A/C Forming Ice. How Could I Repair It?

[lopburi3]

Normal cleaning price is about 500 baht each so do not believe you were ripped off very much - you always pay more than actual gas price for refills so even if that was a high price would not be upset about it. But they should have had plastic sheets protecting wall from spray so if more than a little dirt that was an issue (hard to keep 100% but they should clean any over-spray). Did they really do this job in less than an hour (10 times a day)? My contractor takes about an hour each (just cleaning) and often two people.

[Naam]

So, i've been ripped off on the refrigerant. How many pounds do a/c units usually take?

Well, $45 for Thailand, I think it's quite a lot. If they have like 10 clients per day, they make good money. Who wants to become an a/c expert?

you were not ripped off because refrigerant is quite expensive. your statement "20 pounds each 20 Baht" is rubbish ...i mean totally wrong for an average topping up (500g) contractors charge between 300 and 600 Baht and there is no way to check how much was actually used.

total refrigerant content varies a lot and depends on model and length of pipes. check your outdoor unit; there should be a label stating refrigerant contents for indoor and outdoor unit but that does not include the pipes.

Lopburi3 is right. a proper cleaning job takes up to one hour per unit. usually a team of two is working on the indoor unit and one man is cleaning the outdoor unit.

interesting fact: the refrigerant still used in Thailand is "outlawed" in Europe and the U.S., smuggled refrigerant of that type commands a premium up to one thousand percent. it's an excellent business to smuggle refrigerant from Mexico to the U.S. or from eastern to central Europe.

[Will2011]

Normal cleaning price is about 500 baht each so do not believe you were ripped off very much - you always pay more than actual gas price for refills so even if that was a high price would not be upset about it. But they should have had plastic sheets protecting wall from spray so if more than a little dirt that was an issue (hard to keep 100% but they should clean any over-spray). Did they really do this job in less than an hour (10 times a day)? My contractor takes about an hour each (just cleaning) and often two people.

They took 45mn for two a/c units.

So, i've been ripped off on the refrigerant. How many pounds do a/c units usually take?

Well, $45 for Thailand, I think it's quite a lot. If they have like 10 clients per day, they make good money. Who wants to become an a/c expert?

you were not ripped off because refrigerant is quite expensive. your statement "20 pounds each 20 Baht" is rubbish ...i mean totally wrong for an average topping up (500g) contractors charge between 300 and 600 Baht and there is no way to check how much was actually used.

total refrigerant content varies a lot and depends on model and length of pipes. check your outdoor unit; there should be a label stating refrigerant contents for indoor and outdoor unit but that does not include the pipes.

Lopburi3 is right. a proper cleaning job takes up to one hour per unit. usually a team of two is working on the indoor unit and one man is cleaning the outdoor unit.

interesting fact: the refrigerant still used in Thailand is "outlawed" in Europe and the U.S., smuggled refrigerant of that type commands a premium up to one thousand percent. it's an excellent business to smuggle refrigerant from Mexico to the U.S. or from eastern to central Europe.

Dear Naam, I am unsure if the terms ("totally wrong") you used belong to a local saying, but I do know I paid 400 b for two units. By the way, I am the first resident of my 1y old condo. Not sure if refrigerant is topped up a lot but it's the first time i experienced it.

[Naam]

Dear Naam, I am unsure if the terms ("totally wrong") you used belong to a local saying, but I do know I paid 400 b for two units. By the way, I am the first resident of my 1y old condo. Not sure if refrigerant is topped up a lot but it's the first time i experienced it.

that is quite fair. most contractors charge flat 400 Baht for topping up refrigerant per unit because even they can only roughly estimate what quantity was used.

summary: you were not ripped off but it's not nice that they dirtied up your place.

[Pib]

how about hire a thai to fix it for a pittance?

Alright. The company I contracted (as I wasn't able to do it myself) just left right now. They diagnosed that the A/c units were dirty. So they cleaned both units with high pressurized water machine and the two things outside. They also added refrigerant.

Total Damage: 1,200 BATHS + FREE DIRT ON THE WHITE WALLS! Cleaning was 800 B for both, and Refrigerant 400 B (20 B /lbs)

I feel like I was ripped off... What do you think?

except for the dirt on the wall it was a fair price even though the price for refrigerant is much higher than you quoted. both your aircons couldn't have taken 20lbs as you claim.

i pay 400 Baht for a thorough cleaning but i always have at least 6-8 units to clean. and of course there's no dirt on the wall or the floor.

In a western country you would have got charged at least 1200 baht/40 USD just for the A/C guy to show-up....then there would have been the additional labor and parts costs. Yea, yea, I know you can't compare Thailand to western countries in many ways, but to get your A/C cleaned and charged/top-off for only 1200 baht/40 USD....life is good.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Pib

[Naam]

In a western country you would have got charged at least 1200 baht/40 USD just for the A/C guy to show-up....then there would have been the additional labor and parts costs.

bingo!