|
Post by ninworks on May 17, 2022 10:35:30 GMT -5
Like a generator, I'll never be without a portable and/or window AC unit again as backup. I grew up without AC in Detroit until around the early/mid 70s and had stretches in adulthood without it up north. But I just don't understand how people lived in Texas without AC. Before AC there were evaporative coolers or "swamp coolers" as they are often referred to. They work quite well in the dry heat. We had those in Phoenix and they worked great until August when the humidity would go up. Before that there were just open windows and electric fans. Before that there were creative ways to cool off. My mom grew up on a farm in the Texas panhandle about 60 miles north of Lubbock. She remembered when she was young before they had electricity. They were still using kerosene lamps for light, a wood burning stove to cook on, an ice box and a cellar for food storage, and a windmill to run a well pump which they used for water. I remember my grandparent's farm still having the windmill when I was young in the 60s. At that point it was just for the livestock. I can still remember the constant creaking sound it made when the turbine was spinning. She told me they would sleep outside on the porch with wet sheets over them to stay cool at night. She said there were many days when she and her sisters would get into the stock tank the windmill/well fed to cool off. Other than that you just had to tough it out. I suppose it wasn't as bad when everybody was in the same boat.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 17, 2022 11:01:21 GMT -5
Like a generator, I'll never be without a portable and/or window AC unit again as backup. I grew up without AC in Detroit until around the early/mid 70s and had stretches in adulthood without it up north. But I just don't understand how people lived in Texas without AC. Before AC there were evaporative coolers or "swamp coolers" as they are often referred to. They work quite well in the dry heat. We had those in Phoenix and they worked great until August when the humidity would go up. Before that there were just open windows and electric fans. Before that there were creative ways to cool off. My mom grew up on a farm in the Texas panhandle about 60 miles north of Lubbock. She remembered when she was young before they had electricity. They were still using kerosene lamps for light, a wood burning stove to cook on, an ice box and a cellar for food storage, and a windmill to run a well pump which they used for water. I remember my grandparent's farm still having the windmill when I was young in the 60s. At that point it was just for the livestock. I can still remember the constant creaking sound it made when the turbine was spinning. She told me they would sleep outside on the porch with wet sheets over them to stay cool at night. She said there were many days when she and her sisters would get into the stock tank the windmill/well fed to cool off. Other than that you just had to tough it out. I suppose it wasn't as bad when everybody was in the same boat. Yeah, I remember many summer nights sleeping on the basement floor, or waking up in the middle of a winter night freezing because dad didn't shovel enough coal into the furnace. In many ways I think HVAC has made our temperature comfort range way too narrow. We won't do well when the grid goes down.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 17, 2022 19:51:46 GMT -5
Well, coil is ordered, the 2x4 (hardly a beam) blocking the unit has been removed, and I await the part for the install. 90 degrees on Saturday, I’m fully expecting this does not happen before then.
Also worried that they’ll get to doing the work and realize it isn’t quite as easy to do as expected.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 18, 2022 15:31:03 GMT -5
Houston, we have a problem 😕
Same issue has returned, blew 2 consecutive 3a fuses on the board. Damn.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 18, 2022 15:39:00 GMT -5
Stupid lizards
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 18, 2022 15:44:43 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm guessing my diagnosis was incorrect. Worked for over a week, this time blowing fuses as soon as compressor comes on.
|
|
|
Post by modbus on May 18, 2022 17:13:41 GMT -5
You must have a short in the transformer line somewhere, maybe try inspecting the insulation on the transformer wires down on the compressor side near where the chameleon barbecue was. I'd guess the insulation has been worn/melted/bitten through somewhere down there.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 18, 2022 19:41:39 GMT -5
I checked for any obvious wiring issue. No exposed wire, etc.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 18, 2022 21:19:08 GMT -5
Well, I spent $89 for an education. The thermostat wire coming out of the wall to the compressor passes through a caulked in metal plate. The guy pulled the wire down a bit further and it revealed worn through insulation and exposed wiring that was grounding out to that plate. The $89 is for diagnostics only and for him to cut and splice would cost me $180. Went to do it myself and was being assailed by June bugs, so tomorrow I cut and splice. I hope this is all it is.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 18, 2022 21:31:14 GMT -5
Did you yell at them for being early?
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 18, 2022 22:40:24 GMT -5
Did you yell at them for being early? This is Texas. June Bugs are April Bugs. I hate them critters. Junior year, gig at Julie G's graduation party, back when I had hair like Eddie Vedder. I had a half dozen of those things tangled in my head.
|
|
|
Post by HeavyDuty on May 19, 2022 2:57:18 GMT -5
Well, I spent $89 for an education. The thermostat wire coming out of the wall to the compressor passes through a caulked in metal plate. The guy pulled the wire down a bit further and it revealed worn through insulation and exposed wiring that was grounding out to that plate. The $89 is for diagnostics only and for him to cut and splice would cost me $180. Went to do it myself and was being assailed by June bugs, so tomorrow I cut and splice. I hope this is all it is. How the heck did that happen?
|
|
|
Post by budg on May 19, 2022 6:10:22 GMT -5
That’s interesting. Usually when wire passes through something metal there is a rubber bushing because movement like vibration causes the metal to wear away the wire insulation over time. I’m glad it was something simple and a cheap lesson .
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 19, 2022 7:08:59 GMT -5
"How the heck did that happen?"
You mean the short in wiring? Combination of poor installation and my guess movement of the wire from wind over 18 years.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 19, 2022 10:52:41 GMT -5
Usually when wire passes through something metal there is a rubber bushing because movement like vibration causes the metal to wear away the wire insulation over time. Yeah, you would think. I always thought this looked like a crap job. I cut back the metal plate a bit to give the low voltage wiring a little more slack where it came through, then spliced the red and white wires and secured the whole mess. Replaced the 3a fuse once again and we have lift off. For now. Sheesh, what a day. Suddenly the lock mechanism on the door handle into the garage stopped working so I had to replace the whole kit and caboodle. Now I'm dealing with an invoice I just received for a doctor's visit in February 2020 that should have been paid by my insurance. I'm about ready to go on a walkabout in the Outback.
|
|
|
Post by budg on May 19, 2022 12:00:52 GMT -5
Usually when wire passes through something metal there is a rubber bushing because movement like vibration causes the metal to wear away the wire insulation over time. Yeah, you would think. I always thought this looked like a crap job. I cut back the metal plate a bit to give the low voltage wiring a little more slack where it came through, then spliced the red and white wires and secured the whole mess. Replaced the 3a fuse once again and we have lift off. For now. Sheesh, what a day. Suddenly the lock mechanism on the door handle into the garage stopped working so I had to replace the whole kit and caboodle. Now I'm dealing with an invoice I just received for a doctor's visit in February 2020 that should have been paid by my insurance. I'm about ready to go on a walkabout in the Outback. Don’t even get me started on medical bills . Vibration is something that electrical people sometimes don’t understand. Got called out one time on one of our chillers with an oil leak. Apparently at the factory they had some wire in some a BX cable zip tied to the oil line and used some armaflex insulation around it thinking that was good enough. Yet here I was 2 years later and the cable had vibrated through the insulation and was making divots onto the copper oil line. Very costly repair and I ended up rerouting the cable.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 19, 2022 12:09:08 GMT -5
I get it.
Sincerely,
X-USAF Avionics Tech
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 21, 2022 21:40:57 GMT -5
Presently 78 degrees outside, 81 on the first floor and a balmy 88 on the second floor. Multiple fans running, windows open, I even opened the attic pull down on the theory that the heat rising thing would send some of it up to the attic and away from the bedrooms.
It’ll be a long night, so I’m not heading up until I’m ready to drop.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 22, 2022 7:43:17 GMT -5
Why not cave and go to one of the big box stores and get a small window unit or 2?
|
|
Vman
Wholenote
Posts: 194
|
Post by Vman on May 22, 2022 8:56:01 GMT -5
Make it thru today and it's smooth sailing for awhile..
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 22, 2022 8:59:31 GMT -5
Caves are cool.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 22, 2022 10:13:16 GMT -5
Why not cave and go to one of the big box stores and get a small window unit or 2? Because of wife lol. She thinks it’s a “waste of money”. My technique last night was stay downstairs under the fan until I was ready to pass out, then I went up to sleep. I woke up about 3 times during the night which is par for the course for me. I’m concerned tonight will be worse, as at least the house started off cool yesterday morning. I’m at 82 down/83 up to start the day.
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 22, 2022 10:19:52 GMT -5
I'm leaving our stand alone unit in place in the bedroom. We like it cool at night and for just the 2 of us it seems a waste to turn the central air down for the whole house. So we're bumping the central air up at night and running the free standing one. Benefit, I like the white noise. I'll be monitoring electricity usage to see if there is any benefit. When days are in the mid 90's as they have been I usually get email alerts to the effect of "your electric usage yesterday exceeded the average by 25%". I haven't been getting those, so maybe there's an advantage.
|
|
|
Post by ninworks on May 22, 2022 10:29:42 GMT -5
Why not cave and go to one of the big box stores and get a small window unit or 2? Because of wife lol. She thinks it’s a “waste of money”. My technique last night was stay downstairs under the fan until I was ready to pass out, then I went up to sleep. I woke up about 3 times during the night which is par for the course for me. I’m concerned tonight will be worse, as at least the house started off cool yesterday morning. I’m at 82 down/83 up to start the day. Get 2 sheets. Soak one with water and ring it out. Throw the dry one directly over you and put the damp one on top of it. Turn on a fan blowing at the bed. You will be cold and if not do away with the dry sheet and put the damp one right against you. When it dries out during the night just get up and wet it again. I have done this a few times when the AC was broken and was waiting for the tech to show up....and THAT was in Phoenix in the summer when it was still 102 outside at night.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 22, 2022 12:19:59 GMT -5
I used to soak sheets as a wee lad.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 22, 2022 15:37:35 GMT -5
Our bed frame is upholstered, I don’t know if possibly getting it wet (and possibly stained) would be the best idea.
We’ll just have to tough out another night. I’m just hoping they show up on Tuesday and they are able to fix it.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 23, 2022 6:59:44 GMT -5
"How the heck did that happen?" You mean the short in wiring? Combination of poor installation and my guess movement of the wire from wind over 18 years. Everything still running as it should?
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 23, 2022 7:27:45 GMT -5
Yep, all good.
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on May 23, 2022 7:52:23 GMT -5
Great, glad it worked out!
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on May 23, 2022 8:12:35 GMT -5
Great, glad it worked out! With the age of A/C unit I know we are living on borrowed time. Until then...
|
|