Any HVAC experts here?

[07Custom]

Hey guys, my swamp cooler air conditioner is pissing me off. Anyone an 'expert' in these things? (in my home)

 

[twinmill28]

Dude, if it's just a swamp cooler there's nothing to them. Just a filter with water running down it in front of a fan blowing out the now damp air.
If it was in Florida with this humidity, it would really be pissing me off!
So what's it doing, or not doing?

 

[07Custom]

I just bought a 2 story house. It has 2 units. One for the top level and one for the bottom level. I'm not getting air to all the vents. I removed the "cookie sheet" dampers. I'm getting cool air to both the upstairs bedrooms and the living room. The master bedroom downstairs and the side room/office dont get any air flow.

I have 2 different types of vents. Larger 15x15 square vents and smaller 6x14 vents too. The larger 15x15 are the ones getting air but the smaller ones, which are the ones in the two downstairs rooms get nothing. I noticed in the winter every vent in the house got warm air.

I can't find the blockage anywhere stopping the air flow. It's like 100 degrees out here so it's killing me. I've been sleeping in the living room haha and that's even without fighting with the girl

 

[Sneakysilver]

The larger vents, are you saying you have air blowing out or being pulled in? And the "cookie sheet" dampers were the duct work? Sounds like you might have a dirty evap coil causing the velocity of your air flow to drop. Are the rooms being cooled/warned closer to the air handler?

 

[twinmill28]

I have a feeling those smaller vents are heat only. That, or those 15x15 vents are pretty huge--all you air flow is going out of those before it can get to the smaller ones, which may be the end of the line.
More than likely a poor design either way---installed after the house was built and this is the best they could do?

 

[Sneakysilver]

I have a feeling those smaller vents are heat only. That, or those 15x15 vents are pretty huge--all you air flow is going out of those before it can get to the smaller ones, which may be the end of the line.
More than likely a poor design either way---installed after the house was built and this is the best they could do?

Never seen a 15x15 supply vent, if it is then yea your air is gonna go to the least resistance. But I'm thinking its a return

 

[twinmill28]

If it's a swamp cooler, it's not going to have a return. Are we still talking swamp cooler, or is this an A/C unit?

 

[Sneakysilver]

oh **** didnt even realize that haha, never messed with them, in richmond va its mainly air to air.

 

[alrock]

Is there perhaps some diverter in the attic (assuming a roof mounted evap cooler) that directs air from the evap, and in winter is closed to prevent warm air from being pushed up to the evap? Presumably this would be something controlled by the evap controls but maybe not, or maybe it is stuck.

The logic here being that if there isn't such a diverter, or if it is in the wrong position, then in winter the warm air would get pushed out of the roof. Look at where your conventional air handler joins up with the vents it shares with the evap cooler.

 

[bendyprissy]

I just bought a 2 story house. It has 2 units. One for the top level and one for the bottom level. I'm not getting air to all the vents. I removed the "cookie sheet" dampers. I'm getting cool air to both the upstairs bedrooms and the living room. The master bedroom downstairs and the side room/office dont get any air flow.

I have 2 different types of vents. Larger 15x15 square vents and smaller 6x14 vents too. The larger 15x15 are the ones getting air but the smaller ones, which are the ones in the two downstairs rooms get nothing. I noticed in the winter every vent in the house got warm air.

I can't find the blockage anywhere stopping the air flow. It's like 100 degrees out here so it's killing me. I've been sleeping in the living room haha and that's even without fighting with the girl

We're in the same boat here in Texas. As of 4:30 pm yesterday our AC stopped blowing cold. Oh yippie. Couldn't be better timing as hubby couldn't get home in enough time before AC places closed to get the part we hope it is & of coarse 1st thing in the morning he goes to have outpatient surgery. It was oh, 100 degrees here yesterday & the heat index was 105. We have the dogs, cat, fish, and older kids in the house so not fixing it NOW is NOT an option. We are very nervously entrusting our oldest son to put the part on. Lots of praying & crossed fingers over here. Hope yours works out as New Mexico heat is nothing to laugh at!

 

[Kyle]

We're in the same boat here in Texas. As of 4:30 pm yesterday our AC stopped blowing cold. Oh yippie. Couldn't be better timing as hubby couldn't get home in enough time before AC places closed to get the part we hope it is & of coarse 1st thing in the morning he goes to have outpatient surgery. It was oh, 100 degrees here yesterday & the heat index was 105. We have the dogs, cat, fish, and older kids in the house so not fixing it NOW is NOT an option. We are very nervously entrusting our oldest son to put the part on. Lots of praying & crossed fingers over here. Hope yours works out as New Mexico heat is nothing to laugh at!

It will be a good learning experience for him! :thumbs:

 

[bendyprissy]

Yep, he put it on just fine. A $13 capacitor did the trick. Woohoo.