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What was wrong with it? I think ours is going because sometimes the exhaust fan doesn't start and then it just blows hot air.
It was the realy for the external unit. It wouldn't start at all, but the realy checked out when tested externally (off board). As it turns out, it's a bit worn out. It doesn't flip, but only when excited with the realy driver on board. If you put enough current through it, like from an external power source, it checks out, so that's why I didn't catch it the first time around. Finally, that was the only thing left, so I decided to change it, and it just started working, the external unit kicked in 🥳 ☺️.
In your case, it may be the realy for the compressor. The compressor doesn't start, so it just blows hot air (basically, circulating the hot air). You might wanna check the control board, it should be the largest relay on the board. That was the case with mine as well, no errors, nothing, the internal unit kicks in, but blows hot air. The external unit never kicked in after that, ever... until I fixed it.
Thanks for explaining. I wish I understood these terms and parts better, but I think I'd better have it looked at by a pro lest I injure myself or others, although I'll probably wait until it stops working altogether since money is tight.
Yeah, I know what you mean... heck, I would've bought a new one, but, as you said, money is tight, couldn't afford one right now 🤷. Technically, I don't do things like this, fix ACs, but I am an engineer, so I thought, the heck with it, why not try at least 🤷. I can't make it worse... probably 😂.
Anyhow, I bet it's something with the comoressor in your case... maybe something on the control board, maybe the motor in the compressor in the external unit... can't say for sure, but if only hot air circulates, there is no other explanation. The compressor is responsible for cooling the air. Just keep this in mind if someone tries to swindle you when you finally decide to get a repairman for the AC 😉.
This is good information, thanks. And yeah it works like 80% of the time, but I can really tell when it's not working, and when I go outside I notice the fans not spinning. So we'll probably keep using it until it absolutely needs to be done lol
I sell parts for residential HVAC. If your outside motor is humming, try starting it with a stick. If the motor starts with a little push, it's more likely a capacitor instead of the contactor/relay. Capacitors are fairly cheap and easy to replace.
I'll try that, thanks. But I'm sure it would still be ungodly expensive since I'd not dare replace it myself.
Yeah, the external unit is the problem. In most cases, the switch/relay for the fan and the compressor are the one and the same, so if the fan doesn't work, the compressor probably doesn't work as well. If the compressor works, but the fan doesn't, you'll probably hear just a buzzing sound from the external unit. Still, it will cool, just a lot less. The fan is needed to draw the hot air from the raidiators, cool the colling liquid down and pass the cold liquid back to the internal unit, so it can use it to cool the air inside.
An AC is basically like a big energy exchange system. Draw energy (heat) from one end, release it at the other, but in order to do that, you need both fans and radiators to be present at both ends, cuz the heat exchanger in this case is air.