Your troubleshooting problem involves a 3-ton split system, and the complaint is that in a high outdoor ambient situation, the unit is unable to obtain the necessary comfort level in the 1,200-square-foot building it is supposed to cool. And, this unit has a history.
Bob and Tim were at the shop after a day of service calls. The weather was still hot, 93°F, and Bob said, “We just did a service call with a system that was overcharged and had an orifice expansion device. I would like to go into further details with you on a system with a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) for an expansion device.”
Bob and Tim were on their way to a service call with a new customer. When they got to the job, the customer explained, "The unit was not cooling and I had a company come out for a service call. The unit seemed to work OK last week when it was a little cooler outside, but this week it has warmed up and the unit is not functioning as well."
Your troubleshooting situation involves a standard natural gas, induced draft, hot surface ignition system furnace. This is a new installation that has been accomplished in anticipation of the upcoming heating season, and the problem is that during the initial start-up the unit did not perform properly.
Bob and Tim were on their way to a no cooling call; in fact, it sounded like a heating call. The customer has a bonus room on the third floor that used to be attic space. When Bob and Tim arrived, the customer told them, “The bonus room upstairs seems much too hot and the air coming out of the registers is hot to the touch.”
This month’s troubleshooting situation involves an air-to-air package unit heat pump that is approximately six years old, and the customer’s complaint is that, rather than providing cooling, it’s just blowing warm air.
Bob and Tim were on their way to a no cooling call. The spring season was still cool at night and warm in the daytime. The customer told the dispatcher, “The unit started up at about 10:30 a.m. this morning and made a noise, but did not cool the house, even though it is still running.”
In this month’s troubleshooting situation, our customer’s description of the problem is “not cooling” and “blowing warm air,” and the equipment that is supposed to keep this residence comfortable is a split system that has been in service for 16 years.
Among the more stressful challenges facing HVAC service providers is meeting customer demands for rapid diagnosis and repair of their systems. For many HVAC contractors the solution can be found in a compact electronic measurement system that can monitor and log the status of all HVAC functions.