All About Aircon (New, Maintenance, related components)

[Jennifer]

shurley197323:

I am not sure of the leakage. How to check the leakage ?

Thanks

I hv a similar prob.

The aircon serviceman topped up the gas (sth like coolant) into the compressor after he measured the compressor with a gadget. He confirmed the compressor only had 50% gas.

Also there are two rows (inside the fan coil unit) that are not cold when the aircon is operating. He said I might need to change the whole unit soon.

So now, we set the temp at 23 deg C, sufficiently cold to cool the room. Not sure how long the unit can last.

The fan coil is also quite noisy. The thermostat on and off at shorter intervals compared to normal intervals.

[tree nymph]

I’m not an expert but have change several aircons now… :!:


Can’t tell really tell if there’s leakage though. best to ask the technician to measure. but sometimes, due to the temp or the surroundings (like mounting of the compressor) you may see some liquid or wet patch on part of the floor. It may also be the pipe. But its best to ask the technician to check it.

shurley,
we usually service the aircon twice a year. Did your aircon technician say anything about the compressor or things like that? i think you really should ask the technician to come back and service your aircon again and ask them to check thoroughly. if the technician had already topped up the gas but its at a low level now, then there should be a leakage. you may need to check on the coils or other parts.

Jennifer,
Sorry, but I think you may need to replace the aircon soon.

[shurley197323]

Thanks. tree nymph but I think I had forget who the technician is now.That time they just come knocking at the door.

Do anyone know any reliable air con specialist?
Does that mean if we did not use the air con, the gas will still remain unless there is a leakage ?

[daisyt]

We DIY our aircon at home, so far, I have replaced a new one for my room unit after like 7 years.


1) I have a VAX vacuum cleaner (that has bagless and can vacuum water function). I would vacuum the water and the \"jelly\" once a month or two from the water drainage pipe. The pipe that usually run to your toilet, water would drip out from there everytime you on the aircon. This is to prevent water leakage at the room units.

2) From those DIY shop (eg. Vinmart) you can get those foam in a can. Just have to shake well, insert the long straw thing, open up your aircon unit in the room, remove the filter, spray the foam on the metal coil piece of thing. Spray on the whole metal coil piece. Then leave it for about 1/2 hr, use a damp cloth to wipe the metal coil piece and cover back your aircon and filter.

3) Wash the filter every month or when its dirty. Use a toothbrush to scrub off the dirt and rinse with water.

Hope the above helps.

[tankee]

shurley197323:

... Anyone use portable aircon ? It is effecient?

Portable aircon needs a outlet for the hot air, else it would be much less efficient.

They would give you a big tubing for you to channel the hot air out, and need to find or construct a outlet the fit the tube, which in turn limit the portability of the aircon. :roll:

[janet88]

shurley197323:

I am not sure of the leakage. How to check the leakage ?

Thanks

I contact my aircon technician twice a year as we turn on aircon every night. Hubby will open the shutters to wash off the thick dirt on the net every week.

My aircon leaks after 6 months...usually it means 'big wash' with chemical and topping up of coolant/gas.

We leave the aircon on at 25 degrees, turn it off when the kids sleep and turn on the fan. If the weather is too hot, I will wake up to switch on the aircon again.

[atrecord]

if you wanna know about portable aircon, i posted quite an elaborate piece in an earlier mail a few weeks back, think the thread is called ‘portable aircon’.


as for the split unit, i do not use it all the time. for the kids, we’ll use the aircon for about 40 min every night when they first go to bed, then after that no more - unless it’s really hot and they make noise in the middle of the night, then maybe another half hour.

our aircon is 10-yr old now. before kids came along in 03, we hardly used it, and when we did the first servicing in 02, the technician went through the whole process, and commented there was almost no dust/dirt, so it could have been money wasted.

subsequently, we had i think 2 more servicings done, the last of which was i think 3 yr ago… which reminds me that it’s perhaps time to have another one again.

but so far, it’s still cool although maybe not as good as before.

oh, i’ll clean the filter and vacuum the coil myself everytime the indicator light comes on. so that could have helped (slightly) it stay cool.

so far only had one instance where some part in one of the blower conked off, and we had to have it replaced, cost $100+.

[raynreg]

Anyone has good recommendation for air-con servicing. Could you PM me…Thanks

[KSP]

1. Usually how long can a aircon last. I mean those with a compress and multi-split not portable ones.


2. Can we service our own aircon? I feel is not that difficult whenever I saw the servicemen doing it. Any opinion?

[daisyt]

KSP:

1. Usually how long can a aircon last. I mean those with a compress and multi-split not portable ones.


2. Can we service our own aircon? I feel is not that difficult whenever I saw the servicemen doing it. Any opinion?

1. My airon has been 10 years. So far only changed the unit in my room once about 3 years ago. I have 4 units split, the rest of the splits are still fine.

2. Yes, hubby and I have done so a few times. Its not difficult, as long as you know how to dismantle and put it back. The most tedious part is the cleaning of the drum. We don't know how to take out the drum, hence use a brush and vacuum cleaner to brush out the thick dirt. One unit takes us about 2 hours to brush the drum, spray the foam on the metal coil, wash the filter.