Air conditioner forming ice outside and cutting out whilst on heating mode?

Question

I have a split system air conditioner, which when running on heating mode seems to be forming ice on the cooling fins and then cutting out after running for about 20 minutes. For the last 10 minutes of that 20, it doesn't hardly blow out any heat. If I turn it off and back on again, it blasts hot air out for a few minutes and the starts cooling down again. I have checked the pipes and the insulation foam on the pipes seems to have got extremely hot and melted a bit. I have touched the pipe with the melted foam on and it is VERY hot and the other one is cool.
Any anyone help me work out what could be happening?

Many thanks

Paul.

Answer 1

Defiantly a circulation problem. Try changing the filter. If that isn't the case now the system could have been ran in the past without a filter. The coil that the air travels through will become clogged and air will not travel across the coil so the exchange of heat/cool is lost. so when the freon returns to the unit it is just as cold or very close to what it was the last time it ran through the compressor. Now so cold it will freeze. The machine is shutting down due to safety sensors built in. When you turn the unit off and on the safety sensors are reset. But they reset again shortly.

So either restricted air flow through unit in the house or defective compressor unit not cycling outside. (My vote is restricted air flow)

Answer 2

A good possibility is that the filter is dirty. Pull the filter out and check it. Another thing you can check is the outside coil, for that you can use your garden hose and rinse the coil starting from the top and work your way down. You should keep an eye on the filter as much as you can. The idea is to prevent a restriction of air flow. Good Luck

Answer 3

Needs a new filter.

Answer 4

I think I would get rid of it and try a new one