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Heating & Air Conditioning

Freon Recharge for Air Conditioner

8 years ago

A/C in our 16-month-old house failed with message "83-LOW PRESS LOCKOUT 4 HOURS." The service tech added 1.5 lbs of refrigerant and billed me. (The unit is four months out of warranty.) I asked him if he checked for leaks. He said there was no point because "there is no history." This did not make sense to me because in order for a new system to lose 1.5 lbs in a little over a year there must be a leak. I don't want to be paying for this service every 16 months. Am I off base here? Thanks in advance for your informative comments.

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Comments (6)

klem1
8 years ago
" Am I off base here?"

No but the tech is.
tigerdunes
8 years ago
Typical unprofessional "gas n go" service call. Easy to add refrigerant, takes a little trouble and smarts to find the leak...
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People sometimes plant too close to the compressor unit which restricts air flow which reduces the effieciency of the unit which cost you more in operating expense. Are you talking about a central AC unit or a window unit where the condensor and compressor are together and you would get some condensate? With a central unit, with the condensor coils in your furnace, should not have any water coming from the compressor that is outside. What does come from the compressor is simply humidity from the air and is not harmful and couild be used just as any other water is used. The freon used is a gas under pressure so if it did leak it wquld be lighter then air and rise into the atmosphere. It should not leak out and into your soil.
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mike_home
8 years ago
Does this tech work for the company that installed the AC? There is a possibility it was installed with a low charge, and a dirty filter was enough to set off the error message.

Is this Carrier equipment? You have a 10 year parts warranty if the equipment was registered during the first 90 days, otherwise it defaults to 5 years. You should check on that.
klem1
8 years ago
By federal law it should be as simple as asking the company to repair the leak and if they didn't comply,calling EPA. Correct me if I misread EPA regulations. My understanding is failure to correct leaks this size (or asertain improper install or other reason for low charge) subject's service company to fine. One more example of an giant size agency created by government that does absolutly nothing other than create new laws, jab sharp sticks into citizen's sides while selectivly inforcing laws they created.
scibidr
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you all for the comments. Service tech was from the original installer, so they do have the history. The equipment is from Bryant, owned by the same company as Carrier. I am guessing they have the same warranty.
mike_home
8 years ago
Then either the original installation was wrong, so I don't think you should pay, or there is a leak and the tech should have searched for it. At the very least he could have installed a dye and come back in a month to find the leak.

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