Central heat/air system. Replace?

[Shadowrider]

My outside condensor unit just took a dirt nap. It's 12 years old. Matching heating unit is also 12 years old. Should I replace it all?

Thinking I probably should and have the ducting redone eliminating the floor vents. Good idea? What's the current practice on this?

Also who are the good and honest contractors in the south OKC area?

I've had 2 fans, my desktop computer and my A/C die today. What's next?

 

[saddlebum]

brads heat & air in moore

 

[ronny]

I think I'd just go to bed until tomorrow.

 

[xnavychief]

It's not even broken in yet. Most in Moore are Rheems, mine is 25+ years old with floor vents also and runs as new. Probably just a motor run/start capacitor, clogged exchanger vents, or worst case motor itself. I seriously doubt the compressor is bad. Just get it cleaned and serviced. If you have any elecrtrical/machanical abilities you can probably view the youtube vids, troubleshoot & repair yourself. Having said that, if you don't have the aforementioned skills, it can kill you.

 

[briarcreekguy]

Several years ago, my outside unit quit working. Not having the cash at the time to hire a HVAC tech, and having studied electricity and electronics in both Vo-tech and in college, I figured I would take a look to see if anything was obviously fried. To my amazement, I found that freaking fire ants, had got in the start relay, and eventually enough of there carbonized corpses prevented the relay from making an electrical connection, and thus the problem. Cleaning the contacts (with the power off of course) solved the problem for me. I'm not saying that fire ants are your problem, just that the littlest thing can cause your AC to go on the fritz.

 

[ronny]

I once had a dead leaf blow in between the contact points in the thingamajig. Shut it down like a tomb.

 

[eaglerjs]

Give me a call @ 918 850 2665. I will ask a few questions and give you my free advice. I am a mechanical contractor. Joe

 

[Shadowrider]

Okay more info.

The unit is a Goodman 3 ton condensing unit. I have the matching upgraded 3.5 ton coil inside the heating unit. The heating unit is also a goodman and is way oversized for my house. When I changed it out last time I went up to Johnstone supply and bought it my self. I did most of the install myself also since it was basically a direct replacement of my existing unit, having a licensed commercial contractor friend come over and do the silver soldering of the lines and looking it all over when we fired it up. When I did the calculations for my heating, IRRC I came up with 65K BTU. The existing unit was 105K BTU and I was too skeert to deviate that much. I have since learned 65K to 75K would be fine for my house. The 3 ton is fine though 3.5 tons wouldn't hurt.

Now. I did get a serviceman out today and the compressor is toast. Shorted completely out and even back feeding 63 volts into the fan motor (outside). That really threw the service guy who was a very experienced older gent, he said he'd never seen that ever. He also was familiar with Goodman units. The capacitor checked okay, and the relay or contactor, whatever it's called is good was good too. He identified a short right off the bat but it took him about 15 minutes to figure out where.

I know I can just go the same route I did last time and save a bunch on the equipment, but I really don't know that I want to stay with the downflow type and keep the vents in the floor. They all work fine, but they just get utterly nasty in a very short time. I'm really sick of cleaning out under the vent covers in the floor, when you pull them off they are full of grass, bobby pins and all manner of crap. I'd much rather move them to the ceiling. And that puts the whole deal "out of my reach" as far as doing it myself. 1) I just don't want to mess with it and 2) I just don't have the time. I needs me some A/C!

 

[Shadowrider]

Give me a call @ 918 850 2665. I will ask a few questions and give you my free advice. I am a mechanical contractor. Joe

I may just do that. It'll be a day or two though, let me get some quotes first. Thanks!

 

[eaglerjs]

At 12 years old I would replace the condenser with a "dry charged condenser". It would use the older R22 freon. They need to use acid-away or another acid nuetralizer, when the compressor shorts to ground, it sparks and generates a acid, that will atack the new compressor motor windings insulation, causing it to eventually shot out the new windings. When the condenser or the furnace dies, then I would update to R410A system and change the ductwork at that time. Joe