Trane Ac is the Best I bought a new house (1800 sq feet) 16 years ago and a Trane AC was installed by the builder. The only problems I have had to this day is a disconnected wire in the condenser units, a small loss of refrigerant and a Honeywell mercury thermostat that needs calibration. Is it still running? YOU BET IT IS!!! Now that I am about to complete an one year course in HVACR at a technical school, I have started cleaning the evaporator coil, blower fan and return air duct on my unit. I just replaced the blower fan capacitor (getting 7 microfarads instead of 10). I intend to get another 10 years or more out of this central air conditioner.YOU CANNOT STOP A TRANE!!!!Charley in Orlando, FloridaThe date of production/manufacture or age of TRANE® HVAC equipment can be determined from the serial number. Serial number styles/formats found: Style 3:  91531S41F or 10161KEDAA TRANE 2001 Recall (1) TRANE 2001 Recall (2) Trane recall Issued June, 2014:

For Trane XB300 and American Standard Silver SI air conditioning systems manufactured from Feb. 2010 to Mar. 2014 See the CPSC recall alert for more information. Additional Trane recalls listed below:Twice in five years I’ve cleaned my outdoor AC condenser, and both times I’ve been amazed by the amount of dirt and  leaves I’ve found. Fortunately, cleaning your outdoor coil is a task that any homeowner can accomplish, and it doesn’t take very long. A good cleaning will help your AC unit to function more efficiently, and potentially make it last longer too. Read on to learn how I removed the fan, outside panels and scrubbed away a lot of dirt and debris from my outdoor AC condenser. Editors note: This post originally ran in August 2009. In a related post about AC maintenance, one reader asked about cleaning an outdoor condenser unit, which prompted us to update this post with more pictures and information. If you find it helpful, give it a +1. Else, leave a comment and we’ll try to make it better.

The coil transfers heat from your home to the outside, and this process works best when air can move freely. That’s why outdoor units have those big ‘ol fans. frick air handling unitWhen dirt and leaves block up air passages, it’s that much harder to cycle enough air. rudd ac unit pricesPlus, dirt and even dust can settle on the AC fins making them much less efficient. car air conditioning repairs cabooltureThis in turn raises operational costs and shortens the lifespan of your compressor. This project doesn’t require much in the way of tools. You’ll need a nut driver to remove some metal screws, a hose, and a scrubber. I’ve got a handy brush that allows me to attach the hose and pump water through the bristles. Cleaning my condenser is pretty much the perfect application for it.

It’s best to start by turning off the breaker supplying power to the unit, and hopefully your panel is labeled better than mine. Next, remove any nearby obstructions. Most installation manuals will let you know the minimum clearance around and above the unit. If you don’t have access to the manual, try for at least two feet. My unit has louvered sides held together with a lot of metal screws, and I’d estimate I removed about 30 screws all together. Fortunately, they’re all the same. Just keep track of where they all go. If your unit has a grill instead of louvers, don’t even bother taking the sides off. You can effectively clean everything as is. You’ll see screws around the perimeter, at the corner where the top and sides meet (not the screws circling the fan). After you remove all those screws, the top (and fan) can be lifted off. Be careful because the fan is tethered with electrical wires. If the installers had any sense, they left a generous length of wire and you can lean the top nearby.

This picture shows the electrical compartment. And here you see the compressor. The side grills have more screws at all the corners and along the bottom edge. After you remove these screws you’ll see how the sides overlap and can be lifted up and off. It’s a good idea to remember where each panel was located. They should be identical, but this’ll help ensure that screw hole line up when you put it back together. Use your hose and brush to clean the grills, and hose down the fins (do not scrub the fins!). The fins maximize surface area for the heat exchange so if you accidentally mash them together, they won’t work nearly as well. Even an invisible layer of dust decreases efficiency so run your hose over everything (except the electric). I think this was the beginnings of a nest. You can see the fins and a few places where the fins are bent- probably from when the previous owner had the compressor replaced. This shows some of the gunk I found on the fins.

And here’s everything bright and clean. What do you think? When was the last time you cleaned your outdoor unit? AC Unit Maximum Breaker Re: AC Unit Maximum Breaker Is this new construction? Because it is only 5 amps I would look closely at the wire and insure that it is rated for the higher amperage under an inductive load. It may be wrong IAW the Mfg. but an over current device is there to protect the wire on the branch not the appliance. If the wire to the unit is rated for the breaker size at least you won't have a fire hazzard to the unit. Also a concern is if the breaker is rated for HVAC use. Also consider that the condenser may have internal wiring matched to the Max Fuse/Breaker Rating indicated on the label, and an older oversized breaker may not trip if the compressor motor locks up ... which could complete fry the equipment ... IMO report it as a defect needing evaluation/repair and call it a day ... Consulting Engineer & Inspector

LIU CW Post Adjunct Professor I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong ... every HVAC guy and electrician I speak to say it is alright to go to the next 5 amp size. They want to see that the wire size is consistent with the higher size. None of them will change the breaker when called out to confirm this. At ITA I remember them saying that the wire size can be smaller if matched to the minimum ampacity rating on the dataplate. Being an HVAC tech for a long time that is what would happen. The tech will say no problem. As long as the breaker is correct for the wire size 5 amps isn't a big deal. Start up amps can be in the 60-amp range. I've seen units under this same scenario (25 amp nameplate) that would cause nuisance trips when a 25-amp breaker was installed and when the 30-amp breaker was put in the trips stopped and there were never any problems. It is over fused if a breaker larger than the manufacturer's label calls for is installed.

Here is a good explanation I picked up somewhere: A/C condensers contain a hermetically sealed compressor motor as well as a fan to circulate air across the coils. The rules for protection to motor circuits are different than for circuits with simple resistive loads. When a motor first starts , it draws a much higher amount of current than it does after it is running. The high "inrush" current can exceed the rating of a breaker or fuse sized to protect the wire. The inrush current lasts typically only about 6 electrical cycles, or 1/10th of a second - less time than it would take to damage the wire or its insulation. However, if the overcurrent device is sized to protect the wire against overloads, the device might trip, and the machine would not be able to start. Motor circuits get around this problem by dividing the two separate functions of an overcurrent protection device. "Overloads" are currents that can damage a circuit if allowed to continue for a sufficient time, whereas "short circuits" and "ground faults" are high currents that can cause immediate damage.

Large motors and air conditioners separate these overcurrent functions. The breaker or fuse ahead of the air conditioner only protects against short circuits and ground faults. Overload protection is built into the compressor itself. The wire to a condensing unit must be large enough to allow the equipment to start. The device is therefore NOT sized to protect the wire against overloads. It is not uncommon to see a 50 Amp breaker on a #10 wire. The wire is protected against overloading by a separate thermal protection inside the compressor. How do we know what the motor requires for wire size and proper fuse/breaker protection? It's all on the mfg. label attached to the appliance. If the label calls for fuses, there MUST be a fuse in the disconnecting means, not a circuit breaker. If the label calls for a "HACR" type breaker (Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration), then that is the type of breaker that must be used. If the label simply states "maximum sized over current protection" then any form of overcurrent protection may be used.

The HACR designation is not always visible on a circuit breaker once it is installed inside a panel or disconnect. Note on the label taken from a Lennox A/C data plate:FUSE - 25 UL (CSA is a Canadian standard. We use UL in the U. S.)UL - Not allowed in U. S. All this means is the MINIMUM wire size required is #12 (solid copper); the MAXIMUM rating of a fuse (if a fuse is used) must be 25 amps and the MAXIMUM rating of a circuit breaker (if used) must be 25 amps AND the breaker must be a HACR type.However, if the over current device is sized to protect the wire against overloads, the device might trip, and the machine would not be able to start. "it draws a much higher amount of current than it does after it is running." This is called an inductive load. "The high "inrush" current can exceed the rating of a breaker or fuse sized to protect the wire. " This is why HVAC breakers must be rated for HVAC use. The wire, breaker (to protect the wire), and type of breaker must be correct and is reflected in the "minimum circuit data".

Michael MerinoMerino's Home Inspection & Education Inc." IF YOUR INSPECTOR IS NOT USING THERMAL IMAGING, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE WHOLE PICTURE �Jeff Pope JPI Home Inspection Service Santa Clarita Home Inspection Originally Posted by jpope I understand that the circuit is over-fused, but the appliance is connected to that circuit. If for some reason it were to draw more than 30 amps (outside of the inductive load) the breaker will not trip. I am confused by the differing opinions. I have been told by inspectors it is OK, and some say it is not. Some say that you can over-fuse the AC up to 40%. I do not seem to be able to find a definitive answer. I am thinking that if the max breaker is supposed to be 30 amp, then the breaker should be 30 amp not 50 amp, even if the conductor is the proper size. Professional Certified Master Inspector In Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Godfrey, Maryville, Fairview Heights, O'Fallon and surrounding areas of Illinois Metro-East