TOPIC: Extreme temperature spread on Heat Pump

In Louisiana, outside air temp in the mid 70's. Turned on a Carrier Heat Pump in the heating mode (not emergency heat). My temperature spread between the air entering the unit vs. exiting the unit was 72 deg. F. When I checked the compressor, I found the refrigerant line to hot to touch.... Can someone tell me what's going on here? I have never encountered a temperature spread so high on a heat pump nor the very, very hot refrigerant line.

You should not run the heat (especially in Louisiana) under those conditions!
What are you trying to evaluate taking temp differentials? (Besides wasting your time?)

What is the design temp of the indoor air of a house?
What was the outdoor temperature?

Are they not the same?
Why would the unit be run in these conditions?

Did you shut off the breakers to the electric heat? If you turned up the heat more than 2 degrees F above the indoor air temperature, the "emergency heat" would have been running weather you wanted them on or not.

What refrigerant line, and where did you touch?

You can't touch the high pressure compressor discharge line even if it was working right either.

If you can not explain what is going on here, I seriously recommend that you stick with "Inspection" Standards and not "Home Inspector" Standards.
If you don't know what is happening, you can't inspect what you do not understand.

What you are doing is not required.
This is one of the reasons why.
Have you seen the advertisement where a Doctor is operating a jack hammer and a construction worker is self medicating? (and the water main bursts)

This is not your job. Don't try to make it part of you job.