not cold aircon

[Chazar]

OK so I  noticed in the last 2 weeks the bare  short  section of  pipe  going to my external air con outside  is frosting over,  the air inside the room is  now  no  longer  cold...........Ive always maintained these myself they are clean, I take out the barrel  fan and jet wash the interior and exterior  parts regularly. It IS  spotless.

Im guessing its  low  on gas as  I saw this is one of the main reasons the pipe  will ice  up where the short  section outdoors  is  exposed.

Anyway I  will call the aircon guy to check the gas in the unit etc

My question is this, the unit is  about 6 years  old, never had any gas in it , does it slowly leak out over  time or is it a  case of if its  getting or  gone low now so  that there MUST be  a leak somewhere as they should run for years with never a refill etc or is slow  leakage inevitable?

On saying that had the aircon for the first time ever topped up in y Toyota  Vigo after 9 years as it  too went warm so to speak.

[tifino]

have you run any soap-bubbles test around it yet?

 

if you reckon the gas has escaped, I assume you haven't dared turn it back on, until the repairman arrives...

 - no 'coolant' = no pump lubrication...

[ezzra]

The long and the short of it is that your AC need a deep cleaning by an AC guys, only than it will work properly again...

[Moonlover]

12 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The long and the short of it is that your AC need a deep cleaning by an AC guys, only than it will work properly again...

I have a lot of engineering experience gained during my working life, so I figured that A/C units should be a piece of cake. But I was wrong. After my hamfisted attempts to maintain it, I concluded that getting a professional in to do the the job properly is well worth the small amount that it costs (around 500 Baht)

 

The only thing I do now is clean the filters and give the outside unit an occasional hosing to clear any debris from the heat exchanger.

Edited December 1, 2019 by Moonlover

[Chazar]

10 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The long and the short of it is that your AC need a deep cleaning by an AC guys, only than it will work properly again...

incorrect Ive done that repeatedly  over the years, it  involves removing all casings inside and out, the drain pipe connection  inside , the  blower   barrel  fan inside ,the exterior casings, masking up electrical parts, getting the pressure washer out and turning down the setting to low, attaching the special aircon cleaning bag which catches the water inside down to a  drain to outside. I blast down the drain pipe to get out any slime and every part is  blasted  clean for re assembly

Dirty it  aint

[Chazar]

Just now, Moonlover said:

I have a lot of engineering experience gained during my working life, so I figured that A/C units should be a piece of cake. But I was wrong. After my hamfisted attempts maintain it, I concluded that getting a professional in to do the the job properly is well worth the small amount that it costs (around 500 Baht)

 

The only thing I do now is clean the filters and give the outside unit an occasional hosing to clear any debris from the heat exchanger.

Its  really  not that hard at all but you do have to work slowly and carefully, hardest part  getting the barrell fan back on the spindle with the flat edge over the grub screw, also reconnecting the drain pipe is  tricky. The  cleaning actually  takes inside about 45 seconds  max with  my pressure washer set on low, outside I use almost  full power but  not damaging the  fins etc.

What I lack is  the stuff to check gas  levels

[Chazar]

42 minutes ago, tifino said:

have you run any soap-bubbles test around it yet?

 

if you reckon the gas has escaped, I assume you haven't dared turn it back on, until the repairman arrives...

 - no 'coolant' = no pump lubrication...

No soap  bubbles test  yet, as soon as I saw slight frosting its  been off, its not a  case of thick thick ice like some ive  seen.

[Moonlover]

Just now, Chazar said:

Its  really  not that hard at all but you do have to work slowly and carefully, hardest part  getting the barrell fan back on the spindle with the flat edge over the grub screw, also reconnecting the drain pipe is  tricky. The  cleaning actually  takes inside about 45 seconds  max with  my pressure washer set on low, outside I use almost  full power but  not damaging the  fins etc.

What I lack is  the stuff to check gas  levels

It's even easier to pay 500 Baht!

[Chazar]

43 minutes ago, tifino said:

have you run any soap-bubbles test around it yet?

 

if you reckon the gas has escaped, I assume you haven't dared turn it back on, until the repairman arrives...

 - no 'coolant' = no pump lubrication...

its R22 as  well but I aint changing it can still get it  ok round here

[Chazar]

Just now, Moonlover said:

It's even easier to pay 500 Baht!

If you like redecorating your  house where their filthy hands go all over the walls, or if you like repainting the ceilings doors where they whack their ladders into them then .........go ahead...i dont

[Beggar]

4 minutes ago, Chazar said:

incorrect Ive done that repeatedly  over the years, it  involves removing all casings inside and out, the drain pipe connection  inside , the  blower   barrel  fan inside ,the exterior casings, masking up electrical parts, getting the pressure washer out and turning down the setting to low, attaching the special aircon cleaning bag which catches the water inside down to a  drain to outside. I blast down the drain pipe to get out any slime and every part is  blasted  clean for re assembly

Dirty it  aint

How much do you charge for this? Seems to be a great job. 

 

You don't write the brand name of your aircon. At some you can retrieve an error code. But by guessing I would say too perhaps not enough gas. 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Beggar

[Chazar]

45 minutes ago, tifino said:

have you run any soap-bubbles test around it yet?

 

if you reckon the gas has escaped, I assume you haven't dared turn it back on, until the repairman arrives...

 - no 'coolant' = no pump lubrication...

what I really want to know though is "over  time"do they slowly lose  gas anyway?

[Moonlover]

1 minute ago, Chazar said:

If you like redecorating your  house where their filthy hands go all over the walls, or if you like repainting the ceilings doors where they whack their ladders into them then .........go ahead...i dont

No mess in my house at all. And my A/C works, yours apparently doesn't. Your choice.

[Chazar]

1 minute ago, Beggar said:

How much do you charge for this? Seems to be a great job. 

 

You don't write the brand name of your aircon. At some you can retrieve an error code. But by guessing I would say too perhaps not enough gas. 

 

I get the satisfaction of 

1 knowing its  been done correctly and carefully without any damage  shortcuts etc

2 Not  having to worry about their filthy hands  lack of drop sheets and other associated  damage

3 500 baht  doesnt  bother me its the sheer  freakin mess they always  leave.

They have no idea how to take  care of someone elses property.............smoking fags  throwing on the ground nosing in your stuff etc etc, I keep em all away unless 100% necessary.

[Chazar]

Just now, Moonlover said:

No mess in my house at all. And my A/C works, yours apparently doesn't. Your choice.

I have a  second house with aircon on the same plot for the very reason if one doesnt work the other does..........so mine  does  work

[Chazar]

ok  so on reading some  more it  must have  a leak somewhere as in normal use there should be no refrigerant  loss  ever.

[Moonlover]

2 minutes ago, Chazar said:

I get the satisfaction of 

1 knowing its  been done correctly and carefully without any damage  shortcuts etc

2 Not  having to worry about their filthy hands  lack of drop sheets and other associated  damage

3 500 baht  doesnt  bother me its the sheer  freakin mess they always  leave.

They have no idea how to take  care of someone elses property.............smoking fags  throwing on the ground nosing in your stuff etc etc, I keep em all away unless 100% necessary.

Where do you live? I can give you a reference to an excellent engineer who does not of above. Besides, if you've always done it yourself, how do you know that they behave in this manner?

 

I sense this is turning into yet another anti Thai rant from which I shall now withdraw.

 

Good luck in getting your A/C sorted.

[lopburi3]

16 minutes ago, Chazar said:

what I really want to know though is "over  time"do they slowly lose  gas anyway?

No.  They lose gas when there is leakage.  We can blame it on bad construction which has allowed a fault to develop over time - or the more likely damage during servicing.  

[Beggar]

14 minutes ago, Chazar said:

I get the satisfaction of 

1 knowing its  been done correctly and carefully without any damage  shortcuts etc

2 Not  having to worry about their filthy hands  lack of drop sheets and other associated  damage

3 500 baht  doesnt  bother me its the sheer  freakin mess they always  leave.

They have no idea how to take  care of someone elses property.............smoking fags  throwing on the ground nosing in your stuff etc etc, I keep em all away unless 100% necessary.

It is good if you can do it yourself. I had four different companies for my aircon cleaning. I will not call one of them anymore. 

[Chazar]

7 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

if you've always done it yourself, how do you know that they behave in this manner?

owning 7  condos has  shown me over 10  years how virtually ALL of them operate in Bangkok, Ive had ONE  guy  come here in   Prachuap who was careful and he said he too has a problem with his  staff touching  walls and has to constantly tell them...............so pleased  was I with this  guy for installing an aircon for me ( Id  already hung the compressor and interior  unit and drilled the holes thru the wall to save any mess from an installer) That I paid him DOUBLE, he was overjoyed....................BUT then later I asked him to come back and clean one of  my others here and he just would not come.................go figure because if someone paid me double in the Uk Id  be back like a  shot. He  wa s only here  1  hour the  time he came as Id  done the bulk of the work. His  job just bend and connect the pipes.

[Chazar]

Just now, lopburi3 said:

No.  They lose gas when there is leakage.  We can blame it on bad construction which has allowed a fault to develop over time - or the more likely damage during servicing.  

Ive found out the most possible  cause is LEAKING SCHRADER  valves over  time, no one has touched these units except me and the original, installer when he put them in  years  ago

[johng]

14 minutes ago, Chazar said:

what I really want to know though is "over  time"do they slowly lose  gas anyway?

If you lost gas then you have a leak..over time they can develop leaks in the soldered joints from vibration..sometimes the Schrader valves can leak,  a lot of repair crews  won't ( or can't) want to  go to the trouble of finding and  repairing the leak

( sometimes very difficult )  so will just re-fill the gas..+ they know it will be more easy work for them  to come back and re-fill again in a couple of months.

[Chazar]

2 minutes ago, Beggar said:

It is good if you can do it yourself. I had four different companies for my aircon cleaning. I will not call one of them anymore. 

Exactly my experience even on a brand  new  install the bodgery was unbelievable.....Tescos own installers.....NO EARTH  cable, wrong  colour  cables, gave them the correct wire colours and the EARTH.

As for the THAI RANT  comment from MOONLOVER........try  10 years  of nonsense like this, the truth  hurts many are simply awful.

[Isaanbiker]

OP, please ask people in the hood who's doing a good job.

 

   We pay around 800 baht per unit, but they do take all out and clean it properly and refill them. 

[frequentatore]

I also clean air conditioners myself/water spray.

Ice = Refrigerant leak.

Very difficult to find someone with a leak detector. I had to replace the evaporator (part that looks like a radiator). 10,000 THB for evaporator+refrigerant and, 3 years later, it's leaking again (Air-cond. was 29,000 new). 

800 THB for refrigerant this time; it has been 2 months and it's OK... I'll never pay for an expensive part again, I'll buy a new air conditioner.

R-22 replaced two months ago by R-410A (a cheaper refrigerant).

 

[Beggar]

7 minutes ago, frequentatore said:

 

R-22 replaced two months ago by R-410A (a cheaper refrigerant).

 

This is interesting. I had the information that this change to R-410A will kill your aircon pretty soon. 

[Chazar]

6 minutes ago, Beggar said:

This is interesting. I had the information that this change to R-410A will kill your aircon pretty soon. 

Yep i read the same, R22   is  still available  ok, this units  about 6  years  old Samsung, first time its  been a problem, Condensor  mounted on the  wall  high  up  not  in the sun.

[Chazar]

32 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

OP, please ask people in the hood who's doing a good job.

 

   We pay around 800 baht per unit, but they do take all out and clean it properly and refill them. 

We've  been through all this and the problem is many Thais do  not  care if their  walls  end up with handprints  for them its "nothing" they dont even notice.

Im trying to check the first guy who I used who actually  was  careful....first one  in 10  years, Wife said today she think she called the wrong  guy last time by mistake the no  show so maybe the first guy is ok after  all........

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Chazar said:

what I really want to know though is "over  time"do they slowly lose  gas anyway?

No, not normally.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Chazar said:

Exactly my experience even on a brand  new  install the bodgery was unbelievable.....Tescos own installers.....NO EARTH  cable, wrong  colour  cables, gave them the correct wire colours and the EARTH.

As for the THAI RANT  comment from MOONLOVER........try  10 years  of nonsense like this, the truth  hurts many are simply awful.

Recently the guys installing in my home for the last few aircons were quite different from the cowboys who installed the cheaper brands. Now I have only Mitsubishi and or Daikin and they did a great job. Before with my cheaper (not sure what the brand was samsung or something like that) they were cowboys who installed it.

 

But I am not as technical as you i did not check the colour of the cables. But did check how they put them up did they do it neatly did they use a covering pipe and so on. I havent had guys refilling for ages. The guy who comes to clean says it only happens if an aircon is not installed properly or springs a leak. Not something normal anyway. Before I always had them topping up (again the old brand not the Mitsubishi, Daikin not sure just installed a month ago.