Judgement call - home heat pump repair

[Triplegreen500]

So, my heat pump has been acting up. Aux heat works, but it's $$$$ so I had a company I've worked with in the past, come out and diagnose. Turns out, the control board on the exterior unit took a power hit and is DOA. $109 diag trip, I'm good with that and it's paid and done. He checked voltages; there is low voltage control signal coming into the board, but not going out (the thermostat sends voltage when it calls for the compressor to turn on). He jumped the terminals and it fired right up. It was working fine before we had a power outage a week or so ago, and I've never had a refrigerant-leak issue in the 12 years I've owned the house, so I'm confident the board will fix it.

They called with an estimate to replace the board - $260 part, $150 labor, $79 "return trip", $89 "expenses and overhead". I asked for the part number, because I got on the mfr's site last night and found 3 part numbers for my unit. Turns out it's a supersession (I'd found parts that ended in -02 and -04; they're spec'ing a -08; photos look the same as far as design and connections so I presume it's just the "latest version); I checked the part number they gave me and it's $93 on amazon, to my door.

Politically...would you have the company fix it, to keep a good relationship with them for future service calls? Or replace the board yourself? Ordinarily I'd just have them do it (and I may still)...but right now I'm working part time so I'm keeping as much of a clamp on the budget as I can. And, I have garage door springs that I need to replace as well, which is another ding to the budget....

I've done plenty of low voltage work in the past - I used to install architectural and theatrical lighting and dimming; low voltage control circuits; network components...swapping a board is simple enough. I just don't want to potentially cause problems if I have an issue that I can't easily do myself in the future.

Thoughts?

 

[Triplegreen500]

Sorry, but...did you mean to post that in another thread? Not sure how it helps with my heat pump repair question....

 

[Triplegreen500]

Sorry, but...did you mean to post that in another thread? Not sure how it helps with my heat pump repair question....

simul-post, lol

no problem

 

[1967coronet]

Having a good plumber, electrician or hvac a phone call away is not a bad thing in a cold climate.
Someone who can access parts at 8:00 PM on a cold night is a handy guy to know.
The door springs are pretty straight forward . Just my take on it.

 

[QuickBpBp]

I found an old stash of parts

View attachment 1597358

View attachment 1597359

View attachment 1597360

View attachment 1597361

Something in there should be able to get his heat pump fixed!!!

 

[Triplegreen500]

Having a good plumber, electrician or hvac a phone call away is not a bad thing in a cold climate.
Someone who can access parts at 8:00 PM on a cold night is a handy guy to know.
The door springs are pretty straight forward . Just my take on it.

oh, I'm going to do the springs. None of THOSE contractors are returning phone calls, so screw 'em.

I'm just having a hard time reconciling the $400+ difference, to swap in a $100 control board...that's all.

 

[QuickBpBp]

So, my heat pump has been acting up. Aux heat works, but it's $$$$ so I had a company I've worked with in the past, come out and diagnose. Turns out, the control board on the exterior unit took a power hit and is DOA. $109 diag trip, I'm good with that and it's paid and done. He checked voltages; there is low voltage control signal coming into the board, but not going out (the thermostat sends voltage when it calls for the compressor to turn on). He jumped the terminals and it fired right up. It was working fine before we had a power outage a week or so ago, and I've never had a refrigerant-leak issue in the 12 years I've owned the house, so I'm confident the board will fix it.

They called with an estimate to replace the board - $260 part, $150 labor, $79 "return trip", $89 "expenses and overhead". I asked for the part number, because I got on the mfr's site last night and found 3 part numbers for my unit. Turns out it's a supersession (I'd found parts that ended in -02 and -04; they're spec'ing a -08; photos look the same as far as design and connections so I presume it's just the "latest version); I checked the part number they gave me and it's $93 on amazon, to my door.

Politically...would you have the company fix it, to keep a good relationship with them for future service calls? Or replace the board yourself? Ordinarily I'd just have them do it (and I may still)...but right now I'm working part time so I'm keeping as much of a clamp on the budget as I can. And, I have garage door springs that I need to replace as well, which is another ding to the budget....

I've done plenty of low voltage work in the past - I used to install architectural and theatrical lighting and dimming; low voltage control circuits; network components...swapping a board is simple enough. I just don't want to potentially cause problems if I have an issue that I can't easily do myself in the future.

Thoughts?

Personally due to the situation you are in I would purchase the part and put it in myself. Just make sure it's a REAL part not an offshore look a like at those circuit boards either never work properly or not for long. That said two reasons I would do it are that it seems relatively easy and you have the time. I just took my wifes truck in and it failed inspection as the one inner pad was too thin to pass the other 3 were fine so of course the dealership wanted to do the brakes. I asked how much and it was like $375. I can do them in an hour and I bought good brakes for $70 and I will do it myself. I just have to pay for the sticker if I get it back with-in 30 days but the weather here with freezing temps, Rain and snow it has been challenging to do it as I need to do it outside. These days sadly as much as I support small local business as I am one I also need to look out for my household too.

 

[a70duster]

You're getting gouged. You know what part is needed and if you're good with your hands swap it out.

Youtube has plenty of videos on how to troubleshoot heat pumps.

 

[AR67GTX]

I would probably do it myself if you trust the diagnosis. I had to do this on a refrigerator and its control board. Although the first time the service tech told me it would take many days for them to get the part from their parts supplier, but I could order it on eBay and get it much faster and I should be able to install myself. He got his $100 for the diagnosis so he was good. So I did it myself, and several years later I did again since the issues were the same and I knew what to do.

But last year it started in again but the issues were just a bit different. Service tech came out and said I needed a new mixing door and motor between the freezer and refrigerator side. Take a week to get the part. I was suspicious of this as I could tell the mixing door was cycling. So I paid my $100 and after he left I completely removed the mixing door/ dampener/motor unit so the fan was blowing directly into the refrigerator. It cooled off a few degrees but it was pretty clear that it was only cooling enough to keep the freezer semi-frozen but had nothing left for the refrigerator side. I would have wasted my time and money on his sketchy diagnosis. So we went new refrigerator shopping.

So depending how confident you are in the diagnosis I would fix it myself to save some cash. He got his service call pay. He Would probably do the same thing himself.

 

[Triplegreen500]

I debated it for a while....and had them order the part. What swayed me was their 1yr install warranty - if this part damages something else in the system, it'll be covered.

For a couple hundred extra now, it's worth it not to nuke the whole system (potentially), which would be STUPID expensive to replace.

Controls, I know. Boards, I know. Refrigeration? Not so much....almost know enough to get myself in trouble...but right now I don't want to risk the finances to back that up.

 

[cr8crshr]

Heat Pumps are being touted as better alternatives for Heating and A/C and energy conservation so they are aplenty in many homes. After my A/C unit needed to be replaced last year, and was quoted 11K plus for a complete replacement job, I looked into them quite deeply and opted to just suck it up and replace the A/C unit. I had the $$$ to do it as the Juice/Interest charge was at 25.4% and just replaced it. From my research on Heat Pumps, I found varying info concerning just how effective they were and how good they were for the environment plus the savings. Just didn't sell me on jumping into one as this Green Energy deal is proving to be not what it's cracked up to be. Yes, electrical comes into play for my heater and A/C as they have electrical components built into them but give me Natural Gas any time for heat and H2O heater. I now have Solar with a battery B/U so if I lose power, I am still operating at 100%. That is as long as the Sun is shining brightly to keep the Battery charged...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[BB BELLA]

jumping out the relay and making the compressor come on rules out compressor failure, but it doesn't eliminate the possibility that outside air temp sensor, coil temp sensor, or reversing valve is working!
that price for the board seems fair!
my 32 yr. old york unit had a fatal board stroke near end of last winter and a wiring melt down in the auxilliary wiring box!I was able to replace the sequencers and some wiring and get it running on emerg. heat! it was caused by the board failing and wouldn't power the reversing valve or go into defrost, board was $1000. I tried wiring in an external defrost timer but couldn't get it to work with the board! i was able to make it run on AC throughout the summer because defrosting is not necessary! when I was getting quotes for replacing the air handler and condensor the salesman said " i don't care how much you want to spend I can't sell you anything that will last 32 yrs. again"!
got a new unit in thing works great, buddy told me this one has 4 boards in it. OMFG

 

[Triplegreen500]

yea, it's been running on emerg. heat (and the electric bill proves it, ugh). Time to get 'er fixed now that I know it's broke, and not just due to the single-digit temps we had for 10 days.

Working properly, this system is efficient and effective. It'll heat the house, without aux heat, down to 15 ambient. And, it cools well too during summer. Helps my house has 19" thick stone walls and Andersen thermopane windows...

I do want to get my chimney fixed up though. I have a couple acres of forest and would love to have a free-heat (wood) option. The inner sleeving is peeling/flaking (terra cotta tubes) so I may have to sleeve it with metal. That'll be a question for springtime....

There is an oil boiler (water baseboards) in the basement, but I've never used it - the owner installed the heat pump about 2 years before I bought the place and the boiler became obsolete. I guess I should learn how to prime it and fire it, and fill the baseboards....just in case....

 

[FU64RY]

yea, it's been running on emerg. heat (and the electric bill proves it, ugh). Time to get 'er fixed now that I know it's broke, and not just due to the single-digit temps we had for 10 days.

Working properly, this system is efficient and effective. It'll heat the house, without aux heat, down to 15 ambient. And, it cools well too during summer. Helps my house has 19" thick stone walls and Andersen thermopane windows...

I do want to get my chimney fixed up though. I have a couple acres of forest and would love to have a free-heat (wood) option. The inner sleeving is peeling/flaking (terra cotta tubes) so I may have to sleeve it with metal. That'll be a question for springtime....

There is an oil boiler (water baseboards) in the basement, but I've never used it - the owner installed the heat pump about 2 years before I bought the place and the boiler became obsolete. I guess I should learn how to prime it and fire it, and fill the baseboards....just in case....

My recent experience with a not so scruples contractor.
Our out door unit was freezing up, so I call a local company. He said the circuit board was bad and needed replaced. I was getting heat ok but the unit was freezing up extensively. He quoted me $547 for the part and $210 for the install and the already charge of $89 for the service call. It was functioning fine as far as the heating of the house.
I got the # off the board and went to the supplier with part # in hand. I have purchased from them before but did not have an account there.
He sold me the part $34 including tax. I installed it and it did not fix the problem.
Turns out that one of the 5 strand fine low voltage wires that went to the thermostat was completely broken. I cut it back and hooked it back up to the terminal. Been working ever since.
Should have been a EZ fix for the so called tec.
No I did not call them and rub in in there faces just moved on. Lesson learned.
So if you can.
Fix it your self.

 

[BB BELLA]

some units have an external defrost timer board which can be swapped out to a universal one, unfortunately my york was all contained in one control box! seemed to me pretty complicated setup with 7 wire stat! I tried rewiring everything to my own design and that didn't work,LMAO ,didn't want to spend on a 32 yr. old.system! the new system works exactly the same with electric aux. heat and only has 4 wires running same honeywell stat!
$6500 for new GE 3.5ton and matching air handler installed with new custom plenums to mate with existing duct work! think i got a good deal next closest quote was 14K! sometimes friends of friends is beneficial.

 

[Hey-O]

Would you have the company fix it, to keep a good relationship with them for future service calls? I asked for the part number. When you did that, you where on a course he already figured out. That's why diagnostic charges were created and in some cases free estimates are becoming a thing of the past. They can't make a living just coming out and just diagnosing problems on a constant basis.

This isn't the time for one of my stories, but, I get it. Things are getting stupidly expensive and we have to do, what we have to do. To quote a term made famous by Charles Darwin, Survival of the fittest. You're not stupid, if you feel good about being able to do it, do it!! You come first in this case!! Good luck!!