Any HVAC Techs Here?

[Snattlerake]

Get a fin comb if there is any damage from hail or a strong pressure washer.

 

[swampratt]

I'm sure you know more than the engineers that designed it, It's always a bad Idea
btw . 2.5 ton is not undersized for 1500 sqft

I have many instances where engineers were super dumb.
If they were so smart in 1984 they would have built a much larger coil area on that 2.5 ton unit and dropped the head pressure significantly and lowered running load amps significantly.

They were cranking out stuff to make money.

Do not even get me started on the dumb stuff "engineers" did in the automotive field.
Most of that revolves around packaging or copy cat production not genius moves.
It's about making money and moving stock.

Proof is in the lower electric bill and cooler house.
You can monitor your daily electrical usage from OG&E and see what works for your particular situation.
If a window screen or other filtration device hurts then by all means get it off of there.

Now I have an air speed measuring device and am a bit curious as to how much loss in speed there would be .

Would be fun to measure.
I use it for automotive fans and radiators to check different pitch fans and coil thicknesses along with different shrouds.
You can check multiple areas on the radiator core and see if you can get a better balance with a different fan or shroud spacing.

Fun with numbers.
I like numbers.

 

[Broncos]

HVAC repairman advised me to wrap it in window screen material and use magnets to anchor it That keeps large material from plugging it up Just wash it out good in the spring for dust and dirt Works quite well

 

[AKA009]

There are so many other conditions that would need to be considered to even answer.

If you really want to know, take temp reading of compressor, do bulb test of the unit before you cover it and then again after you cover it.

See if there is any difference, that will tell you your answer.

The concern is making compressor work too hard and you will be able to tell if its temperature is higher.

 

[saddlebum]

HVAC repairman advised me to wrap it in window screen material and use magnets to anchor it That keeps large material from plugging it up Just wash it out good in the spring for dust and dirt Works quite well

he was an idiot

 

[elwoodtrix]

he was an idiot

Why?

 

[saddlebum]

I have many instances where engineers were super dumb.
If they were so smart in 1984 they would have built a much larger coil area on that 2.5 ton unit and dropped the head pressure significantly and lowered running load amps significantly.

They were cranking out stuff to make money.

Do not even get me started on the dumb stuff "engineers" did in the automotive field.
Most of that revolves around packaging or copy cat production not genius moves.
It's about making money and moving stock.

Proof is in the lower electric bill and cooler house.
You can monitor your daily electrical usage from OG&E and see what works for your particular situation.
If a window screen or other filtration device hurts then by all means get it off of there.

Now I have an air speed measuring device and am a bit curious as to how much loss in speed there would be .

Would be fun to measure.
I use it for automotive fans and radiators to check different pitch fans and coil thicknesses along with different shrouds.
You can check multiple areas on the radiator core and see if you can get a better balance with a different fan or shroud spacing.

Fun with numbers.
I like numbers.

they designed them to meet the Epa standard of the time and still be affordable for people to buy. had nothing to do with whether they were smart or not .... we've all seen your engineering

 

[saddlebum]

Why?

he advised to do something that disrupts the designed airflow , not to mention void the warranty

 

[Big House]

Might I suggest wrapping a quilt around the unit. That way you can replace the unit an unlimited amount of times throughout the year.

 

[trekrok]

It's hard for me to imagine clean screen wire restricting air flow enough that it matters. Anyone have a blower door we can test it out with?