Senville · Air Conditioner error code

ECRefrigerant leak / low charge detected

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Stop: this involves gas or the sealed refrigerant system.

OnCall Tech only describes the symptom. Gas work needs a licensed gas technician, and refrigerant work requires EPA Section 608 certification. If you smell gas: shut off the supply if it is safe, do not switch anything on or off, ventilate, leave the building and call the gas utility.

OnCall Tech is a reference tool for trained technicians and can make mistakes. Always disconnect power and confirm with the manufacturer's documentation before you work.

Related diagnostic guides

Guide · Air Conditioner

Field pattern: AC not cooling? Dirty condenser and failed capacitor before 'low refrigerant'

Weak cooling has cheap mechanical causes that look like a charge problem to a customer: a plugged condenser coil, a failed run capacitor or a slow outdoor fan. The wrong turn is adding refrigerant before checking airflow and the capacitor; that hides the real fault, and a system that is truly low has a leak that must be found by a certified technician.

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Air conditioner freezing up (ice on the coil)

Ice forms when the coil gets too cold, nearly always from low airflow or running in cool weather. Thaw first, then fix airflow. Repeated icing with good airflow suggests low charge, which is sealed-system work.

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Central AC or heat pump spring check: outdoor unit, indoor coil area, drain and electrical (no refrigerant work)

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7 steps ~60 minmoderate