Friedrich air conditioning - inside unit ice build up

Here is the link to error codes Friedrich PTAC Error Codes

If the unit is running in cold weather than there is ice building up on the coils located outside. This is normal in that the unit is running in heat pump mode heating inside and cooling outside, After the unit detects the ice build up it briefly reverses the cycle heating the outside coils melting(defrosting) the ice which you observe as water on the pad.

The video gives you an example of the defrost cycle!
2012 Trane XL15i Heat Pump Defrost Cycle Steam Show

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i dont believe the fan turns off on auto just the comp as for the the mold i spray it with bleach but the unit should be off when you do this and then turn it on the next day

Remove the front cover and make sure the temp sensing wire is in place on the front of the evaporator coils. If it has fallen and is touching the evaporator plumbing the unit can preform as you described.

Also check for signs of icing / ice build up on the evaporator coils after the uint has run for a couple of hours. Ice build up will also cause this symptom. IF you do find that the unit is icing up that can be caused by:
1. A very dirty evaporator
2.. A clogged Air filter
3. Contaminated by internal plumbing debris / clogged freon passages
4. A blower Fan motor running to slow.
5. Freon Pressure and return lines touching together usually either on the side of the unit or just behind the center chassis air wall enroute to the compressor.
6. A corroded electronic control board.

As you can see above there are several things that can cause the symptom your described. It cetainly sounds as if you either have an icing problem or a control board problem.

The next time the symptom occurs... place the unit of fan only for at least 30 minutes and then see if you can switch it to cool, and actually have it cool. If it does cool properly after switching to fan only for 30 minutes you most likely have an icing problem.

Thanks for using FixYa.

Kelly

As with the simplest way to thaw ice is with heat.

If you are running this unit in cooling and have ice outside, then you most likely have a freeze up inside as well. If this is a heat pump unit, then frost is normal during operation, however, ice build-up is an indication of a problem.

There are 2 effective ways to remove the ice build-up. The first is the simplest. Get your water hose and hose it down. Be sure to turn off the breakers to the unit and avoid spraying the electrical compartment. If you have the ability to hook the hose into a hot water line, then this process with be extremely fast. Let the unit sit for about 20 minutes to dry out and turn it back on.


The second can be a little more complicated if your not tech savoy. You can turn the system on in the cooling mode. This will make the outdoor coil the condenser section. Then, either block the airflow through the coils with an object, put an object over the fan to increase pressure, or if you can, disconnect the fan so it does not run. This method is essentially the same as a defrost cycle.

As with any failure, you can fix the problem at hand, but it will return. After you get past this, your real challenge will be determining what caused the freeze-up.


If you were running your system in cooling already, then you will need to ensure the system has de-iced on the inside as well.

I'm having the exact same problem, same model. My guess at this point is that the outdoor unit fan has been iced up due to recent heavy snows. I have a shop light hooked up to thaw things out and will re-check in the AM

Initially, it doesn't sound like your thermostat is working.
If it has a setting to allow the blower (air mover) to be operated alone or continuously, try that.
Generally, if the inside unit (air mover) won't power up, the outside unit will not turn on for more than a couple of minutes because if the inside unit isn't working, pressure builds up in the lines going to the outside unit and an over-pressure sensor will shut it down again.  

There is a drain tube that usually runs to the outside that is suposed to carry the water away from the unit. It may be plugged. You could use a shop-vac from the outside to pull it through. If you have compressed air you can blow the obstruction out to the inside. Be aware this could make a mess on the inside! After clearing the drain line I would leave the unit off for an hour or so just in case there was any frost building. Then turn the unit back on. If it continues to get wet then the unit may not be leveled correct, or maybe it is low on refrigerant causing the frost on the inside.

Air flow obstructed by internal ice build up in air ways, turn off, defrost for 24hrs, turn back on and unit will work within 24hrs. Regards Advisor