blown transformer-maybe

[shadine]

I am a homeowner and have had 3 companies out. My air doesn't work. I checked and they are all licensed and insured. All 3 stated it was the transformer so I picked one company to fix it, after paying 3 service fees.. After that the transformer blew again in 3 weeks..Again 3 companies stated that I needed to replace the furnace so I picked one company and had it replaced...the air doesn't work again, I went back to the one that installed the furnace. They are telling me that the condesnsor/coil is bad and keeps shorting out the transformer...Help, I feel like I am being taken for a ride....I am starting not to trust service technicians...This is a bad as the time I hired Sears and they made me pay to replace a thermostat when it was really the heat pump....

[Twilly]

http://www.webmd.com

[Mr Bill]

Originally posted by shadine
They are telling me that the condesnsor/coil is bad and keeps shorting out the transformer...Help, I feel like I am being taken for a ride....

Condenser coil shorting out transformer? only way I know that could happen if a low voltage wire is touching the coil, I guess that could happen but that would be easy to see, on the other hand maybe you are being taken for a long ride.

[novar controls engineer]

No offense, but it is hard to say what the problem is from your description. Provide the area in which you are located, and someone might know of a reputable company, close by to you to come and look at it. I am not saying that the other companies are wrong in condemning the previous equipment but things sound a little strange to me.

[coolwhip]

No 24 vac? Sounds like a short in the low voltage. Have them install a fuse to protect the xformer and run new control wires.

[shadine]

I reside in GA, thanks for the information. I will ask for the fuse,xformer and wiring thing. The part that disturbs me most is this company was sent to me by my home warranty company. Whoa is me and the children with no air!

[hvacguy1075]

SOUNDS LIKE LOW VOLTAGE LINES GROUNDING OUT DO WHAT COOL WHIP SAID

[Shophound]

Originally posted by shadine
I am a homeowner and have had 3 companies out. My air doesn't work. I checked and they are all licensed and insured. All 3 stated it was the transformer so I picked one company to fix it, after paying 3 service fees.. After that the transformer blew again in 3 weeks..Again 3 companies stated that I needed to replace the furnace so I picked one company and had it replaced...the air doesn't work again, I went back to the one that installed the furnace. They are telling me that the condesnsor/coil is bad and keeps shorting out the transformer...Help, I feel like I am being taken for a ride....I am starting not to trust service technicians...This is a bad as the time I hired Sears and they made me pay to replace a thermostat when it was really the heat pump....

Let me get this straight...you had three different companies out, who in turn all told you the same thing? Simultaneously you paid for three separate service calls...and finally believed one of them? That strikes me as a high price to pay to have the same problem diagnosed three times!

Then three more times you're told the same thing on the second go-around, you finally spring for it and you STILL have the same problem?

Six service calls, which nets two actual attempts at repair, and the problem remains. Add to that you now have a new furnace under warranty and you're now blowing up brand new transformers.

How small is your town? Maybe all the HVAC techs from the various companies know each other and are swapping stories at the parts house about your place?

Maybe one of them will finally break down and find the problem, now that all of them have a somewhat better bottom line for the month!

[Twilly]

http://www.idiot.com/

[diegocentral]

a transformer costs around $7.00 dollars + tax.
Boy I would hate to have known that after making 3 service calls for a stupid transformer.
Are you using any zoning?

On the current job I am on, we split our system with a 3 zone from honeywell, also fresh air dampers, I don't think it is necessary but we install a second transformer so the manafacturer can't say we overloaded the single transformer.

If the (Blue)Common wire is touching the (Red)24) it will blow out the transformer. Could be your T-stat our your furnace if the wires are rubbing.

[servicef1rst]

Did they say the condenser coil or did they say the contactor coil? Condenser coil doesn't make any sense, and if the technicians that were working on your equipment were indeed compentent that should have been one of the first things they checked ( the control wiring and control components ) to insure they were not the source of the problem. A different analogy, it's kinda like an automobile mechanic telling you your injectors need replaced without verifying you have fuel to the injectors first....IMHO....resolution of symptoms seldomly resolve the true problem. Check your control wires at the condenser also, do they appear frayed, insulation cracking? Have you used a weedeater near the condenser. I would suspect, based on experience that the control wiring ( thermostat wires ) are shorting against the lineset or entry point at the condenser, particularly since it performed for a few weeks before going out again, I doubt a shorted contactor coil would have given you that much time.

[jaypslugger]

You definitely have a short in the control circuit. Either have a xfrmr with a reset installed or fuse a regular one, then isolate the different loads and introduce them back into the circuit until the fuse blows or reset trips. When this happens, you've found the short. My guess is the wires running out to the contactor in the outdoor condensing unit. Show this to the tech that comes out to check it out next so you can save him time and yourself $. A decent tech will use a meter to find the short, but it sounds like that ship has sailed.

[Wirenut]

Shadeline
Same guy that had installed his thermostat and called the home warranty company! He sure got quick response getting THREE diffrent companys to look at his system!! Think someone is pulling our chain a little!!

[Wirenut]

Shadeline
Same guy that had installed his thermostat and called the home warranty company when it wouldn't work!! He sure got quick response getting THREE diffrent companys to look at his system!! Think someone is pulling our chain a little!!

[tim fox]

The key here is Home Warranty. I used to do work for many of them. I don't anymore. They Suck! They don't want to pay you to fix it right and the H.O. is pissed at you.

[bornriding]

Please have patience. If the service co. changed transformer and it waited three weeks to blow again, you have intermittent problem. These are very hard to find sometimes. I have been electrician for 25+ years and sometimes I have to go back two or three times to find such a problem.
Remember, the problem has to 'be there' to find it. Its like the noise yur car makes and then when you take it to the mechanic, it won't make the noise.
You definetly have some kind of short circuit happening on an intermittent basis. It may not have been happening when co. replaced transformer, so tech could not see it. Of course they may have not looked either.

Hope this helps,
Richard.

[core]

Hello friends

The question I have is.

Is the transformer blowing the Primary or Secondary windings?

If the Primary then the short must be on the Secondary circuit.

If the Secondary then the short is on the Primary side.

Either way need alot more info.

Core

[tecman]

Originally posted by core
Hello friends

The question I have is.
Is the transformer blowing the Primary or Secondary windings?
If the Primary then the short must be on the Secondary circuit.
If the Secondary then the short is on the Primary side.
Either way need alot more info.

Core

A short on the secondary could blow either the primary or secondary winding.

paul

[steamer]

Well I seen that you mentioned something about Sears and a Heatpump.

So do you have a furnace or a Airhandler(heatpump)system.And was just he furnace /airhandler replaced or the condensor also.

Low voltage problems that may cause a transformer to become faulty.(basically simple, its just that proper troublshooting needs to take place)

Contactor shorted out in Condensor.
shorting out t-stat wires(as stated damage outside condensor wiring,dog got hungry,gophers got hungry)
shorting out t-stat

a simple fused transformer would tell the story, if fuse is burnt,then its from the 24v side to the condensor.

If you had the problem before it was replaced and now you have it again, leads me to think that the problem is in your low voltage wiring from the furnace/airhandler,really not that complicated.

And if it went through the Home Warranty, You should of only had to pay the first Deductable, anything within 30 days is a callback and you should of not been charged for a svc call for the same problem,

[shadine]

I want to thank everyone for their advice. I have copied these items to show the tech coming out today. They tried to sell me a new condesor etc...they wanted to charge me 1600.00 for a 2.5 ton(whatever that is) and 250.00 for the coil. I am getting smarter, I called several local stores and found that condensors only cost about 580.00 (goodman)and that includes the coil..WOW..so when he gets here today I will be prepared. Sorry if I seem to be somewhat of an idiot, but I am woman and never wanted or cared to know about HVAC. Sad that I have to learn this way...

[Edited by shadine on 08-11-2005 at 10:36 AM]