I need HOME AC unit help !!

[SYKO]

I got a large in home RHEEMS unit that that evaporator is rusting out (started leaking now) I want to know what my options are as for repair the cost and possibly upgrade to a better evaporator.... Also the drain pan is built in to the evaporator so I cant just replace it... I did however kinda rais up one side so it would drain faster so it would slow the leak some.. I will post a pic of the unit in a few minutes.. its been in the house since 1991.

[200x Basket]

that really sucks. I would have a couple repair men look at it but if that unit is from 1991 it will be cheaper to replace the unit.

I had a heat pump and the directional valve went out. it was cheaper to buy a new unit

[SYKO]

well I dont think its neccesarry to replace the whole unit, just the evaporator is starting to corrode bad and the condensation pan is rusting out. I wil post pics in just a min.

[Macs]

Usaully A/C's Lose there seer drastically after 8 years. There use to be a graph floating around somewhere that said after 12-14 years it is costing you more to run than replacing it.

By the looks of it you are getting way more condensate then you should.
Are you loosing freon?
If so, have you determined the location of the leak?
Is it freezing up?
How clogged are the coils?

Usaully this happens when you are having excess condensate and your primary drain has clogged. This allows the water to run into the secondary drain which causes rust city. If you have no freon leaking anywhere i would recharge it, Clean the coils, unstop the primary drain and flush bleach down the line. then use some anti corrosion method to control it. If it does have a leak you can always braze it up if it isnt completly rotted out. Of course if it was me i would replace it. Also keep an eye on your electric bill. At my last house my electric was running abou $380 a month. A tree fell on my outside unit so i decided to replace the whole thing. My bill dropped to about $160 a month in 100 degree temps. With in a year it paid for itself. My new house has all the high effenciency stuff and i am getting scary low electrical bills.

[Dirtcrasher]

If it is otherwise working well, can you get a new pan in there? Believe me, I have seen much worse!!

You can probably get an a coil and new pan that will work for you, someone will have to pump down the system and evacuate it before it can restarted and charged up properly.

Yep, it's old, nope - it's not efficient but do you want to dump thusands into it at this point? Is it sized right? is the return and supply large enough? Those are all things that Mr expensive replacement guy is gonna deal with.

I find duct to be undersized quite often....

I just did my 14SEER by myself (took 9 months) and my cost for metal and equipment was about 3000$. I put a 2.5 ton blow in the attic with spiral pipe, mostly all hardpiped and I wrapped it with 2 layers of 2" R6 insulation, taking the vapor barrier off of the 1st later......

Metal is through the roof, as is copper and everything else. I also did all the electrical service work too which costs another 1000$

Is that an upflow unit with the filter on the bottom? and the return run underneath the house somewhere? I thought you guys all had slab houses though.......

My neighbor moved to NC and paid 9000$ for a system installed (heat too though....) and he said it was the best money could buy - A Janitrol I used all Carrier equipment.

[Macs]

I have had good luck with Goodman, which i think is the same thing as Janitrol.

[SYKO]

the house is not a slab house, its elavated about 2 ft from the ground, the duct work is over head in the attic, everything was built over kill by my dad, im not wasting any energy, I keep the house at 75deg and my highest bill was $143 my house is HUGE! 3 20x20 bedrooms 2 full bathrooms, 1 straight bath a huge hallway a giagantic kitch/dinning room 2 huge living rooms a utility room and TONS of windows. SO I think my ac is running well just has a few problems.. as far as upgrading what can be done I dont think its neccasary to replace any duct work or fans or anything just mainly the evaporator.

[Erics350x]

HVAC is a big part of what i do. That unit is gonna give you alot more trouble soon. If you can afford it, replace the whole air handler. If you just want a cheap fix measure the pan and have a local sheet metal shop make you one (cost about $30). I can prolly hook you up with something. What size outside unit do you have? You can tell by the model #

[SYKO]

I will have to get back with you on that eric...hey if you come up in oct for the ride I might be able to make your stay worht while if you can hook me up... $$$$$

[Erics350x]

Get me the model # on that outside unit and the measurements on the evap and i'll see what i can do

[SYKO]

give me a few and I will!

[SYKO]

ok the outside condensor/fan is

RHEEM IX CLASSIC HIGH EFFICINCY
MODEL NO: RPFB-048JAS
SERIAL NO: 4398M30917307



THE EVAPORATOR IS

MODEL NO: RCPB-C048S
SERIEL NO: M1891

ITS 22 LONG 21 WIDE AND 17 TALL GIVE OR TAKE A FEW


about 3 years ago all duct work was cleaned out, last year the ac was serviced for freon and the coils cleaned but they could be cleaned again, but at less then $150 per month for this monstorous house its still working well right this minute, but I know in the near future it will fail.... Im hoping to make it through this summer thats all.

[Erics350x]

So you just want to stop the water leak for now? If so, lift the evap enough to find the leak and patch it with JB Weld.
I'll see how much i can get you a coil for in the morning.

[SYKO]

well the evap is bolted to the pan.... and its done in such a way I would have to evac the sytem cut the lines remove the evap and pan fix reinstall then recharge the sytem.... I got buckets right now... lol

[Erics350x]

i need to know the line size. i know for a replacement coil it cost $200 min. , with that being said would you rather just put a pan in it?