Window Air Conditioner Save

[doitmyself]

Yikes, considering myself a competent DIYer, jack of all trades homestead maintainer, I occasionally find myself flustered over missing the obvious.

This time a window air conditioner. It started having very poor cooling and after visual inspection I assumed that it developed a refrigerant leak. WRONG! The outside condenser coil became extremely clogged on the interior, fan side that is VERY difficult to see.

No use me describing the repair. Here is a video, EXCEPT, I was able to clear the coil 90% with a directed water spray thru the side cover grates (messy). Some other day I will disassemble and clean it properly. Just sharing an FYI to help others:

 

[blufeb95]

This time a window air conditioner. It started having very poor cooling and after visual inspection I assumed that it developed a refrigerant leak. WRONG! The outside condenser coil became extremely clogged on the interior, fan side that is VERY difficult to see.

Drill holes in the pan and let it drain, slinger systems will just keep mucking the coil up in humid climates with little benefit, really no benefit once all the dirt and mildew gums up the condenser. My theory on the slinger thing is just so they can cheat to say they reach a certain level of efficiency for DOE requirements likely in an ideal testing scenario that doesn't account for real life conditions where the AC is outside in a high RH environment and constantly will attract dirt and grow mold in the warm stagnant water in the pan.

 

[bullwinkle]

A lot of slinger style "window shakers" have drain plugs that can be removed to drain them at the end of the season. Or can just be left out to let it drain all the time! I have a little Haier for a bedroom A/C, it will actually dry out if the weather cools down & it isn't used for a few days.

 

[blufeb95]

A lot of slinger style "window shakers" have drain plugs that can be removed to drain them at the end of the season. Or can just be left out to let it drain all the time! I have a little Haier for a bedroom A/C, it will actually dry out if the weather cools down & it isn't used for a few days.

Most of the ones I seen don't have a full depth drain and will still hold some water

 

[johnnydc]

I have a 10k BTU so taking it out of the window is a pain. I just used the garden hose nozzle and sprayed the coils out and the ac works much better.

 

[ripcord]

Careful cleaning the coils on a window ac unit. The aluminum fins are so thin that it's very easy to flatten them out with the steam from a spray nozzle so they don't allow air to pass through correctly any longer.

 

[blufeb95]

I had to buy a few this year because they portables weren't cutting it and the 10k BTU GE window unit I had in the back of the house got mildewed really bad in the foam duct. I upgraded the back of the house to a 14k BTU LG Dual Inverter model, since that has a plastic duct that should be cleanable if it gets nasty again, then I put a 12200btu GE Clearview Inverter unit in my bedroom with an air mover to blow under the door to direct the air towards the adjacent bedroom, and then put a 6k BTU basic LG in my brother's room. After the warranty is up if I'm still in this house I plan on drilling holes in the two LGs, the GE Clearview I took and detached the condensate discharge line from the pan outside and directed it out the grates in the side.

 

[Cujet]

The well made and efficient 12,000 BTU Medea U shaped unit from Costco is world class good. The fins are robust enough to handle a 100PSI hose blast, and they are easy to keep clean. I use the AC drain pan (copper based?) tablets that I purchase at Homeless Depot, under the evaporator to keep mold and mildew at bay. Works like a champ.

 

[berniedd]

In not too recent past, two of my window style air conditioners would automatically cut off the compressors after only 3 minutes. Turns out the high side has automatic abnormal high pressure protection. Cause was too much mud on the rear condenser fins from the water condensate fan slinger. Now i make it a point to clean 'em twice a year. I will drill drain holes in the pan the next time they are serviced.

 

[doitmyself]

Be very careful where you drill to avoid hitting a refrigerant line. I know two idiots that did this, one I see in the mirror every morning.