Jim Katen

or maybe someone just like's the festive look.

They're two different devices that do two different things. One isn't "more sensitive" than the other. That said, AFCIs do contain some GFCI protection, but the threshold is 30mA while the threshold of a GFCI is only 6mA so *with regard to ground faults only* GFCIs are far more sensitive than AFCIs. Otherwise, one detects arcs and the other detects ground faults. (By the way, a 30mA ground fault that goes through you is quite painful, if not lethal.) A GFCI would protect you from being shocked by ground faults. An AFCI would protect the circuit from catching the house on fire. Two different things. Wire length has nothing to do with the operation of either device. If you just want the fridge to work, install a simplex receptacle (only one space for a plug) and get rid of the AFCI. Understand that if this circuit starts a fire, your insurance carrier might decline coverage because it doesn't meet the code. If you want to screw around with it, try installing a different brand of AFCI in the panel. This is *technically* not allowed, but it might work. Every manufacturer has a slightly different way of detecting arc faults and you might find that a Siemens AFCI doesn't nuisance trip where an Eaton one might. On the other hand, maybe your fridge is actually producing dangerous arc faults and the device is just doing what it's supposed to do. Modern refrigerators pretty much all suck.

Since the vast majority of home inspectors run a one-person company, does worker's comp cover those single-person operations? Or is it just for inspectors who have employees?

Perhaps someone had done combustion testing?

No. There's no special putty. At this point, the fiberglass can't be saved. I suggest either applying a brand new deck covering on top of it or pulling the whole thing off and starting over. How much vertical distance do you have between the surface of the deck and any door thresholds? Do you have pictures?

That thermometer is worthless for measuring air temperature. Get some probe thermometers for the real numbers.

In my area a 2,800 foot ranch would do fine with a 2.5 or 3 ton unit. 5 tons of AC would be absurdly over sized. Chicago can't be all that different, except you probably have a larger de-humidification load. From the air handler's perspective: If the coils are in parallel, then the air handler would simply see this as a regular 5-ton air conditioner. If it's too large for the house, the air is going to be chilled without adequate de-humidification. If the coils are in series, then the air is going to spend more time in contact with cold coil surfaces and this will provide great de-humidification. From the AC perspective: If the coils are in parallel, then they'll work within their normal parameters, but they'll have very short cycles. It'll just behave like any oversized air conditioner. If the coils are in series, then the 2nd one is going to be seeing lower temperatures. You might get freezing and the efficiency of the system will drop. I don't suppose you measured the temperature drop across this thing? If they're in series, the drop should be really high. Bottom line, I have a hard time imagining how this arrangement can be a good thing. It goes back to my old adage, "Unconventional installations behave in unconventional ways." My guess is that this system is not doing what the installer hoped it would do.

Mmm. Sichuan rabbit heads . . .

Looks great, John. But the dog needs a soft mat to lie on.

How do you plan to buy the refrigerant without a license?

The data plate that you posted shows 550 psi. Damn! I'd love to see a field-assembled fitting that can hold that pressure under 100-degree swings in temperature over the lifetime of the equipment.

Just curious: how do you make the refrigerant line connections on a "do it yourself" heat pump? Those lines have to hold some pretty high pressures over some pretty wide temperature swings. There's a reason why they're typically brazed.

Around here, we'd have a hard time installing some of our seismic hardware, HDUs, HTTs etc.

I bid $100.

In my area, that drain is generally trapped. It's easy enough to find out for sure.