FHP Geothermal - flooded basement please help - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
Original message
| vpnwiz
|  "FHP Geothermal - flooded basement please help"
, posted Fri 27 Jun 18:07  
Hello everyone,
We have our current home up for sale and found our dream home. It was WAY out of our price range but... it was a repossession and the basement had flooded. There's a water line about 3' high all the way around the block - so the bank made us a deal that we can afford but it's at the top of our range. This is in the Akron, OH area. (The asset mgmt company turned power off the house and the sump pumps couldn't run... OOPS). I've had the house inspected and structurally everything checks out fantastic.
In the basement is an FHP GS series geothermal unit, with the electric heat and water heater options. Initially it wouldn't even power up. I removed the control board from the unit, dried it out (there was still a tiny bit of water inside the furnace two months after!!), cleaned up the connections and turned it back on. It powered up. BUT now I am getting a blinking LED that means it is a "high pressure lockout" when I try to start either the heat or AC.
I am not sure if the main contactor is bad, or the motor start caps need replaced, or both. There are two caps in the motor start circuit and the whole thing was below water for some time. But the control boards still work and run the thermostats. I am looking for some advice on how to test these or if I should just replace them all without testing.
I *would* have the local geo-company service it but a) I called and they told me these normally need replaced to the tune of $8k-$15k(!!!) and b) we don't have the money for it, this house has maxed us out even with the deal from the bank. So I am trying to fix it myself. I have a knowledge of electrical components and am a generally smart guy (don't tell my wife) so I hope to be able to at least diagnose that it's completely dead, or semi-dead (in which case I call the service company) or easily fixed which I can do myself.
This house is very important to us and we are prepared to live without heat through the winter if we have to. I hope we don't have to though!
Any help?
Thanks much,
Patrick
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Replies:
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| yuri
| "Re(1):FHP Geothermal - flooded basement pleas" , posted Fri 27 Jun 19:33
ANYTIME I run into water damaged circuit boards or motors I replace them. Will never be reliable again and may be unsafe. Especially any limit controls that got wet. Better to be safe than sorry.
Yuri
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| | vpnwiz
| "Re(2):FHP Geothermal - flooded basement pleas" , posted Sat 28 Jun 11:13
Is this something I can do myself? Can I contact FHP and get a replacement compressor, new pumps for the 2 geo lines and a new hot water transfer pump? These plus the control boards were the only things under water. The blower unit, heating elements and condenser were all above water. I can sweat new fittings and replace the wiring if I can just get this stuff.
After talking to two local HVAC companies it sounds like they will just replace the entire furnace without even checking out the internals.
Thanks,
Patrick
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| | yuri
| "Re(3):FHP Geothermal - flooded basement pleas" , posted Sat 28 Jun 13:41:
You can replace the parts IF they will sell them to you. They probably only sell to their dealers. Sometimes because DIYers don't know how to install the parts properly/ruin them and try claim the part is defective. The dealers may sell to you but they make $$ selling parts AND service so don't be surprised if they markup the parts 500% to compensate for the lack of business. Thats business. They should come out and assess the unit but the problem may be that unless they replace all the suspect parts they won't know what all is wrong anyway as you probably have multiple problems. I work for a very large name brand company and we have to quarantee our work. In a case like yours we won't guarantee anything until all parts are replaced as we end up with no end of callbacks and end up losing money. Customer calls BBB , head office and everything goes to sh*t. Thats the contractors take on the situation.
Yuri
[this message was edited by yuri on Sat 28 Jun 13:48] |
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