Pete M Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 I'm going out on a limb to say this might be the reason why the heat pump isn't working. this is the lockout box by the unit in the attic. looks like I've got a bit of rewiring in my future... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 Umm yeah 😐 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff351 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndl6J3m7UpA Reminds me of this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 9, 2021 Author Share Posted November 9, 2021 ok, so after some digging in the insulation I've found that I've got plenty of wire and I don't have to rerun the entire thing back to the breakers, just lop off the burnt stuff (plus a foot) and move the box to a different (and infinitely better) location. just need to buy new longer wire to run back into the heat pump assembly. plus a new lockout assembly of course. my big fear is that the 50volts I was detecting at the blower motor (which lead me back to the lockout box) has hurt something else in the system. we shall see. one step at a time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 Always something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 10, 2021 Author Share Posted November 10, 2021 well, I rewired everything and fixed the problem, but haven't yet fixed the furnace. still won't turn on. I'm done for today though. tomorrow I'll start diagnosing the blower motor to see if getting 50v fried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 10, 2021 Author Share Posted November 10, 2021 found that the 24vac transformer was bad. replaced it and still nothing. on to the next link in the chain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 I think I'd be figuring out why that happened in the first place. I ain't no 'lectrician but thats no bueno. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 getting closer. it would appear that something is shorted out and pulling way too many amps out of the transformer. tomorrow's job is to start isolating things to see what it is. can't properly diagnose the original problem until everything is working again. my money is on corrosion in the lockout box slowly heating up the connection until it cooked itself and the 50volts getting through killed the transformer (and more). so far I'm not out much money, so I'm still willing to plug along with repairs (as opposed to junking it all for a newer system) and see where it takes me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 On 11/10/2021 at 7:30 PM, Pete M said: getting closer. it would appear that something is shorted out and pulling way too many amps out of the transformer. tomorrow's job is to start isolating things to see what it is. can't properly diagnose the original problem until everything is working again. my money is on corrosion in the lockout box slowly heating up the connection until it cooked itself and the 50volts getting through killed the transformer (and more). so far I'm not out much money, so I'm still willing to plug along with repairs (as opposed to junking it all for a newer system) and see where it takes me. If the wire is aluminum, corrosion could very well be the problem. In addition, aluminum is subject to "creep" under pressure -- you torque dow a screw, and over time the aluminum slowly deforms until you no longer have a solid connection. When you re-wire, be sure to use Ox-Gard (corrosion inhibitor) on the wires when you stick 'em into the lugs and torque 'em down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 21, 2021 Author Share Posted November 21, 2021 definitely is copper. I would have yanked it for sure if it was aluminum. my running hypothesis was that the disconnect wasn't fully inserted by the installer or some repair guy since. see, the box was mounted to the far side (unit is horizontal) where it was seriously hard to see what you were doing and you were essentially putting it in blind. can't say for sure, it's just a thought. but this time I moved the box to a far better location. easy to see and manipulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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