Pollution of filters of the internal unit
These filters represent a normal fine mesh and are located under the front panel via which air is sucked in. They are intended for detention of the dust which is airborne and protect from it not only inhabitants of the room, but also the heat sink of the internal unit. In fact, the air conditioner works as the vacuum cleaner, and filters play a dust collector role. For cleaning of filters it is enough to wash out of them in warm water and several minutes to dry. It isn’t more difficult to remove and set filters, than to replace a dust-collecting bag in the vacuum cleaner (except for cases, a code the internal unit of the air conditioner is at big height). In the operating instruction always explicitly it is told about how to make it. It is necessary to wash filters, as a rule, once in two — three weeks. If a large amount of dust or soot is airborne, the thicket should wash them, tracking that they always remained pure.
If long time not to wash filters, then first of all the blowing of the heat sink of the internal unit will decrease, as a result, air indoors will be worse cooled. Besides the operation mode of refrigerating system will be broken that can lead to frosting of copper pipelines. In this case, in case of switching off of the air conditioner ice will begin to thaw, and from the air conditioner water will drip. Further, in case of strongly polluted filters, the contamination of drainage system lumps of dust is possible and then from the air conditioner it will be watered a stream. In absolutely launched cases on plates of the heat sink such layer of dirt accrues that it can be deleted only by means of strong chemical cleaners.
We will note that cleaning of filters isn’t included into standard guarantee maintenance and shall will be executed by a customer (just as changeover of bags in the vacuum cleaner) according to requirements of the operating instruction.
Freon leak
Out of operation the normalized freon leak is the reason of an output of the air conditioner, the second for prevalence. The normalized leak (about 6 — 8% a year) happens always, even in case of the most high-quality mounting is an inevitable consequence of connection of the interblock pipeline by flaring. For its compensating it is necessary to refuel the air conditioner freon each 1,5 — 2 years. If refueling not to spend more than two years, then the amount of freon will fall in system below the allowed level, and it can have the most sad consequences for the air conditioner: the compressor by operation is cooled with freon and in case of its shortcoming its overheating and jamming is possible. And the cost of changeover of the compressor makes about a half of cost of the new air conditioner.
For detection of the fact of leak it is optional to have the special equipment. The first signs of reduction of amount of coolant in system — formation of hoarfrost or ice on nipple connections of the outside unit (this place where copper tubes are connected), and also insufficient cooling of air in location (the difference of intake temperatures and an output of the internal unit shall make at least 8 — 10 °C). In case of appearance of similar symptoms, it is necessary to switch off the air conditioner and to address to customer service for failure elimination.
Operation of the air conditioner in winter time
One more feature of home air conditioners — many models aren’t adapted to operation in winter time, that is the lower bound of temperature of outside air makes from — 5 °C to +15 °C for different models.
Need for the air conditioner working all the year round can arise in two cases. First, when it is required to cool location not only in summer, but also in winter time, for example location with a large number of the heat-generating technique (server, computer halls, etc.) as cooling of such location by means of forced ventilation will lead to inadmissible reduction of air humidity. Secondly, in case of heating by means of the air conditioner in winter time. However such use of the air conditioner isn’t always justified as even being adapted to winter conditions, at a temperature of outside air — 20 °C, productivity (power) of the air conditioner falls three times in comparison with rated.
Operation of not adapted air conditioner in cold season first of all reduces a working resource of the compressor. Besides in case of switching on of the air conditioner in the cooling mode the condensate (water) which is formed in the internal unit won’t be able to flow on a drainage tube outside because of ice cork. As a result, in half an hour after switching on, from the internal unit it will be watered directly to the room.
Possible to adapt to winter conditions any a Split system. For this purpose the device of heating of a case of the compressor and the regulator of turns of the fan of the outside unit is built in it, and “warm” drainage is also set.
All aforesaid belongs, first of all, to a Split systems, however it is fair also for window air conditioners. The main difference – in absence at window air conditioners of the normalized freon leak. Therefore periodic refueling for them isn’t required.
Service regulations of air conditioners
We will sum up the results. In order that your air conditioner worked all period put to it, on average, from 7 to 12 years depending on an air conditioner class, are necessary not so much:
- To clean filters of the internal unit at least once a month;
- If the air conditioner ceased to function normally (from the internal unit water drips, on copper tubes ice “fur coat” accrued, air cooling indoors worsened, there were cracklings and other outside sounds) it is necessary to switch off the air conditioner and to ask for the help in customer service;
- At least once in two years (it is desirable once a year, in the spring — before a season) to call representatives of customer service for carrying out scheduled maintenance: checks of pressure in system and refueling by freon, complete check of the air conditioner in all operation modes (for detection of the hidden failure), cleanings of internal and outside units. The outside unit at the same time is blown by a stream of compressed air by means of the compressor for cleaning from poplar down and dust;
- Not to turn on the air conditioner if it isn’t equipped with the all-weather unit, at a temperature of outside air below 0 of °C
