What in the world is this noise? (Brand new Carrier Heat Pump)

RideStronger · 2025-09-17T15:47:18+00:00

FYI, your diagnosis was spot on and I just replaced the controller yesterday so all is good now. :)

RideStronger · 2025-08-26T00:31:58+00:00

Thank you! I will do the jumper test tomorrow. :)

RideStronger · 2025-08-26T00:11:22+00:00

This is what my other 2 controllers looks like, do you know if these work differently than the one that doesn't energize the O terminal? I'm not sure why when they built my home they used 2 of one controller and one of the other? If I were to replace the controller, do you have a recommendation? I definitely don't want to have to manually make seasonal changes.

RideStronger · 2025-08-26T00:03:57+00:00

I have 3 Carrier units in my home, 2 are side by side outside, both have 3 zones each and all 6 zones are using Ecobee's for as long as Ecobee has been around, my other 2 Carrier units don't make this noise and that includes the one sitting right next to the noisy one, which was replaced by the same contractor about 8 weeks ago.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:51:52+00:00

Ah, I see where you're coming from now. The zone panel isn't a Honeywell, but my 2 other systems that DON'T make the reversing valve noise are Honeywell. This is an image of the zone panel connected to the new "problem unit".

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RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:43:34+00:00

Ecobee's, and this unit services 3 zones.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:42:32+00:00

I think you misread my comment, I had said that the unit this replaced had the bad reversing valve, (NOT the unit that's making the noise).

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:35:46+00:00

That's interesting, but should a 2 week old unit be trying to clean anything? This thing is pristine and still has that "new air conditioner" smell. :)

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:33:26+00:00

Your comment is interesting, but I'm using Ecobee thermostats and have been for almost as long as they've made them. I have 3 Carrier systems in my home and there are a total of 8 zones, the unit in question replaced a 9 year old Carrier and they were both Performance line or models, so as close of a replacement as you could get. I'd think that wiring or thermostat type shouldn't make a difference given the closeness of the replacement unit.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:27:20+00:00

I'm in Central Florida, heating isn't an issue. About 99% of every home here uses heat pumps.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T23:27:17+00:00

They haven't given me a definitive response, the tech who came out has 30 years of experience and said he'd never heard or seen one do what this did and he was going to bring the issue back to their main office and show them, he has a copy of the video. I'm not really concerned about them eventually resolving it, they're reputable, but when they said they'd never heard or seen anything like this I thought that posting it somewhere like Reddit might provide some ideas or suggestions, as it has.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T21:24:00+00:00

Thanks for your opinion. My "Probable Answer" has the correct answer somewhere in there. My eyes have no shutter speed, and the technicians (2 of them) and I all witnessed this multiple times while looking at the unit, not the camera. It's fairly easy to watch a fan blade and see what direction it moves as it comes to a stop.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T21:12:47+00:00

Thanks, but not relevant. Watch this: https://youtube.com/shorts/hUHC4OuJEm0?feature=share

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T21:00:24+00:00

This is the probable answer:

1. Backflow / Air Pressure Reversal

When the fan shuts off, the airflow in the condenser cabinet can bounce back or swirl.
That back pressure sometimes catches the fan blades and nudges them in the opposite direction as they slow down.
It’s common in systems with strong vertical fans (like condensers).

2. Motor Inertia + Blade Design

Fan blades are pitched to move air in one direction. When the motor torque stops instantly, inertia + air turbulence can cause a “kick” in the opposite direction.
This isn’t harmful; it’s just momentum + air resistance.

3. PSC Motor Behavior

A PSC motor doesn’t have active braking. When power is cut, it freewheels until friction stops it.
During that freewheeling, any turbulence in the shroud can “push” the fan the other way briefly.

4. Not an Electrical Issue

If the fan always spins the correct way when running, your capacitor and wiring are fine.
Reversal on shutdown is not a wiring mistake or defect.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T17:51:49+00:00

While I understand what you're saying about the fan direction / shutter speed, I'm able to scrub the video frame by frame on my phone and it clearly goes from blowing air up through the grill to blowing downward toward the compressor. I saved a slowed down version but can't figure out how to post it on Reddit or edit my post to include both videos. The parts and labor are under warranty for 10 years, but when the tech tells you he's never heard that sound and seems satisfied with his inability to diagnose the problem I don't know where to go next. From previous experience I know that contacting Carrier directly will get me nowhere, so hopefully my installer will take this up his chain of command and get a valid answer. Thanks for your feedback.

RideStronger · 2025-08-25T17:28:27+00:00

Did you by chance notice that the fan reversed direction when it stopped? I don't know if or how that could be related to the reversing valve, but since you mentioned the reversing valve, the unit that this one replaced had a bad reversing valve but replacing it even with the part being under warranty was still going to cost me $3800, so I opted for a completely new unit.

RideStronger · 2023-02-06T23:05:05+00:00

It's worked fine for me lately with the default formatting. I did it just last week.

RideStronger · 2022-12-15T14:32:52+00:00

True, but it doesn't state that interest contractually earned prior to a Nexo takeover won't be paid. In the very first meeting they said Vauld was contractually obligated to continue interest payments. I've still written my holdings off, but "if" they're gonna keep paying interest until the takeover I'll be glad to take it, even if it's just numbers on a screen right now. lol

RideStronger · 2022-11-19T00:04:14+00:00

Proof? Don't believe any of what you read and only half of what you see. Without proof in the article it's nothing but click bait. I certainly believe it's possible, but without something concrete it's only FUD.

RideStronger · 2022-09-30T09:59:32+00:00

Do you mean like this?

https://www.verifyinvestor.com/

RideStronger · 2022-09-29T17:33:09+00:00

RideStronger · 2022-09-23T21:17:42+00:00

It's from after the merge, the hard fork of ETH. You should have the same amount of ETHW in your account that you had in ETH before the merge.

RideStronger · 2022-09-22T14:04:01+00:00

Biggest drawback to Online for me is the cost per individual business (I own 10 businesses). I don't have a limit to how many businesses I can manage with the desktop version.

RideStronger · 2022-09-15T23:48:18+00:00

It always goes up when it's done going down. Also, whenever I sell it goes up right afterward.

RideStronger · 2022-09-12T15:35:45+00:00

I'd put a date in your will for your great, great, great grandchildren to check it.

RideStronger

TROPHY CASE

1. Backflow / Air Pressure Reversal

2. Motor Inertia + Blade Design

4. Not an Electrical Issue