Froze over Heatpump vs winter of 2008 vancouver Washington 1 of 2

[MrCraz6r]

Clear the snow from around the unit and let it defrost or call a qualified tech and let him force defrost it. He can jumper the defrost board.

Better yet EM OR Emergency Heat mode on your thermostat should completely turn off the heatpump and use your backup heat (electric, oil, gas, propane- whichever you have). Being frozen that bad is bad for a heat pump even though they have accumulators.

[TheCharlestoncharles]

obviously a defrost problem. it would of done better if you unplugged the condenser motor in cooling to bring the coil temp up like a defrost cycle would do

[84randomdude]

Do you not realize how badly you can damage the unit by running it in cooling mode when it is that cold? You can damage an A/C or heat pump by running it in cooling mode when the outdoor temperature is below 55*F.

[danwat1234]

@84randomdude No I don't I thought that the compressor doesn't have to work as hard when in cooling mode and it is cold outside, less pumping effort needed. An Air conditoiner takes more power, the hotter it is in the summer.

Besides, heatpumps by design go into cooling mode (defrost mode) for about a minute for every 45-90 minutes of heating time when it gets close to freezing outside anyway.

[84randomdude]

@danwat1234 yeah they don't have to work as hard but you can still damage the compressor in COLD temperatures like that without a low ambient kit. And when they go into defrost, the condensing fan turns off so it can warm itself a lot easier.

Wasn't meaning to start a fight or anything just wanted to let ya know. : )

[danwat1234]

@84randomdude

No no harm done your all good. I'm into technology and I've heard about turning on an air conditioner below 55 F as well but never really knew why it could harm it.

[84randomdude]

@danwat1234 OK thats cool!

[Xringer]

@84randomdude When my Sanyo 24KHS72 Mini-split gets frosted up, it goes into defrost mode. That's just cooling mode, without the indoor fan coming on..

When I notice heavy ice starting to form, I turn on the Dehumidify mode (a cooling mode with low fan) and that cleans off the ice nicely..

But now, you've got me worried.. What will be damaged??

[84randomdude]

@Xringer When it goes into defrost, it should turn off the outdoor fan in the outside unit. Which will let the temperature and pressures in the unit rise quicker. If the unit's pressure is too low, (running in COOL mode with COLD outside temperatures with fan running) the compressor runs "unloaded" and it can damage the valves in the compressor.

A mini split, SHOULD be OK, they are designed to work in both modes in the cold. Just central units that shouldn't be doing it.

[redhot916spd]

need some air around that unit, it cannot keep up if it cannot get some air around it. In your area I wouldn't be surprised if the instructions call for a plateform that gets it above the highest snowfall. In defrost mode the outdoor fan should shut off

[redhot916spd]

need some air around that unit, it cannot keep up if it cannot get some air around it. In your area I wouldn't be surprised if the instructions call for a plateform that gets it above the highest snowfall

[woode1965]

just an observation, but there does not seem to be much coil surface for that unit. is there a third side to that coil? maybe up against the little shed there or is this a package unit?

[danwat1234]

@woode1965 Nope I don't think there is a third side, just 2 sides. My friend made the 'dog shed' for the air ducts and I never remembered a part of the coil being parallel with the side of the house.

They were quite bent up but I combed them all and they are mostly all straight now. Its a solid 3 ton heatpump :)

[danwat1234]

@woode1965 So yeah the unit does look like it has a small coil for the size of the unit but the unit has a blower fan built in to it.

[griffgriff100]

I remember that winter. (I also live in Vancouver wa) the same thing is happening to mine right now, except that the fan isn't staying on, it only comes for 1-2 seconds, then turns off, I put it in ac mode, and it started melting the ice, but I don't think it is a good idea for my money to leave the ac on any more, as it would prob be cheaper to use aux heat. Any ideas?

[fedders4]

How cold was it outside?

[danwat1234]

@fedders4 Somewhere between 15 and 25 F.

[captain150]

Need to put a box or something over the fan. With the fan running the coils are cooled too much and don't heat up enough. That is how heat pumps defrost.

[danwat1234]

@captain150 Nope, no need for a box. The fan is not running when the heatpump is in defrost mode. The Heatpump is in air conditioning mode with the fan off when in defrost mode.

[captain150]

@danwat1234 Yes I know that, I'm talking about in your video. You try a "manual" defrost by running the AC in true air conditioning mode, but my comment was to say that it wouldn't work with the fan running (as it is in the video).

Putting something over the fan would cut the airflow cooling the coils, so they'd heat up more (like in the real defrost mode when the fan isn't running).

[danwat1234]

@captain150 Oh yeah I get you. Back when this happened I didn't think of a box, but was thinking of putting a big flat head screwdriver in the way of the fan blades but was worried about the fan motor melting or metal flying every which way. It wasn't my heatpump..

Thanks

[adddddg]

Another under the eves install...

[cllamont]

heat pumps suck

[danwat1234]

@cllamont , No they don't! Heatpumps are awesome, well at least the new ones with inverter compressor (multiple speeds). So much energy would be saved if everyone with electric water heaters would replace theres with a heatpump water heater, such as the General Electric model...

It is greener than running natural gas imo, if you get a super efficient system for heating water, and climate control of the house.