carbon from the heat pump

[Pat]

I think my ceiling heat pump is spitting carbon out.  I'm getting a black dust on things.  I also faintly smell what seems like smoke when it's working.  I've switched over to the furnace, but I'd prefer to have the heat pump as a backup. 

Does this make sense?  Anybody know what's causing the carbon release?  I have a call in to a repair person, but I'd like to have some idea of what's wrong. 

I don't think this is being caused by the furnace.  I don't get the burn smell, and my eyes don't burn when the furnace is on. 

Smoke alarm is unaffected.

--pat

 

[John From Detroit]

This does not make sense. Heat pumps should not be getting that hot, Are you sure it's not a heat STRIP (Resistive heater) in that box (NOTE: Heat pumps can have resistive heaters as a "Booster" item)

Note 2: There are advantages to using the furnance in sub freezing weather

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

No, it doesn't make sense.  The only source of black stuff in the heat pump would be buring wiring, something that cannot continue for more than a few minutes without an electrical failure.  But the fans in the a/c will circuolate any black dust in the rig, so it might be spreading it around more. That would make you smell it too.

As John says, it could be heat strips instead of a heat pump. They can smell a bit if they get coated with dust or dirt.

Whatever it is, get it checked out. Burning smells can indicate dangerous problems!

 

[Pat]

I don't have the manual inside here with me, but I think the heat pump has strips. 

HOWEVER, I took the mh for service the other day, and I ran the heat pump that night and the next morning.  Worked fine.  No smell, no black flakes.  A bunch of water fell off the roof when I started out.  The water have been from the a/c condensation drains not draining, but it could also have come off the horizontally stored satellite dish. 

Ever since I've been parked very level, the a/c doesn't drip condensation down the side. 

Heat systems seem to be working.  Power in this RV park is excellent, so even the space heater option should work, if ever needed.

--pat

 

[John From Detroit]

That supports the heat strip throry

When dust collects on the heat strip (As it does in the summer when you are not heating and when it's just sitting there) then the first invocation of the heat strips will burn the dust, you get black soot or flakes and that burning smell

Same with your house furnace by the way

or any other heat producing device which gets hot enough

 

[Pat]

JID.? ?That's great to know about the heat strips.? One less worry.? I was in a very dusty place much of the summer.

Any way to dust off the heat strips?

--pat

 

[John From Detroit]

Easiest way to dust off the heat strips is to heat them up and burn it off, it's never much and I've never seen one catch fire unless there some some other issue of a serious nature.

About the worst possible enviorment for a heat element is a cloths dryer.  And I've never seen an electric catch fire there either

Though I have had a few motors overheat and shut off

 

[Pat]

JID:  Thanks.  I do keep the vent filters clean and the reachable parts dusted.  I'm sure glad to have that backup heat source available.

--pat