Goodman Air Handler Help

[HayZee518]

I think the outside thermostat means it measures the outside air and compares it with the inside setting. if the directions say to connect the white and brown wouldn't hurt to try it. see what happens.

[toledoguy]

well...i tried to connect the white to the brown wire....the thermostat would click like it would turn on..however, the furnace wouldnt not turn on...so that must not work properly. i disconnected the brown wire again and it turns on...but i woke up this morning to the temperature at 62.5 degrees....i had it set for 65 degrees. so i guess I will check this heat coil thing and see if that is it.

[handyman4life]

believe most High Eff HVAC systems have a variable speed blower. Keeping the air moving in a home tends to minimize hot/cold spots. With that said, most units I have owned have had a schematic located on the cover. Did yours have one? In the old days it was pretty easy to trouble shoot things because you could see each control device but now with all the computer controlled stuff with transistors and on-board logic it is hard to see what is going on.

[toledoguy]

ok...was gone for the holidays. I did take the unit and look at the heating coils...the coils were producing hot air.....for quite a while. I placed my hand down there and the air was very very warm. When it is above 32 or so...it is fine. I do have a sun room that does not have new windows like the rest of the house and I keep a portable heater in there, because i am afraid if I dont the furnace would always run. When the temperature outside is in the 20s or below...the furnace never gets the house above 67 and that is with the portable heater on. i am just stumped. there are two vents that blow out the warm air....the rest are cool. how can this be? the one vent that blows out cool air is off the family room right behind where the furnace is? could i have a problem with my ductwork? how can i check this easily? thanks in advance!

[KSever]

Toledoguy,
After looking at your model number you posted of the air handler online it looks as though this air handler has a cooling coil on the bottom. If this is true it may be wired as a heat pump with electric heat back up. You said you looked at it inside, can you tell me how many heating coils were inside? Most heat pumps with electric heat backup have either 1 or 2 electric heat coils. Can you see anywhere on any panel where it tells the electric heating KW rating. For instance, my house is 2300 sq ft. and has an electric furnace (no heat pump) with 20KW with 4 5KW elements.

I am thinking if this unit is a heat pump with electric heat backup that the compressor outside is not coming on, maybe a breaker to the outside unit is turned off or tripped.

[toledoguy]

thanks ksever....it has 20kwh...but there is no compressor outside....the airhandler is only used for heat..no ac here. there is just the air handler in my laundry room....could that be the issue?

[KSever]

Re-read this post again

that is what i thought it could be...i saw it turn red and it only seems like one of the elements turns red...do you think this could be something I could fix myself or would it be better to hire someone? i am becomming pretty handy around the new house...but havent done much HVAC.

I re-read this entire post and caught this response from you.

If I am right there should be four heating coils (each of 5KW) if it is a 20KW furnace and all four of these should be working when the furnace is on.
If only one coil is on you are only getting approx. 86 degree air to heat your house and with every coil it goes up about 15-18 degree air, when I started on mine I had one element working and now I'm up to all four which is 140 degree air.

The sequencer will operate all of the coils one by one but it should only take a few seconds for each coil to come on with each stage of the sequencer not by how much you turn up your thermostat. To check the sequencer you should have continuity between the two connectors on top M1 and M2, then you should also have continuity between M3 and M4 (middle connectors) as in the attachment. I would also check the continuity of the heating elements themselves (I just had one bad on my furnace and a bad overload thermodisk) which is also shown as an attachment.

[toledoguy]

thank you very much...I am starting to understand all of this. Now i cant really tell if all of the coils are working...however, the air that blows out only seems to be in the 80 degree range, so I am assuming that the others are not. Is there a way to test that? Also, if it is the coils, is there a place to just go and buy something like that, or should i order them online. I am having a hard time finding the sequencer as well....and is there a test to see if it is the sequencer or the coils. I think my best bet is to take the unit out of the utility closet it is in so I actually have room to investigate everything. I hooked up two room heaters and it is keeping the house right around 70...which is fine....the furnace is rarely kicking on, but it hasnt been all that cold, but for a few nights here and there....so it is manageable. I just want to get this thing taken care of now.

thanks again for all of the help

[HayZee518]

besides just looking at the coils, if you have access to a clamp around ammeter, you could measure the current draw on each of the coils as they are operating. there is no direct connection to the coils. the clamp around jaws snap around one conductor and it reads the current draw by induction. if a heater is not working the current will be zero.

[toledoguy]

ok..i was finally able to take the unit out and i in fact only have two coils. when my hand is placed under there....i can feel heat coming off the one..pushing out hot air...the other half is cold...i put my hand as close as i could get and it was cold...so i only in fact have one of the coils working. are two coils even enough? how can i tell if it is a bad coil or sequencer that is causing the coild to not work. i checked all of the connections from the coils, all looked good. where do i get the coil? sequencer? do i just order them online? sorry for all of the questions, i want to get this taken care of this week while i am in town. i have included pics...the coils, the heating kit installed and a shot of the wiring...was curious where the sequencer would be.......thank you

[toledoguy]

ok...i researched this yesterday and found a new coil kit the HKR 10c for $89.99 and the 20 watt HKR 20c for $147.99. Do those include the sequencer and everything? I think this is the route I want to go. It looks like I should just be able to swap out the bad HKR with the good one...making sure I make note of all the wiring schematics and what not...is that it? My other question is, my house is about 2000 sq foot. Is the 10 KW heater enough? or should I upgrade to the 15 or the 20?

Thanks again!

[toledoguy]

does anyone know that since my heating kit is HKR 10 if i can use the HKR 10C, with the cirucit board on it? or if i can replace it with the HKR 15C...which would provide more heat? just curious if these were able to be swapped out?

thanks