Once upon a time...or should I start with, "there I was." Sorry, long one here. About 8 1/2 months ago, I was away for a few days and upon returning the A/C was blowing out warm air. I opened the outside panel and found a snake burned in two across the start capacitor. Snake and capacitor both tested bad. I ran to the hardware store and grabbed a new capacitor, installed it, and tested the contactor...all is well. Still blowing warm air. Thorough cleaning of outside unit was done...and filter is changed every 90-days. Next day a tech arrives and when he hooked up his gauges they were fluctuating rapidly...pressures on both sides that is. He didn't know what would cause that. He pumped down the system, filled with nitrogen, found no leak, evac'd system, filled and topped off with a little R410A, and it was still doing this. He called another tech for suggestions--no help. Said he would return in a few days with the manager and get this fixed--never returned. I called a week later and two techs arrived. Gauges connected and same thing, rapid fluctuation of both pressures...followed by "what the hell is going on." TXV valve is bad was the next thing I heard. He played with TXV valve adjustments for a bit and it didn't help. Then it was, you have contamination in the lines (same company that installed system in new home 4 1/2 years earlier). He evac'd entire system, purged off contaminants, filled system, and topped off with some juice. Gauges were now holding steady...he did go back to the TXV to supposedly put it back to where it was. I didn't get a pic of his gauges so I don't know what SC and SH readings were. Fast forward to last week. System blowing warm air again. Checked outside...start cap and contactor fine. Compressor is running. Liquid line is cold and suction line is warm. I didn't open inside unit for several hours so I don't know if it was frozen, but there was quite a bit of water. Tech arrived next day and first thing he did was sniff the coils...followed by your coil is leaking, that'll be $$$$ plus any needed refrigerant. I told him no and to fill the system so I can cool my house. He added 3 pounds and called it a day. I took a pic of his gauges. He filled to SC of 1.8 with a 16.2 SH...completely wrong. I downloaded the manual and it says 8 & 8 +/- 1. Nearly a week later (waited for parts, equipment, and to get my Type 2 card), I added Easy-Seal with UV to the system and waited three days. My shiny new gauges read the same as the techs fancy/expensive ones. System appears undercharged. My juice has arrived. I ran a UV light over the coils and sniffed them--nothing. I ran the light and sniffer over the TXV, Shrader valves, and outside unit--nothing again. I started adding juice slowly (after purging all my lines that is)...quarter of a pound at a time and waiting a minute or two. After adding four pounds the readings were looking good...then it started. All of a sudden the SC shot way up and SH was down. I played with the TXV to get SH in range, then it started again. Gauges fluctuating, but not as rapidly as the first time 8 1/2 months ago. Then I'm thinking it's overcharged since it holds about 7 1/2 pounds and a total of 7 has been added--but the pressures are not that high. Inside temp was 72, outside temp 81, cold air was 54, humidity 50, located in SW Florida. See attached data log of readings. I shut it down and opened the house to increase inside temp and humidity. Tested again several hours later and same thing...after running for 15 min, it looks low, then after running about 1/2 hour it starts fluctuating again. Doesn't quite look like TXV hunting. Any suggestions??????
4 Techs and they can't figure out the problem...
Frog760
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Once upon a time...or should I start with, "there I was." Sorry, long one here. About 8 1/2 months ago, I was away for a few days and upon returning the A/C was blowing out warm air. I opened the outside panel and found a snake burned in two across the start capacitor. Snake and capacitor both tested bad. I ran to the hardware store and grabbed a new capacitor, installed it, and tested the contactor...all is well. Still blowing warm air. Thorough cleaning of outside unit was done...and filter is changed every 90-days. Next day a tech arrives and when he hooked up his gauges they were fluctuating rapidly...pressures on both sides that is. He didn't know what would cause that. He pumped down the system, filled with nitrogen, found no leak, evac'd system, filled and topped off with a little R410A, and it was still doing this. He called another tech for suggestions--no help. Said he would return in a few days with the manager and get this fixed--never returned. I called a week later and two techs arrived. Gauges connected and same thing, rapid fluctuation of both pressures...followed by "what the hell is going on." TXV valve is bad was the next thing I heard. He played with TXV valve adjustments for a bit and it didn't help. Then it was, you have contamination in the lines (same company that installed system in new home 4 1/2 years earlier). He evac'd entire system, purged off contaminants, filled system, and topped off with some juice. Gauges were now holding steady...he did go back to the TXV to supposedly put it back to where it was. I didn't get a pic of his gauges so I don't know what SC and SH readings were. Fast forward to last week. System blowing warm air again. Checked outside...start cap and contactor fine. Compressor is running. Liquid line is cold and suction line is warm. I didn't open inside unit for several hours so I don't know if it was frozen, but there was quite a bit of water. Tech arrived next day and first thing he did was sniff the coils...followed by your coil is leaking, that'll be $$$$ plus any needed refrigerant. I told him no and to fill the system so I can cool my house. He added 3 pounds and called it a day. I took a pic of his gauges. He filled to SC of 1.8 with a 16.2 SH...completely wrong. I downloaded the manual and it says 8 & 8 +/- 1. Nearly a week later (waited for parts, equipment, and to get my Type 2 card), I added Easy-Seal with UV to the system and waited three days. My shiny new gauges read the same as the techs fancy/expensive ones. System appears undercharged. My juice has arrived. I ran a UV light over the coils and sniffed them--nothing. I ran the light and sniffer over the TXV, Shrader valves, and outside unit--nothing again. I started adding juice slowly (after purging all my lines that is)...quarter of a pound at a time and waiting a minute or two. After adding four pounds the readings were looking good...then it started. All of a sudden the SC shot way up and SH was down. I played with the TXV to get SH in range, then it started again. Gauges fluctuating, but not as rapidly as the first time 8 1/2 months ago. Then I'm thinking it's overcharged since it holds about 7 1/2 pounds and a total of 7 has been added--but the pressures are not that high. Inside temp was 72, outside temp 81, cold air was 54, humidity 50, located in SW Florida. See attached data log of readings. I shut it down and opened the house to increase inside temp and humidity. Tested again several hours later and same thing...after running for 15 min, it looks low, then after running about 1/2 hour it starts fluctuating again. Doesn't quite look like TXV hunting. Any suggestions??????
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25,203 Posts
Ok you changed the bad capacitor but said nothing about changing the dead snake, they keep things running in proper order. 
It sounds like the charge totally screwed up with some other issue hidden by the bad charge.
It doesn't sound like the techs that have laid hands on it have had much better knowledge about the subject than you.
This sounds like clearly a DIY situation which we can not give advice on to cure the problem, we can only give general knowledge, like change the filter or clean the coil or you need an experienced tech on site.
It sounds like the charge totally screwed up with some other issue hidden by the bad charge.
It doesn't sound like the techs that have laid hands on it have had much better knowledge about the subject than you.
This sounds like clearly a DIY situation which we can not give advice on to cure the problem, we can only give general knowledge, like change the filter or clean the coil or you need an experienced tech on site.
Joined
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13,756 Posts
Use paragraphs to separate for easier reading.
The noise you hear is probably the compressor bypassing and that is NOT a good thing.
As part of that manual excerpt states, the txv needs to be set to 8°SH BEFORE doing anything else. I always disliked the Goodman units that had this set up.
If that was/is not done, then anything after that is pointless.
If I add more than a pound of refrigerant on a total charge like your and there is no change, then there is some other issue(s) that need to be found.
Airflow
Metering device
Blockage
and so on
As stated, since this is an open forum, we cannot provide DIY information.
You need to find another service provider that has some clue, well preferably fully knowledgeable, to get you fixed up.
Best of luck!!
The noise you hear is probably the compressor bypassing and that is NOT a good thing.
As part of that manual excerpt states, the txv needs to be set to 8°SH BEFORE doing anything else. I always disliked the Goodman units that had this set up.
If that was/is not done, then anything after that is pointless.
If I add more than a pound of refrigerant on a total charge like your and there is no change, then there is some other issue(s) that need to be found.
Airflow
Metering device
Blockage
and so on
As stated, since this is an open forum, we cannot provide DIY information.
You need to find another service provider that has some clue, well preferably fully knowledgeable, to get you fixed up.
Best of luck!!
Joined
·
16,278 Posts
(same company that installed system in new home 4 1/2 years earlier)...followed by your coil is leaking, that'll be $$$$ plus any needed refrigerant. I told him no and to fill the system so I can cool my house. He added 3 pounds and called it a day.
Reading it $$$$ means to me anyway, they were going to charge you for the coil? Is that correct, even if you never registered system or are not original owner ( who registered it ) you should have a 5 year coil warranty. No?
I’d be curious to see a photo of the TXV to see if it’s actually an adjustable TXV or non adjustable. Bottom side of valve body you can tell.
May need to ask for a senior Tech. who is good at troubleshooting and pay the money to get your system figured out.
Reading it $$$$ means to me anyway, they were going to charge you for the coil? Is that correct, even if you never registered system or are not original owner ( who registered it ) you should have a 5 year coil warranty. No?
I’d be curious to see a photo of the TXV to see if it’s actually an adjustable TXV or non adjustable. Bottom side of valve body you can tell.
May need to ask for a senior Tech. who is good at troubleshooting and pay the money to get your system figured out.
Joined
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14,697 Posts
you will need to have a company suck the juice out and weigh it ..... to see exactly how much you have in there
I was with you right up until you put your own gauges on and started adding refrigerant.
Sorry, this site does not allow diy advice.
A compressor tom g into bypass…
A coil leaking in warranty.
Far too many variables for internet diagnosis.
Best advice is call a better service company.
Sorry.
Sorry, this site does not allow diy advice.
A compressor tom g into bypass…
A coil leaking in warranty.
Far too many variables for internet diagnosis.
Best advice is call a better service company.
Sorry.
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