Air-con loses effectiveness after time

[Virtualrecluse]

The air-conditioner in my condo pumps out cold air for a few hours after which it seems to lose its ability to chill the air and just pumps out room temperature air. I have no knowledge of the workings of air-cons. Granted it is old but I had it serviced last year and I know they refilled the refrigeration gas it contains. What reasons can forum members posit for its failure to work properly after a short time?

Thank you

[Costas2008]

When the air condition reaches the temperature, you have set up before, it will stop giving out cold air, till the temperature of the room rises again.

Try to set your control on a lower temperature, that should do the trick.

[eyecatcher]

Yep that sounds like a plan.

Then you can correlate the effectiveness of the air con to the speed your electric meter whizzes round.

You may decide its perfect as it is.

[Mrjlh]

You know for around 400-500B each, you can have it cleaned and serviced. Check into that. I had three done and they only charged me 1100B total. That was in Korat.

[HullyGully]

There are a few companies who service AC's, with a cost of upto 500Baht, Siam TV to name only

Your issues could be servicing, maybe need a top up of gas etc

[ignis]

Sounds like it need re-gassing, so a service they will check that and add what is needed.

[David48]

Yep ... I'm with the service and re-gassing crowd ...

Alternatively, the room temperature has been cooled to the thermostat setting,

so if you have set the thermostat to 26^oC ... the fan will continue to run and anly

begin to cool the room again once the temperature rises above 26^oC

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Also, sometimes they ice over and stop working. That's consistent with working for a while and then dropping in effectiveness.

Either way it needs servicing. Do it now before the hot season kicks off and everyone wants to get service at the same time.

[mikey88]

Are you aware of 'Wiki'...

[mikey88]

"Servicing" air cons smells like a scam to me. There really are no parts that need 'servicing'....whatever that means..

Replacing or repairing ...maybe....but there is no ability to 'service' a closed system a/c unit.

The compressor fins can be hosed out and dust eliminated that way....gassing should only be an issue if there is a leak...and there shouldn't be a leak.

The compressor is not mean to work constantly...it is meant to turn off and on...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ It gets pretty grubby inside.. all parts that touch the air the flows through it will get very dusty and dirty, even when using filters. So service is mostly cleaning the thing out completely, and checking if the filters need changing and the gas topping up.

[Ulysses G.]

"Servicing" air cons smells like a scam to me.

Every time one of mine has stopped working effectively, I have had someone service it and it got much colder for many months. Of course it also helps to keep the filters clean.

[JesseFrank]

If they re-gassed it last time mean you have a leak, and will have lost refrigerant again. An aircon, regardless how old, should never need top up unless there is a leak

[JesseFrank]

"Servicing" air cons smells like a scam to me. There really are no parts that need 'servicing'....whatever that means..

Replacing or repairing ...maybe....but there is no ability to 'service' a closed system a/c unit.

The compressor fins can be hosed out and dust eliminated that way....gassing should only be an issue if there is a leak...and there shouldn't be a leak.

The compressor is not mean to work constantly...it is meant to turn off and on...

You ever seen the fan from such an indoor unit, when taken apart, after using for a year or more ?

[Torrens54]

^ It gets pretty grubby inside.. all parts that touch the air the flows through it will get very dusty and dirty, even when using filters. So service is mostly cleaning the thing out completely, and checking if the filters need changing and the gas topping up.

Yep, I prefer to have someone come around and clean them out at the start of the season. Happy to pay the fee as I have no intention of climbing a ladder to do it myself.

[HullyGully]

I would agree the dust and crap you get both in the compressor unit and the AC needs to be cleaner / washed out

Then as someone said the AC will work more better

[arunsakda]

If they re-gassed it last time mean you have a leak, and will have lost refrigerant again. An aircon, regardless how old, should never need top up unless there is a leak

Experience is with this if it leaks will have to be serviced again very soon. Nobody seems to be good at actually repairing these things unless a newer model.

You probably need a new AC unit.

[bobo42]

"Servicing" air cons smells like a scam to me. There really are no parts that need 'servicing'....whatever that means..

Replacing or repairing ...maybe....but there is no ability to 'service' a closed system a/c unit.

The compressor fins can be hosed out and dust eliminated that way....gassing should only be an issue if there is a leak...and there shouldn't be a leak.

The compressor is not mean to work constantly...it is meant to turn off and on...

The service is just a cleaning. I use my AC all the time and have them come out about twice a year. For the inside condenser/fan parts they take all the plastic casings off and enclose the condenser fins in plastic bags, then use a pressure washer to clean out the fins, collecting the wastewater in a large bucket. They use the same pressure washer to blow out the outside compressor units as well. Then they put everything back together and cleanup. There is a definite improvement in cooling and airflow when they finish. Well worth it for 400b/unit, in my opinion.

[paulchiangmai]

Topping up an A/C without first finding the leak is a waste of time and money, if it needed topping up then it is leaking and the leak must be found and repaired before topping up. A/C gas is not like petrol, you don't use it up. Has anyone ever seen a gas leak detector here in Thailand? I thought not.

[rhinoboy]

Air Con units have to be clean, filters, and all the cooling fins which get very dirty, espceilly in a polluted city. When the cooling fins get dirty, they collect moisture in the dirt and that will freeze. The easiset way to keep an air con going cheap and good is to first clean the filter every week. Pretty easy to do. More difficult to clean the fins and the fans, but it needs to be done regulalry. Many tech guys here (loosely used term) dont really clean one of these units correctly at all. Easier to casualy do your self. Take a paint brush and water to it, rinse offthe crap. Thats what I do.

[rhinoboy]

Also just had to replace my Capacitor for 330 baht which I did my self, and that started the unit running quickly and properly as it is suppsed to. The Capicator is like a battery and stores electric and when the fan and compressor need to start it is there for it. If the Capicitaor is bad the regular elec lines wont supply the "surge" necessary to kick on all that stuff. So the AC goes cold for a while then hot for a while.

[NancyL]

We have ours serviced twice a year. The guys bring in a power washer, wrap the units in plastic and blast the living daylights out of them, directing the waste water out of the condo. There's no way that compares to what we could do with a paint brush and damp rag! Oh yeah, we do remove the filters and hose 'em off in the shower every week or two, but there's a definite improvement after the power wash treatment. They check the gas, too, but I think they said only one unit needed regassing once. One time one of the little motors that works the "swing" function of the fins had broken and that was replaced, too, for a very reasonable fee.

Definitely worth having the aircon units serviced twiced a year.

Good thread -- reminded me it's time for aircon service again, before it gets too hot and everyone else is calling for service.

[sfokevin]

Nancy L... Who do you have do the service and what is the cost?

To the OP... If it cools fine for the first two hours I would guess it is not a refergerant problem... When it is just blowing hot air go outside and see if the outside motor (compressor) unit is running - If it is running and you only get hot air inside then there is a problem with the unit - such as it freezing over... Also many of the AC unts seem to have a built in shutoff cycle that kicks in after a few hours - look at you owners manual...

[thhMan]

"Servicing" air cons smells like a scam to me. There really are no parts that need 'servicing'....whatever that means..

Replacing or repairing ...maybe....but there is no ability to 'service' a closed system a/c unit.

The compressor fins can be hosed out and dust eliminated that way....gassing should only be an issue if there is a leak...and there shouldn't be a leak.

The compressor is not mean to work constantly...it is meant to turn off and on...

You have no idea of what you are waffling on about ... Let me guess.. you wear brown socks pulled up to your knees and wear sandals....

Anyone who has had an AC serviced knows its value....

[rhinoboy]

Nanacy,

Are you in Chiang Mai? If so can you pass on the people that do such an excellent cleaning job? Its very hard to my self, but have had no luck with the guy who comes here and was sent from the front office..

[NancyL]

Yup, I'm in Chiang Mai. The lady in our condo office arranges for the aircon service. She gave me the guy's name and phone number. I don't think I should post it here on TV because it's not a business name. Just send me a PM. You might want to wait until next week. They're suppose to come on Monday to service our units. Maybe we should wait to see if it's the same guys doing the same quality job before I pass out the name and phone number!

[rhinoboy]

Great, A totally responsible answer, amazing..

[rhinoboy]

How do I send a PM? I'm new at this, i look all over this site but don't see how to do it.

[onthedarkside]

How do I send a PM? I'm new at this, i look all over this site but don't see how to do it.

Mouse over (or point) over a members name. a box should pop up, select the send message option.

[rhinoboy]

thanks