As of May 31, 2023, we have updated our Code of Conduct.
6 votes

Should HVAC registers be closed or open when HVAC is broken, & window AC units are in use?

They should be open, and the furnace fan should be running regularly, if not full-time. This will keep the home fresh and distribute moisture more uniformly. If you don't run the furnace fan, it ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 120k
6 votes

Help: Wiring 220V in garage to NEMA 10-30r because MIG welder and air compressor have 10-30p

You can't install a 10-30R. That's off the table. The question is whether you can install a 6-30R with hot-hot-ground wires, or run hot-hot-neutral-ground wires and install a 14-30R. You need ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
6 votes

Time to Replace Central AC?

Is it time based on the power consumption? I will try to be polite but Hell No. when your system is running at full load and hot the power may get close to RLA , RLA is like FLA for motors. If they ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
5 votes

Can I use a nailer with a higher consumption than my compressor's SCFM rating?

You can use a smaller SCFM compressor than what your nailer requires the only drawback is you will need to nail at a slower pace or your nail set(how deep they are driven) will not be consistant.
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
5 votes
Accepted

Piece of brass in air compressor tank -- problem or no?

Is there any risk of running the compressor as is, with a loose piece of brass knocking around the tank? I dont think a loose piece of brass will be any issue. If not, what can I do to retrieve it?...
Jimmy Fix-it's user avatar
  • 33.9k
4 votes
Accepted

Shouldn't a compressor automatically stop compressing on a predefined PSI level?

Dari Smart 25/2500 Compressor. 2HP Single Stage, Max 116psi From the picture, it has a pressure switch, a tank gauge, regulator and regulator output pressure gauge. The compressor should run till ...
Fiasco Labs's user avatar
  • 11.2k
4 votes

Can I use a nailer with a higher consumption than my compressor's SCFM rating?

Nailer The answer given by Ed is correct in saying that you can use a nailer, but you will have to use it more slowly. It won't recycle as fast as the manufacturer intended. Also a nailer actually ...
JPhi1618's user avatar
  • 27.1k
4 votes
Accepted

HVAC making sound even when off

Sounds like contactor chatter. Could be a bad contactor, or not enough power on the coil. Basically, the contactor is closing and opening really quickly. This happens when the coil doesn't create a ...
Tester101's user avatar
  • 130k
4 votes
Accepted

Can a normal fridge be quieter than one with inverter compressor?

I have not worked on Panasonic inverter refrigerators in the US but I do repair GE and Whirlpool and Electrolux inverter controlled refrigerators, and they are quieter than the standard style of ...
Jon's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
Accepted

Compressor drain

If the drain isn't at the bottom of the tank, then yes it's normal and yes you should tilt the compressor to correct that before blowing out the water.
keshlam's user avatar
  • 22.9k
4 votes

Can a window A/C unit be installed on its side?

Absolutely not on its side!!! I know of NO compressors that can be installed on there side the lubrication will not stay in the compressor and it will fail in a very short time! This is not a ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
4 votes
Accepted

Inserting a Tee In 1" Pipe for an Air Compressor?

You should consider something like this. These are just pieces I have laying around. All are common, easy to source and inexpensive. The fitting in your link will work as well, you would just follow ...
Joe Fala's user avatar
  • 6,254
4 votes

Want to drain/change compressor oil, but there's no outlet

If there's a window, you don't need a dipstick. If there's no lower outlet, open the inlet and turn it over. Or, suck it out (auto parts stores typically have something for doing that.) Compressor ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 175k
4 votes
Accepted

Is my HVAC compressor siezed?

if you have a clamp meter you can check the current draw of the compressor. A too high current indicates either a stalled compressor or the compressor spinning freely not doing any compressing. It is ...
ratchet freak's user avatar
4 votes

Fridge Tripping GFCI but not when compressor is unplugged

That is, unfortunately, a classic problem with refrigerators and GFCIs. (many things with motors). When the motor cycles off, if it interrupts at certain parts of the AC cycle, a large inductive &...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
4 votes

How long should I wait to plug my fridge back in if I haven't moved it?

Most ac systems have a short cycle controller that is usually adjusted for as short as 3 minutes and as long as 7. One way to find out if your refrigerator has a short cycle timer is to turn it to the ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
3 votes
Accepted

15-year-old fridge goes "clunk" at end of cycle

Sounds like a broken or worn-out "vibration damping mount.the inertia of the internal moving parts at shutdown will cause the hole compressor to rotate up off of the mounting and slam back as ...
David Droescher's user avatar
3 votes

What's the minimum recommended compressor HP/PSI to spray paint?

When you go shopping for a compressor with more 'puff' as mentioned above, you should also bear in mind oil. If you run regular tools which are oiled (I oil my nailers pretty much every day), your ...
handyman's user avatar
  • 3,095
3 votes
Accepted

Brand new air compressor trips onboard breaker on start

I would return it. It doesn't sound like a lubrication issue - it sounds like either the motor soft starter is bad, is not well paired with the breaker, or is simply not present on that model. AC ...
Comintern's user avatar
  • 6,875
3 votes

Inflating wheelchair tires to 90 PSI

The CFM of the compressor is the volume of air the compressor can move at the rated pressure. Your chair tires have a tiny volume just about any compressor on the market can handle them. The peak or ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
3 votes

Failed A/C unit 14 years old

Compressors don't get the luxury of oil changes You know how the oil in your car breaks down after a while, meaning you have to take your car over to the local quick-lube or up onto the jackstands in ...
ThreePhaseEel's user avatar
3 votes

Failed A/C unit 14 years old

Every system I have repaired for compressor burn out has lost most or all of its charge. I don't agree with others that say the system needs oil changes. I have serviced HVAC units that were over 30 ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
3 votes

Should HVAC registers be closed or open when HVAC is broken, & window AC units are in use?

Many homes have the air flow balanced and closing the vents will mess up that balance if it was done. Vents / dampers are not air tight so closing them may not really help and if the fan is turned on ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 101k
3 votes

Using PEX Fittings with Nylon Tubing

There is a great video on YouTube by "The Build Show" about various PEX and push to connect fittings. They pump them up until they burst. They burst well above the stated ratings. Unfortunately I can'...
Joe Fala's user avatar
  • 6,254
3 votes
Accepted

Will an AC compressor work upside down?

No, a typical fixed-use AC compressor will NOT work properly in any orientation but upright. Most designed have a sealed can containing the compressor itself with an electric motor driving a ...
jwh20's user avatar
  • 23k
3 votes

Can you operate / permanently install an air compressor in freezing temperatures?

Ice in the tank is not going to cause a problem. The issue is using the air in sub-freezing temps. Ice can form in the hose or in the tool. A good solution is to install a water separator that will ...
jwh20's user avatar
  • 23k
3 votes
Accepted

Time to Replace Central AC?

The disconnect burning up is a sign of loose or corroded terminals which create a high resistance at the connections. As the current drawn stays the same, this generates heat to the point where it ...
Henry Chinery's user avatar
3 votes

Freezer not working; only makes quiet sound

Repair (by a licensed refrigeration technician) might be possible, but is highly unlikely to be practical or cost-effective .vs. replacement with a modern and probably far more efficient unit. For one ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 175k
3 votes

Hooking up my compressor to my dryer outlet

Given the proximity of the 10-30R receptacle to the panel, and the presence of conduit connecting the two, you could upgrade the 10-30R to a 14-30R and likewise swap out the power cord on the dryer. ...
Greg Hill's user avatar
  • 24.4k

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