airconditioner not cool after power cut

[giddyup]

There have been so many power cuts lately and today after the power cut the aircon no longer blows cold air. Anyone know why that might be?

[lopburi3]

Do you mean a minute or two outage?  Compressors have to remain off for 10-15 minutes to prevent damage from liquid to piston so have a delay before they will restart the cooling compressor.  If still not working would turn off for awhile and then back on (and hope it works).  

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

Do you mean a minute or two outage?  Compressors have to remain off for 10-15 minutes to prevent damage from liquid to piston so have a delay before they will restart the cooling compressor.  If still not working would turn off for awhile and then back on (and hope it works).  

The power was off for about 20 minutes, the aircon kicked back on as soon as the power came back but it was no longer blowing cold. Have tried turning the circuit breaker off, will give it 15 minutes and then I'll try it again.

[giddyup]

No, no joy.

[fruitman]

14 minutes ago, giddyup said:

will give it 15 minutes and then I'll try it again.

17 minutes ago you wrote the above...

9 minutes ago you wrote  no joy.

 

You didn't wait the 15 minutes matey! 5555

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, fruitman said:

17 minutes ago you wrote the above...

9 minutes ago you wrote  no joy.

 

You didn't wait the 15 minutes matey! 5555

I'd already turned off the circuit breaker before I posted my comment. Already had rung a technician who offered the same advice, so it was probably off more like 20 minutes.

[xylophone]

12 minutes ago, giddyup said:

No, no joy.

The inverter type aircon seem to be prone to damage with power surges/cuts and pc boards/components sometimes having to be replaced?

 

If its old then perhaps time for a new one?

[giddyup]

Just now, xylophone said:

The inverter type aircon seem to be prone to damage with power surges/cuts and pc boards/components sometimes having to be replaced?

 

If its old then perhaps time for a new one?

It was operating perfectly before the power cut.

[lopburi3]

It is another hot day so might be overload on circuit making the voltage low - if you do not have a way to measure about the only indication would be incandescent light - your refrigerator is working OK?  Make sure AC is still set to cool on remote (basic but have missed in the past).  

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

It is another hot day so might be overload on circuit making the voltage low - if you do not have a way to measure about the only indication would be incandescent light - your refrigerator is working OK?  Make sure AC is still set to cool on remote (basic but have missed in the past).  

All other appliances working OK, including other aircons that weren't on when the power cut happened. Couldn't happen on a worse day as far as heat goes.

[lopburi3]

Just now, giddyup said:

All other appliances working OK, including other aircons that weren't on when the power cut happened. Couldn't happen on a worse day as far as heat goes.

You have turned the AC off and on using remote?  I would do that to reset any computer chip.  Wait a minute or two and turn back on using the remote.  (you mentioned breaker so not sure the computer got turned off and back on in normal mode).

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

You have turned the AC off and on using remote?  I would do that to reset any computer chip.  Wait a minute or two and turn back on using the remote.  (you mentioned breaker so not sure the computer got turned off and back on in normal mode).

The remote is all I use to operate the aircon, never turn it on and off using the buttons on the aircon itself.

[lopburi3]

16 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I'd already turned off the circuit breaker before I posted my comment

Was thinking the above - if unit turned on when circuit breaker turned back on any computer malfunction might not get cleared - wanted to be sure you had actually turned the unit itself off using remote and not just removing electric supply.

Guess it time for tech help - good luck getting on hot/holiday/wet evening.

[fruitman]

16 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I'd already turned off the circuit breaker before I posted my comment. Already had rung a technician who offered the same advice, so it was probably off more like 20 minutes.

When we have had a power cut sometimes the power isn't fully back...the fans will run but not the fridge for example.

 

Maybe it's the same at your location now, low voltage and not enough amps to let the compressor run? The fan might run though.

 

 

[giddyup]

3 minutes ago, fruitman said:

When we have had a power cut sometimes the power isn't fully back...the fans will run but not the fridge for example.

 

Maybe it's the same at your location now, low voltage and not enough amps to let the compressor run? The fan might run though.

 

 

Fridges (2) both working OK, as well as another aircon in spare bedroom that wasn't running when the power went off.

[fruitman]

Just now, giddyup said:

Fridges (2) both working OK, as well as another aircon in spare bedroom that wasn't running when the power went off.

Well the problem is the compressor of your aircon....it should run and pump the fluid around...can you hear the compressor working?

[giddyup]

Just now, fruitman said:

Well the problem is the compressor of your aircon....it should run and pump the fluid around...can you hear the compressor working?

No.

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Was thinking the above - if unit turned on when circuit breaker turned back on any computer malfunction might not get cleared - wanted to be sure you had actually turned the unit itself off using remote and not just removing electric supply.

Guess it time for tech help - good luck getting on hot/holiday/wet evening.

When I turn the circuit breaker back on there is a light that keeps flashing on the unit itself and only stops when I use the remote to turn back on, but still no luck. Organised for someone to come tomorrow. Thanks for trying though.

[hugocnx]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

When I turn the circuit breaker back on there is a light that keeps flashing on the unit itself and only stops when I use the remote to turn back on, but still no luck. Organised for someone to come tomorrow. Thanks for trying though.

After power cut, there is mostly a very high (switching) peak voltage that can damage many electric devices if not protected. Good chance the capacitor of the compressor gave up. Take it out yourself and get a spare; available in many places. Have two left hands? Don't do it.

[moontang]

mine has a manual reset button only visible with the lid lifted.  You in a house?

[giddyup]

Just now, moontang said:

mine has a manual reset button only visible with the lid lifted.  You in a house?

Yes.

[moontang]

houses are more prone to big power fluctuations.  How old is your ac?  what brand?  

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, moontang said:

houses are more prone to big power fluctuations.  How old is your ac?  what brand?  

The aircon is a Samsung about 8 years old.

[xylophone]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

The aircon is a Samsung about 8 years old.

If it's eight years old the chances are it wouldn't be an inverter, however power surges/spikes as a result of power cuts can and do damage various electrical components, especially capacitors and the like on printed circuit boards and it's quite a common occurrence where power cuts are part of the scenery so to speak.

 

It should be fixed by the replacement of a small component, unless the guy tries to convince you that it's best you have a new one because the compressor motor has burnt out or similar?

 

Anyway, good luck and it would be nice to know what the tech guy finds out.

[moontang]

Samsung..new ecb runs about 2000+labor.  The newer ones are much more resistant to surge/spike...Always best to turn off your sensitive appliances when there are nearby storms and outages.  If you have been overloading a 5/15 service, that will ruin a lot of stuff.

[fruitman]

Maybe the power is too low because everyone and his dog is using aircons now.

 

Also we have a Samsung from 6 years old (with the environment friendly gas which is very expensive) and that thing has special ways of going on/off.....when i turn it off it keeps on running for a while...and when i turn it on it won't start for some reason but does after a while...i'm too lazy to study why it does so but there will be reasons for it i bet...it's all computer controlled.

 

To cool down you can go out and play songkran!

[LivinginKata]

12 minutes ago, giddyup said:

The aircon is a Samsung about 8 years old.

 

Could be the motor starter capacitor in the compressor. We have them fail with power brown outs. Depends on the configuration. 8 years is older.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, moontang said:

Samsung..new ecb runs about 2000+labor.  The newer ones are much more resistant to surge/spike...Always best to turn off your sensitive appliances when there are nearby storms and outages.  If you have been overloading a 5/15 service, that will ruin a lot of stuff.

There was no storm, rain etc, power just went off, no warning, so no time to turn anything off.

[moontang]

as some stated....you got a brownout factor/too.  I had a samsung in my other place..switched to carrier.  Never did trust the samsung tv either....a local mom pop repair place had about 20 samsung tv waiting for repair or junked in front of the store...zero sony.

 

The samsung service center is decent...they get lots of practice..might as well let them fix it, because it will need proprietary parts, anyway.

Edited April 13, 2019 by moontang

[xylophone]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

There was no storm, rain etc, power just went off, no warning, so no time to turn anything off.

We have a similar thing here in Patong where the power goes out without warning and at any time of the day or night.

 

Here it's not usually as a result of storms etc, but overloaded transformers and pole fuses, not to mention the occasional insulator exploding, all because of lack of maintenance and/or overloading..........in fact a transformer and its associated pole fuses have exploded at least 10 times since I've been here and the almighty great bang is enough to scare the beejeesus out of you.

 

As someone else has mentioned, there are occasions when there will be a brownout (power failure) and where some household components keep running, whilst others don't work/the lights won't come on, and at that particular time it's best to switch the power off at your mains to save those household components from burning out, because they could well be running on a reduced voltage.