mini-split trouble

[bilbobonger]

Got a Coaire mini split unit that took a shit here. Guy that installed it flaked, can't get him to return my calls. Plan on having another tech out shortly, but I was hoping you guys might be able to give me an idea of what I'm up against here.

Don't know if I had a bad unit out the gate, or if the tech installed it incorrectly, but when it was still in operation, it was constantly freezing up and spraying water and ice out the front of the unit which was often followed by a very loud grinding, kinda saw-blade sound. Now the unit just wont turn on and the operation light is rapidly flashing. Also FWIW, the end of the line-set that connects to the compressor outside would often have a thick layer of ice around it.

Anyone have any ideas on what's goin on with this thing? Thanks for your time.

 

[the gnome]

are you in the northern part of the country?
has it been happening since this extreme cold weather hit in.
Ive never heard of a coaire
some of the cheaper units may not run properly if its freezing outside unless they have a low temp ambient kit.
check your owners/install manual
it should tell you the lowest operating temps outside for the AC

on a std AC if the filter is clogged and can't pass enough air over the coils it will freeze up.
are the coils iced over on the inside head unit?
anything that may be blocking air flow over the coils?
is the fan in the head unit blowing at all, or just barely?

 

[Coconutz]

Shit leaked out
Unit could be fried if there was air or moisture in the lineset
If it was too cold out it would just shut itself off
See if you find a diagnostic test in the manual.
It might not work if the unit wont turn on, but as long as its flashing you might be able to get diagnostic results
Good luck!

 

[bilbobonger]

Thanks for the responses here. I'm in Northern California, but no, this thing's been freezing up ever since it was installed last summer, and FWIU Coaire's supposed to do well in cold temps. Got a couple other larger units, same brand, that have been running strong. Not the filter. Thing's clean as a whistle. Don't know about the coils though, but when it was running the fan seemed to be doing fine. Didn't notice it slowing down or anything.

Coconutz-
Yeah, I'm worried the compressor's fried. These units come with the threaded quick connect ends. Thinkin you're probly right on having air or moisture in the lineset. Heard it's pretty common with these things. Wanna see if this tech can cut and braze all the ends for me to prevent this from happening.

Will go back thru the manual and see what I can come up with, but I think it pretty much jst says to have a tech out if the operation light's flashing. Fuqin hate the idea of having someone else out to my house I don't know. Guys at my local shop say he's 'cool' tho right lol.

Thanks for the time.

 

[budleydoright]

Not a tech, but when I built and charged my chiller it would freeze like that when it was overcharged.

 

[bilbobonger]

Not a tech, but when I built and charged my chiller it would freeze like that when it was overcharged.

Thx, the lines were supposed to have come precharged, but who the fuq knows. Don't think dude really knew what he was doing.

 

[johnhinkleyjr]

if you live in norcal why dont you go to a grow shop ask for a recommended hvac contractor and call them out. they probably will give you grow tips while they are there.

 

[bilbobonger]

That's how I found the first guy there johhinkleyjr- Jst cuz the guys at your local growshop say someone's 'cool' doesn't necessarily mean that they're solid, honest people that know their shit and stand by their work. Lotta shady people in this biz...

 

[johnhinkleyjr]

check angies list for a good locally ownrd small company. no corporate policy oversight. explain it on an anonymous phone call or email.its 2014 in california what could go wrong. its not like the police care.

 

[bilbobonger]

its 2014 in california what could go wrong. its not like the police care.

Dude are you for real? Things are pretty chill up here, but it's not fuqin lala land. Plenty of people still gettin hassled, not to mention ripped...

Got a tech coming out shortly. Was jst hoping to hear from people that know mini-splits. Thought maybe I could get an idea of what I'm workin with is all.

 

[johnhinkleyjr]

i was being a little sarcastic on the last line but in the first part however i was serious about calling an hvac sole proprietor type company and running it by them. calc your btu load and indicate that its from an internal source not trying to cool weather related heat. those prefilled units are subjective. the pressure needed is really dependant on a lot of factors like length of line set, temps outside and in and lastly assuming there are no leaks. if its freezing up at the line like a block of ice is forming id bet its freezing up due insufficient pressure or loss of pressure due to leaky couplers. im not at all a knowledgeble tech but i do use them. ive found that you can side step the question of the exact equipment that you are cooling as long as you can calculate and state the btu load. servers in data rooms are pretty common and so would be a comercial kitchen. blaze past the equipment description quickly and get right to the symptoms and youll likely get an idea of what they suspect it is. there are online "chat with an hvac pro" sites too.i think you pay but you get an answer if there can be one without field diagnostics. do you have a way to read the pressure yourself? that would fascilitate a better convo with a tech. go online and look up the error codes if there are ones.
good luck hvac troubles are really hard for the lay person. hell the techs are often stumped. this is a highly specialized application not meant for residential units as they are designed to work at outdoor temps that one might need ac in not year round. so at 70 degrees these things may work well but at temperatures much lower they need a additional pressure. a industrrial unit like the mits, pseries has an internal head pressure regulater to facilitate higher pressure at lower outside temps so it doesnt loose efficiency when weather drops below 60. the unit that would best suit this application is either a split system forced air unit with a h.p.r. or a pseries mitsubishi 2.5 or three ton.

 

[bilbobonger]

i was being a little sarcastic on the last line but in the first part however i was serious about calling an hvac sole proprietor type company and running it by them. calc your btu load and indicate that its from an internal source not trying to cool weather related heat. those prefilled units are subjective. the pressure needed is really dependant on a lot of factors like length of line set, temps outside and in and lastly assuming there are no leaks. if its freezing up at the line like a block of ice is forming id bet its freezing up due insufficient pressure or loss of pressure due to leaky couplers. im not at all a knowledgeble tech but i do use them. ive found that you can side step the question of the exact equipment that you are cooling as long as you can calculate and state the btu load. servers in data rooms are pretty common and so would be a comercial kitchen. blaze past the equipment description quickly and get right to the symptoms and youll likely get an idea of what they suspect it is. there are online "chat with an hvac pro" sites too.i think you pay but you get an answer if there can be one without field diagnostics. do you have a way to read the pressure yourself? that would fascilitate a better convo with a tech. go online and look up the error codes if there are ones.
good luck hvac troubles are really hard for the lay person. hell the techs are often stumped. this is a highly specialized application not meant for residential units as they are designed to work at outdoor temps that one might need ac in not year round. so at 70 degrees these things may work well but at temperatures much lower they need a additional pressure. a industrrial unit like the mits, pseries has an internal head pressure regulater to facilitate higher pressure at lower outside temps so it doesnt loose efficiency when weather drops below 60. the unit that would best suit this application is either a split system forced air unit with a h.p.r. or a pseries mitsubishi 2.5 or three ton.

Thx for the info. No, no way of testing the line-pressure myself that I know of. See what I come up with here. Hopefully the unit's not toast.

 

[johnhinkleyjr]

good luck.