Self cleaning air conditioning units

[poppysdad]

Perhaps a stupid question but our air con units have a self cleaning option, the manual tells me how to set it which basically means pressing that particular button, but what it doesn’t tell me is what it actually does. I very much doubt it cleans the filters but maybe it does so can anyone tell me what the self cleaning option actually does clean and is it particularly effective. 

[MJCM]

Is your Aircon a Samsung? Then this might help

 

https://www.samsung.com/latin_en/support/home-appliances/how-can-i-use-the-auto-clean-function-of-my-air-conditioner/

[retarius]

I think the answer is: not much, judging by my direct experience. Luckily my wife is a dab hand at cleaning a/c units. 

[GammaGlobulin]

On the Samsung; the AC indoor unit seems to have a function for drying the inside of case, and internal parts, which can become corroded when moisture invades certain components, or the casing, it seems.

 

The only thing that I would question is:

 

If you are running your AC 24/7/365, as do I, then would there be any down-time when this cleaning function might be able to work?

 

My guess is NO.

 

When the AC is running 24/7 there is always air being blown through the indoor evaporator unit, and this should be sufficient to keep it dry enough to prevent much condensation.

 

Just my guess.

 

In the past, I have had MUCHO Problems with Samsung ACs.  Yes, I know that people in some Asian countries like them, maybe because they are cheap.

 

But, I would rather pay more for HIGH Efficiency, and quickly make that money back on lower electric bills, than save money by buying a cheap Samsung.

 

What I really need is a very light-weight and sexy Thai woman to stand on my tables to clean the filters on my ACs.

 

If I tried this myself, the tables might come crashing down.

 

The computer tables I built can stand up to about 100 Kg of downward force.  But, after breaking my toilet seat, I just do not want to have something else break in my house.

 

(That self-cleaning Samsung function will NOT clean the filters.  You should investigate hiring a light-weight Thai woman, is my advice.)

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

7 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

On the Samsung; the AC indoor unit seems to have a function for drying the inside of case, and internal parts, which can become corroded when moisture invades certain components, or the casing, it seems.

 

The only thing that I would question is:

 

If you are running your AC 24/7/365, as do I, then would there be any down-time when this cleaning function might be able to work?

 

My guess is NO.

 

When the AC is running 24/7 there is always air being blown through the indoor evaporator unit, and this should be sufficient to keep it dry enough to prevent much condensation.

 

Just my guess.

I think that you may not understand the function of the self clean function of the majority (not just Samsung) AC units.

 

The majority of AC units do not run 24/7 nor 365  if your units do you have no use, or need, for the self clean function. However you postulate that with the fan running 24/7/365 there will be little condensation, this would be true only if the humidity in the house was always very low but that is never true in Thailand, so you have conditions that will permit slime mould growth so regular cleaning of the water drain system is a very good, if not essential, idea.

 

However the majority of AC users switch them off for periods of time, usually several hours long, when switched off the internals of the unit has both condensate water and is cold enough that more condensation occurs within the indoor unit. The way to avoid mould and corrosion is to run the fan for long enough, in some cases up to 30 minutes possibly more, this will dry the both the condensation water remaining and the internals of the unit so reducing or eliminating the slime mould build up and water remaining on the inside of the unit.

 

the self clean option does nothing for the filter units of the AC these need regular cleaning, the more dust or hair (we have 3 cats) in the house, the longer the run time, the more frequently the need cleaning, anywhere from monthly to quarterly will  usually be required.

[scubascuba3]

Good question I've wondered the same thing, sadly no one has answered so far

[msbkk]

 

[marin]

9 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

What I really need is a very light-weight and sexy Thai woman to stand on my tables to clean the filters on my ACs.

 

You take the filters out to clean them. At least on any that I have owned over the last 35 years.

[GammaGlobulin]

7 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I think that you may not understand the function of the self clean function of the majority (not just Samsung) AC units.

 

The majority of AC units do not run 24/7 nor 365  if your units do you have no use, or need, for the self clean function. However you postulate that with the fan running 24/7/365 there will be little condensation, this would be true only if the humidity in the house was always very low but that is never true in Thailand, so you have conditions that will permit slime mould growth so regular cleaning of the water drain system is a very good, if not essential, idea.

 

However the majority of AC users switch them off for periods of time, usually several hours long, when switched off the internals of the unit has both condensate water and is cold enough that more condensation occurs within the indoor unit. The way to avoid mould and corrosion is to run the fan for long enough, in some cases up to 30 minutes possibly more, this will dry the both the condensation water remaining and the internals of the unit so reducing or eliminating the slime mould build up and water remaining on the inside of the unit.

 

the self clean option does nothing for the filter units of the AC these need regular cleaning, the more dust or hair (we have 3 cats) in the house, the longer the run time, the more frequently the need cleaning, anywhere from monthly to quarterly will  usually be required.

 

I understand your reasoning.

If I were living in New Hampshire, then I would have use of keeping my AC dry, and drying it quickly after shutdown.

But, I am living in Thailand.

So...OBVIOUSLY...My ACs run 24/7/365.

 

I have not yet noticed mold buildup.

I have my ACs serviced and cleaned every 4 months....

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

5 hours ago, marin said:

You take the filters out to clean them. At least on any that I have owned over the last 35 years.

 

In order to remove the evaporator filters, you need a Thai woman to stand on the tables, if the woman is under 50 Kg.

 

I am TOO HEAVY...hence the broken toilet seats.

 

 

[quake]

Just pay someone to do a proper clean once a year.

strip down wash with small pressure washer.

self cleaner air con. is BS.

Good luck with all the sales gimmicks

 

Ps obviously clean the small filters/screens yourself once a month.

 

 

 

 

[sirineou]

Ohh, now i get it. 

I thought I had to press that button whenever I cleaned myself. 

which luckily was not very often. But I always thought  it to be strange. 

Good to know. 

[sometimewoodworker]

19 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

But, I am living in Thailand.

So...OBVIOUSLY...My ACs run 24/7/365.

Well! I also live in Thailand, and have lived in various areas, and have never needed to run the ACs 24/7/365, even at the moment when the temperature got to over 40C so it is far from OBVIOUS to me. However I do have rooms with doors that can be closed so don’t have a desire to condition the full 200sqm + at the same time.

 

 

[The Theory]

I clean filters every 3 months, but this is not for everyone (some have lots of indoor dust). I wash the evaporator by spraying bleach (mixed with 30 % water). Bleach will clean the internal tray and drain pipe as well. Then I spray water and rinse it. 
I clean outdoor unit twice a year by high pressure water inside out. 

[Luuk Chaai]

I just had one of my units serviced today .  a full breakdown and cleaning ..  very neat and professional job ..   "500Baht" !

They service Samsung and Hitachi.... ( Hua Hin based company )

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

I just had one of my units serviced today .  a full breakdown and cleaning ..  very neat and professional job ..   "500Baht" !

They service Samsung and Hitachi.... ( Hua Hin based company )

500 baht is standard in Pattaya and it's very thorough, you just need to tell them when booking no gas, otherwise they may try to charge for an unnecessary refill and no fix

[spidermike007]

If used often, all AC units need to be taken apart and throughly cleaned by a pro, at least once every 6 months. In addition, the filters need to be cleaned at least once every two weeks. 

[kwak250]

On 4/12/2024 at 4:35 PM, retarius said:

I think the answer is: not much, judging by my direct experience. Luckily my wife is a dab hand at cleaning a/c units. 

Will she take the whole unit apart and clean or just spray the filters with water every month?