[billmateland]

I installed a Friedrich mini split heat pump last fall and it worked great during the winter. Now that the summer is in full swing, it is not keeping up. The air coming out of the right side is much cooler than the air coming out of the left side. When it was first installed, the connections were done poorly and all the refrigerant leaked out but it gave me a warning light. There is no warning light on right now but it is not cooling the room.

See attached picture. Is this a refrigerant problem again or could it be something different?

 

[Chuck]

Can you define cool air? As in degrees F. What is the average supply temp?

 

[billmateland]

The ambient supply air is about 80 degrees F. The air on the right side is 68-70 degrees and 76 on the left.

 

[Chuck]

When you repaired the refrigerant leak, what vacuum level where you able to achieve and hold at?

 

[billmateland]

The installer did it so I don't know. When he first installed it, he had trouble getting it down to wherever it was supposed to be. Of course all the refrigerant leaked out. There was refrigerant all over one of the connections when he came out for the service call the second time. I wasn't there for the repair.

My worry is that he didn't repair the connection properly or that there is another leak at a different connection.

Is is typical to have a 10 split over only part of the return with a 20 SEER mini split? Or is it time to give the installer a third chance to make it right?

 

[Chuck]

Sounds like another leak somewhere, and now its low again.

Those things usually run a 20° to 30° split and is fairly even over the whole coil.

I would have him come back and check for leaks again. Ask him how he knows he has no leaks when he's done. He should be able to pull down and hold a deep vacuum.

And BTW the ONLY way to know how deep of a vacuum you have is with a micron gauge. Make sure he uses one.

 

[LibertyTree]

Great site! I just did a call today where the homeowner tried to install his own mini split. He was getting lame discharge temp and after a while the liquid line would freeze. Ended up recovering refrigerant, leak testing (there was a small leak), pulling a 400 micron vac then weighing in factory charge. It worked great after it was started up properly.

 

[lynn comstock]

Great site! I just did a call today where the homeowner tried to install his own mini split. He was getting lame discharge temp and after a while the liquid line would freeze. Ended up recovering refrigerant, leak testing (there was a small leak), pulling a 400 micron vac then weighing in factory charge. It worked great after it was started up properly.

Welcome. Come back, get your posts up and go for pro. That is even better.

 

[monkeyspanners]

Check the fan blade/blower wheel for mold, also cleanliness of the evap coil. Also where the louvers are set to blow to.

 

[LibertyTree]

Welcome. Come back, get your posts up and go for pro. That is even better.

Thanks! I know, I noticed that all the cool stuff was locked