It's always nice when there's some extra wire under the contactor. I agree with the loose wire theory. I would have chalked it up to that as well. Nice repair Ted 🛠️👍
I just have to Agree with All the comments…Ted, you are the best in teaching us all your secrets of a Trade that is not DIY. My ears were Buzzing from an Helicopter sound…
Quiet is the best work environment, you can hear everything. I have been in situations where lawn mowing, barking dogs and intrusive music is blasting all at the same time.
I really enjoy being able to watch you without being a "helicopter". I worked in aerospace in measurement and NDI analysis laboratories. We had a wiring bundle problem (56 wires in 1 bundle)in the aircraft that the wire bundle was failing. It took microscopic analysis to find that the interconnects were not swaged in a way to eliminate all oxygen in the joins. So with the microscopic arcing, the bundle would fail. SO my hvac mentor...you are VERY correct to make sure those power cables are screwed in VERY tight.
wow, counterfeit non-copper wire? that stuff burnt and cooked a mile back. something is off there and not just the contactor/unit/other. deeper issues from far back upstream. far too new to be aluminum wire, for sure maybe plated steel/under sized, other stupidity. now I'll keep watching past 3:24
I think you're exactly right Ted... The trouble was loose connections and time. Lucky there was enough of the whip left to draw up some good fresh wire!
If left all my vents open either heating or cooling, i would get minimal air output at furthest away vents.The vents closest to the furnace i keep partially opened to keep the airflow even...
If the ducting is done right you can prioritize zoning where both zones are sized for 1200 cfm and they alternate or modulate to ensure you have the correct cfm across the coil.
Ted, you made me jump. At 9:38 you switch to hyper-speed on the playback. It made me jump because I thought you were getting jolted! It's funny now, but sure made me jump. LOL 🙂
Interesting failure, not your usual find but I am surprised the fuse on the air handler didn't pop so I guess that contactor kept the two voltages safely apart even though it got hot. Customer seemed to be very particular about his place and how things are kept up. He was like myself when it comes to 2 story homes and a single HVAC system, not comfortable and convinced there's a better method to HVAC a 2 story or find a single story home and be over with the clusters of rising warm air. The EPA is so concerned about emissions yet they allow 2 story homes when the smart move is a cellar below the ground floor vs. a second story above. The extra power consumed with 2 story homes alone creates more emissions or carbon dioxide. Its interesting that carbon dioxide wasn't a concern back in the 1960's/1970's when air pollution became a subject. Now that we have "pollution" under control they decided that carbon dioxide is bad and so the battle continues and at huge costs that may or may not carry any benefits.
Fine video, Ted as simple as a bad contactor and bad connection but maybe you should have a conversation about a, whip assembly replacement and replacing the disconnect. And Ted at least you told him things like not closing supplies. Off and tonage and variable speed inverter technology and zoning. I think for this guy considering the problems with new units and microcoils and evap coils the focus should be on setting him up for having the corect and adaquite ductwork infrastructure but he needs to be prepared when the system goes that it's time for replacement and that you went over all his options. And personally Ted I hate zoned systems. And for me for that house maybe a 4 to 5 ton inverter based system would solve his complaints and issues and get him off of the I want a zoned system nonsense as Charles showed in one of his videos what can happen if you go down that rabbit hole and the ductwork is not set up corectly. Ted I hope you are stockpiling 410 a up since it will probably take 15 years to figure out a suitable replacement although trane in conjunction with the company that makes r 466a is testing it on a Comercial roof top trane unit. As for r 22 15 years later blueon figured out r 458 a actaully works better than mo 99 and 407c and actaully runs lower pressures than even r 22 with no loss of capicity and is compatable with both poe and mineral oil and even reduces Amp draw. I know Jeff a Jeff's hvac adventures just tested blueon and is monitoring it and I have been Google searching and researching all these diferent refrigerents and let's say I don't like r 32 and I don't like r 542 b and I don't like r 554 a or c or whatever either. It's ridiculous pick one refrigerent and stick with it and don't phase out until you actaully find a suitable replacement that works better than what you have got it's that simple. And for God sakes we need a 410a replacement that lowers the pressures too and those evap coil leaks and microchannel issues will stop too just my thoughts Ted. Keep those videos coming.
Always told my guy to NEVER cut wire unless they have to, or always leave some extra for this exact reason. My luck would be this is a Sunday at 10pm call and I gotta put on a new disconnect and whip.
The video sped up just as you handled the low-voltage wire; made me think you got a bad jolt just then. No sign of a crispy critter, so a loose connection or corroded contacts sounds about right. With the cover on, a Georgia Bulldog couldn't have relieved itself on it.
High cycle count is inevitable if customer wants to only cool the first floor with a system that's more or less designed to run continuously for the whole home. Contactors pit out as you said over their life and heat up due to the high resistance / poor contact, (causing lower voltage after the contactor at higher amps). You can measure the voltage drop across the contactor during a load to check if you have one that's going to bad
I had a loose wire on a contactor for a 40 ton Dectron ( 3-phase). It killed 2 out of 4 condenser fan motors. They are made in Germany only and they are $5000 each motor.
Question: Does it matter where the filter dryer is placed? I see a lot of them outside by the compressor in these videos. But mine have always been inside by the coil.
Your videos are great but a question not related to your work, isn’t it a code violation for the ac unit and the gas meter to be so close together like that?
