HVAC help

AC unit is 22 years old. It's a one ton and the handler is located inside between the kitchen and living area. Technician said duct work and handler could accommodate a 1.5 ton unit. Full electric. Fan motor replaced a year ago. Fan turns freely but compressor is not coming on. Air but not cold air blowing out. House is one year on the market and just re-upped contract for six months. Should I get compressor replaced (if that is the problem) or get new condensor unit? Seen full units online (13 seer 18k BTU for around $700). Seems like I remember compressors running $1k installed. I plan to contact my man today (grrrr holiday charge) to check it out.

What's reasonable if I DO have to replace unit?

Get a new condensing unit and evaporator. I would never replace a compressor in that old of a unit.

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Originally Posted by foxytwo

Get a new condensing unit and evaporator. I would never replace a compressor in that old of a unit.

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Reasonable price?

I just had my whole HVAC replaced this year. Anywhere from 2K to 2500 for new AC done right. If you have a "guy" it could be a little cheaper.

I would definately replace the entire condensing unit. If the repair guy supplies the unit you are gonna drop at least $2500. If possible, it's always worth offering cash too sweeten the deal for your installer. Good luck

Check the Freon, you might only need to re-charge it?

if your operating with "22" or 22a freon and you are handy--check e-bay for the hoses, dial and leak patch (similar in concept to an old auto radiator that you want to get one more year out of) for about $120 you gamble it will work vs $2500 to replace.
backtrack a moment--do you have a 'humidity eye" and what color is it? b4 you go ordering stuff, this is a good indicator for the potential of the fix to work. good luck. BTDT and I'll do it again this year if needs be.

This time of year, one of the biggies for no compressor start is a bug that committed suicide in the contactor and is continuing existence as a pest in a whole new way. Get one of the gurus on the board here to talk you through the check out.

We have some great AC folks here.

Replace the unit if the compressor is bad. The SEER 13 will pay for itself with lower energy bills and you will have a new unit. A new compressor for a 22 year old one ton unit is not the way to go. On the other hand......you may have something as easy and as inexpensive as a bad contactor (relay) or a bad start/run capacitor. Always trouble shoot the electrical before looking for refrigerant issues. Good luck

Technician says it sound like capacitor. Will be here in the AM.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NC Bullseye

This time of year, one of the biggies for no compressor start is a bug that committed suicide in the contactor and is continuing existence as a pest in a whole new way. Get one of the gurus on the board here to talk you through the check out.

We have some great AC folks here.

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Very true, around here ants will get in the contactor and their crispy bodies affect the points touching. True enough about the capacitor too. Either one included here are great problems to have vs. buying a new unit.

Wait until the "guy" checks it out for a bad capacitor. Another common problem is a burned solderless connector bringing power to the compressor. There are 3 wires going to the compressor, start, run and common. One of them often burns off. Check all electrical connections to the capacitors and contactor relay.
You might find it difficult to find a replacement condensing unit for R-22 as they are in the process of switching to a new, environmentally friendly refrigerant. If you go with the new ref., you will have to replace the evap. coil in the air handler and possibly the lines because of the higher pressures.
If everything inside the condensing unit looks serviceable, no major rust or deterioration of the coils, you might save a bunch on replacing the compressor. Just make sure the guy replaces the capacitor's with the new compressor. It's a small price for parts that can toast the compressor if they fail. Also, you can usually get the same warr. on a replacement compressor that you can get on a new unit. It's no biggie, we replace them all the time.
22 years is not that old. The units in my house are over 35 yrs. old and still going strong. Replacing your unit just to get a higher efficiency one will never pay for itself in saved electricity. The break even period is well beyond the expected service life of most units and the new refrigerant and higher operating pressures is still an unknown quantity according to my supplier.
A one-ton unit is only 12,000 BTU's. Is this in a mobile-home? I've never sold a unit for a whole house less than 2-ton. The last unit I installed was a 4-ton, 14 seer. It ran about 2500 dollars for the cond. unit, coil & line set. This was my cost without installation. You can google A/C units from various on-line wholesalers to get an idea of different prices.

Not a mobile home. 1684'sq two story built in 1989. Builder in this neighborhood must have been cutting corners.

Geezer your advice on new unit not paying for itself is valuable, especially with the house having been on the market for exactly one year now. Not worth it if it doesn't HAVE to be done. yes, I still live here and need cool air, (95+ everyday) but I hope I'm not here in a year from now. If we decide to take it off the market, I'll deal with replacement as/if needed I think.

I pulled the panel off and found no crispy critters in the contacts or other areas.

I was mistaken. It's a 2.5 ton unit. Replaced freon and capacitor. New unit will be 4k

If he had to put freon in it, that means you have a leak somewhere in your system. How often do you have to put freon in the unit? If it's fairly regularly, and you don't plan on replacing the unit any time soon, you may consider having the leak fixed. Also, if you live in the upstate of SC, my dad owns an HVAC company there. If you eventually do decide to replace the unit, shoot me a pm and I'll get you his contact info. He may be able to get you some better prices.