|
Heat pump is not working. Potentially the reversing valve failed to work properly when you went from AC to heat. Try turning on the AC, see if it works. Go back to heat.....see if it works. Past that you need a set of gauges. The Ecobee (all thermostats) is in FULL CONTROL of aux heat, so it's going to turn on based on their rules/config you set. While 33 is a bit cold for a heat pump to be really efficient, it should be doing SOMETHING, and in the 50s it's still not apparent that it's doing anything in the chart you posted.
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2018 18:32
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 22:44 |
|
|
How big of a deal is two-speed operation? My girlfriend's brother and sister-in-law just moved in to a new place that has a two speed Carrier HVAC system but only a classic round Honeywell thermostat. Would upgrading to a fancier thermostat that can take advantage of that be worthwhile? It's probably only wired for four conductors at this point but there's easy wiring access from the basement so it wouldn't be more than an hour or so to run a new line. Also if we were to do that, would ethernet cable be acceptable or would we be better off getting something thicker? Obviously the colors wouldn't match but I have a sheet of those flag stickers that come with a Nest.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2018 20:42
|
|
|
Thanks, our issue turned out to be a "sequencer" that needed replacing. Like most everything else in this house, it's safe to assume it's from the original construction 30 years ago.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2018 21:58
|
|
|
wolrah posted:How big of a deal is two-speed operation? My girlfriend's brother and sister-in-law just moved in to a new place that has a two speed Carrier HVAC system but only a classic round Honeywell thermostat. Would upgrading to a fancier thermostat that can take advantage of that be worthwhile? It's probably only wired for four conductors at this point but there's easy wiring access from the basement so it wouldn't be more than an hour or so to run a new line. Furnaces can usually be set to handle two speed operation by themselves (run at a slower speed for awhile, then kick up to high speed if there's still demand). Changing it probably wouldn't do a lot for you.
|
|
#
?
Jan 1, 2019 00:00
|
|
|
devicenull posted:Furnaces can usually be set to handle two speed operation by themselves (run at a slower speed for awhile, then kick up to high speed if there's still demand). Changing it probably wouldn't do a lot for you. I skimmed the manual the other day and kinda got this idea from it, but wasn't entirely clear. Probably not worth the effort then.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2019 05:56
|
|
|
wolrah posted:Also if we were to do that, would ethernet cable be acceptable or would we be better off getting something thicker? Obviously the colors wouldn't match but I have a sheet of those flag stickers that come with a Nest. If you do decide to run new cable, no, ethernet cable really won't work (for long anyway). There's going to be a small amount of current over the cable (for relays/contactors), which CAT5 isn't really thick enough to handle. It may work for a bit until the cable finally melts, or, more likely, it may not be able to pass enough current for the contactors to pull in. Ethernet cable is typically 22-24 gauge. Thermostat cable is typically 18 gauge. Just go to a big box home improvement store and buy the right thermostat cable from the bulk wire section. They'll cut it to length. Overestimate generously (by several feet, minimum). If you can't find thermostat cable with enough conductors, sprinkler/irrigation wire cable comes with up to 10 conductors (or as little as 5), and should be the same gauge as thermostat cable. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 08:12 on Jan 2, 2019 |
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2019 08:07
|
|
|
Gotcha, yeah I wasn't sure what the current levels would be, just knew 24v AC.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2019 16:14
|
|
|
wolrah posted:Gotcha, yeah I wasn't sure what the current levels would be, just knew 24v AC. It depends. You should just be energizing contactors on the unit(s), but some of those contactors can have quite a draw and can be pretty far away in cable feet (like the contactor for the outdoor compressor).
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2019 16:23
|
|
|
Motronic posted:It depends. You should just be energizing contactors on the unit(s), but some of those contactors can have quite a draw and can be pretty far away in cable feet (like the contactor for the outdoor compressor). That's pretty much what I was figuring based on STR's response, that it probably would work fine in some cases but there's a chance it'd be overheating the wire and without actually measuring this specific unit we'd always be risking failure. With devicenull's comments about the unit probably handling speed changes automatically agreeing with what I read in the manual we're probably not going to bother changing anything at the moment, but if they ever want to do a Nest or other fancy thermostat we'll get some proper wire to be safe. The idea of using ethernet cable was pretty much just a "well, I have a spool in my trunk pretty much always, so we could do it basically for free next time I'm over" type thing. Also as a random aside, I found out that Belden actually makes an 18ga ethernet cable for industrial applications. Cat5e certified and enormous. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2019 18:16
|
|
|
wolrah posted:Also as a random aside, I found out that Belden actually makes an 18ga ethernet cable for industrial applications. Cat5e certified and enormous. only $27/meter!
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2019 19:52
|
|
|
Are 6” pleated filters a 6 month or 12 month replacement window? I’ve read plausible accounts for both.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2019 20:29
|
|
|
DkHelmet posted:Are 6” pleated filters a 6 month or 12 month replacement window? I’ve read plausible accounts for both. It's going to depend on your heating/cooling runtimes and how dusty/dirty your house is. I tend to lean more towards 1-year, because those things are expensive. Pull it out and take a look at the 'in' side with a light shining on the 'out' side. If it looks nasty, change it sooner than a year.
|
|
#
?
Jan 8, 2019 20:41
|
|
|
My cat got into a crawl space under my kitchen and to get him out I had to pull a vent out of the floor. Now I've got a duct in my basement just hanging open. How bad is this?
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2019 15:29
|
|
|
Nevvy Z posted:My cat got into a crawl space under my kitchen and to get him out I had to pull a vent out of the floor. Now I've got a duct in my basement just hanging open. How bad is this? I mean you're dumping air at full duct pressure into your crawl space. How much do you run your forced air?
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2019 18:13
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:I mean you're dumping air at full duct pressure into your crawl space. How much do you run your forced air? No the part that goes into the crawl space fell off now I'm just dumping it into the basement. It's winter so a lot. Definitely wasting heat and need to have the vent reattached or the whole thing capped off I know, but other than the cost any reason for urgency? The vent and elbow were all rusty and asbestos taped too, so I'm gonna die.
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2019 19:30
|
|
|
I've tried researching this, but the only answer I've found is "turn it down and you'll save energy". How many degrees lower should a thermostat be set to for "away"? I have forced hot air gas furnace and a nest e. Set temp when we're home is currently 64, and at night or when we are gone it is set to 56. Is an 8 degree swing too large? Am I having the furnace work too hard when it's going back to 64 from 56? Approximate set temps for weekday: 630am 64 730 am 56 500pm 64 1000pm 56
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2019 20:37
|
|
|
The Slack Lagoon posted:I've tried researching this, but the only answer I've found is "turn it down and you'll save energy". As the answer usually is: it's complicated. Since you don't have a heat pump, its a simple matter of physics that it takes less energy to keep your house at lower temps than higher. Thus, lowering the temperature as much as possible will save you as much energy as possible. Depending on the outside temp and insulation quality, the amount of energy used for every indoor degree warmer is a larger than linear relationship e.g. it takes more than 10% more energy to keep a house at 66 instead of 60. The real problem is comfort. Your inside walls, ceiling, floor, and everything in the house will cool when you lower the temp. These items will act as a heat sink as you try to bring the temp back up, not to mention that they will be cool/cold to the touch, which sucks for something like a leather couch. This will probably result in more cycling of the furnace as it heats the inside air to 64, but the cooler heat sinks quickly bring it back down until it fires again. Considering you're using dirt-cheap natural gas, and you already put up with 64 as your indoor temp, you're probably not saving that much in pure dollar terms.
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2019 21:07
|
|
|
Hi all, more Trane questions. Went over to the house-for-sale to find the condenser unit a block of ice, with the unit running in heat with the condenser fan not running. After eliminating a bad cap or locked up fan, I attempted to test for voltage at the fan and found that by moving the fan control relay on the defrost board, the fan would instantly kick on. Initially, I misdiagnosed this as a loose fan wire, as it was not plugged in all the way and after defrosting/power cycling the unit cut on in heat mode fine.... But at the first defrost cycle again the fan did not cut back on after switching back to heat. So first of all, the defrost board is bad (well specifically the fan control relay is hanging up), and I shouldn't need to further diagnose, yeah? And second of all, here's my board:  Is this replacement board gonna work? It's listed as replacing a long list of model #'s, and I noticed it only has the moly plug and not the extra plugs my old Trane has. My gut is that these are extra coil temp sensors and a thermistor for the old manual tstat (replaced with digital) and not needed, but I'd appreciate a confirmation of that. I'm going to run to a local HVAC supplier tomorrow and check their price, and I have a feeling they will have the same or a similar part in stock.
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2019 02:07
|
|
|
if you're handy with a soldering iron, just replace the relay for 4 bucks https://www.onlinecomponents.com/te-connectivity-p-b-brand/t91s2d2224-12114899.html
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2019 04:26
|
|
|
Probably a good option, but I neither trust my soldering, or my diagnosis that it's definitely the relay (as opposed to some other bad connection or part on the board) since I dunno how to verify control voltage with the relay in place. Also, the house is pending sale and will be scheduled for an inspection anytime so I need it fixed ASAP.
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2019 13:25
|
|
|
Well my local supplier doesn't carry Trane poo poo, apparently they keep it on lock down locally so you have to call the Trane authorized repair place.  So I Amazon'ed it with expedited shipping.
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2019 16:13
|
|
|
Exciting update - installed new board Friday, left it all weekend during freezing temps, 25°F the last two nights. Checked it today and no ice on the condenser, and happily 65°F inside. The replacement board did have pins for all plugs except for the T1 thermistor which is unused (though, interestingly it did have a spot on the board labeled T1, but no prong). A++ would install internet parts again.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2019 17:10
|
|
|
My old piece of crap furnace is blowing lukewarm air. The temperatures here are heading to the -20C range for the second time this month, and my house cannot maintain temperature. Googling all day has gotten me the same three pieces of repeated advice about filters, air flow and gas flow, none of which has helped. Furnace is a very old Intertherm somethingorother, mid-efficiency, non-condensing, single-stage. It is running non-stop. Gas flame is clean and blue and strong. I have tried a washable filter I usually use, paper filter, and no filter or varying stages of filter partly pulled out. There does not appear to be any airflow issue. I have tried blocking one of the two ducts into the living area. This makes one blow stronger or both blow moderately strong. Neither seems particularly hot. The heat exchanger looks clear and clean, not obstructed. The exhaust duct is quite hot, and the bottom of the plenum holding the heat exchanger is quite hot. I seem to be sending plenty of hot air up the chimney, which I know is required to some degree, but not into my house. I need this thing to work for about 6 more weeks before my hydronic boiler system is going in and I can lose all these ducts. Of course it will be the coldest 6 weeks of the year. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2019 18:44
|
|
|
Is your blower running, in the right direction, and are the blades on the wheel clean.
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2019 18:51
|
|
|
MRC48B posted:Is your blower running, in the right direction, and are the blades on the wheel clean. And on that note are all of your vents blowing with the force you would expect them to? Same temperature on all of them?
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2019 19:26
|
|
|
MRC48B posted:Is your blower running, in the right direction, and are the blades on the wheel clean. Yes H110Hawk posted:And on that note are all of your vents blowing with the force you would expect them to? Same temperature on all of them? More or less, yes. The vents are sort of an ad-hoc arrangement to make do during renovations, not a perfect install. However, they had been working fine as they were. I did my best to try to balance the system based on the original layout. So there is some variance between vents, but they are consistent with how they were before the output temp seemed to decrease. Question, is too high a fan speed likely to reduct output temp? And even if it did, would not the same net heat amound be distributed? (X amount of heat energy removed from heat exchanger regardless)
|
|
#
?
Jan 26, 2019 23:03
|
|
|
Do you have a probe you can stic k into the return and supply side? If you can tell us the temp split there that'll help with the diagnosis
|
|
#
?
Jan 27, 2019 06:22
|
|
|
ExplodingSims posted:Do you have a probe you can stic k into the return and supply side? If you can tell us the temp split there that'll help with the diagnosis Unfortunately I have nothing that can measure temps over 108F.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2019 00:11
|
|
|
Hey, I'm poking my head in here looking for vacuum pump recommendations... I'm using it with a vacuum chamber mostly for degassing purposes on resins and urethanes but there's crossover with automotive service so I can work on my trucks HVAC system from time to time. I picked up a single stage 3 cfm oil Robinair import "amazon special" , and it does the job, but man its noisy as hell, really noisy to the point I may contact Robinair to see what their db spec is for the pump. I heard that 2 stage pumps are quieter than 1 stage, so I may return the robinair and get a more expensive or another model. I found a few pumps designed for indoor lab use that's rated at 40-50 db which would be perfect, but they are $1500+ dollars. Is there anything like that in the $500 or less range that folks have experience with? Since I'm at 1000 ft above sea level I can draw a max of vacuum of 28 inches of mercury or so vs 29.9 at sea level so maybe a good diaphragm based model would work in that case.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2019 06:01
|
|
|
Afaik The big difference between "laboratory use" and "hvac" vac pumps is duty cycle. Lab pumps are supposed to run continuously for months at a time, hvac ones are field devices, maybe a few days at a go. Permanent lab setups also usually have filters and fluid separators before the pump to keep the oil clean. As far as noise goes, styrofoam hut, and pipe the exhaust out is my recommendation. I have a fieldpiece vp85 that i find a bit quieter than most standard pumps, but i cant give you a db comparison. 90% of the time they shove these things in an insulated mechanical closet, or in our case its a temp setup to get an ac unit working.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2019 17:38
|
|
|
Big K of Justice posted:Hey, I'm poking my head in here looking for vacuum pump recommendations... Yellow Jacket is the gold standard for HVAC pumps. I prefer the 6cfm 2 stage "superevac" model (part number 93560). It is on the upper end of your price scale but they are robust and I have evacuated everything from residential split systems to centrifugal chillers with the two I have. If you have a friend with access to account pricing at a hvac supply house or grainger you will likely get it cheaper than online. United Refrigeration had them on sale for $415 in December, unsure what they are now.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 03:41
|
|
|
Also a quick addendum, for your application more CFM does NOT = more better. For automotive ac and small lab applications, you will spend so little time in gas evacuation, anything over 6cfm is a waste of money. Oh and buy a micron gauge.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 04:16
|
|
|
Yeah for my use, CFM doesn't really matter, I'm only running the pump for 1-2 minutes at a time to vacuum degassing a 5-gallon pressure chamber. Down the road when I build a vacuum forming machine I may have it plug into a setup where it vacuums 2-3 5 gallon tanks for forming purposes. It's just the new out of the box robinaire is at 95-100 dba out of the box and its the loudest sounding thing in my workshop right now, I may send it back and get a better unit. I'll look at the yellow jacket pump.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 10:26
|
|
|
Asked a few months ago about my apartment’s super lovely heating system, and getting a new thermostat helped a little, but I’ve been trying to keep the inside temp to ~70F this winter and my gas bill has gone through the roof. I mean, yeah, winter, but still. How can I find the biggest source of heat loss in the apartment? I hear windows are the biggest offenders, and there’s some bubble wrap or something you can apply, but is there something else I can do too? Keep in mind that I can’t just replace the hilariously old heating system, cuz I’m not the landlord and I’ll be hosed if I sink any more money into this slum. Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Jan 29, 2019 |
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 15:14
|
|
|
Pollyanna posted:How can I find the biggest source of heat loss in the apartment? I hear windows are the biggest offenders, and there’s some bubble wrap or something you can apply, but is there something else I can do too? Keep in mind that I can’t just replace the hilariously old heating system, cuz I’m not the landlord and I’ll be hosed if I sink any more money into this slum. Low hanging fruit that you can do something about for relatively cheap will probably be door and window seals, sometimes outlets on exterior walls.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 17:27
|
|
|
How cold are windows supposed to be? Mine are practically freezing, which suggests that they’re a major source of leakage...but the seams themselves seem decently sound. Does the glass itself need to be insulated somehow?
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 17:46
|
|
|
Pollyanna posted:How cold are windows supposed to be? Mine are practically freezing, which suggests that they’re a major source of leakage...but the seams themselves seem decently sound. Does the glass itself need to be insulated somehow? Are they single pane or double/triple pane glass? You should be able to look at the thickness and where the window meets the frame to see if there's more than one piece of glass there. Since you rent, you're probably limited to using that shrink wrap film for the windows and maybe some weatherstripping for windows/doors, since, if you're careful, that shouldn't remove paint or damage the finish.
|
|
#
?
Jan 29, 2019 18:02
|
|
|
Double pane, looks like. The windows are pretty cold, still. It actually kinda feels like the floor is the coldest part of the apartment. Maybe a rug will help.
|
|
#
?
Jan 30, 2019 02:52
|
|
|
Whole house dehumidifying. Anyone have any brand recommendations? The Santa Fe stuff looks nice and reasonable priced. Are they reliable? I'm also wondering about differences in efficiency of an isolated unit sitting in a basement/crawlspace vs. one with a dedicated return on the main floor that ties into the ducting. Theoretically, it should all even out, but I have a vented crawlspace connected to the unfinished basement and I'd rather focus of removing the humidity from the living quarters first... does what I just said actually make any sense? I'm in MD and we had some loving wild and crazy rain this past year, with the hygrometer in our living room breaking 80% RH on more than one occasion.  This will not stand and I need to do something to fix it before my solid hardwood floors explode this year.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2019 05:07
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 22:44 |
|
|
TheBananaKing posted:Whole house dehumidifying. Anyone have any brand recommendations? The Santa Fe stuff looks nice and reasonable priced. Are they reliable? I have an Ultra-Aire 70H (same manufacturer as Sylvane afaik). I'm only about 18 months in, but I haven't had any issues with it yet. Mines up in the attic, and pulls air from the house and outputs it into the ductwork. It's definitely made a big difference comfort wise, the only thing to keep in mind is you'll be running AC more due to the heat (which is fine, since that also helps dehumdifiy). It's possible that sealing up your crawlspace + basement and getting a dehumidifier there would solve your problems. We're on a slab, so I don't really have any idea. I'd suggest maybe call up Sylvane and ask them. One of their employees posts in the IAQ part of hvac-talk.com a lot, he usually has pretty helpful advice (username teddy bear)
|
|
#
?
Feb 2, 2019 02:09
|
|