Daikon a/c units - good or bad?

[Tofer]

I would appreciate any advice regarding which a/c units are considered good and which should be avoided.

 

We are building next to the sea and have been advised by an a/c installer to use Daikin as he claims they are the least prone to rusting.

 

Other than the rusting issue, we would hope to install units which are reliable, relatively low maintenance and quiet in operation.

 

Homepro are pushing the Samsung units at the moment, claiming they are low maintenance with some special filtration system,  and they claim the Mitsubishi condensers are very durable against rusting.

 

I have designed the house with good passive ventilation and lots of fans, and with decent sea breezes we would hope not to have to use a/c very much at all, but no doubt visitors will struggle without, and the humid wet season in the South will probably send us running for the on switch also at night time, or we may yet spend those months away with the house locked up. Would this low usage create any problems, i.e. should we run them periodically to prevent the mechanisms seizing up?

 

Thank you in anticipation for your input.

[trd]

Personally I would never buy Daikin ever again. Had two units, both became very noisy. Even the main Daikin dealer couldn't fix it. Mitsubishi is all I would use now.

[rijb]

I was going to buy Daikin until I found out they're made/assembled here.

[VocalNeal]

39 minutes ago, rijb said:

I was going to buy Daikin until I found out they're made/assembled here.

As are Saijo Denki, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung and probably all of the others.

[transam]

My chum in the UK is an A/C guy, he advised me to buy Daikin Inverter cos very few call outs. So I did, 10 years on and still going strong, only the accepted fan hum, no clicking on and off either..

PS. Never been gassed up.

[amvet]

Nothing but Daikon for 10 years.  No problems.  Cleaning is important.  They need to be torn down to the basics, nothing in the wall except frame.  If the cleaning service does not know what they are doing you will have problems.  My Daikon dealer was not as good as the contractor I have now. 

[kokesaat]

We've had 2 Daikin 18.5000 btu inverters for about 4 years.  Problem free, quiet, great dehumidifier as well.  We have them cleaned each year and I clean the filters each month.

 

[rijb]

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

As are Saijo Denki, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung and probably all of the others.

Bull-puckey.

[trogers]

Not much difference when the air-cons would be seldom used.

 

Not advisable to leave them unused for long periods. Lubricant for the compressor is in the refrigerant. Even an expensive brand can sieze up.

 

Inverter units only make sense when used frequently.

[Tofer]

Many thanks to all contributors. I really appreciate your input.

 

[VocalNeal]

51 minutes ago, rijb said:

Bull-puckey.

 

Is your opinion based on arrogance or ignorance?

 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Mahajak Air Conditioners Co., Ltd. or MACO is one of leaders in Thailand's air-conditioning industry. The company was established on September 22, 1988 on an area of 50 rai in Lat Krabang Industrial Estate under a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan, a leading, world-class engineering concern, and Mahajak Group, a successful company with multifaceted business interests in Thailand.

 

Today, MACO manufactures superior quality air-conditioners with a capacity of more than 10 million units since establishment under the "Mitsubishi Heavy Duty" brand for the domestic market and the "Mitsubishi Daiya" brand for overseas markets. The company has gained the trust and reliance of its customers for its high-quality products, on-time delivery, reasonable price and environment-friendly technologies.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samsung’s New Factory in Thailand

2011/02/24

 

Samsung announced today that the company will on February 22 begin full operation of its new air-conditioner factory in Sriracha, Chonburi, to meet the growing market demand.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

In the end of January 2017, Panasonic has started production of air conditioners in Thailand to increase sales and meet the expanding demand in the country by utilizing existing facility of Panasonic Appliances Refrigeration Devices (Thailand) Co., 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Saijo Denki is adjacent to the 2nd stage expressway just north of the toll booth at Nam Wong Wan.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I would not have stated they are mostly all made in Thailand if it wasn't true!

 

[Tofer]

18 minutes ago, trogers said:

Not much difference when the air-cons would be seldom used.

 

Not advisable to leave them unused for long periods. Lubricant for the compressor is in the refrigerant. Even an expensive brand can sieze up.

 

Inverter units only make sense when used frequently.

Thanks trogers.

 

How often and for how long should the units be run if generally stood dormant for a while?

[Tofer]

3 hours ago, trd said:

Personally I would never buy Daikin ever again. Had two units, both became very noisy. Even the main Daikin dealer couldn't fix it. Mitsubishi is all I would use now.

Thanks for sharing your experience. 

 

Judging by by the other posters it sounds like you've been particularly unlucky, sorry to hear that.

 

Are your Mitsubishi units performing well?

[Tofer]

2 hours ago, transam said:

My chum in the UK is an A/C guy, he advised me to buy Daikin Inverter cos very few call outs. So I did, 10 years on and still going strong, only the accepted fan hum, no clicking on and off either..

PS. Never been gassed up.

Very encouraging, thanks transam.

[trogers]

14 minutes ago, Tofer said:

Thanks trogers.

 

How often and for how long should the units be run if generally stood dormant for a while?

My advice to my tenants would be run them for 40 minutes at least once a month.

[Tofer]

2 hours ago, kokesaat said:

We've had 2 Daikin 18.5000 btu inverters for about 4 years.  Problem free, quiet, great dehumidifier as well.  We have them cleaned each year and I clean the filters each month.

 

Thanks for the practical advice.

[Tofer]

3 hours ago, amvet said:

Nothing but Daikon for 10 years.  No problems.  Cleaning is important.  They need to be torn down to the basics, nothing in the wall except frame.  If the cleaning service does not know what they are doing you will have problems.  My Daikon dealer was not as good as the contractor I have now. 

Thanks amvet. How often do you strip them down for cleaning?

[Tofer]

6 minutes ago, trogers said:

My advice to my tenants would be run them for 40 minutes at least once a month.

Thanks, I will bear that in mind.

[rijb]

18 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Is your opinion based on arrogance or ignorance?

 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Mahajak Air Conditioners Co., Ltd. or MACO is one of leaders in Thailand's air-conditioning industry. The company was established on September 22, 1988 on an area of 50 rai in Lat Krabang Industrial Estate under a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan, a leading, world-class engineering concern, and Mahajak Group, a successful company with multifaceted business interests in Thailand.

 

Today, MACO manufactures superior quality air-conditioners with a capacity of more than 10 million units since establishment under the "Mitsubishi Heavy Duty" brand for the domestic market and the "Mitsubishi Daiya" brand for overseas markets. The company has gained the trust and reliance of its customers for its high-quality products, on-time delivery, reasonable price and environment-friendly technologies.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samsung’s New Factory in Thailand

2011/02/24

 

Samsung announced today that the company will on February 22 begin full operation of its new air-conditioner factory in Sriracha, Chonburi, to meet the growing market demand.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

In the end of January 2017, Panasonic has started production of air conditioners in Thailand to increase sales and meet the expanding demand in the country by utilizing existing facility of Panasonic Appliances Refrigeration Devices (Thailand) Co., 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Saijo Denki is adjacent to the 2nd stage expressway just north of the toll booth at Nam Wong Wan.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I would not have stated they are mostly all made in Thailand if it wasn't true!

 

You stated (arrogantly) in your previous post "probably all of the others", tripping my bullshit detector.  I built 3 houses here, with A/Cs built in Japan.  I'll take 'made in Japan' any day over 'made in Thailand'.  There's a big difference between assembly and real engineering/manufacturing.  The ignorance is all yours.

 

Thailand...the center for Air Conditioner manufacturing.   

[trd]

Thanks for sharing your experience. 
 
Judging by by the other posters it sounds like you've been particularly unlucky, sorry to hear that.
 
Are your Mitsubishi units performing well?

Yes, I've always been very happy with Mitsubishi. The build quality is better than Daikin IMHO. The Diakin had to be cleaned at least every three months because the airflow would start to make an annoying whooshing sound. I just came up to a year for a clean with a Mitsubishi Mr Slim with no airflow problems at all. One Diakin I had kept making a lot of annoying clicking sounds as the badly designed plastic enclosure made expansion and contraction noises. The Diakin installer had to strip it down and line the insides with tape to get rid of the noise. He said it was a common problem with them. Six months later the evaporator motor packed up. Never again. Daikin is an Indian company. Mitsubishi is Japanese. Enough said!

[amvet]

2 hours ago, Tofer said:

Thanks amvet. How often do you strip them down for cleaning?

Twice a year before the hot season as the tech are less busy then.  This year it was once because I forgot and the guys cleaning it the first time were incompetent and because of that I had to replace a sensor 850 baht.  The AC's diagnostic program found the problem and I checked on line with my smartphone as did the tech.

[amvet]

2 hours ago, trd said:

2 hours ago, Tofer said:

Thanks for sharing your experience. 
 
Judging by by the other posters it sounds like you've been particularly unlucky, sorry to hear that.
 
Are your Mitsubishi units performing well?

Yes, I've always been very happy with Mitsubishi. The build quality is better than Daikin IMHO. The Diakin had to be cleaned at least every three months because the airflow would start to make an annoying whooshing sound. I just came up to a year for a clean with a Mitsubishi Mr Slim with no airflow problems at all. One Diakin I had kept making a lot of annoying clicking sounds as the badly designed plastic enclosure made expansion and contraction noises. The Diakin installer had to strip it down and line the insides with tape to get rid of the noise. He said it was a common problem with them. Six months later the evaporator motor packed up. Never again. Daikin is an Indian company. Mitsubishi is Japanese. Enough said!

I don't really think you said enough that was accurate. 

 

Daikin is the inventor of variable refrigerant volume systems (or VRV by Daikin air conditioning, other manufacturers remarked this as VRF) and an innovator in the split system air conditioning market. Daikin codeveloped a R-410A refrigerant with Carrier.

 

Daikin Industries Ltd was founded in 1924 as Osaka Kinzoku Kogyosho LP by Akira Yamada (not in India)

 

Daikin opened its first American air-conditioner manufacturing facility—employing about 5000 people in a 4,525,000 square feet (420,400 m2) facility in Cypress, Texas—in 2013

 

n 2006, Daikin Industries acquired McQuay International, a Minneapolis, MN based global corporation that designs, manufacturers and sells commercial, industrial and institutional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products.

 

In August 2012 Daikin agreed to acquire Goodman Global from the San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman for $3.7 billion, after first planning to buy Goodman the previous year. In January 2011, The acquisition was expected to expand Daikin's presence in the United States and in duct-type and split-system air-conditioners, and was expected to make Daikin the world's largest maker of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

 

Since Daikin and Mitsubishi are both Japanese companies I wonder which one sells the most AC units in Japan?

 

 

[trd]

I don't really think you said enough that was accurate. 
 
Daikin is the inventor of variable refrigerant volume systems (or VRV by Daikin air conditioning, other manufacturers remarked this as VRF) and an innovator in the split system air conditioning market. Daikin codeveloped a R-410A refrigerant with Carrier.
 
Daikin Industries Ltd was founded in 1924 as Osaka Kinzoku Kogyosho LP by Akira Yamada (not in India)
 
Daikin opened its first American air-conditioner manufacturing facility—employing about 5000 people in a 4,525,000 square feet (420,400 m2) facility in Cypress, Texas—in 2013
 
n 2006, Daikin Industries acquired McQuay International, a Minneapolis, MN based global corporation that designs, manufacturers and sells commercial, industrial and institutional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products.
 
In August 2012 Daikin agreed to acquire Goodman Global from the San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman for $3.7 billion, after first planning to buy Goodman the previous year. In January 2011, The acquisition was expected to expand Daikin's presence in the United States and in duct-type and split-system air-conditioners, and was expected to make Daikin the world's largest maker of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
 
 

Well it still made a frigging noise!

[amvet]

Just now, trd said:

12 minutes ago, amvet said:

I don't really think you said enough that was accurate. 
 
Daikin is the inventor of variable refrigerant volume systems (or VRV by Daikin air conditioning, other manufacturers remarked this as VRF) and an innovator in the split system air conditioning market. Daikin codeveloped a R-410A refrigerant with Carrier.
 
Daikin Industries Ltd was founded in 1924 as Osaka Kinzoku Kogyosho LP by Akira Yamada (not in India)
 
Daikin opened its first American air-conditioner manufacturing facility—employing about 5000 people in a 4,525,000 square feet (420,400 m2) facility in Cypress, Texas—in 2013
 
n 2006, Daikin Industries acquired McQuay International, a Minneapolis, MN based global corporation that designs, manufacturers and sells commercial, industrial and institutional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products.
 
In August 2012 Daikin agreed to acquire Goodman Global from the San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman for $3.7 billion, after first planning to buy Goodman the previous year. In January 2011, The acquisition was expected to expand Daikin's presence in the United States and in duct-type and split-system air-conditioners, and was expected to make Daikin the world's largest maker of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
 
 

Well it still made a frigging noise!

I had one that was making a noise until I found a good contractor to clean it.  Now it's operating quietly and is 3 years old in the living room and 5 years old in the bedrooms.

[Naam]

Quote

amvet said:

Nothing but Daikon for 10 years.  No problems.  Cleaning is important.  They need to be torn down to the basics, nothing in the wall except frame. 

an absolute ignorant and misleading comment as the main part, the evaporator coils, can't be removed for cleaning.

 

next!

[Naam]

2 hours ago, trd said:

Daikin is an Indian company.

[trd]

I had one that was making a noise until I found a good contractor to clean it.  Now it's operating quietly and is 3 years old in the living room and 5 years old in the bedrooms.

Noises from plastic contracting and expanding during compressor cycles has nothing to do with dust.

[JAS21]

51 minutes ago, Naam said:

an absolute ignorant and misleading comment as the main part, the evaporator coils, can't be removed for cleaning.

 

next!

One of ours got so bad, due to part of the coil never having been cleaned properly. Daikin stripped it down and took the coils outside to clean ... they were really bad. But correct it is not the normal way to clean and if regularly cleaned correctly shouldn't ever need doing that way ...

[amvet]

1 hour ago, Naam said:

an absolute ignorant and misleading comment as the main part, the evaporator coils, can't be removed for cleaning.

 

next!

 

[amvet]

Mine being cleaned but I should have taken some more photos sorry. I think you can see the evaporator coils being removed.