Is the air conditioner condenser unit high pressure side supposed to be cold?
Question:The reason I ask is this is a brand new 3 1/2 ton Ducane condenser and it has been running all day and the lowest it has gotten in my house is 79 degrees. Granted it is above 110 outside but I was able to get to at least 73 or 74 on my old condenser unit. I am getting cold air but I just don't think it is cold enough. I checked the high and low presure lines outside and they are both cold. Now correct me if I am wrong but isn't the high pressure (skinny line) supposed to be hot? And since it is not hot does this mean something else could be wrong? Any help would be appreciated.
Answers:
Unfortunately you are correct ... the high pressure side (the smaller-diameter tubing) is supposed to be hot, or at least very warm. However, if the outside temperature is 110 (sheesh) and the unit is blowing out 79 degrees, that's a drop of 31 degrees, well within the norm. Of course the temperature that should be taken into account is the inside (ambient) temperature, with it ideally being 15 degrees higher than the temp registered at the registers. You mentioned both tubings are warm. Not a good sign, but could simply be slightly overcharged. If it was undercharged you'd have mentioned frost on the larger line. Have someone put some gauges on to make sure everything's all right. I suspect it is.
The best way to check your ac is with gages, the high side should be hot, but if it's running cold there are multiple reasons for this, from too much refrigerant to sizing of the equipment, consult the installer, the installation should be warrantied.
The high pressure side CAN'T be cold.
Some heat pumps have reversing valves so that the tubes that were high pressure become low pressure and visa versa, so as to make one think that the high side is cold. But the "high pressure" side of the system CAN'T be cold.
Honestly your first problem is you settled for a low grade product that may be made by carrier, but will be a rust bucket in a year. Secondly, are you sure they sized the unit for your house right. I see many contractors - or wanna be's - install what ever will get them the job. However i am not a true expert on weather or not your line should be cold or hot, i am just a very angry guy - who should have looked more before i had someone talk me into a ducane unit!!
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