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 Mobile ViewAIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS A/C - HEAT PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES AGE of AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS AIR CONDITIONER BTU CHART AIR CONDITIONER COMPONENT PARTS Indoor A/C Components Outdoor A/C Components AIR CONDITIONER TYPES, ENERGY SOURCES AIR CONDITIONER NOT WORKING AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS ADDING A/C: RETROFIT SIZING BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLOWER LEAKS, RUST & MOLD COOLING COIL or EVAPORATOR COIL DIRTY A/C BLOWERS ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings BACKUP HEAT for HEAT PUMPS BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BOOKSTORE - Air Conditioning "How To" Books CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORS CAPILLARY TUBES CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CIRCUIT BREAKER SIZE for A/C or HEAT PUMP CLEANING & Legionella BACTERIA Should we disinfect Wisconsin Protocol for Cleaning A/C Legionella sp. Health Concerns What are Legionella Where do Legionella sp. occur? Recommended Level for Legionella sp. How When to Test for Legionella sp. Legionnaires' Disease Information from CDC COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS CONDENSATE HANDLING, A/C CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS COMPRESSOR & CONDENSING COIL, A/C BURNED-OUT COMPRESSOR CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORS CONDENSING COIL REPAIR REPLACE HARD STARTING COMPRESSOR MOTORS INSPECTION CHECKLIST - OUTDOOR UNIT INSTALLATION ERRORS, COMPRESSORS LONG-ON CYCLING AC COMPRESSOR MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH NOISES, COMPRESSOR CONDENSER Pressure Controls & Safety Switches PRESSURE READINGS, COMPRESSOR REPLACING A COMPRESSOR SHORT CYCLING AC COMPRESSOR TIGHT or SEIZED AC COMPRESSORS CONDENSATE HANDLING, A/C CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS CONDENSING COIL COOL OFF HEAT Thermostat Switch COOLING CAPACITY, RATED COOLING COIL or EVAPORATOR COIL DAMAGED COOLING COIL DIRTY COOLING COIL DIRTY COIL CLEANING PROCEDURES FROST BUILD-UP on AIR CONDITIONER COILS DATA TAGS on AIR CONDITIONERS DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms DEHUMIDIFICATION PROBLEMS DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE DIAGNOSE & FIX AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS DUCTS - Asbestos DUCT INSULATION, Asbestos Paper DUCT INSULATION for SOUNDPROOFING DUCT SYSTEM NOISES DUCTS, Asbestos Transite Pipe DUST CONTAMINATION FROM HVAC? EDUCATION, HVAC SCHOOLS ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE ELECTRIC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS EVAPORATOR COIL or COOLING COIL EXPANSION VALVES, REFRIGERANT FAN, AIR HANDLER BLOWER UNIT FAN AUTO ON Thermostat Switch FAN, COMPRESSOR/CONDENSER UNIT FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS FAN LIMIT SWITCH FAN NOISES FURNACES WARM AIR HEATING SYSTEMS GASES, EXPOSURE, TESTING Carbon Dioxide - CO2 Carbon Monoxide - CO METHANE GAS SOURCES GAS MEASUREMENT TOOLS GAUGE, REFRIGERATION PRESSURE TEST HEAT LOSS (or GAIN) in buildings HEAT LOSS (or GAIN) INDICATORS HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION HEAT PUMPS HEATING SMALL LOADS HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INSPECTION CHECKLIST - OUTDOOR UNIT INSPECTION LIMITATIONS LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LOST COOLING CAPACITY What to Check First A/C Flow Too Weak A/C Filter Problems A/C Compressor Problems A/C Off - Condensate Pan Switch A/C Cooling Coil Icing A/C Not Dehumidifying A/C Air Duct Problems Air Conditioner Won't Start Air Conditioner Refrigerant Problems Blower Fan No Start / No Stop Compressor Diagnosis: Diagnose & Repair Cooling Capacity of the Duct System Repair Guide Master List MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH MOLD in AIR HANDLERS & DUCT WORK ODORS in AIR HANDLERS & DUCT WORK OPERATING COST OPERATING DEFECTS OPERATING TEMPERATURES Air Conditioning System Temperatures Instruments Used to Measure A/C Temperatures Procedures for Making Temperature Measurements PORTABLE ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS PRESSURE READINGS, REFRIGERANT REPAIR GUIDE, AIR CONDITIONERS / HEAT PUMPS REPAIR & DIAGNOSTIC FAQs for A/C REFRIGERANTS GAUGE, REFRIGERATION PRESSURE TEST REFRIGERANT CHARGING PROCEDURE REFRIGERANT DRIERS & FILTERS REFRIGERANT LEAK DETECTION REFRIGERANT LEAK REPAIR REFRIGERANT METERING DEVICES TEVs REFRIGERANT METERING CAPILLARY TUBES REFRIGERANT PIPING & DISTANCES REFRIGERANT PRESSURE READINGS RETROFIT SIZING for A/C or HEAT PUMPS SEER RATINGS & OTHER DEFINITIONS SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS SPLIT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS SWAMP COOLERS SYSTEM OPERATION THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING THERMOSTATIC EXPANSION VALVES WATER COOLED AIR CONDITIONERS More Information |
This air conditioning repair article discusses the damaged air conditioner condensing coil fin damage & compressor support pad defects, including bent or clogged fins which can interfere with effective system operation and improper support such as tipped or leaning A/C compressors. For more photos of improper air conditioner installations see INSTALLATION ERRORS. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Air Conditioner Condensing Coil Fins Damage & RepairWhich Cooling or Heat Pump "Coil" is Which: Condensing Coil & Cooling/Evaporator Coils DefinedThe CONDENSING COIL discussed here is normally on the outdoor or compressor portion of your air conditioning system. The job of the condensing coil is to cool high temperature refrigerant gas to condense it back to a liquid refrigerant form. The COOLING COIL or EVAPORATOR COIL is the evaporator coil found inside the air handler, used to cool air blown across it and into the building occupied space. If your concern is with If your equipment is a heat pump these terms can be a bit confusing because in heating mode, your heat pump system's indoor coil is warming, not cooling the air blown across it
Air Conditioning Compressor/Condenser Unit Support PadsOutside A/C compressors are typically supported on a concrete pad, concrete blocks, or a vinyl pad such as the one shown in the photo at page top. The air conditioner compressor support pad should be level and secure against movement. Compressors which are badly out of level may fail to function properly and need adjustment. Tipping and moving compressors can also cause can cause leaks in refrigerant lines, leading to costly air conditioning service calls to evacuate and recharge the system after repairing the refrigerant leak. Do not try to move your A/C compressor yourself as you might cause a refrigerant leak or may otherwise damage the equipment. Ask your A/C service technician to evaluate the effects of any out-of-level conditions of the compressor as well as to comment on the available slack in the refrigerant lines that may be needed to reposition the unit. For slightly-tipped air conditioning compressors we generally leave them alone but we add support as needed to avoid further movement. Overheating, Blocked Coils May Cause Air Conditioner or Heat Pump NoiseBecause dirt and debris block airflow across the coil, increasing the cost of heating or cooling the building and perhaps even overheating the compressor motor, it is important to keep leaves and debris off of this component. In severe cases cooling or condensing coils can become so blocked that air flow is seriously reduced, possibly also leading to an evaporator or cooling coil icing problem indoors or an overheated, damaged compressor outdoors, or simply loss of cooling capacity of the system. We first mentioned at NOISES, COMPRESSOR CONDENSER that we had a field report from a reader who explained that a noisy outdoor compressor unit was, according to his HVAC service technician, traced to a blocked, clogged outdoor condensing coil. We speculate that perhaps the compressor was running hot and that correcting air flow across the condensing coil corrected that condition.
Corrosion on Heating & Air Conditioning Heat Exchanger Coils & Condenser CoilsCorrosion on heat exchanging coils in heat pumps, air conditioners, or water-to-air heating coils eventually leads to leaks and costly repairs that require replacement of the coil and re-charging of the HVAC system refrigerant. Corrosion may occur as a function of age and use and failure to keep the coil clean, but there are some special sources of corrosion in HVAC systems that you should watch for:
Types of Air Conditioner, Heat Pump, & Refrigeration System Condensers / Condenser CoilsAbove we have explained the purpose and function of condensing coils and condensers used in air conditioners, heat pumps, and other refrigeration equipment such as dehumidifiers, refrigerators, and freezers. Here is more detail about the types of condensers and condensing coils and where they are used. Static condensers rely on the natural movement of air across the condensing coil (such as in many residential refrigerators and freezers). For a static condenser to work you must leave air space on both sides and above the condensing coil to allow for airflow by natural convection (as no fans are used). Oil cooler condensers are a type of static condenser that use two or three turns of tubing to cool oil that is then sent back into the compressor motor in a repeated cycle. These condenser (cooling) coils found on some compressors (commercial) also must have adequate airlfow. Static condensers may also be found in a split in the compressor motor shell, between an inner and outer box shell - such as used in halo heaters - to reduce air condensation. You can identify a split shell or box shell static condenser because the box is warmer on the outside sides and at the compressor motor top than at the bottom. These static condensers also require airspace for natural air convection. Forced air condensers require a fan to move air across the condensers' cooling fins and coils. On an air conditioner or heat pump compressor/condenser unit the fan typically draws outdoor air through the coil and out an exhaust side of the condenser unit. When used on a residential refrigerator or freezer the condenser coil may be at the bottom (or in some designs the top) of the unit where a fan blows air across the condensing coil and out of the box again. Clean the refrigerator coils? In an expert witness court case involving a matrimonial dispute we [DF] testified that a refrigerator had overheated, burning the vinyl flooring in the kitchen when the condensing coils had been left plugged with animal hair and dust. One of the attorneys asked if it was our opinion that refusing to clean the coils had been a deliberate act of sabotage on the part of the building occupants. "Of course not," I answered, "most people never clean their refrigerator or freezer coils - they never think about it until the equipment fails." Pets like to lie close to a bottom-mounted condenser coil/fan unit at refrigerators and freezers, to enjoy that nice warm exhaust air in cool weather. A result is a coil clogged with pet hair that needs more frequent cleaning. Even if it doesn't burn the floor under you refrigerator, a dirty condensing coil means a less efficient refrigerator or freezer operation and higher electrical bills. Reinstall the airflow panels that you might remove to clean a refrigerator or freezer condenser coil. Failing to do so means air will no longer pass properly over the condensing coil. The result, as with pets, is a higher electrical bill. Changing Out or Replacing a Bad Condenser Coil on an Air Conditioner or Heat PumpAs we also cite in our information about the COOLING COIL or EVAPORATOR COIL, a condensing coil can also need replacement due to damage, leaks, or corrosion. When replacing a condensing coil it is important to match the size of the original coil so that the air conditioner, heat pump, or other equipment remains properly balanced among compressor, condenser, and evaporator. Condenser coil piping and tubing is smaller diameter than the suction lines, and are often made of steel. Keep in mind that when soldering steel to copper refrigerant piping you'll need to use silver solder or brazing. See details about HVAC piping soldering discussed at REFRIGERANT PIPING & DISTANCES Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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