Your recent repair? - 2021 to ?

[Gumby]

We're starting new versions of our longer running threads so that they will load easier on phones. Here is the link to Your Recent Repair from 2013-2020. https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/your-recent-repair-68722.html

 

[Matthew J]

I'll bite, although this was a week ago, so technically 2020. I repaired my clothes dryer. I found a bootleg copy of the technical service manual online for my model, which allowed me to press the correct button sequence to have the machine self diagnose itself. Turned out to be the door switch. About $20 later and a small bit of effort and wallah dryer works great again.

 

[NW-Bound]

Almost two months ago, I replaced the thermal fuse in my air fryer. The fuse failed open again yesterday, despite having a higher temperature of 180C vs the original's 172C.

They came in a package of 5, so I just installed a new one, and will see how long that lasts.

If the fuses keep blowing, then the fryer is running hotter than it should. Determining the cause will not be so easy. I guess I may tell my wife to not use the highest setting of 400F. I will try to remember to check its internal operating temperature with an infrared thermometer.

 

[Bamaman]

My heat pump on a lake house had a compressor lock up. The HVAC guys want $3K over what new parts cost for a new split unit.

I'm thinking about buying a new generation Mr. Cool Universal heat pump and installing it myself.

With YouTube.com, I've yet found anything I cannot do within reason.

 

[John Galt III]

My heat pump on a lake house had a compressor lock up. The HVAC guys want $3K over what new parts cost for a new split unit.

I'm thinking about buying a new generation Mr. Cool Universal heat pump and installing it myself.

With YouTube.com, I've yet found anything I cannot do within reason.

$3,000 labor for one day of work, probably 2 guys, maybe just one. Good work if you can get it, ha ha. How much did they want for the hardware and what brand?

 

[NW-Bound]

If you are adventurous, can even swap out the failed compressor yourself.

I had it done on my AC some years ago, and saw how it was done. You will need to be able to braze the refrigerant copper lines. Need a good torch for that. You also will need a vacuum pump, and to be able to recharge the refrigerant.

Where to get the refrigerant is the real problem. It is treated almost like contraband nowadays.

 

[finnski1]

My heat pump on a lake house had a compressor lock up. The HVAC guys want $3K over what new parts cost for a new split unit.

I'm thinking about buying a new generation Mr. Cool Universal heat pump and installing it myself.

With YouTube.com, I've yet found anything I cannot do within reason.

A couple of months ago I installed my first mini split with heat pump.
It is 18000 BTU and is good for 750-1000 sq ft.
I bought it on line from Powersaver AC and it only cost $679 delivered.
I spent about another $170 on everything needed.
That included a mounting bracket for the side of the house, plastic cover set for the lines (which dress it up nicely and basically look like a gutter downspout when done) a power disconnect outdoor box, circuit breaker fro the electric panel and some wire etc.
It took me a couple days total to install as I had never done it before and was being super cautious and trying to ensure it all came out alright.
Could probably do the next one in less than an 8 hour day.
the outdoor unit came precharged with the pressurized refrigerant and I only had to apply a small vacuum to the 2 lines after I assembled everything n order to get any moisture out of the lines. It also accomplishes a leak test to your connections by monitoring no change in the vacuum level.
Once that ll checks out you simply back out the fittings for the 2 lines until they stop and your lines a re now charged as well.
Everything went well and I had no issues.
Works great and the heat function works great as well.

 

[finnski1]

The only difference with my installation and the MrCool ones at Home depot etc are that the MR cool precharges the 2 refrigeration lines thus eliminating the vacuum steps I had to do. They get way with this by using special quick connect fittings on the ends of the lines which allow them to ship the refrigerant lines precharged.
The equivalent Mr Cool 18000 btu unit was something like $1829(+the $170 in additional items required) dollars as opposed to the $679 I paid.
I had to by an inexpensive vacuum pump($59 Amazon) and a vacuum gauge/line set with manifold ($58 Amazon) so I guess my total was (679+170 +117) actually $966 but I now have the pump and gauges if I install another.
If your not comfortable with the vacuuming process(which turned out much easier and straight forward than I thought) then the MrCool is still a good deal as I have quotes of around $3000-$3500 to buy and install one unit from an HVAC outfit.

 

[homestead]

My heat pump on a lake house had a compressor lock up. The HVAC guys want $3K over what new parts cost for a new split unit.

I'm thinking about buying a new generation Mr. Cool Universal heat pump and installing it myself.

With YouTube.com, I've yet found anything I cannot do within reason.

I have two of the Mr Cool heat pumps. Been using them for 3-4 years now with no problems. They run out of steam below 32F and I switch to my pellet stove.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Replacing light switches in closets and laundry room with motion sensor switches.
Moving the knobs on the bifold closet doors to the correct doors.
Yawn.

 

[travelover]

.........the outdoor unit came precharged with the pressurized refrigerant and I only had to apply a small vacuum to the 2 lines after I assembled everything in order to get any moisture out of the lines. ..........

What type of vacuum pump did you need to use? This seems to be the stumbling block for most DIY AC installations.

 

[NW-Bound]

The only difference with my installation and the MrCool ones at Home depot etc are that the MR cool precharges the 2 refrigeration lines thus eliminating the vacuum steps I had to do. They get way with this by using special quick connect fittings on the ends of the lines which allow them to ship the refrigerant lines precharged.
The equivalent Mr Cool 18000 btu unit was something like $1829(+the $170 in additional items required) dollars as opposed to the $679 I paid...

That $1829 is quite pricey. Two years ago, I paid $1248 for a Pioneer 18,000-BTU 20.8 SEER heat pump mini split. It is an inverter design, which means it has variable speed and will automatically select different speeds to match the cooling/heating demand. Single-speed units will cost less.

I just looked, and the same Pioneer 18,000-BTU unit is now $1378 with a 50-ft line set. The manufacturer is Parker Davis, an American company.

I installed two mini splits myself. I had access to a vacuum pump, and a nice electronic HVAC vacuum gage that measures down to a few microns of absolute pressure.

 

[euro]

I just had to replace my through-the wall heater/AC at our mountain cabin. Came very close to putting in a mini-split system (they do seem a lot nicer), but ended up with the cheapest solution of just replacing what is in there ($500) since the hole in the wall already exists and the wiring is in place. Would have had to close up the hole with a patch or a window and it would have looked weird because it happens to be in an odd place.
Maybe next time it’s the mini-split.....

 

[Freedom56]

Our GE Profile refrigerator stopped running. The compressor does not run. I opened up the back and tested the compressor start relay. It was okay. The run capacitor was also okay. I then pulled off the panel to the main control board and removed the control board and noticed that one of the relays on the control board failed and scorched through the PCB. I found a replacement board on Amazon with prime delivery for $149 plus tax and it should arrive by Wednesday. Hopefully it fixes the problem. In the mean time, we moved the food we could salvage to our outdoor kitchen fridge. I will try to replace the relay on the damaged board and keep it as a backup.

 

[finnski1]

What type of vacuum pump did you need to use? This seems to be the stumbling block for most DIY AC installations.

Sorry just found your question now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6IOBWF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[finnski1]

That $1829 is quite pricey. Two years ago, I paid $1248 for a Pioneer 18,000-BTU 20.8 SEER heat pump mini split. It is an inverter design, which means it has variable speed and will automatically select different speeds to match the cooling/heating demand. Single-speed units will cost less.

I just looked, and the same Pioneer 18,000-BTU unit is now $1378 with a 50-ft line set. The manufacturer is Parker Davis, an American company.

I installed two mini splits myself. I had access to a vacuum pump, and a nice electronic HVAC vacuum gage that measures down to a few microns of absolute pressure.

I just used a cheap line set from AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073PVJP5G
/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is the unit and it is a variable speed, inverter series
https://powersaveac.com/products/si...heat-pump-ductless-230v-innovair-19-seer.html

 

[NW-Bound]

I just used a cheap line set from AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073PVJP5G
/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is the unit and it is a variable speed, inverter series
https://powersaveac.com/products/si...heat-pump-ductless-230v-innovair-19-seer.html

$799 shipping included for a 18,000-BTU variable-speed minisplit! Son of a gun!

 

[sengsational]

What type of vacuum pump did you need to use? This seems to be the stumbling block for most DIY AC installations.

A vacuum pump and gauges wasn't the main issue with my installation...it was the braising. Not that I couldn't buy a torch, but I figured it would take a while to get good enough to risk my brand new system to my fumbling. The solution was to get an independent HVAC guy to evacuate and charge the system after I got it in place. But it sounds like braising is not required on these kits (mine was a standard evaporator coil / condenser unit system).

 

[euro]

A vacuum pump and gauges wasn't the main issue with my installation...it was the braising. Not that I couldn't buy a torch, but I figured it would take a while to get good enough to risk my brand new system to my fumbling. The solution was to get an independent HVAC guy to evacuate and charge the system after I got it in place. But it sounds like braising is not required on these kits (mine was a standard evaporator coil / condenser unit system).

That's right, most of the currently marketed system do NOT require braising and come pre-charged.

I hear you on braising though because I literally watched my HVAC guy mess this up when he replaced the main valve in my system. Apparently, there were a couple of wires touching the copper line UPSTREAM from where he was working and the line got hot enough to fry the insulation off those wires. They promptly shorted out. It took him several hours to figure out what had happened as it was quite difficult to see that part of the line. Anyway, it was that scene that convinced me never to mess with braising HVAC lines...

 

[finnski1]

$799 shipping included for a 18,000-BTU variable-speed minisplit! Son of a gun!

Yeah and I actually only paid $679.
The quality seems very good and it is working very well

 

[finnski1]

That's right, most of the currently marketed system do NOT require braising and come pre-charged.

I hear you on braising though because I literally watched my HVAC guy mess this up when he replaced the main valve in my system. Apparently, there were a couple of wires touching the copper line UPSTREAM from where he was working and the line got hot enough to fry the insulation off those wires. They promptly shorted out. It took him several hours to figure out what had happened as it was quite difficult to see that part of the line. Anyway, it was that scene that convinced me never to mess with braising HVAC lines...

No braising required. Not sure I would have wanted to try that.
Was relatively easy with the kits and vacuum pump and gauges.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

I think I have discovered the difficulty -


As verbs the difference between braise and braze
is that braise is (cooking) to cook in a small amount of liquid, in a covered pan somewhere between steaming and boiling while braze is to join two metal pieces, without melting them, using heat and diffusion of a jointing alloy of capillary thickness.

 

[euro]

I think I have discovered the difficulty -


As verbs the difference between braise and braze
is that braise is (cooking) to cook in a small amount of liquid, in a covered pan somewhere between steaming and boiling while braze is to join two metal pieces, without melting them, using heat and diffusion of a jointing alloy of capillary thickness.

Good catch - thanks for explanation!

 

[bjorn2bwild]

Good catch - thanks for explanation!

After typing and posting I thought whoops, this might be one of those British dialect issues like aluminum/aluminium.

 

[finnski1]

I think I have discovered the difficulty -


As verbs the difference between braise and braze
is that braise is (cooking) to cook in a small amount of liquid, in a covered pan somewhere between steaming and boiling while braze is to join two metal pieces, without melting them, using heat and diffusion of a jointing alloy of capillary thickness.

I actually knew that (retired ME)but was too lazy and used his spelling.