1271 A/C Time Again

Monday, May 28, 2007

When I got home this evening, it was 84 degrees in the house. Time to switch to the air conditioning.

My heat is an oil furnace. The A/C and backup heat is a groundwater heat pump. Despised. Totally inadequate. They share the forced air ductwork. The A/C is pretty simple in operation. It pulls cold water from the well, runs it through a web of tubes, blows air over the tubes, then through the house. The water then flows into a drywell.

Showering when the A/C goes on can be a shock.

Switching between heat and A/C is a pain, so I try to avoid doing it until I absolutely have to.

First I have to ensure that both thermostats are off, and then remove the insulated damper from the duct leading to the heat pump. That requires standing on a chair, and the use of pliers and a hammer.

Then I insert a damper in a slot over the furnace. That one's easier. The cover is looser and the damper panel fits better.

Then I have to figure out which of the water pipes goes to the heating section, and which to the A/C section of the heat pump, and open the correct two input valves, and the one that lets the used water go out to the drywell. (I have to be careful not to open the wrong ones, because the heating section has a leak.) One of them requires a ladder and a wrench.

Last year I went almost all summer with inadequate cooling, because I neglected to open one of the spigots fully, and there wasn't enough water flowing through. Tonight I listened carefully, and felt the pipes, and there's a good flow.

Then I went upstairs and turned on the heat pump thermostat, ensuring that the A/C switch was on, the fan was on auto, and the temperature was set correctly.

Nothing happened.

Duh? Did the fan die?

I waited and waited, and finally opened the windows and dragged some fans up from the basement.

At 8 pm it was 85 degrees.

I was standing in the kitchen when it hit me what I'd forgotten. Step two. Switch the breakers in the electric box downstairs. One on and one off prevents the furnace and the A/C from accidentally going on when the "wrong" damper is in. That should be done immediately before or after swapping the dampers.

Done, and I now have cool air.

Sort of.

It's been blowing for three hours, and we're all the way down to 80.

Wow. I wonder what the temperature would be at 11 pm if I didn't turn the A/C on?
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