Reversing solenoid wattage question

[RonL1]

When I measure the watts being used in heat mode and the system is not heating, there is 0 watts being used. Once put into cooling mode and cooling is not in effect, there is voltage on the solenoid, but the wattage varies vastly every second. It can go from 0 to 1 to 5 to 10 to 3 .. pretty much anywhere, mostly in the 1 to 3 range. Is this normal ? I would have thought it would just pull a set number of watts, but this seems to change every second. The geo operates just fine, this just confuses me. Any ideas on if a solenoid is constantly charging at different rates ?

 

[Fitter30]

Brand ,model and voltage of coil. Watts should be published. Looked up a molded coils 24vac 9.5w 120vac 12 w
If a coil is energize and isn't mounted on the stem of valve they will burn up or damaged in two or less minutes. The valve will click when coil is powered unless the plunger that gets pulled up is stuck and won't move. It will damage the coil. If that is the case and valve can't be taken apart the valve will have to be replaced. Most of the time the coil stinks or look funny after the smoke is let out. Watts shouldn't vary. If system is dirty it will happen again the valves have small passages in them.
Solenoid is either on or off if it was variable would have a stepper motor and a controller would look different.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[RonL1]

The problem is the sporadic amount of watts it pulls... I'm attaching a graph pulled from my emporia monitor. The graph is by the second.

 

[Fitter30]

Pull coil find a steel bolt or a phillip screwdriver that fits snug measure watts and volts pay attention to how warm the coil gets. If the watts change its a bad coil. What are you using to measure watts.

 

[RonL1]

Pull coil find a steel bolt or a phillip screwdriver that fits snug measure watts and volts pay attention to how warm the coil gets. If the watts change its a bad coil. What are you using to measure watts.

I am looking at my emporia monitor, it's measuring the 220 legs from the geo. The graph above is one leg, the other leg looks similar but more busy. So I'm not measureing just the solenoid, but if I put it in off or heat mode I get flat line 0 watts. So I am really unsure what the geo is doing in cool mode when cooling isnot being called for. . I assumed it would only be energizing the reversing solenoid. But the unit runs fine when cooling is called for. (At least so far). I'll attach the graph of the other leg too.

 

[Fitter30]

Looked at two Emporia monitors both had + -2% of a 50 amp clamp on to wire. Both monitors take a sample at 1 second intervals also they don't tell if the reading % is full scale or not. Every time a reversing valve changes positions the running compressor makes a loud distinct sound. It depends how the valve is design if it goes into cooling or heating being energised. What terminal or programming of the thermostat is where that decision is made to make the unit work properly. If your sampling the whole unit crankcase heater, transformer, thermostat and a printed circuit board is in play.

 

[RonL1]

Looked at two Emporia monitors both had + -2% of a 50 amp clamp on to wire. Both monitors take a sample at 1 second intervals also they don't tell if the reading % is full scale or not. Every time a reversing valve changes positions the running compressor makes a loud distinct sound. It depends how the valve is design if it goes into cooling or heating being energised. What terminal or programming of the thermostat is where that decision is made to make the unit work properly. If your sampling the whole unit crankcase heater, transformer, thermostat and a printed circuit board is in play.

Thanks, inmy case it's in cooling mode, just waiting for the thermostat to call for cooling to start. I can hear a faint hum comming from the area of the reversing valve. When in heat mode, there is 0 watts being utilized. So in cooling, I was assuming it is all comming from the reversing valve. But your correct, who really knows what is energized and pulling power. My guess is the circuit board is doing something too.