Derek Cole answers questions about lights flickering when an HVAC compressor starts versus when plugging in an iron, and why drop-in replacement refrigerants for R22 aren't approved by manufacturers and can cause performance problems. He recommends replacing the system if R22 becomes too costly.
Questions this episode answers
Episode 80
Compressor startup draws a large amount of power, causing lights to flicker.
An electrician (the issue is likely an electrical outlet/system problem, not HVAC).
No — manufacturers in residential have not approved these drop-in refrigerants for their systems.
Chapters
Hey, on this episode, we talk about your iron making your electrical system blink. And is there a replacement for R22? You ask your comfort and energy questions and they get answered. This is the Ask Derrick Cole show. Talking to me. Okay. Where are you? And you are. Sound check, check, check. Good, good, good. Yeah, yeah. Moving, moving. Here we go. Are you recording? Yeah. Oh, okay. Hey, this is Derek Cole. Welcome to episode 80 of the Ask Derrick Cole show. Answering your home and energy questions.
Should we call an H VAC person even when the lights flicker as you are ironing clothes?
That's coming from an article that we posted about lights flickering when the unit comes on. So the reason that happens is because the compressor, the heart of the system, the most power it pulls is when it starts. So when the lights flicker in your house, when it comes on, you should have that checked out because that could be a problem. It is a problem. Now, with the lights flickering when you plug in the iron, that is not pulling much power. So you have an electrical problem there. It's not an H VAC problem. So I would call an electrician to come look at it, pardon myself. What I would do is try to plug it into another outlet to see if the same thing happens. But either way, there is a problem. So when you think about your electrical system in your house, think of it as being the heartbeat of your home. So it's very rare. I think the stats are every seven years someone needs an electrician at their house. So it's not very often. So that's a lot of time, a lot of usage of your electrical system without being checked out, maintenance verified, everything's proper. So do that with this. It sounds more like an electrical issue and not an H VAC issue. That makes sense. Yeah. I would just plug it in and check it out somewhere else just to make sure. And then you can kind of isolate that one outlet saying, here's the problem. Either way, that shouldn't be happening.
There are replacements for R22 refrigerant. Why not use those options versus paying the higher price for R22?
That's a good point. This came off of another show or article where someone commented saying there are, you know, replacements for R22 versus paying for R22. Well, yes, there is. There are drop ins available. Now, the manufacturers in residential have not approved these drop ins for their systems. So anytime you cannot duplicate R22, okay. If you have a drop in that acts very similar to it, it's not going to act just like it because it's not R22. So when you use a drop in, you have to measure temperatures. There's a whole bunch of variables that really it gets to be a problem because you have to kind of guesstimate as to what the temperatures are or how much you might need because the readings aren't the same. It's not made to be the same. It's not going to be the same. So I would use the original R22 if you have to. And at that point I would replace it if it becomes too costly. Because when you use a drop in, it can also be costly because you're having service call after service call. Because whoever is dropping in this refrigerant is never going to get it correct 100% of the time because it's not the same chemical makeup. The manufacturer made that unit to work on R22. It didn't make it to work on the drop in refrigerant for R22. It didn't make it to work on R410, a refrigerant. Okay. You can't put a foreign refrigerant into that system and expect it to act the same. It's kind of, you know, if we talk about your body and the blood a lot, if you put in ketchup just because it's the same color as your blood, your system will not operate the same. Okay. So it's kind of, it's kind of ridiculous. But think about drop in refrigerants. Yes, they're drop ins for R22. But never think that is going to be the solution to your problem because drop ins could cause more problems, could be more expensive over time because you're having to go back and share that over and over again. That makes sense. I mean, I know ketchup's kind of a far fetched idea, but I'm trying to relate it to something we've talked about before. Anyway, so hashtag your questions askdericole. Check us out on Facebook and YouTube and we'll be happy to get your questions on the show. By.
