Random thoughts thread

Those bigger 220 units will surprise you. There`s one in my grandmothers house next door and on the hottest day of the year so far it kept the house cool. Not like freeze your tail off cool, but comfortable. We have 3 window units (110) in my house, been running all month. To my surprise when I opened my electric bill yesterday it was only $63...
 
Stokdgs said:
Congrats on the new Air Conditioner.
Looks great..
Did it get the temp down to 75 already ?
That is good seeing you had 90 in there earlier..
Dan F
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Thanks Dan! it almost did, but since i didn`t get to start it until late last night which is when the House is the Hottest, it managed to go from 88 to 79 in a timely manner and then i just called it a day. We have a small portable unit in the sleeping bedroom, so we use that one at night and will use the big one during the day .

Nizmo said:
Those bigger 220 units will surprise you. There`s one in my grandmothers house next door and on the hottest day of the year so far it kept the house cool. Not like freeze your tail off cool, but comfortable. We have 3 window units (110) in my house, been running all month. To my surprise when I opened my electric bill yesterday it was only $63...
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This one`s a 15 A / 115 V , the biggest of that spec before the plugs get "weird" , which i don`t have in my House , so i went with this one and according to the specs/BTUs it should do the job. I might eventually get a small cheap one and install in my kitchen window, which has double hung/ slide up window and should be a quick install, then have them both running for quicker cool down.

Your electricity is crazy cheap !!! My bill, with only running a portable 10k BTU unit in the bedroom at night, and zero AC during the day, was still right under $100 . Compared to close to $200 or higher from previous summer it`s good, but not as good as i was expecting for having zero central AC .

In the end, i don`t have plans to replace my central unit if the window ones get the job done, even if my bill is around the same every month. If the window units break, they can be fixed quicker where they sit without having to do all kinds of diagnostics and expensive repairs.
 
I am officially ghetto, lol
Needed an extra cord in the garage

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Home depot has an extension cord that has a fused box for 4 plugs. I keep it plugged in my garage and always run my stuff through there. I`ve only tripped it once but besides that it was totally worth it because if there`s an overload ,it`ll just trip the cord`s box rather than my home fuse box.
 
I`m soon moving. (more later) I live on the third floor of an apartment building. 900 square feet. No way the window type air conditioner can keep up. First summer. I`d run it constantly. When it hit 110 outside. It would top 90 inside. Didn`t stand a chance. I got a second, portable air conditioner. Not only does everything work well now and keeps it as cool as I want. The electric bill went from $200, to under $100. More (adequate) air conditioning is definitely cheaper.

This, amateur at detailing is buying a house. Should close in three weeks. It has a one car garage that is large. I can finally do detailing on my car without my current hassles. Don`t have to load up the garage with storage either. Have a large basement and a large storage shed outside. Will be nice to wash my car off at home also. No more car wash. Will just need to find a good undercarriage setup for washing off. Hook it up to hot water for the salt. Might be easier to do a little driving through a car wash?
 
Migue -
My Central Air Unit broke when we were in the 104-5`s a little while back.. :(

The Condensor unit that sits outside only has 4 parts that can break -
Run Capacitor, or Contactor
Compressor
Exhaust Fan motor..
The Compressor would be the most expensive thing to replace.. You would need an A/C guy to do this one because they have to discharge the Compressor and then charge the new one with the proper amount of gas to get the cooling temp and pressure set correctly..

The Air Handler Unit is usually inside in a Closet, or up in the attic, usually in the hallway so you will see the air filter screen, and you drop down the screen and the air filter drops out to replace..

The Air Handler just moves the air hot or cold from whichever unit is working..
So it`s either going to blow something or not blow anything..

Here is a great YouTube video that may help - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14xhAxPfxIo

It might just be the Run Capacitor and/or Contactor and if that is the case, these parts are available at those Appliance Parts Stores, etc..

If it`s the Fan Motor that sounds terrible, grinding, etc, when you turn it by hand, that motor can also be purchased at an Appliance Parts store...

The only thing you have to do is remove the existing Fan Blade from the old motor and install it correctly spaced like the original one from the top of the shaft, and it should run great with no noise or vibration...

Usually, the Appliance Parts Store will have a Fan Puller tool right there on their counter to help you get that fan off the old motor and then you mark how many inches exactly it was from the old one and install it at that point on the new motor...
Dan F
 
The problem with it being the compressor or any part that uses the freon is it more than likely uses the old R22 refridgerant. That is being phased out and the freon is much more expensive. It is actually more cost effective to change the condenser and swapping the coil in the air handler that also uses the new, 410A freon. Hopefully you get lucky and it is something simple like the contactor or capacitor.
 
Just like Bskip333 states, my unit is old... pushing 20years, way past its life span. I did have a reliable guy come out and try to charge it with old refrigerant....a few hundred dollars later and the system only charged by like one single pound.

Compressor is running weak, plus there is a leak somewhere (most likely up in my attic in one of the coils) . Since it`s a unit with soon to be outdated refrigerant, the thing to do is switch to a new system.

Have to to update sooner or later, so down the line I will update the system but for now I`m gonna go at it with the window unit(s).
 
Another thing to consider.
The new air conditioners are much more efficient.
Old ones?
Might be worth the money to replace it. Pay back in the electric bill?
 
Right! I don`t want to keep putting bandaids on this thing and after paying over $200 just to try to fill it up, yeah don`t want to do that again.
 
Migue, if they replace the coil with a new aluminum unit it will work with new 410A. Then you will only have to replace the condenser and coil. The rest of the airhandler is only a blower motor and heat strips basically. The good thing is the new condenser should be charged with almost all of the freon from the factory and the new 410 os much cheaper. They are basically trying to force everyone to swap to the 410 by making the 22 more expensive.
 
There is no doubt the newer units have been using scroll compressors for awhile now( much more efficient) and the SEER rating is up past 14-15 I think..
The higher the rating, the more efficient, and hopefully if the house is very well insulated in the attic - the entire attic including the garage, you can realize savings AFTER paying the probably $10K + investment..

So, which is more expensive short term and long term...

It would not take a good Tech long to find the leak if he determines by looking at his gauge if the unit is holding pressure or not - it`s hopefully either at the condenser outside connection or the coil in the air handler and not somewhere in the line as it snakes up the side of the house (in the wall) and across the ceiling attic to the handler where ever it is placed..

If you get a new unit someday, they will probably want to move the outside unit somewhere else if it`s noisy or in the way where it sits now, and bring in all new lines to the new air handler, so they absolutely know it is not going to be causing problems for a long time..

My unit was built in 2005 I believe so I have a few years hopefully before it gives up the ghost...
I already got a quote and it was north of $14k for a brand that when googled, has been nothing but trouble... :) Nice, AC Guy, nice...
Lucky for me, it was the Run Capacitor and took about 5 minutes to change out..
Dan F
 
Wow �� with that 14k plus you can just do efficient portable units in the House and save the remainder several thousands. That`s ridiculous.

My Guy quoted me between $5,000 and $10,000 depending on how efficient I want the unit to be. He also does a pressure test to check for leaks after installation using smoke or something like that. He`s a good guy, ex engineer, but unfortunately at his age and physical condition he cannot do it all himself and needs to hire a small crew while he overlooks every step.
 
Man, people are gouging everyone it seems. I replaced my Mom`s 5 ton and my 2 ton for about a 1/4 of that Dan. It helps to know the guy installing and I helped with the work (on my vacation....totally not planned that way) but then again when he has electrical issues (several times a week) he calls me.
 
BSkip333 said:
Man, people are gouging everyone it seems. I replaced my Mom`s 5 ton and my 2 ton for about a 1/4 of that Dan. It helps to know the guy installing and I helped with the work (on my vacation....totally not planned that way) but then again when he has electrical issues (several times a week) he calls me.
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BSkip333 ---
Yes ! He was intent on trying to get as much money out of me for this and like I said, the unit he was wanting to install - (I had to ask him what brand name he was going to use), is some off the wall unit and it has terrible reliability reviews anywhere you look..

I then told him that he was WAY too high for this little 1,678 sq ft house, and the brand was not a major one ( Trane, Carrier, Bryant, etc..), so could he do something to lower the cost?

He said no, he had to pay for his Overhead, and his crews, etc., and that was the best he could do..

Really??? Would you rather have SOME Cash Flow today or NOT ? I don`t get it.. Maybe it`s the New Math or something???

Kids want all the money but they don`t seem to understand the ways to get it.. It`s all or nothing I guess..

And I would be very glad to help whoever comes out - heck I even put my big ladder in my Master Bedroom Closet for him so he could go up in the attic and look a the A/Handler, ductwork, etc., and not have to go pull that ladder off the top of this van...

That is Great that you worked out that Install for your Mom and now you have a new Client for electrical work!!!
Dan F
 
My buddy tells me about going behind people all the time that are told they need a new unit that really only require minor repairs. It`s a shame and the reason people are naturally distrustful of the service industry. Either incompetence or flat out dishonest. I see it daily with the businesses I service time and again. The mechanical techs blame it on an electrical issue, knowing I will come out and verify power. I don`t get it, they have to know they will be returning...so what`s the payoff? Getting away from the real issue for a couple of days at the business`s expense? I usually tell the store managers to tell them if it isn`t an electrical problem, not only will they not pay that service call but they will back charge them for mine. That`s the only way I know to stop it, it`s truly ridiculous.
 
Three of the founding fathers of American independence and former U.S. presidents—John Adams (L), Thomas Jefferson (4th L) and James Monroe (not pictured)—died on July 4. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams passed away within hours of each other in 1826.
 
Yup... Obama... First President I have ever seen who is actively campaigning for his parties nominee. Shows the wickedness going on today. It`s bad. We got extremely important things to worry about. The most important.

On the air conditioners.
Anyone looked into, or considered those newer "Split Units"? They look interesting.
I could understand, with what they demand for a new central air. Just completely redo everything? Put in better insulation and windows. Then approach with window/portable, or split units in the rooms where they heat up the most. That`s the worst problem...When that insulation heats up. You end up like the one post saying it was (again) 90 degrees at 10pm. Geesh.. I hate it when the insulation heats up and won`t cool off. Biggest thing I cured with a portable in my apartment. Put it in the right room.
House I have in escrow. Built 8 years ago. Apparently extremely efficient. 856 square feet on main floor. Open stairway going to basement. Electric bill is on average billing at only $116 a month. Electric heat at top of walls. Only one window type air conditioner in wall. No central unit whatsoever. This appears smart?
I`ll add my portable (one of those with a hose to the window) to this. Am sure it will help with cooling. I thought, in the future... When that wall (window type) goes out. Maybe a split unit?
That $116 electric bill. There is a second meter on the house just for heat. They bill only 5.7 cents a KWH for the heat. I think it`s great. That`s cheap heat. Still got good rates on everything else at 11 something cents a KWH. Geesh... I remember having a small dumpy trailer here. It had a good wood stove. I went through 1/2 a cord of wood every two weeks. Wood ain`t cheap. Still burnt $900 worth of propane for the winter. That`s ridiculous. Everyone in trailers of all types get hit hard on heating and AC. Why I steered away from any trailer. No matter how good.
 
BSkip333 said:
My buddy tells me about going behind people all the time that are told they need a new unit that really only require minor repairs. It`s a shame and the reason people are naturally distrustful of the service industry. Either incompetence or flat out dishonest. I see it daily with the businesses I service time and again. The mechanical techs blame it on an electrical issue, knowing I will come out and verify power. I don`t get it, they have to know they will be returning...so what`s the payoff? Getting away from the real issue for a couple of days at the business`s expense? I usually tell the store managers to tell them if it isn`t an electrical problem, not only will they not pay that service call but they will back charge them for mine. That`s the only way I know to stop it, it`s truly ridiculous.
Click to expand...

So the Mechanical Tech`s cant at least look at the power with a calibrated Fluke Meter or something and verify its ok?
What could possibly be wrong? It`s either on, or off, a circuit breaker tripped, or their equipment has one of many problems...

Your part of the equation is easily the simplest one to trouble shoot compared to what they should be doing.. Geez, no wonder they are acquiring a bad rep...

Out here in the "country" where I live now, I am finding that there is really no "advantage" money-wise, to live out here because all these yay-hoos want to charge much more for the same things than even in the big city I came from...

It is like everyone is really greedy and want to take advantage of you because I don`t have a lot of choices for services like I would in the big city..

Perhaps they don`t care because they expect everyone to have great jobs and therefore are able to pay whatever it takes to fix things, but if you are not in that category, well, good luck...

Thank you, BSkip333 for helping those people that have already been inconvenienced enough by these dummies and trying to stop this just awful way to do business...
Dan F
 
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