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  #11  
Old 07-19-2017, 01:05 PM
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Great Write up. I had bought a bunch of coil cleaner from lowes and was about to clean my coils too...
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Old 07-19-2017, 05:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trak Ratt View Post
Yes, and it's a good thing I've had some experience in both of those roles
I heard Booz just filed a protest.

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Old 07-19-2017, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Varejao17 View Post
I heard Booz just filed a protest.

Ed
Good, they can add one more to their loose column!
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Old 07-19-2017, 09:21 PM
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Good, they can add one more to their loose column!


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Old 07-20-2017, 10:02 AM
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Question. The outside unit coils are easy. What do you use for the indoor unit?
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:01 PM
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http://www.nucalgon.com/products/coi...rs/evap-powr-c
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Old 07-20-2017, 01:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Too Tall View Post
Question. The outside unit coils are easy. What do you use for the indoor unit?
Evaps tend to vary more in format and access.

How to depends on the format. The good news is they tend to be less messed up than most condensers unless the home owner has crazy cat lady levels of fur bearing pets and has been Saving Money using cheap (or invisible) filters or goes "What is a filter?" Most evap cleaners are spray and go away. If condenser cleaner is Mars then evap cleaner is Venus. The evap rinses itself as it condenses moisture out of the air so the needed tools is the same except for the garden hose. Do Not Use Condenser Cleaner. The funk tends to be less deeply entrenched in the coil but clean access is often far harder to gain. If I were King poor service access would be illegal for all devices except by a granted and paid for waver.

Again the shop vac is you buddy. Turn the air handler off at the service switch. Often looks like a light switch, follow the big wire from the unit to find it if you have not noticed it before or though it was to a basement light in Fla or something. Gain access to the coil and condensate pan. How will require the common sense app as I have no idea which unit you have. Hint. The evap will be at the end of the the two copper pipes. Use a one inch dia or thereabouts flexible tube on the shop vac to slurp up the gunk in the often overlooked evap pan then stick the hose on the end of the condensate drain to suck the funk from the P trap and piping. Take yer time and get into all the corners. You can also add some evap coil cleaner into the pan after removing most of the gunk and brush that around a bit. Take care to clean out the condensate drain well. It can hand you a soggy floor with ease if you piss it off. If you have a condensate pump, move to a house that does not need one. They will let you down. It is only a matter of time. Or clean it out while you have the shop vac all slobbered up with wet funk. How is another post.

when the pan is done inspect the evap fins on the air In side. Gently brush off any visible hair or other matted stuff if present. Remember Rule #1 and Rule #2.
If you have good access the shop vac and a brush attachment can be used. Remember Rule #1 and Rule #2. Friends and lovers come and go but bent fins accumulate.

Once you have the easy stuff done go to town with the Evap cleaner.
(Lets take a guy moment..... FFS, Do Not Use Blue Condenser Cleaner. I know you have some left over in the sprayer.....I know it kicks ass and you can see it work in a most satisfying way.... but..... you don't want to etch the evap fins. They are made to work wet and will become rough and "grabby" if you etch them. An etched evap will grab and hold more funk and the condensation will not sheet off as well.)

Well Ok then. Spray the Evap cleaner on in a way to get it deep in as best you can given the piss poor access you likely have. Vac slurp the pan one more time looking for rust flakes, little bits of label, tape bits, used evap pan tab bags or the like. Anything that could get to the drain hole other than water. Now you can reassemble everything you removed to gain access.
Next you want to pull the blower out and clean it too. (That is unless you had to pull it to gain real poor access that requires 2 elbows per arm to get to to the coil and pan. There are a few dumb makers that build such crap) Most blower assemblies are a motor and wheel in a curved metal box held in place with a couple 5/16 screws. To remove you slide it out like pulling a kitchen drawer out. If you have access to compressed air and the blower unit has a quick disconnect check all around you then do your private happy dance. You can take that dirty ass thing outside and blow all the dust out of the squirrel cage wheel and motor in 30 seconds. If no quick disconnect you should be able to move it around while vacuuming the fur and dust out of the 47,239 little curved vanes. Then take some time to inspect and clean out the motor itself. 99% of the maintenance contract types at best wipe the motor off a little and call it a day. You are not like that, you want air to flow through your motor.
Now that the motor and blower wheel is fur free take a look at the motor and see if it has oil ports. Some have little oil holes at ether end of the motor at 12 O clock. If so check the motor label to see the recommended amount of oil to add and how often. 30 weight has worked for me but YMMV. There is a handy thing called a Zoom Oiler you can use to oil blower motors.
Stuff it all back the way it was and install another new good quality filter you pulled from the 12 pack case of them you keep right next to the air handler. Flip the service switch back on and hang out until the delay timer kicks everything back on.

Install beer. Repeat as needed.
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Last edited by Vicegrip; 07-20-2017 at 01:39 PM.
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  #18  
Old 07-20-2017, 03:20 PM
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HA! That was excellent. Thanks, now I know. The bloody thing has been a champ for so many years it deserves some righteous service.
The shop vac + small hose is a neat trick.
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Old 08-27-2021, 09:02 PM
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