Time to Replace Central AC

air-conditioningcentral-aircompressor

Have a 2004, Rheem, Model #: RAMC-048JBZ; R-22 refrigerant.
We live in Central Texas, very hot 5 months a year, we use the AC probably 7/8 months a year.
Have had annual maintenance performed since we bought the place in 2016.
Just had it serviced and technician advised us to consider replacing the whole unit because (after cleaning coils, checking refrigerant and capacitor):
– Compressor is overtaxed. At 65 deg. inside and 71 deg. outside, compressor is already pulling 12 amps. R.L.A. is 19.2. So this doesn't bode well for our upcoming 100 degree days.
-Disconnect fuse and housing mounted on outside was partially melted. This may explain, last year, a blade on the condenser fan partially broke and continued to spin inside the system until I heard it and shut it off. I then installed a new condenser fan last summer.
-Coils are clean; refrigerant remained charged over past year; capacitor is, apparently, good.

Is it time to replace this entire 16 year old unit? Or should I try to replace compressor myself? Compressor retails around $1300. Will be getting another opinion/estimate from another company.

Thanks yall.

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UPDATED PHOTOS OF DISCONNECT BOX AND FUSE

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Best Answer

The disconnect burning up is a sign of loose or corroded terminals which create a high resistance at the connections. As the current drawn stays the same, this generates heat to the point where it overheats the contact and worsens over time.

Part of the tune-up is to check and retighten all electrical connections. Especially the screwed in kind at the junction box and on the compressor contactors. This is more often than not not done.

Another problem that may affect you going forward is the formerly standard practice of checking refrigerant pressures during a check up. Every time gauges are hooked to a system some refrigerant is bled off and eventually needs to be replaced. The latest thinking is that gauges should not be hooked up unless there is a problem that is not corrected by changing air filters and cleaning coils and fan blades.

And check out Bluon, an R-22 replacement Refrigerant that claims to work better than R-22 and at lower pressures. I believe it is R-458A but you should check out the Bluon site.

I think your system is working fine. My York heat pump was 25 years old when I replaced it due to remodeling and reducing. Duct systems are usually not allowing the HVAC system to perform as well as it could. Good luck! A hard start kit adds a capacitor to the start circuit which is removed from the circuit by a potential relay when the motor gets up to about 80% of it's rated speed. See linked article. The checking HVAC systems article is from 2005 and is slowly gaining traction within the industry. It avoids wasting refrigerant and introducing contaminates into the system.

https://www.achrnews.com/articles/94470-checking-the-charge-without-gauges

https://www.achrnews.com/articles/119718-the-case-for-hard-start-kits

https://www.bluonenergy.com/

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