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Any HVAC experts on board?

Airyaman

Airyaman

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My heat pump was running alot more in the heat which makes sense because we've had some pretty hot days. However, just recently, my indoor coils and outside low side line began frosting up. I checked both the inside and outside and neither appears to be dirty or clogged. So I figured in was low coolant (410a). Checked for leaks on indoor coils and outdoor unit with soapy water solution and nothing showed up. Did not open up outdoor unit so did not check condenser but I looked for signs of oil and did not see anything.

Now comes the weird part. I turned off the system last night and just ran the fan to I could defrost the indoor coil. When I do this both fans, indoor and outdoor still run. The plan was to put a set of gauges on it in the morning with the defrosted unit and turn it back on to see what I was reading. Fell asleep and woke up at 3 o'clock and it was 69F in the house with 77F outdoors. Again, the unit is off at the thermostat, but I have the fans on (using thermostat).

Anyone have any ideas? Why would the unit be blowing cold air with the unit off and fans running inside and outside? I thought this made sense with the frozen coils but they have been defrosted since last night. I do know the condenser was definitely not kicking on.
 
Last edited:
Airyaman said:
My heat pump was running alot more in the heat which makes sense because we've had some pretty hot days. However, just recently, my indoor coils and outside low side line began frosting up. I checked both the inside and outside and neither appears to be dirty or clogged. So I figured in was low coolant (410a). Checked for leaks on indoor coils and outdoor unit with soapy water solution and nothing showed up. Did not open up outdoor unit so did not check condenser but I looked for signs of oil and did not see anything.

Now comes the weird part. I turned off the system last night and just ran the fan to I could defrost the indoor coil. When I do this both fans, indoor and outdoor still run. The plan was to put a set of gauges on it in the morning with the defrosted unit and turn it back on to see what I was reading. Fell asleep and woke up at 3 o'clock and it was 69F in the house with 77F outdoors. Again, the unit is off at the thermostat, but I have the fans on (using thermostat).

Anyone have any ideas? Why would the unit be blowing cold air with the unit off and fans running inside and outside? I thought this made sense with the frozen coils but they have been defrosted since last night. I do know the condenser was definitely not kicking on.
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Yeah my HVAC experience is with trailers but pretty similar just in a different component. First your coils froze up that happens sometimes it really has more to do with humidity I'm not sure you're necessarily leaking anything or that there's anything wrong with the system. And when you turn your fans on and blow ice which is what you're doing going air over ice the ice cools off your interior. Who works the same way but it will humidify.
 
I thought it was odd that the outdoor unit was on when unit was turned off at thermostat with fan set to "on". Indeed that is not what is supposed to happen. However, I know the condenser itself is not kicking on because the outdoor unit makes a much different noise when it kicks on. The only thing running was the fan on the outdoor unit, which is weird still.
 
Airyaman said:
I thought it was odd that the outdoor unit was on when unit was turned off at thermostat with fan set to "on". Indeed that is not what is supposed to happen. However, I know the condenser itself is not kicking on because the outdoor unit makes a much different noise when it kicks on. The only thing running was the fan on the outdoor unit, which is weird still.
Click to expand...
Perhaps the fans are on the same circuit. You said it's a heat pump so it also produces household heating. Perhaps sometimes when you need heat the exterior freezes up.
 
It sounds like the thermostat is not connected correctly. If the thermostat orders only the indoor fan to be on, the outdoor unit should be off. The compressor should be off.
 
I think I solved it: stuck contactor. When it got light outside I went out to check on outside unit and it was iced up like never before so it was indeed running the whole time.

I had another contactor already because several weeks ago I noted the unit was buzzing and I had already changed it out in 2023 due to ants getting in contactor, dying, and gumming it all up with fried ant carcasses. Opened up the panel weeks ago and sure enough, ants galore. Should have changed it out when I got the new one, but it "seemed" to work fine, but I think it started icing up when the contactor stuck. I had put ant bait in the compartment weeks ago, but it must have been close to failing at that point anyway.

Installed new contactor and outdoor unit does not run with indoor fan on, only when the system calls for it.
 
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