|
Need help with RUUD electric furnace
QUESTION:My folks bought a house last summer which has a RUUD AC and electric
(non-heatpump) system. We noticed the house takes a LONG time to warm up
(central Texas, not really cold) so we called AHS. They sent whoever they
use, and the first guy said the sequencer was bad so he ordered one. That
didn't change anything. Then he said the thermostat inside was bad so he
changed that and told my folks it would really be better. The house still
takes over two hours to increase five degrees (1500 sq foot house 42 degrees
outside)
So mom called the company and they sent the dad of the first guy. He opened
it up and said "well, here is your problem, someone didn't wire it right. It
needs two circuits and they only wired in one"
Well she called me and told me this and I got on line and looked up the
model number:
UBHC17J14SHH and according to the on line documentation it says it is a
single circuit system. Does it sound like we are dealing with people who
don't know what they are doing? Should we call a RUUD dealer and pay for a
different service call? Could it possibly be missing something that is
actually part of the heating unit?
The heat coming from the vents is luke warm. I have never lived in a house
with electric heater type furnace so don't know what is correct but would
think the output would be greater than luke warm.
I know the AC guys don't like AHC (American Home Shield) but we got it cause
my folks are on a fixed income but at this point I am beginning to question
the guys who have been out there..Just wanted to run this all by some more
experienced folks and see if they think we should go thru an actual RUUD
dealer to have it looked at.
ANSWER: First Don't fool with these AHS wizards. AHS signs up the cheapest producers of
hvac equipment in the area and tells them to do it for about 1/4 the cost that a
regular hvac contractor will work for and then you can sign up with us. AHS has
not spend as much money on fixing at your hvac system 3 times as they would have
by fixing it the first time with a real hvac contractor. They just get the
cheapest workers that they can find and hope the fix it by the 4 th try where
they break even on cost effective of getting a real hvac service company out
there. They play the law of averages and hope to fix it by the 4 th try.
Secondly here. You have a 14.2 KW heat strips in the air handler and you say you
have only 1,500 sq. ft. of floor space and take 2 hours to rise the temp 5F in
the home at 42F outdoors. . Well there is two things going on here. First you
need to go around and shut all the window and doors or your not running 14.2 KW
worth of heat running. It sounds like your just running 10 KW at best and not
running the full 14.2 KW of heat. At the 14 KW rate of heat your not going to be
running no 2 hour to come up 5F on your home without the windows up or
something like that.
Thirdly. Here is what i think is going on and it would fit to the not keeping
up. The UBHC series Ruud / Rheem air handlers has roll electric elements in it
and they are very pronded to failure is early life use and there is a recall of
them if used in a horzinial application. i just think you have one of the
elements out and just running on two of the three suppose to be running.
Fourthly. there is a recall on certain models and serial numbers of this air
handler you have. Your model number is in the recall but you need to see the
serial number to make sure it is in the recall units listed. Now i will give you
the website to call or look at listed numbers to see if your unit is in the
recall here for you to view.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml99/99061.html
The number to call to check on your air handler is listed in the recall can be
got at 1-877-749-6035 ------ 24 hour a day / 7 days a week Rheem Hot line if you
have trouble getting it over the internet.
Fifthly here. the reason the air handlers is recalled is the Electric Heat
element will start to burn up but they will slowly burn up and start spitting
little balls of moltent metal into the ductwork and if installed in a horzonial
application it will spit these little fire balls into the rooms of the house.
There has been reports of people sitting in their living room and start seeing
fire ball flying into the room from the ductwork on the carpet and setting
fires. I think that would be interesting to watch the people's faces when they
saw this. So if the air handler is not in a horzonial application. There would
be very little chance of setting a fire.
Sixthly here. Check the serial number of your air handler and make sure your in
the recall type of the air handlers and then call a Ruud or even a Rheem Dealer
to get Rheem to replace the elements with the new type that does not spit out
fire balls. The whole cost of having the whole blower unit and elements changed
out is free of charge through a Rheem / Ruud / WeatherKing Dealer. Now I did
change out a few under the warranty but me being Commercial & not a residentiual
contracted Rheem dealer . they would only give me the elements and sequancers to
change out and give me $100.00 service cost to change them out. If your a
residentiual contracted Rheem / Ruud / WeatherKing Dealer you get $100.00 + the
whole blower unit with elements in it to change out. So try to get a Ruud
residentiual dealer and you get more for your change out valve.
seventhly here. Now Rheem / Ruud / WeatherKing could decline to change the
elements out on it under the recall is the air handler is over 5 years old ,
none of the elements of the air handler are not burnt , and the air handler is
installed in a vertical application. Now you can say this and get it changed out
anyway. Well if there is a recall on my unit and it happens to set the house on
fire. I will sue you as the dealer and Rheem for any damages that happen. Then
the thought pattern changes and they change them out for free. The Rheem / Ruud
/ Weather King dealer are told to try to get out of it if possible. If your
model and serial number is of the recall air handler. Take nothing less than new
elements and sequancers on your unit and installed for free.
eightly here. If you do get the Ruud dealer to change the elements out under the
recall . Do have him service your unit and check it out for any other defects
that you may have. You may have to pay a little more to have it checked out but
it maybe well worth it down the road with problems.
|
|
|
|
