Sorry for the long post..... but I'm in a delima......
I have a 5 ton RUUD split system installed in my house. It is a 10 SEER with a scroll type compressor. I think my compressor is bad and that it has probably contaminated the rest of my system with acid from the burn out. Date on the unit is 3/99.
It was installed when the house was built in '99. I bought the house in '04. Since then, I have replaced the run capacitor twice, the outside fan motor, the contactor, and the inside fan motor. I had also put in a KS-1 hard start kit a couple years ago when I first had issues with the start capacitor.
OPTION 1:
Should I try and replace just the compressor? I would assume the tech would have to flush the rest of the system to get the contaminants out. I also assume I would probably want to put in suction and liquid line filters/driers at the same time.... as there are currently none installed.
I think I can still get the R22 compressor but it is around $1100. I assume it will cost $500 or so to have it installed along with the filters and flush the system out.
OPTION 2:
Replace the current system with a new 5-ton system. I would probably opt for a 2-stage unit with a variable speed fan. Looking at the current tax credits, I would shoot for a 16 SEER system and try and get the full $1500 tax credit on my taxes next year. If I do that, I need to reconfigure my system to have 3 zones. My current 5 ton system has 1 zone for a 2400 sq ft house with a 430 sq ft bonus room upstairs. It is a joke IMHO. To accomplish this I would need (the way my current ducting is set up) around 5 dampers, a bypass, a zone controller, and a programmable thermostat for each zone. I might also need to install a new return into one zone (Master bedroom) that currently has no return there.
OPTION 3:
Scrap the current 5-ton and replace with 2 smaller units. I would probably put my MBR and my upstairs (approx 830 sq ft) on a 2 ton system with two zones (one for the MBR and one for the bonus room upstairs). The rest of the house could possibly be on one zone on a 3 ton system. Obviously this is a more complicated and more expensive way to go.... but at the end of the day..... probably better suited.
The way my house is now.... with one 5 ton unit.... no separate zones.... if I have the downstairs at 72°.... the upstairs is probably 10 deg hotter. To band-aid this.... I put a 12,000 BTU 115v window unit in my bonus room so we can turn it on when we are up there. It make the space much more comfortable.
Any thoughts?
I live in MS where it is pretty hot during the summer months.
I have a 5 ton RUUD split system installed in my house. It is a 10 SEER with a scroll type compressor. I think my compressor is bad and that it has probably contaminated the rest of my system with acid from the burn out. Date on the unit is 3/99.
It was installed when the house was built in '99. I bought the house in '04. Since then, I have replaced the run capacitor twice, the outside fan motor, the contactor, and the inside fan motor. I had also put in a KS-1 hard start kit a couple years ago when I first had issues with the start capacitor.
OPTION 1:
Should I try and replace just the compressor? I would assume the tech would have to flush the rest of the system to get the contaminants out. I also assume I would probably want to put in suction and liquid line filters/driers at the same time.... as there are currently none installed.
I think I can still get the R22 compressor but it is around $1100. I assume it will cost $500 or so to have it installed along with the filters and flush the system out.
OPTION 2:
Replace the current system with a new 5-ton system. I would probably opt for a 2-stage unit with a variable speed fan. Looking at the current tax credits, I would shoot for a 16 SEER system and try and get the full $1500 tax credit on my taxes next year. If I do that, I need to reconfigure my system to have 3 zones. My current 5 ton system has 1 zone for a 2400 sq ft house with a 430 sq ft bonus room upstairs. It is a joke IMHO. To accomplish this I would need (the way my current ducting is set up) around 5 dampers, a bypass, a zone controller, and a programmable thermostat for each zone. I might also need to install a new return into one zone (Master bedroom) that currently has no return there.
OPTION 3:
Scrap the current 5-ton and replace with 2 smaller units. I would probably put my MBR and my upstairs (approx 830 sq ft) on a 2 ton system with two zones (one for the MBR and one for the bonus room upstairs). The rest of the house could possibly be on one zone on a 3 ton system. Obviously this is a more complicated and more expensive way to go.... but at the end of the day..... probably better suited.
The way my house is now.... with one 5 ton unit.... no separate zones.... if I have the downstairs at 72°.... the upstairs is probably 10 deg hotter. To band-aid this.... I put a 12,000 BTU 115v window unit in my bonus room so we can turn it on when we are up there. It make the space much more comfortable.
Any thoughts?
I live in MS where it is pretty hot during the summer months.
