell us more

[wasp]

Dave, who? Me?

[myersjeremy]

The air filter in it is brand new. The compressor will run anywhere from 5 mins to all night once I hit the reset switch. It seems to be related to the daytime temperature. I havent tried it on cool mode; haven't even thought to check that. Just on heat..... The blower seems to work fine. It continues to run continuoulsy even after the outside unit has shut down. It really puzzles me. I'm not here to try to fix it myself. I would have no clue how or the tools to begin on that. Just wondering if it may be something simple.

[docholiday]

No its not probably simple.

You should call for service. It could be several things. 1. Lack of airflow (blower, capacitor, ductwork, filter, dirty indoor coil, registers closed etc.)
2. Mismatch equipment (indoor coil not rqated with outdoor coil).
3. Moisture or non-condesnables in system
4. Restricted circuit in the indoor coil (maybe from point3)

[1972torino]

check for stuck defrost temp. sensor

[myersjeremy]

How do you check for the frozen defrost temp sensor???

[aircooled53]

Turn off power to outdoor unit and clean it.Wash coil with water...Make sure the thermostat is off/power is off.
Make sure that your thermostat is set on Auto.
Look at the filter/blower is it dirty?


DO NOT/ Reset the pressure switch if this problem continues.

Look in the phone book under Rheem dealers and call for service..

[docholiday]

Originally posted by myersjeremy
How do you check for the frozen defrost temp sensor???

You dont, Thats a service guys job but in your case probably not the problem.

[1972torino]

dont forget "static regain"

[billva]

Originally posted by 1972torino
dont forget "static regain"

good call.

jeremy, how long have you lived here? was this a problem last year?

has any one added refrigerant to this system recently? in the last year or so?

are you a faithful filter changer? if not you may have a clogged INDOOR coil.

it sounds like the system hasn't been checked in a while, it would be a good idea to have it done, and then twice annually thereafter.

and, it's not a very good idea to keep resetting a safety switch that keeps opening on you, it is there for a reason.(to protect the compressor)

good luck

[l8bloomr]

I wonder if this is a new system this year or if this is just a new problem. I have seen new Rheem/Ruud installs where this same problem exists. These systems need to keep the supply plenum the same size as the outlet from the air handler for 2 to 3 feet to keep the velocity up. If the plenum is too large, velocity is lost and you get the exact problem you are describing.
Hope this helps.

[myersjeremy]

Had a local technician over who immediately checked the high pressure cut off switch (the reset button).With the unit off he found high resistance between the two sides of the switch. For a temporary fix he spliced the wires on both sides of the switch until the ordered one comes in. I voiced my initial concerns for safety and was reassured by the fella. He said that the reset button is tripped by pressure not by amperage and that there would be no safety concerns. He checked all the pressures and found them to be in specs. He stated there should be no damage to the compressor as long as I kept the filter changed. He stated that both Rheem and Ruud have this problem regularly and that most technicians have bypassed the switches all together. Any thoughts on all this??? Does it sound legit???
Only cost me $50 so I'm not complaining at all. As long as it is safe.


Jeremy

[docholiday]

He's full of crap.

We can argue over static regain all you want but I would laugh my arse off if a guy told me that I needed to have that done and it didnt reslove my problem and he still expected me to pay for it.

This is a non issue unless the ductwork downstream was poor in the first place.

You need a service call, you need to know how much airflow in cfm you have before you can start blaming airflow, then if you determine it is low then you can look at the unit rating versus the static the system actually is seeing and determine if the ductwork is the problem. If it is marginal, then maybe the static regain my help but dont count on it. If on the other hand the airflow is sufficient then what?

[Wild Leg]

Originally posted by myersjeremy
Had a local technician over who immediately checked the high pressure cut off switch (the reset button).With the unit off he found high resistance between the two sides of the switch. For a temporary fix he spliced the wires on both sides of the switch until the ordered one comes in. I voiced my initial concerns for safety and was reassured by the fella. He said that the reset button is tripped by pressure not by amperage and that there would be no safety concerns. He checked all the pressures and found them to be in specs. He stated there should be no damage to the compressor as long as I kept the filter changed. He stated that both Rheem and Ruud have this problem regularly and that most technicians have bypassed the switches all together. Any thoughts on all this??? Does it sound legit???
Only cost me $50 so I'm not complaining at all. As long as it is safe.


Jeremy

This is very much like taking the battery out of a smoke detector to keep it from going off.

The HPCO was installed for a purpose. It's purpose is to protect the compressor (simplified).
If it is bypassed, then it cannot protect.
Get a different tech.

This guy is shooting from the hip.

[jrj001]

Rheem and Ruud heat pumps do have this issue fairly regularly. Most of the time it is either airflow, i.e the supply plenum not sized properly or new outdoor on an old indoor. A refrigerant overcharge will do it also. This can be due to an oversized liquid line. Looking at the manufacturer's specs instead of just running the typical 3/8'. Just put in a Ruud 3 ton 14 SEER heat pump last week.Called for a 5/16' liquid line for anything under 75ft. Would have been easier to use the old 3/8' line but I didn't. I have noticed that Rheem has taken out the high pressure switch from the 10 SEER heat pump line. The 14 SEER also had a charge compensator.(receiver)

[coldspot]

Find a reputable service company! Look in the yellow pages for the name Rheem under Heating or airconditioning, then call the Rheem dealer to make a reccomendation, as to what company to call! next pay your bill, and enjoy the consistency of a good unit! and a qualified tech! I seen this happen, high head pressure variables, non condensibles, sun comes up in morning and trips hpco>hi press cut out reset, plugged blower wheel and evap coil, intermittent fan motor prob.... over charge, and so on, the hpco switch is a fairly regular prob with Rheem/ruud agreeable

[Edited by coldspot on 03-03-2005 at 12:51 AM]