| # | Author | Message |
1
| Tiggirl
Fri 5/16/2008 11:50a | I just moved to a new apartment. Where my old apartment had a fance electronic thermostat that was very easy to use my new apartment has one of these bad boys: http://farm3.static.flickr.com...53_o.jpg
Now yesterday when I moved in, the apartment was ICY cold. And not wanting to waste too much electricity I adjusted the temp a bit so it wouldn't start snowing. But through the day it kept getting warmer and try as I might to get the cold air to come out of the vents... it wont. I just get a blast of tepid air. I've honestly tried adjusting the little knobbies every which way I can think of and the apartment is stuffy. Anyone have this kind of thermostat? How do I work the darn thing! Its going to be over 100 today. LOL! THanks!
~Beth |
2
| ajnhollysmommy
Fri 5/16/2008 12:03p | we use to have one of those, one side I think is for heat, I think you need to turn the heat side all the way down
the other is for cold. They are easy to replace with the electronic Therm. And they are under $15 Keep the old Therm so when you move you can put it back on. |
3
| Coconut Telegraph
Fri 5/16/2008 12:11p | Its not the thermostat, most likely your coil has frozen up, either in the furnace (inside your apartment) or the copper line going into the condenser outside has ice on it. The other possibility is that the compressor is kaput. It could be a bad fan motor on the compressor outside. It could be that the freon has all leaked out. In any case, it is most likely a very easy fix unless it really is the compressor which I doubt.
Most common problem when warm air blows out is the coil is frozen, which is caused by LOW freon level. It needs to be "charged" and if there is a freon leak, the coil can be repaired, unless you live in CA, then the coil must be replaced.
In any case, you need to call someone.
The easiest thing to check yourself is...go outside to the outside unit. If it is "running" then it's probably the coil and low freon. If its not running, try the breaker, which is located somewhere near the outside unit inside of a gray box of some kind. Turn the breaker back on.
Let me know how it goes. |
4
| Coconut Telegraph
Fri 5/16/2008 12:13p | Yeah you really need to replace that themostat no matter what else, but its not the cause of THIS problem. Thermostats are cheap, just make sure to take your old one off, take it to Home Depot or Lowes with you, so that the guy there will give you one that will work with your old dinosaur system. Some of the new ones wont work where that one is unless you know how to jump the T wires, which you don't.
Avoid Honeywell. |
5
| Shiva
Fri 5/16/2008 12:13p | Tiggirl, the problem may not be the thermostat. it's not uncommon for one of the fuses to go bad or a breaker to trip (depends what kind of air conditioning unit you have). When this happens, air is blowing through the vents but there's no cooling action. If the unit cooled well yesterday, the likelyhood of low freon is minimal but still a possibility. Have you tried contacting your management? They should be able to have someone check it out for you. |
6
| Coconut Telegraph
Fri 5/16/2008 12:15p | Oh, and no matter what you do, do NOT let your Thermostat wires fall back down inside of the wall when you remove the old one. That's a common rookie mistake. |
7
| Coconut Telegraph
Fri 5/16/2008 12:16p | I'll take 50 bucks on low freon or a coil leak. |
8
| mawnck
Fri 5/16/2008 12:18p | (1) Make sure the relevant switch on the bottom is on "cool". The "fan" switch can be on either setting, although "auto" will save electricity.
(2) Set the temperature adjustment to the temperature you want it to be.
(3) Then after cussing the cheap piece of junk out for not working like it's supposed to, purchase and install one of those programmable thermostats that ajnhollysmommy just mentioned.
Presto ... you're comfy!
Consider also the possibility that it isn't the thermostat at all, and that your AC is not operating up to spec. Often one that's low on coolant will do a dandy job of freezing your buns off until it gets warm enough to actually need it.
But it's probably the thermostat. Them things can be quite flaky. |
9
| Schmitty Good Vibes
Fri 5/16/2008 12:21p | Tiggirl,
I think post 3 mostly had it. If you were blowing too much icy air, the system could have frozen its own coil up.
I also think you can hope it will thaw out in a day by just leaving everything OFF! On the other hand, I doubt you lost your refrigerant (freon?) because it was freezing the day before.
If it does start running again, go to a reliable hardware store and replace your thermostat with something you know how to work.
And by the way, your spelling (like mine) TOCKS!!! |
10
| Schmitty Good Vibes
Fri 5/16/2008 12:24p | Boy, I type slow today.
Posts 4 - 8 beat me in, but you're getting good advice, esp. post 6!!!!
Let's see how many bad jokes I can avoid about Tiggirl being hot. |
