Heat Pump breaker

[Golfer222]

Heat pump outside unit not coming on. Air coming out of vent is 66 degrees even though thermostat is set at 74. Thinking it may be a breaker issue,. Garage main panel breaker is fine. Are there other breakers in the chain and if so where?

[Altavia]

Heat pump outside unit not coming on. Air coming out of vent is 66 degrees even though thermostat is set at 74. Thinking it may be a breaker issue,. Garage main panel breaker is fine. Are there other breakers in the chain and if so where?

How's old is the house?

Only one breaker.

Check to make sure the condensate drain is not clogged.

[Bill14564]

How's old is the house?

Only one breaker.

Check to make sure the condensate drain is not clogged.

The condensate drain is a wise thing to check and easy to correct. Hopefully, that is the problem.

If the inside unit is running but not the outside unit it could be the capacitor in the outside unit. Fairly simple to replace and see if that was the issue if you have a spare available but the OP probably does not.

[retiredguy123]

Heat pump outside unit not coming on. Air coming out of vent is 66 degrees even though thermostat is set at 74. Thinking it may be a breaker issue,. Garage main panel breaker is fine. Are there other breakers in the chain and if so where?
There is a shutoff switch on the outside near the outside unit. This is required as a safety measure. There should be a small box on the exterior wall that you open and pull the handle on the switch. However, I doubt that is the problem. A bad capacitor is more likely, but usually, the outside fan will run, but the compressor will not.

[Golfer222]

I have Christmas lights plugged into the outlet by the compressor. They are on but wondering if this could be an issue

[retiredguy123]

I have Christmas lights plugged into the outlet by the compressor. They are on but wondering if this could be an issue
I don't think so.

[pikeselectric]

Hi there, Casandra with Pike's Electric here. It sounds to me there is an issue with the unit itself, internal components, causing heat not to kick on. I would suggest an AC company to evaluate, but if you find yourself in need of an electrician as well, we are happy to assist. (352)748-6251

[retiredguy123]

Heat pump outside unit not coming on. Air coming out of vent is 66 degrees even though thermostat is set at 74. Thinking it may be a breaker issue,. Garage main panel breaker is fine. Are there other breakers in the chain and if so where?
Are you sure the breaker in the main panel is on? It is a 2-step process. You push it all the way to the "off" position and then back to the "on" position. Just a thought.

[Golfer222]

Thanks- yes I have checked it a couple of times

[Golfer222]

May have been a filter issue- I pulled the filter and it is now working- trying to find a 19 x 20 x 4 -tough to find also no mention of the MERV on this one- what is typical

[Bill14564]

May have been a filter issue- I pulled the filter and it is now working- trying to find a 19 x 20 x 4 -tough to find also no mention of the MERV on this one- what is typical

A few thoughts:

- I haven't heard of sensors in the blower unit that would shut off the outside unit in the case of low air flow. Plus, if those sensors did exist it makes sense that they would shut off the blower unit too.

- If the filter is dirty enough to block the airflow sufficiently to be a problem then it needed to be changed long ago

- Could it have been cycling the breakers that solved the problem; did you try putting the filter back in? I had a similar problem during the cooling season. Blower fan was running, outside unit was making a soft humming sound, but fan was not running. I cycled the breakers just to see if it would help and it did. (I later replaced the capacitor just in case)

- Amazon has filters in that size. MERV 8 and MERV 11 are typical.

[Golfer222]

Thanks- AC capacitor replaced last spring ( assuming it is the same for ac and heat )

[retiredguy123]

May have been a filter issue- I pulled the filter and it is now working- trying to find a 19 x 20 x 4 -tough to find also no mention of the MERV on this one- what is typical
I use the "Filterbuy" Merv 11 filters from Amazon. The standard filter is Merv 8, but I have found that the Merv 11 filters make the house less dusty and more quiet. You can also buy a filter at ACE Hardware, but it will be a Merv 8.

[Golfer222]

An HVAC tech up north told me merv 11 is too restrictive and could damage the unit-

[retiredguy123]

An HVAC tech up north told me merv 11 is too restrictive and could damage the unit-
In my opinion, that tech is wrong. I get plenty of air flow with Merv 11 filters.

[Altavia]

An HVAC tech up north told me merv 11 is too restrictive and could damage the unit-

What MERV Filter Do I Need | Air Filter MERV Rating | Carrier — Carrier @ Home (https://www.carrierathome.com/blogs/air-filters/what-merv-rating-do-i-need#:~:text=What%20Level%20MERV%20Filter%20Do,wit h%20a%2013%20MERV%20rating).


What Level MERV Filter Do I Need?

Let’s talk briefly about Carrier recommended MERV ratings. Earlier, we mentioned that a MERV rating between 8 and 10 is a good option, but if you are looking for an even higher efficiency, you might consider purchasing air filters with a 13 MERV rating.

Remember that your HVAC unit should be up to the task, so if you are considering higher MERV rating that can filter out some of the smallest particles, we recommend that you speak to a local Carrier expert to ensure that your system is powerful enough to force air through these very effective filters.

[Golfer222]

yes- that is my concern

may go with an 8 and a Swiffer

[Maker]

My filter is a non standard size. Found I can order any custom size I want (by the fraction of an inch) at filtersfast=dot=com Highly recommended. Measure the old one and buy an exact same size.

MERV 8 minimum, MERV 11 better. MERV 13 even better, but older systems may not have the capability to push sufficient air through it because it is more restrictive.

[retiredguy123]

I buy filters from Amazon using the "Filterbuy" brand. For 2-bedroom houses, the 16 x 20 x 4 filters are needed and available. Filterbuy is an excellent USA company. The Filterbuy brand is not available for 3-bedroom houses which use the 19 x 20 x 4 filters. But, you can go to their website and order a custom size filter. I have been using the Merv 11 filters for several years and they perform better than the Merv 8 type. If you use the "Filtrete" filters available at the local stores, they will fit you unit, but you may be limited to Merv 8.

[metoo21]

The filter that was in my unit when I bought the house new was 19.13x19.88x4.25 i.e. 19 X 20 X 4

Filterbuy has it listed as 19x20x5 but it is actually 19.13x19.88x4.25

MERV 8 (https://filterbuy.com/brand/carrier-air-filters/carrier-whole-house-replacement-filters/19x20x5-carrier/merv-8/)

MERV 11 (https://filterbuy.com/brand/carrier-air-filters/carrier-whole-house-replacement-filters/19x20x5-carrier/merv-11/)

[Topspinmo]

A few thoughts:

- I haven't heard of sensors in the blower unit that would shut off the outside unit in the case of low air flow. Plus, if those sensors did exist it makes sense that they would shut off the blower unit too.

- If the filter is dirty enough to block the airflow sufficiently to be a problem then it needed to be changed long ago

- Could it have been cycling the breakers that solved the problem; did you try putting the filter back in? I had a similar problem during the cooling season. Blower fan was running, outside unit was making a soft humming sound, but fan was not running. I cycled the breakers just to see if it would help and it did. (I later replaced the capacitor just in case)

- Amazon has filters in that size. MERV 8 and MERV 11 are typical.

Also if you go higher merv rating it could affect air flow. Especially if it’s low to begin with? My new unit had 6” suitcase filter. When heat finely came on for first time it was only blowing 290 cu feet per minute at closest vent and furthest vent was 195.

I asked the installer to make sure air flow was enough, he said they set them to factory specs, but was not factory filter installed.

After studying the wiring semantic removed (medium)orange wire from spare and plugged in where (low) blue wire was on heat. Now I have 820 to 690 cubic feet per minute. Yes I have my Chinese mini Anumometer to check it. Also if don’t get enough air flow over the heat exchanger it can damage it.

My old unit had DIP switches that would change fan speed.

[rsmurano]

Check the outside breaker next to the unit. I had a technician forget to put that breaker back in after servicing the outside unit. That’s all it was

[retiredguy123]

Note that official Carrier HVAC filters can be purchased with MERV ratings of 8, 10, and 13. Just because your new unit came with a MERV 8 filter doesn't mean that you cannot upgrade to a higher MERV rating. I have not been able to find anything from Carrier websites that says otherwise.

[hvac877]

You will need to have a service company check the controls outside. If nothing is running on the condenser it could be a burnt wire on the main power 240 volt side of the single pole contactor. The compressor contactor coil may have burnt out and be the problem. or the low voltage that pulls the contactor in may have a broken wire. When I was servicing in The Villages I found on a few occasions the low voltage wire cut and or broken because of the landscaper weed wacker cutting the wires causing the condenser not to come on. It is best to keep the area around the outside unit clear to keep them away from it.

[retiredguy123]

You will need to have a service company check the controls outside. If nothing is running on the condenser it could be a burnt wire on the main power 240 volt side of the single pole contactor. The compressor contactor coil may have burnt out and be the problem. or the low voltage that pulls the contactor in may have a broken wire. When I was servicing in The Villages I found on a few occasions the low voltage wire cut and or broken because of the landscaper weed wacker cutting the wires causing the condenser not to come on. It is best to keep the area around the outside unit clear to keep them away from it.
See Post No. 10. Apparently, the issue has been resolved.

[wsachs]

In my opinion, that tech is wrong. I get plenty of air flow with Merv 11 filters.
I just had a new Lennox AC unit installed and it came with a MERV 13. Lots of airflow and very quiet.

[bonrich]

May have been a filter issue- I pulled the filter and it is now working- trying to find a 19 x 20 x 4 -tough to find also no mention of the MERV on this one- what is typical
Home Depot has the filter size you are looking for. They are a Merv 8.

[DStahulK]

May have been a filter issue- I pulled the filter and it is now working- trying to find a 19 x 20 x 4 -tough to find also no mention of the MERV on this one- what is typical

I order filters from Discountfilters.com for our furnace. They fit perfectly.

[Wondering]

Search You Tube videos.

[Cliff Fr]

Heat pump outside unit not coming on. Air coming out of vent is 66 degrees even though thermostat is set at 74. Thinking it may be a breaker issue,. Garage main panel breaker is fine. Are there other breakers in the chain and if so where?
It's possible that the unit was in defrost mode when you checked it. It's also possible that if you changed the setting on the thermostat too many times in close succession the time delay for the compressor kept it from coming on (more likely)

[jacqueline larsen]

Mine did the same. Needed a new fan motor and capacitor. Replaced by Gaskin HVAC. $460.00

[Daddymac]

Heat pump outside unit not coming on. Air coming out of vent is 66 degrees even though thermostat is set at 74. Thinking it may be a breaker issue,. Garage main panel breaker is fine. Are there other breakers in the chain and if so where?

CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOUR THERMOSTAT IS ON “HEAT”……:spoken:

[C. C. Rider]

An HVAC tech up north told me merv 11 is too restrictive and could damage the unit-

I have been using a Merv 13 on my Carrier heat pump for several years with no problems.