I doubt all four thermostats that go to that unit all went bad at once. The thermostats don't control the heat/cool mode - there is a "master switch" that changes the mode. All four thermostats work for providing heat. The last time this unit was run was in January when I ran heat for a few nights. If I ever get this thing un-stuck, I'll NEVER put it back in heat mode again!
I wasn't clear earlier - the solenoid coil I replaced goes to the valve that dumps the gas off when running only the smaller units in the line. This is a modulating condensing unit.
To work on this, I need to be in two places at once. When Naomi and Susan come over later, if I don't make any progress on the electric side, I'll have them giggle the switch in the master while I toy with the beast in the ER. (It's a full moon - we three girls are going for a nighttime sail down the coast on the Hobie!)
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
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05-09-2009 09:04 AM #12Senior Member
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I now remember you saying this before after I said the same exact thing LOL. I was a couple beers in.
Truth is I always check the wiring diagram because some things are powered cool, others are powered heat...some 24 VAC, others full 120 or 240 VAC. Different brands do different things, so I always do some research or figuring first. I think trane often does energized cool, others do energized heat.
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05-09-2009 09:27 AM #14Senior Member
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05-09-2009 09:32 AM #15
Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Doesn't SOUND like a stuck reversing valve to me. I had one, when they stick, the units will come on, but just don't heat or cool properly. Also, the no-power position is cooling, I've never heard of one getting stuck in hat mode...not even sure if that's possible? I did eventually free mine up. What I did was turn it on, then manually disconnected the pwero to the vale, reconnected it, disconnected it and back and forth dozen, if not hundreds of times...it worked itself free eventually...now I make sure I put every unit into heat mode monthly during the summer and AC mode monthly during the winter...even if jsut for a minute or two.
If you end up going to self contained units, just be aware that they are a LOT louder. That's what I had on my trawler...loud but VERY reliable and very efficient. I could pump out 100+* vent temps when the harbor was iced over. Check out Mermaid brand AC: http://www.mmair.com/marine_division One of the best features is you CAN use a "marine" thermostat...but you can also use any regular household thermostat to control it. Quality is very high and they are designed from the start to be self-installed.Dave
"Saraswati" - 1980 53MY
Galesville, MD
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Dave, my unit comes on, everything runs, and just doesn't cool. I think it's stuck in heat, not cool. It will blow heat nicely in the heat mode. Unfortunately, in this situation, electricity is not my forte. I usually call upon Ed or Pascal for using that meter thingy, and they're both out of town.
As for the self-contained units, is there any reason why it would be bad to build a lead soundshield to drop over them (like a box) to absorb some of the noise? That's another skill I have learned lately - I made the genny a REAL sound shield instead of the crap Westerbeke calls a sound shield. I like the fact that a failure in a self-contained unit doesn't take out the entire system for all of the staterooms, and the fact that I can install the self-contained unit myself. Also, manufacturers of these self-contained units now boast about how quiet and effcient they've become. Anyone got any experience with these newer ones on the topic of noise? Thanks for the Mermaid link. I'll check it out.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
While I am not really a Mermaid fan [unless they have blonde hair].
I like their heating system that uses a heat strip inside the blower. When in the heat cycle neither the comp or pump run. No worries about freezing the condensor and the heat can be used out of the water.
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05-09-2009 10:04 AM #19
Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
No need to be an electrics expert to do what I did...I'm sure not. The reversin valve will look like this:
but the 3 pipes will be facing up and it will be painted white. You can see the power connectors in the pic. While the unit is running, disconnect one wire...wait a few seconds, reconnect for a few second, disconnect...and keep going.
I wouldn't build a shield around the unit..it needs air circulation for the coils.Dave
"Saraswati" - 1980 53MY
Galesville, MD
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05-09-2009 10:08 AM #20
Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Have you had a bad experience with them? What was wrong with them? I've never heard one bad word about them. In the island/sailboat cruising community, they are THE unit to have or at lest WERE about 2 years ago...
As for the heating strip...Cruisair offers that too...its the aux heat option. I have it on the new systems we just put in. . I can run reverse cycle heat, then when water temps get too low, run the aux heat and have no water pumps running. Nice to have both.Dave
"Saraswati" - 1980 53MY
Galesville, MD