How much of the return do you really need?

10 years ago

Our AC had a leak on an inside coil. We had several people offer several solutions. It is a York Diamond 90 and they don't make the 7" coil and there wasn't enough space for a 14" or so it seemed. What the Carrier guy ended up doing was removing a second vent from the top to gain a few inches and he some how lowered the bottom metal area which resulted in lowering part of the return that is connected to the main unit. That way, he was able to fit in a 14" coil. We left the vent on the wall unchanged. This meant that only about 2/3rds of it was really connected to the return (because it had been lowered) vs. 100%. I guess the bottom third just blows into the wall?

At any rate, I was wondering if this posed any sort of hazard as I had heard that returns shouldn't be blocked. The Carrier guy said it didn't and enough of the air passed through. Are there any problems for which I should be on the look out? Right now the AC works fine again.

Please advise. Thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

bus_driver
10 years ago
Is the coil positioned vertically or horizontally? Sounds as if the only real change was to reduce the height of the plenum. That would not have an adverse effect. But if you are saying that the cross-sectional area of the return has been reduced, that is a very different situation. If the cross section has been reduced, post here the dimensions before the change and after. Most likely, someone here will be able to respond knowledgeably.
CT_Newbie
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi! Thanks for your response. Since they were always talking about the vertical space issue and trouble fitting in a 14" coil, I'm going to guess that the coil is positioned vertically. I will try to measure the dimensions of the return grate. It comes out of the side of the unit and flows through a grate on my wall. (Sorry I'm not using the correct technical names for these things). Therefore by lowering the whole unit and not moving the grate, the area that flows through the grate gets reduced about a third (assuming that prior to the lowering 100% of the air flowed through 100% of the grate.

Thanks
Related Discussions
How much Maintanace do bees really need?
Q
Comments (10)
A few hives do very well with no attention (both feral and those abandoned by a beekeeper), but the vast majority will fail within 2 years time due to disease or queen failure. Why a few hives survive no one seems to know for sure. Genetics possibly, but some feral hives that have survived for 5+ years crashed quickly when captured and placed in modern hives. Yes it is possible to keep bees and not harvest honey. I know someone near me that is basically doing just that. You still need to inspect them periodically for disease and general health (queenright, etc.). I'd guess once every 3-4 weeks minimum. 2 hives is still recommended if for no other reason than to provide a queenless hive eggs they can raise a new queen from, plus you can split come spring if one dosn't survive the winter. So you still need to buy much of the gear (smoker, veil, etc.) and spend the time learning the diseases, how to inspect, etc. It's still a good amount of work to get started. Another option would be to offer it as a permanent apiary to a local beekeeper. If it's a suitable location (good access, water, forage, etc.), convenient for the beekeeper, and he is looking for another location, you just might get him to place 10+ hives for free and with no work. (Though there may not be a great chance of that). -Tim
...See More
Wall Ovens? How fancy do you really need?
Q
Comments (22)
David, I was referring to your linked thread and what you said about it. Here, in this thread, brand names have been included by many in the discussion of function to provide concrete examples. This is useful for people who actually want to buy an oven, not just talk theory. Recently, I spent a lot of time shopping carefully looking for a simple oven with simple controls for an elderly woman who doesn't want to adapt her cooking to a new appliance, but wants the oven to act like any oven she's had before. She can't see well enough to use a touch display. I have been utterly dismayed by the lack of decent plain old ovens out there, which turn on, get hot, hold heat. Right now, we're trying to see if we can get her old oven restored. If that fails, I'm going to check out your very useful brand name suggestion from the other thread about the Ikea oven. It's one that had escaped my notice before--oh...because it doesn't come in the right size. Ikea might be an example of a cheap one that functions as well as a fancy one, from the reviews I've just read. Much better reviews than some of the mid-range units. It's very unfortunate that the ne plus ultra of energy savings seems to have trumped cooking/baking function in the current goals of oven design. No wonder rich people are putting wood fired ovens in their homes.
...See More
How much space do I really need behind stackable FL washer?
Q
Comments (1)
In an open, free space environment, you can push the stack back as far as you want just as long as the water hoses, drain hose and dryer venting are not kinked or compressed in any way. I would not allow the hoses to press against the back wall. The dryer venting must be completly free flowing. Make sure the dryer you select can vent to the side (If that's what you want.) and that the installers will convert the dryer to vent that way. Rear venting is standard.
...See More
How much closet do you need?
Q
Comments (38)
aprilneverends- I can so sympathize with you. When my mom decided to move to NM three years ago, I worked like crazy to get just the right furniture and accessories for the small 1BR condo we had found for her after much searching. DH and I both wanted her to feel comfortable from the get-go and very “New Mexico-y”. It was adorable. But I had forgotten that my mom was never much for decor, design, or cleanliness for that matter. I had forgotten that she never makes her bed, so the “look” I had put together with comforter, blanket, pillows . . . was wasted. I had forgotten that she runs life from a ”Cockpit” of sorts, meaning a chair that has multiple ottomans, plastic tables from Amazon and overturned boxes from Amazon masquerading as tables, all around it. All seating surfaces covered with throws that are covered with cat hair. All table/box surfaces covered with paper and this and that and coffee cups and . . . Regarding one rug-type cube ottoman: “Take that out, it’s hard to move around.” (sigh). She’d order something against my recommendation, then when it arrived, say “You’re so good with decorating. Where should I hang this 3’ x 5’ painting of a zebra?” I would tell her I would be glad to hang it for her, but she needs to tell me where she wants it, as I couldn’t really speak to a good place for it. And then a couple months of sniping and hard feelings would follow. Lather, rinse, repeat. Zebrad infinitum. My solution? I haven’t been inside her new apartment (independent living apartment) since we took out the last moving box. In October. But I digress. __________________ We each have about eight feet of hanging space and a built-in dresser. DH’s shoes are in his closet. Mine are in bins in a built-in cabinet in the bedroom. Other than that there is just the coat closet (where DH has way, way too many coats and jackets). We do try to get rid of something every time we bring in something new. We’ve always had older homes, and have never had a walk-in closet. We’ll go to open houses and builder parades and stare in wonder at some of the huge closets. I’m sure when we eventually build our retirement home, it will have a walk-in closet. But it should remain quite sparse, as I hope to have only seven outfits by then. One for each day of the week.
...See More
udarrell
10 years ago
is there any other way you can provide another Return Air into the RA plenum?

we need to know the tonnage of the A/C & the Btuh output of the furnace so we know what the CFM airflow needs are.

Here is a link that might be useful: Checking Static Pressure & CFM
CT_Newbie
Original Author
10 years ago
So the dimensions of the grate on the wall are ~22.5" wide and 16.75" high.

We have another problem. Not sure if it is related to the return Seems like the fan wasn't that strong and it was getting warmer. We've had 90+ degree heat this week. The AC guy came back and said our compressor was overheating. He said to shut it off for an hour and a half to let it cool down. I can feel the temperature rise after 15 min off. At any rate, he can't come back today so I'll turn it back on. Someone else can come back tomorrow morning. We are going to be out but will have the sitter let him in and have him call us when he is done. I asked if the guys should have caught an issue when they did the leak test. Maybe we would have just bought a whole new unit if we knew all these things were wrong. He said that back in June when we did the leak test it wasn't that hot. We just replaced a capacitor two weeks ago.

Wish I had checked the thread sooner to ask him the above questions. The unit is in a closet in the garage so this vent is the only place it can really air out. The closet is somewhat spacious so not sure if adding something there would help. I don't think we want to cut a hole in the door and the back wall is solid concrete. I will ask my husband if he knows the tonnage and BTU.

Thank you!
CT_Newbie
Original Author
10 years ago
OK. It is 2 tons for the AC and I was told 24,000 BTUs. Not sure if that is different from BTUh. If so, please explain.

Thank you very much. Will be getting a quote for the compressor tomorrow.
CT_Newbie
Original Author
10 years ago
Just bumping this up. Given the info requested,
*dimensions of the grate on the wall are ~22.5" W and 16.75"H
*2 tons for the AC and I was told 24,000 BTUs
can anyone tell me if the return (of which only 2/3rd flows through due to the repair) is adequate or if it may have caused excess strain on the compressor?

The compressor install with conversion of air handler for new "freeon" is $3450 for parts and labor

Thank you

How much of the return do you really need?

Comments (6)

bus_driver

CT_Newbie
Original Author

Related Discussions

udarrell

CT_Newbie
Original Author

CT_Newbie
Original Author

CT_Newbie
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

How much of the return do you really need?

Comments (6)

bus_driver

CT_NewbieOriginal Author

Related Discussions

udarrell

CT_NewbieOriginal Author

CT_NewbieOriginal Author

CT_NewbieOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

CT_Newbie
Original Author

CT_Newbie
Original Author

CT_Newbie
Original Author

CT_Newbie
Original Author