Goodman Heat Pump Unit Heats but does not Cool

My elderly neighbor has a Goodman 3 Ton 12 Seer Heat Pump, Model number CPLJ36-1A. He is on limited income and I am trying to help him diagnose his unit. The heating cycle works fine when called for from the thermostat. Compressor, condenser fan, and air blower all work when set to heat. The cooling cycle (A/C) does not work. Compressor, condenser fan and air blower all do not work when A/C is called for from the thermostat. However when the contactor is engaged manually the A/C works and cools, however I do not engage it long for fear of damaging unit. Checked another thermostat and has same issue. From my limited knowledge and research it seems it might be the Defrost Board, Defrost Thermostat or Reversing Valve. Any suggestions? We are getting into June Florida heat and would like to help point this gentleman in the right direction and fix if possible. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

Welcome to the forums.

As far as the system is concerned..... the inside blower and the outside condenser both run in the same exact manner for heat and cool with one exception..... there is a reversing valve energized in cool mode.

If your thermostat for your heat pump is working fine in heating but dead in cool...... the thermostat has a problem.

 

Thank you for the reply. I realize the compressor is for heat and a/c. I replaced the thermostat with a working one and the same problem existed. Heat works...all components. A/C does not...No inside fan, no outside condenser fan and compressor does not run. However if depress the contact switch at the unit outside the A/C will run. Seems it's in the wiring to the unit from the thermostat or inside the unit itself.

 

There is a Y wire that starts the compressor in heat or cool mode.
There is a G wire that starts the blower in heat or cool mode.

For cooling.... there is power also applied to the O terminal usually orange.

That's it.

 

Thank you Pete. Is it safe to assume the Orange....O terminal is usually for the reversing valve? If it's not energized the reversing valve would not work and the A/C not work? Also is it possible if it is being energized but still no A/C is could the reversing valve be bad and keep A/C from working?

 

If the reversing valve is not powered..... you will get heat. So if the stat is in cool mode..... and the reversing valve was bad or not getting power..... the compressor and blower would still run and produce heat.

 

That's good to know. I'll go to his place tomorrow and check thermostat again. His is digital and one I used is an old mercury model but I know it works and since it gave same symptoms as the digital I assumed was ok, but maybe I did not hook it up correctly. Might just get new digital and try it since it seems based on your information it's the thermostat.

 

You can test the system without a stat.
Connect the R wire to the Y and G wires. The system will run in heat.
Connect the R wire to the Y and G and O wires. The system will run in cool.

If that checks out. The stat is the problem.

 

You read my mind. I looked that up after I wrote that last post. Thank ya sir

 

Indeed it was the stat. It has been replaced and A/C working as should. Thank you for your assistance. My elderly neighbor is grateful also as the dog days of summer are upon Florida.

 

Good job. Thanks for letting us know the outcome.