My Ac Sucks! Need Advice

[mads]

Hi

The AC currently installed in our room is too tiny and drips water and probably no less than 10 years old and it has no remote.

So I figured to myself, that it was time for a change. But I'm a complete newbie on the AC area since I'm from Denmark and AC

is almost an unknown thing in Denmark.

So my questions is :

My room is about 60sqm.

How many btu should the AC have ?

Any specific brands there are better than others?

Would be nice if it could have some airfilterting installed, like clean the air inside the room for tobacco smoke etc, but maybe i need a totally different item for this.

I would like something with a nice design similiar to LG ARTCOOL

Any specific features I should be aware of ?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Mads

[Thaising]

My master bedroom is about the same size as you, I’m using 18,000 Btu Mitsubishi slim for the past 6 years and so far no problem. Most important is quarterly servicing by the dealer, this would keep the A/C tip top condition.

[Phil Conners]

I'd suggest a bit more, perhaps a 25K BTU. The price difference is not much and a 18K will have to work overtime to keep it cold.

For the inside part DONT skimp and buy a cheap local model such as KENT they are generally very noisy! Get a good imported brand, I have good experiences with Panasonic and LG but there are probably others.

All aircons have some filter installed, some better than others, again the cheaper usually have a crappy, virtually non-functional plastic filter, and the better ones a good micro filter.

For the external part a lot of people seem to use Mitsubishi compressors with good result.

Have the aircon serviced yearly. It cost between 200-800 baht per unit per time depending on factors such as how dirty it is (how much it is used, smoking in the aircon area) and whether you want anti-bacterial treatment of the filters. The service cost is quickly balanced by a better (and cooler) functioning aircon system.

Edited May 1, 2007 by Phil Conners

[mads]

Thanks for the advice.

Think im going for the 25k btu and hope i can find the lg artcool. I really like the look of that model.

[Silurian]

I would suggest getting a Fujitsu for a larger BTU unit. I have both Fujitsu and LG. The Fujitsu really blasts out the cool air. The LG unit is just adequate. I would never buy another LG again. I also have Diakin and Mitsu. The Mitsu is also good but more expensive than the Fujitsu.

[Tywais]

I would suggest getting a Fujitsu for a larger BTU unit. I have both Fujitsu and LG. The Fujitsu really blasts out the cool air. The LG unit is just adequate. I would never buy another LG again. I also have Diakin and Mitsu. The Mitsu is also good but more expensive than the Fujitsu.

My experience with LG has also been bad. Two new units, compressor failed in a little over a year on one (replaced with a Mitsubishi compressor and running strong now) and both the remote control electronics (internal to the AC not the handheld) failed in that period. The AC technicians at the lab I work at all recommend Mitsu.

[Jai Dee]

I too recommend Mitsu.

Mitsubishi Electric, not Mistubishi Heavy Industry... there is a difference.

[Naam]

My master bedroom is about the same size as you, I’m using 18,000 Btu Mitsubishi slim for the past 6 years and so far no problem. Most important is quarterly servicing by the dealer, this would keep the A/C tip top condition.

except for cleaning the filter no such thing like "servicing" exists.

[monty]

I have about 35 LG's running, not 1 failure yet and they seem to the job pretty quietly.

Was basically sold by the 5 year warranty clause!

[Thaising]

My master bedroom is about the same size as you, I’m using 18,000 Btu Mitsubishi slim for the past 6 years and so far no problem. Most important is quarterly servicing by the dealer, this would keep the A/C tip top condition.

except for cleaning the filter no such thing like "servicing" exists.

Thanks for enlighten me the typo, I mean maintenance.

[pumper]

cooling is a combination of 2 things:

cool gain & cool loss

cooling effect = gain - loss.

I assume you have a self contained room .. & not a central system .. not same same at all

cool gain is limited by your unit & electric budget.

cool loss can be minimized by covering your windows with THICK comforters .. sealing windows, stopping drafts from doors..

a heavy blanket over windows at night can make a HUGE difference .. a CM apartment i was in for 6 weeks had 'heavy blanket curtains quickly hung each night time .. 'heavy window curtains' that made the room very comfortable .. hook screws, twine & 2 heavy blankets.

+ the darkened room made it so easy for tilac to sleep til lunch time daily .. & watch scary movies all night.. duh?

seal non movable windows with a tape that will be easy to clean off when your lease is up

towels under doors

do leave the bath room ventilator on .. they are measured in m3 per hour .. perhaps 50 m3 per hour of 22c air out the exhaust.

if you need ventilation then you will introduce 32c (35c) air into your 22c (19c?)room ..

a/c also dries the air .. cooler air holds less moisture & feels more comfortable.

my home is on the us pacific coast .. not many summer days that the temp hits 18c .. nights always below 10c.

the thai heat kills me

.. TGs that do not like AC, do not apply.

Edited May 2, 2007 by pumper

[lopburi3]

My master bedroom is about the same size as you, I’m using 18,000 Btu Mitsubishi slim for the past 6 years and so far no problem. Most important is quarterly servicing by the dealer, this would keep the A/C tip top condition.

except for cleaning the filter no such thing like "servicing" exists.

Not true. The coils clog up with dirt and dust even with the best filters and should be cleaned at least once a year. On the inside it is taking wall unit apart and using cleaning liquid/water pressure spray. While that is being done cabinet parts such as air vanes are cleaned. Outside you will be amazed at the amount of gunk that comes off the coils during cleaning. But even inside there will be a lot. You do not want recirculating mold and fungus so if you are concerned for medical reasons suspect you would want to do more often. Pressure can also be checked and any leaks found/fixed. If your unit is loud they can line it with insulator sound deadener materials.

[Naam]

The coils clog up with dirt and dust even with the best filters and should be cleaned at least once a year.

i am using aircon since 35 years and never had a problem that evaporator coils were dirty when using good quality filters and cleaning them regularly. to clean condenser coils a hose with good water pressure is enough. no need to dismantle the outside unit as one cleans against the airflow.

quieting down noisy a/c units cannot be considered servicing. the same should apply to leakages of refrigerant. these leakages only occur when shoddily installed. i'd call that repair but not service or maintenance.

can't help it, but when technical topics in connection with waste of money are discussed i am "a great hairsplitter and beancounter in the eyes of the LORD" (says my wife and i agree).

[bob4you]

I clean the filters quaterly, wife wants me to get units serviced, are you saying they will not do any more than I do?

[lopburi3]

I have also been using air conditioning units for over 40 years and I believe you would be very surprised if you have your unit cleaned at the amount of dirt that is removed. But you probably do clean your filters more than the average user. I do not say that you can not do yourself but most should not be out above a 13th story balcony with a water hose (I hope). I pay about 500 baht and let someone do but I have done myself when using water chiller units and wall types during a previous working life. The difference between dirty and clean fins is very apparent and will probably pay for the cost. I call it servicing regardless of who does the work.

[lingling]

My Ac Sucks! Need Advice

My AC both sucks and blows.

[dada]

Mine sucks and blows the breaker. The owner keeps sending a repairman instead of replacing it.

[Naam]

My Ac Sucks! Need Advice

My AC both sucks and blows.

then why do you complain?

[Naam]

I clean the filters quaterly, wife wants me to get units serviced, are you saying they will not do any more than I do?

during the construction of my home i stayed in a rented flat were the landlord paid for "servicing" the units once a year. i watched the service men piddling around doing ridiculous jobs such as removing the sealed electronic modules and wiping them with a damp and dirty rag. that drove me crazy and i insisted to spray the open contacts with my own contact spray before they were allowed to snap the modules back. the filters were cleaned with a vacuum cleaner instead of rinsing them with a lot of water and dishwashing liquid. when i told them accordingly they considered that impossible because of the attached charcoal bags. so i showed them how to detach the charcoal (which was anyway used up), rinse the filters and reattach the charcoal. one of the chaps approached a unit with an oil can. when i asked him where he is going to put the oil he said "fan motor". that's when i told them to call it a day.

[lopburi3]

Actually I oiled the bearings in my York brand air handler fan motor for 25 years and it didn't fail until new user did not do so. I suspect there are a lot of non sealed bearing still in use - especially among the off brand models. And from the 2 year failure of sealed units on my last LG (never again) unit I suspect the oil bearings are probably more reliable if serviced than a lot of the junk they sell today.