EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Higher than normal Electricity bills caused by my mistake

Ron342 · 03-07-17, 10:27 AM

This is good stuff, guys and yes i confess to closing ducts thinking i was saving kilowatts.
But Jeff how do you use the flow meter - string it up against the evaporator coils and close up your access hole for the reading? And i assume you just tap a hole in the discharge plenum for the pressure?
Another very common problem with low air flow, poor performance, tripping high pressure cutouts, and cooked compressors is caused by simple crud buildup on the evaporator. Most of us just change filters but think that keeps the evap clean - not necessarily guys - always get a look at it every couple of years - some are so bad they have to be removed to clean. Much of it is , i think, mold type growth on dust that builds during the wet summer use and then cooks hard in winter at least on heat pumps. Don't ask how i know!
You can buy a very thin fiber optic viewing snake for about $15 to use with your phone - works great for those areas you can't easily see!

03-07-17, 10:27 AM	#6
Ron342 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 120 Thanks: 26 Thanked 12 Times in 8 Posts	Lost in the ductwork? This is good stuff, guys and yes i confess to closing ducts thinking i was saving kilowatts. But Jeff how do you use the flow meter - string it up against the evaporator coils and close up your access hole for the reading? And i assume you just tap a hole in the discharge plenum for the pressure? Another very common problem with low air flow, poor performance, tripping high pressure cutouts, and cooked compressors is caused by simple crud buildup on the evaporator. Most of us just change filters but think that keeps the evap clean - not necessarily guys - always get a look at it every couple of years - some are so bad they have to be removed to clean. Much of it is , i think, mold type growth on dust that builds during the wet summer use and then cooks hard in winter at least on heat pumps. Don't ask how i know! You can buy a very thin fiber optic viewing snake for about $15 to use with your phone - works great for those areas you can't easily see!