Worth buying new AC?

[BuzzStPoint]

I have an old window AC in my bedroom.
It's old. Probably 70's or 80's. Only an On/Off switch. No temp setting or cycling.
It's a 5000 BTU unit and works just fine.. By me anyways. The fan motor is fussy. when you turn it on you have to either take a screwdriver on the outside and spin the fan blade or keep turning the on/ off switch to get it going. The Compressor is fine.
I can't find any info on it other that it's a Coronado AC09-38A 5000 BTU.
You fire this thing up at 9pm it will cool the room down in quick time but will be like a meat locker at 3 am.


The wife made me go out and buy a new unit. Bought me a Haier unit. 8000 BTU.. Tag says 59 bucks per year operating cost.

Smart to replace? I know all I need to do with the other unit is open the case pull the fan apart and put some high temp grease on the bushing and it will run fine for another 2 years like I did before...

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

It's 25+ years old, let it go! The new one will be cheaper to operate, has temp control and is probably quieter. If you want, try greasing up the bushing and if it works, keep it as an emergency backup or give it to someone without one. Have you ever cleaned the coils on it? If lubing the fan works, you might want to clean the coils while you have it apart. They may look ok, but believe me they are probably full of dirt. Carefully blow then out with compressed air then rinse them and spray them real well with something like simple green. Let them sit for 15min or so then rinse until it runs clear. I have special cleaners at work for cleaning coils (I'm an HVAC tech) that foam and push the dirt out but they are pricey and hard to get for the average joe and can do damage if not used correctly. Simple green is almost as good and easier to get/use. Otherwise just enjoy your new more efficient AC!

 

[hrdwrkingacguy]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

Sound like a weak run cap to me if it has one...And to install a t-stat is simple...Just a snap action temp controller for johnson controls or ranco with a sensing bulb on the inlet air...When you are dealing with that small of a 115v unit efficiency is what it is...I doubt a new unit is ridiculously more efficient...

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

I clean the coils every year. I have some coil cleaner that an AC guy gave me. ( He fixes our units at work (Hotel))

I'm not sure it's a run cap.. You can spin the fan, but you can also tell it's tight. It will spin about 2 revolutions.
When i got this unit 3 years ago, it ran a month, before this happened. At that time I pulled the cover unscrewed the motor housing and slid it back toward the condenser coil, applied a bit of hi-temp grease to the bushing area and put it back. It ran for 3 years till the motor got tight again.
My grandmother always had this unit in her kitchen so I knew it worked when I got it.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

Enjoy the new one and if you have space you have a back up !!!!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

The wife made me go out and buy a new unit. Bought me a Haier unit. 8000 BTU.

That's a small price to pay for a happy wife! And look at it this way, it could be worse.

Our house has central air, a heat/AC unit from 1988, and it's on it's last leg. When finally it goes out my wife is going to make me buy a new one, $5,000

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

I called some cooling guys when I bought the house for central air.
Said it would be expensive.. Who ever put in the heating unit routed the venting all wrong. 1 return line, (in wrong spot) 1 free airflow vent from 2nd story (in one of the bedroom closets) to the stairway. Too many splits in a line. One line to the laundry is right off the main duct with no damper.
Yes in winter some rooms are cold and some are baking hot.

Said they could do it. But it would be better if we got the air handling sorted out before the central air. could be anywhere from 6-10k.

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

The pita is getting rid of the old unit. Having to get it evacuated and tagged due to the EPA reg. $$$

 

[dingbat]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

Running old equipment is the equivalent of paying 25-30% interest on your heating and AC bill. The payback when we replaced our 20 years old system was less than 6 years.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

Running old equipment is the equivalent of paying 25-30% interest on your heating and AC bill. The payback when we replaced our 20 years old system was less than 6 years.

That might not be true for all, maybe it you get the highest SEER rated AC unit, but I spoke to several HVAC guys who advised against the highest SEER rated units. We looked into replacing our combo unit, but it would take 10 years to recoup the price and who knows if we are going to be in this house for 10 years, or even 5 years? We decided to replace it when the unit dies as we are seriously upside down into this house, kind of like owning a boat, dumping money into a hole in the water...

Our AC unit was tuned up last year (freon, coils cleaned, etc) and the electric bill for June>July was $20 lower, even though it was hotter this year and power is more expensive. 10% + savings just for having the AC unit tuned up and cooling efficiently.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

That might not be true for all, maybe it you get the highest SEER rated AC unit, but I spoke to several HVAC guys who advised against the highest SEER rated units.

Fear of the unknown and the profit margins are not as high as the old units.
We replaced a 1990 Lennox unit with a Trane, Sheer 15 heat pump. Installed over sized air handler, variable speed blowers, humidifier, and 7 day- 5 event programmable thermostats. The difference was day and night. The unit was very quiet and very efficient at heating or cooling the house. I wish we would have done it earlier.

We sold the house last year. The Sheer 15 unit was a selling point.

 

[hrdwrkingacguy]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

Due to the high cost of the unit when you get in to a 15 or 16 s.e.e.r(seasonal energy efficiency ratio) or higher a lot of techs will say that the unit wont "pay for itself" in the 7 to 10 years the unit is expected to live...It like going from a 82 toyota tercel to a 2012 dodge charger and saying the better fuel economy doesn't justify the purchase because it wont pay for itself...A better unit is a better unit...

 

[RobertYoung]

Re: Worth buying new AC?

I agree with your comment. The better unit is better unit always. Last year I installed a AC of 3 tons in my house and along with separate heater. While the AC already comes with a humidifier and other bacteria prevention technologies so I need not to buy a separate humidifier for home.