Home Air Conditioner Question

[Spurstro]

I don't understand much about this stuff, but I'll do my best.

So the compressor in my outside condenser unit blew and I've been trying to figure out the best action to take. It is a 4-ton heat pump Carrier system that was installed when the house was built (KB Home built in 05). I've been told by several companies that have come out to give me quotes that the Carrier system is OK, but that I got the 'builder's grade' (cheap) system. The parts I've been quoted to change the compressor has been around 800-1000 dollars that comes with a one year warranty. I figured I might as well just replace the entire outside unit for a little more in order to get a longer warranty (which would include all the parts). I haven't found a new outside system because I guess there's a new freon that has to be used for new parts and they aren't being made anymore.

Anyways, my friend who is an HVAC technician pretty much conferred what I had found out. He was able to come out and made sure I didn't have a leak anywhere and determined that the inside unit (I'm not sure what you call it) was good (for it being 5 years anyways). He said he can get a used TRANE condensing unit that is compatible with my system that he could get installed for 700 dollars.

So does anyone know if it is possible to mix and match brands and if it's even worth it?

[clambake]

don't you trust your friend?

[Spurstro]

LOL...well yeah, but just figured I'd get some other opinions.

[clambake]

hey, if he fucks it up, you know where he lives.

[Bender]

inside unit (I'm not sure what you call it)
air handler

[Spurstro]

I'm still waiting for the model number and serial number of the TRANE condensing unit to see what kind of warranty it still has, if any.

Another option I've considered is just replacing the whole system. He said he could install a 4-ton 13 SEER Goodman for a little under 3000. This new system would have a 10-year warranty. I've looked up the tax rebates ($1500) from the IRS, but you have to have at least a 16 SEER and CPS requires a 15 SEER for it's $500 dollar rebate. Of course they cost a lot more, but I've also heard that it will take a lot of years before you see that purchase pay off.

I guess I'm just trying to make the best decision possible and take advantage of the fact that I have some extra time to think about it because this didn't happen in the middle of summer.

[Spurstro]

don't you trust your friend?

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word friend. He's more of a friend of a friend.

[Bender]

I got a trane full system... outside unit and inside air handler. expensive, but all the repairs (and I've had a bunch) over the last 8 years have been free. 10 year warranty. only 2 years left... uh oh.

trane is supposedly the cadillac of a/c units, but I have to admit I've been disappointed in mine. Plus the whole thing was more than 5k even back then.

[clambake]

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word friend. He's more of a friend of a friend.

it's only $700. give it a shot.

you might end up moving and lose that investment.

[Spurstro]

it's only $700. give it a shot.

you might end up moving and lose that investment.


that's what I'm leaning towards. The first thing these repair men/sales guys ask me is how long do I plan on being in the house.

I could be there for 2 years or 10...I just don't know.

I've also heard it's good to have a good AC system when we sell the house, but others have said that won't make much difference at all.

[PM5K]

In San Antonio it makes all the difference in the world.

[Spurstro]

I got a trane full system... outside unit and inside air handler. expensive, but all the repairs (and I've had a bunch) over the last 8 years have been free. 10 year warranty. only 2 years left... uh oh.

trane is supposedly the cadillac of a/c units, but I have to admit I've been disappointed in mine. Plus the whole thing was more than 5k even back then.

I've heard TRANE is supposed to be the best. Don't they require it to be installed by only certified TRANE technicians?

I was quoted 7k for a 4-ton 16 SEER Amana system....they try to sell me by saying that after the IRS and CPS rebates it'll only be 5k, plus the extra savings I make every month. I can't image what a TRANE system would cost now a days.

[Sportcamper]

I am not an A/C person but being a Lakers fan I pretty much have an expert opinion on everything…The 1st thing I learned abut home A/C systems is that there is no such thing as proprietary parts (Trane may be the exception to the rule)…I had a Whirlpool system that went out & three A/C men gave me exorbitant quotes saying, “Wow Whirlpool parts are expensive and very hard to get”….By investigating things my self I leaned that there was not one part made by Whirlpool…The motor was made by GE, the compressor was made in Italy, the contacts were made by Westinghouse….Everything was interchangeable with generic parts…

The system was 10 years old when it broke & everybody told me it was shot & I needed a new unit….I decided to at least try to fix it myself & found melted contacts….I took the parts to an A/C supply store & bought generic contacts & a new motor for under 100 dollars…I re-wired the system wrong & noticed that everything worked but the fan was turning the wrong way (110, 220, 440, what ever it takes)….I swapped the wires & everything worked perfectly for the next 5 years until bugs got in the contacts & melted things down again…I continued to repair the same A/C for two decades myself….My neighbors were on their 2nd & third replacement…The old A/C & Refrigerator compressors were not efficient but they lasted 50 years…It seems odd that a modern compressor can only go five years…

[Spurstro]

The 1st thing I learned abut home A/C systems is that there is no such thing as proprietary parts (Trane may be the exception to the rule)…

I heard the same thing about GE making almost all the parts now. I was told that TRANE and Carrier were proprietary though, but I can't say for sure.



It seems odd that a modern compressor can only go five years…


The damn thing broke down right after the warranty expired. I'm convinced that parts now a days are not meant to last for an extended period of time past the warranty.

[Sportcamper]

Pull the breaker to the A/C so you don’t electrocute yourself…Get a flash light, open things up & look for yourself…The compressor, electric motor, relays & contacts most likely have an ID on them & tells you who made them…I sure hope the people who looked at you’re a/c are not the same people that told me my Whirlpool was shot…:lol

If you see a big honking piston compressor that was made in the U.S. or Italy I find it hard to believe it is really broken after only five years…

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6904/rotarycompressor0ge.jpg

It you find copper parts & tubing as opposed to aluminum tubing you are in good shape...If the parts inside are made by GE, Westinghouse as opposed to China, I think your system is worth fixing as opposed to replacing…

[Spurstro]

I'm probably not going to explain it properly, but there was a blown terminal at the compressor. The wire came completely unplugged from the compressor. One of the prongs (or terminals?) was on the ground. Where the wire plugs into the compressor it was burnt and had some type of black substance in it.

There was also some white stuff on the inside lining of the condenser unit, and was told that it was freon.

I'll try and take some pictures when I get home from work.

[Sportcamper]

There is an A/C expert on the forum…Maybe he will chime in…I am just a remove & replace it guy who found out I was getting ripped off on something that really was not that complicated…But I got to say, having a compressor that is oozing substance does not sound good…Those units used to be designed to last 50 years… The old rule of thumb was if the compressor really was bad it was better to replace the unit…