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Thread: Any Old Iron

  1. #1

    Any Old Iron

    Can anyone offer any suggestions why the ASHP has been tripping the RCD all day? It starts up ok runs for a couple of mins, then it makes a more higher pitched noise than normal. Then the electric trips.

    I assumed it was the pump so i've wasted all day cleaning it, cleaning the pipework, changed fuse, re-wired plug.....

    And its not the pump afterall. It's the ASHP

    I cant afford to get it fixed so i'll see if the scrap man wants it. I wondered if there was any thing i should try first?


    Looks like my koi are going to be given a winter afterall.

    Avoid Crystal Clear



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  3. #2
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Manky Sanky is probably your man.
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  5. #3
    Member Rank = Nisai Mpathe's Avatar
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    Chances are the compressor has seized but would need to disconnect the wires to it to test the power is correct on the pcb. Would advise getting an a/c engineer out to check it if you're not confident with electrics. Where abouts are you?

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  7. #4
    I agree, there is a possibility that the compressor is faulty or it may "just" be that the refrigerant has leaked away.

    When a heat pump switches on, the first thing that happens is that the fan runs to ensure that the refrigerant in the evaporator is at the correct temperature before power is applied to the compressor and a timer starts. When the timer period elapses, (typically 3 to 5 minutes) it's safe for the compressor to start so the power is applied to it.

    From what you describe, it sounds as if everything is working correctly up until when the compressor is first powered up and then the screeching noise and the RCD tripping indicates a faulty compressor or that there is no refrigerant. If you disconnect the wires to the compressor and the heat pump runs ok (but obviously doesn't provide heat) then you will have proved that the compressor is faulty or possibly that the refrigerant has leaked away.

    You need an engineer to either replace the compressor or re-gas it and check why the gas leaked away in the first place.

    The compressor is lubricated by the refrigerant so, if it's only low refrigerant, then the screeching may be due to the compressor running dry so don't keep trying to run it because it would be similar to running a car engine without oil.

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Well explained Manky.
    John

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  11. #6
    Hey thanks Manky Sanke for typing all that out and the others of you too.

    I'm guessing that calling an air conditioning engineer out and the subsequent fix, would be more expensive than buying a lower end electric heater?

    Like these.....


    https://absolute-koi.com/subcat121.html



    No new phone for me then.

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  13. #7
    If it just needs regassing and tightening the unions then it need not be too expensive and I would expect the cost to be less than that of an electric heater especially if you factor in the running cost.

    If it needs a new compressor then that would be much more expensive.

    Why not email the manufacturer for the cost of a replacement compressor and ask a few heat pump engineers for an idea of the labour costs for each repair?

    Is there any pressure gauge or indication of whether the gas pressure is ok or low?

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  15. #8
    Nearly forgot....I think Syd is probably correct but for what its worth, i took the fan cover off to see if anything was caught around it.

    There was nothing caught around it.

    But i did find a small see through cable tie in two pieces. One piece had some gunk stuck on it.

    I also noticed that the front part of the fan that goes round the spindle had a small crack along it.

    Just thought i would mention them.

    20191106_135915gfd.jpg20191106_02322.jpg

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  17. #9
    The fan runs immediately on start up so, if anything was fouling it, you would hear the noise straight away rather than after a few minutes. Did you disconnect the wires to the compressor and did it run ok without the noise happening?

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  19. #10

  20. #11
    I never encourage people to work beyond their level of understanding (no offence intended) but, depending where it's easiest to do it, this is what needs to be done either by yourself if you feel confident or a mate who can do it for you:

    Either disconnect the red, black and white wires where they connect to the compressor. (This would be simplest unless the wires are resined in).

    Or disconnect all three wires from the capacitor C1. (Find this by following the red and white wires from the compressor to the three terminal round thingy usually about 3cm in diameter and 15cm long).

    In either case, take the blindingly obvious precautions which I have to add as a matter of professionalism:

    Disconnect the power first.
    Make sure that you know where to reconnect them afterwards.
    Make sure that any tags or wires you disconnect are suitably insulated or prevented from shorting out to each other or to anything else.

    As I said in my earlier post, if the heat pump will then run without the noise (but obviously without heating) then you will have isolated the fault either to a faulty compressor or to the gas having leaked away. Since the compressor is lubricated by the refrigerant, no refrigerant will mean that the noise is because it's running dry.

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