Rheem and Ruud usually place their reset button near the bottom of the outdoor unit; the units with a reset button, in general, have it on the outside of the heat pump. Units that don’t have a button can be reset with the power switch and the circuit breakers.
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Below you will find step-by-step instructions on how to reset your heat pump.
Where Is the Reset Button on a Heat Pump?
There are quite a few things that can happen that will require you to reset your heat pump. Those include:
- Service disruptions
- Power outages
- Power shutdowns during building maintenance
- Dirty filters
- Improper thermostat settings
Before starting to look for the reset button, make sure to switch the power to the unit off.
In a lot of cases, there will be an obvious red button on the outside of the heat pump.
Rheem and Ruud, for example, are the kind of manufacturers that have their reset button near the bottom of the outdoor unit.
The buttons made by these companies are high-pressure reset buttons. That means that the system turns off whenever it feels like it needs to prevent further damage.
Try resetting the system, but if the button trips again, it means that there is a more serious problem with the system.
If you keep pushing the reset button over and over again, you can easily damage the unit’s compressor.
Read: What Is Heat Pump? Everything You Need To Know
Do heat pumps have a reset button?
A lot of heat pumps don’t have manual reset buttons. This might be done to prevent the homeowners from pushing the red button too often (as this, in a lot of cases, won’t fix the problem).
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If you don’t have a rest button, don’t worry. You can still turn the system back on, simply by twitching a few switches (you’ll find detailed instructions below).
Where is the reset button on a Carrier heat pump?
Carrier air conditioners have a small reset button on the control panel or beneath the digital display.
To reset your Carrier heat pump, you would have to make sure that the fuse is okay. The safety device is a small conductor that separates into two pieces to break a circuit.
- The fuse can be found next to the compressor. It might have blown if there has been a power surge or power failure.
- Turn the circuit breaker off.
- Replace the fuse, if needed.
- Make sure that the user interface settings are properly set. You can change them at the thermostat control.
- Reset the circuit breaker.
How Do You Reset a Heat Pump?
If your heat pump has LED lights, then a yellow or a red light might be an indication that your unit needs to be manually restarted (depending on the manufacturer).
Ideally, before resetting the system, you should try to figure out what caused the heat pump to shut down in the first place.
A simple power outage wouldn’t require any additional steps. However, your system can turn off due to an internal issue – in such a case, you would have to start with a basic troubleshooting procedure.
If your heat pump has a reset button, then all you would have to do is push the button (sometimes, you should hold it for 3-15 seconds) and then release it.
If there isn’t a button, follow these instructions.
Read: Reasons Why Heat Pump Turns On And Off Repeatedly
How do you reset a heat pump after a power outage?
- Turn off the thermostat
Before switching the device off, you should double-check the settings to make sure that the thermostat was not the thing that made the system shut down.
Ensure that the thermostat is getting power and that it is set to the right mode. If you have a device with a mercury switch, then check if it is level.
In case everything is okay, you can turn the thermostat off.
- Turn off the power switch
The power switch is usually located either on the edge of the actual unit or on the wall next to the heat pump.
- Turn off the circuit breakers
Usually, heat pumps have 2 breakers – one for the air handler and one for the condenser.
Before turning them off, make sure that the breakers haven’t tripped. Bear in mind that a tripping breaker can be caused by some serious issues within the system.
If the breakers weren’t tripped, then simply turn them off.
- Turn all the components back on
Now, all you would have to do is turn everything back on but in reverse order so that the system maintains its ‘memory’ function.
Start with turning the two circuit breakers back on, then switch on the power switch and the thermostat.
The system might need up to 10 minutes to turn on, so give your unit some time.
How to Turn Your Heat Pump on After a Power Outage?
If there was an extended power outage in your area, you should pay extra attention to your heat pump when turning it back on once everything is fine again.
The refrigerant in the system is going to need quite some time to warm up. If you make your unit operate while the substance is still cool, the compressor might fail.
Refrigerant slugging is something that might occur after a power outage when it is cold outside or if your unit is relatively old.
In such a case, there might be a short-term return of a mass of liquid (the slug). The substance enters the cylinders of the compressor which are going to try to compress this liquid (instead of gas).
As a result, the pressure in the cylinder is going to drastically rise and damage the internal parts of the compressor.
What should you do to avoid refrigerant slugging?
During the power outage, set the thermostat to emergency heating. Once the power returns, the supplemental heating elements are going to take center stage.
Wait for 6-8 hours before switching back to the normal heat pump mode.
Heat Pump Requires Frequent Reset
Wondering why your heat pump keeps shutting off?
- An issue with the thermostat
One of the most common reasons for short cycling is incorrect readings.
If you have an old device with mercury, then you would have to make sure that the thermostat is level.
You can try cleaning the inside of the device, perhaps, the sensor is dusty and that’s why it is not able to read the correct temperature.
Finally, you might simply have to relocate the thermostat. If the device is under direct sunlight, for example, it won’t be able to measure the general air temperature accurately.
Read: Why Does The Room Temperature Not Match The Thermostat Setting?
- An incorrectly-sized heat pump
Going for the most powerful heat pump available on the market is not always the best decision.
If the unit is too big for your house, it will end up heating or cooling the space too fast and then switching off. This will cause the system’s components to wear out much faster and will affect your energy bills.
Read: What Size Heat Pump Do I Need?
- A dirty air filter
Clogged air filters will restrict the airflow. This, in its turn, can cause the system to overheat as the heat pump has to work at full capacity, in order to be able to push the right volume of air through the unit.
Short cycling due to overheating can cause all sorts of internal damage.
Replace the air filter every month during cold winters and hot summers, when you tend to use the heat pump every single day. During the rest of the year, you can change the filter not as frequently – about once every 2-3 months.
Tip: if your filters get dirty extremely fast, you might want to consider getting one that is not as fine. However, do consult your HVAC technician before switching to a new type.
- Leaking refrigerant
Your heat pump can short cycle and shut off way too often if there isn’t enough refrigerant. In such a case, the unit will fail to heat the air.
If you have noticed ice buildup on the coils, then the chances are high that there is a leak.
Hint: there might be ice buildup inside the unit even during summer.
Read: What Causes A Heat Pump To Freeze Up?
- Electrical problems
Your heat pump might be constantly tripping the circuit breaker if there is frayed or faulty wiring.
Finally, the circuit breaker itself might be to blame. If the component is old and other appliances keep tripping it as well, then you would have to replace the actual circuit breaker.