O/T I need help

jpslickorocks · #1 07/31/2006, 04:58 PM

I don't even know where to begin... My girlfriends air conditioner quit working while we were gone for the weekend. To top things off her ex said today that he refused to pay anymore child support and she could sue him if she wanted anymore from him. Now we are hoping it was just frozen because it was turned all the way down when we got home last night. In the event that is not the case I am going to exhaust every resource I have to help her even if it means selling my tank. She has a swamp cooler as well but it has never run as long as she has owned the house. I will have more details later but I just wanted to put out my feelers and see if anyone was an expert in any of these fields.

blas · #2 07/31/2006, 05:32 PM

Hey Jeremy, thats a bummer, I do know that if the AC is turned to low it will freeze up because it will run all the time, mine recently did just that and I noticed ice on the pipes outside. All I did was run the unit in heat mode to knock off the ice then it worked fine but it did need a freon recharge. It turned the A/C up to 79 seeing as I had it at 75 which is to low and all is working fine. I do know a AC company and from my experience do not call George Brazil those clowns charged me 450.00 to just charge the freon a total rip-off. Call me if you need more info. Scott

jpslickorocks · #3 07/31/2006, 05:39 PM

her and the kids stayed at my place last night and the unit has been turned off since about 10pm last night to thaw out (if that was the problem) We will find out this afternoon if that was the case.

Doglover_50 · #4 07/31/2006, 05:41 PM

If the humidity isn't too high there, one stopgap measure would be to close the vents on the room with the tank and use a swamp cooler. If hers doesn't work, you might be able to borrow someone's--I'm thinking of the portable units (they cost around $125. at Home Depot) --one or two of those would likely keep room cooled enough for tank. Also, I bet someone has a window unit they could lend if you can reach enough people. ALSO turn off lights on tank--corals can make it several days without. ALSO use a room fan and try to put it next to and above tank for evaporative cooling----of course this assumes you can get room temp below water temp.
Finally, and obviously, drop the water temp very slowly. I'm no expert, but the Borneman book says corals can live at up to 86 or 87 no problem if tank accidently spikes that high. If your temp is that high, once you get it to 85, I'd drop it very slowly over a few days to prevent stress on the animals. Hope this helps. I just bought several established tanks and had major temperature problems with one of them--temp shot up to 87 on the car ride home, THEN for a few days it would get up to 86 (I'm a slow learner and was slow to solve the problem). All of the corals lived, BUT I kept the tank on the high side for a week or two before slowly dropping it back down to around 80.

Doglover_50 · #5 07/31/2006, 05:42 PM

PS Check craigslist.com for swamp coolers and window a.c. units--can probably get something cheap.
I hope it was just a frozen part on your a.c.!

jpslickorocks · #6 07/31/2006, 05:46 PM

she does not have a tank. I do and I am willing to sell it, if it comes to that to help her. I am looking into the possibility of fixing or even replaceing her swamp cooler if I have to. I will know more this after noon when I get off of work.

gouldaz · #7 07/31/2006, 06:14 PM

JP. Might be able to help you with the A/C if it still is'nt working. I'm no expert and cant do recharges (no cert.), but I can diagnose and fix most other problems......especially on the older style units.

jpslickorocks · #8 07/31/2006, 06:25 PM

pm sent gouldaz

grenaria · #9 07/31/2006, 08:24 PM

I can usually get used swamp coolers if hers isn't working and you need to go that route. I work for an AC shop, but other than parts there's not much I can do. As far as the deadbeat dad goes, it's plain and simply a crime to not pay. Call the sheriffs office. You may not agree with Joe Arpaio, but he puts deadbeat dads in jail.

iboard2 · #10 07/31/2006, 10:32 PM

JP,

I am no pro, but can ussually diagnose most problems.... Answer these and maybe I can point you in the right direction.

1. Is the A/C running? (Check breaker, get new fuses ($5))
2. When you turn on the thermostat to "Fan On" does anything blow from the vents?
3. When you run the AC do the ducts blow hot?
4. Is the outdoor unit blowing out hot air away from the unit?
5. Can you hear the compressor running when you turn on AC?

Give us some idea what is going on and we may be able to point you in the right direction. It may be a cheap easy fix.

Good luck!

jpslickorocks · #11 08/01/2006, 02:35 PM

Ok here is an update. I turned it on yesterday evening and it just blows warm air. Up on the roof and it is blowing hot air off the unit and you can hear the compressor running. Ryan (evolust) is having a guy that he uses pretty frequently for his properties check it out at 1 pm today. You all have no Idea how much I appreciate your responses and help. thank you Reef Central for creating such an amazing comunity

jpslickorocks · #12 08/01/2006, 10:28 PM

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I thought we were going to have to replace the thing. $315 and a new fan motor later it is working wonderfully. I think I will buy her a new one for christmas with my bonus.