Hot days and cold days boils down to one thing:  conditioning . Not only do we remember it in the summer to have the workplace, buildings or home air conditioned, but also during the winter.

And it is that air conditioning is so important in our day that without it we can’t even concentrate.

 Do you know what are the most important malfunctions of the air conditioner?  How do you reverse it? Can you fix it yourself or better call an expert?

In this post you can read

How do we check our air conditioner?

If we think that our air conditioning may have some kind of defect, before we do a comprehensive audit, we must take a series of  safety measures :

• Cut off the power and unplug the device  to avoid any damage.
• Do not wet  either the indoor unit or the outdoor unit when cleaning. A damp cloth is enough.
• To be more specific, on  clean engines  it is recommended to use a soft dry cloth or a cloth slightly dampened with water.

If we consider that the problem may be that it is  not cooling , we check the windows and doors, that the equipment is in operation and that the filters are in perfect sanitary conditions.

If this solution does not work,  we continue to analyze.

The main problems of the air conditioner

An air conditioner without proper maintenance can cause long-term problems that we can’t always solve without the help of a professional.

To be able, at least, to determine what the problem may be, we will list  the most common defects :

• Equipment without gas  due to leakage or lack of charge.
• Water flow noise  during operation.
• The compressor does not heat up.  In this case, what the owner of the air conditioner notices is that the device has stopped cooling.
• The unit is not working.
• The compressor does not start.  This is noticed because the compressor does not make any sound, or the electric current does not reach the compressor or it is not sufficient.
• Improper electrical connections.  This is usually due to common problems such as the cable not fitting properly into the plug or poor condition of the tube.
• Compressor failure.
• The device does not cool down.  Like we said, it’s a very common mistake.
• Faulty compressor.
• incorrect connection.
• Unspecified heat shield.
• Water drips from the front panel.
• Defective thermostat or temperature sensor.
• Circuit size problems (amps)
• Flash gas in the liquid line.
• Improper piping design.  This may be due to the high vertical height.
• The device turns on and off frequently.
• contamination in the system . Moisture in the system can be due to various conditions.
• Power component failure or load loss.
• Low condensing pressure.  For air-cooled condensing units, this occurs when the pressure control system is faulty or poorly adjusted.
• The unit is not working. It could be because it wasn’t fully connected, the circuit breaker tripped or, as a major fault, the fuse was blown.
• Excess coolant or oil.
• Excessive oil buildup in the evaporator.

All of these problems can arise when we have an AC, especially if we don’t take care of it properly.

Solutions to the main problems of air conditioners

Once we know what the main problems are, and that we know most of them need an  expert to fix , let’s see what the solutions could be for each of them:

1. Equipment runs out of gas due to leakage or failure to recharge.

When the air conditioner is  without gas  for possible leakage, we must first check whether there really is such a leak. Once the location is located, we begin to recharge the gas.

If the problem is not a leak but a lack of recharge, the process is reduced to a simple gas recharge.

2. Noise of water flow during operation.

It appears  usually caused by the compressor or evaporator. However, this does not really mean that the device is defective, it is simply that we made a bad choice in purchasing a non-silent model.

3. The compressor does not heat up.

Noticing that the air is not cold makes us think directly about the compressor problem. The solution comes from  locating the potential leak  and welding the hole that is causing the gas leak. Then we must recharge it so that there is no problem later.

4. The unit is not working.

When  the unit does not work  , it is usually due to neglect. The checks we need to do are:

• Check current status
• Check connection
• Check that the protection circuit is working
• Check device voltage.

In addition, to make sure that everything is correct, the installer must subsequently check the operation of the equipment.

5. The compressor does not start.

When the compressor does not start to work, there are a variety of reasons and solutions. Among them we can find:

• We check that the device is connected to the mains and the appropriate voltage. The error may come from here.
• We look at the condition of the cable. If the cable is bad, this could be the problem.
• Check the thermostat.
• Check the defrost timer.
• The engine must be running for it to be useful to check.
• Check the condition and specifications of the compressor relay, start capacitor and run capacitor.

6. Incorrect electrical connections.

We contact a technician and in this way he must disconnect the cables and perform the installation correctly. In this way, we can ensure that they are installed correctly.

7. Compressor failure.

When there is a compressor malfunction, there may be various reasons and to solve them we can do the following:

• Check the high and low nanometer pressure of the system.
• Another option could be that the compressor is not the right choice for the device. In such a case, the technician should monitor the characteristics of the device and search for the appropriate one.

8. The device does not cool down.

When the equipment does not cool down, it usually happens in most cases  due to the lack of cleanliness in the filters.

To clean the filters, they should be slowly removed from the device and washed with plenty of soapy water. Later we leave them in a cool place to deform or bend.

If there is a large amount of dust, this process will have  to be repeated  as many times as necessary to keep them clean.

After removing the filters, do not touch the fin of the indoor unit to avoid physical damage.

And of course,  the unit should never be cleaned with abrasive products!

9. Compressor defect.

If the compressor is faulty, the solution is to check the coil resistance with the manufacturer’s specifications and ground insulation.

If the problem is very serious, you may have to consider changing it.

10. Low tension or incorrect tension.

When we have doubts about the voltage of our equipment, the best solution is to incorporate a voltage regulator.

11. Inappropriate communication.

We should check the connections according to the  electrical drawing . If we notice the error, we can notify a technician to solve it.

12. Thermal protector other than as specified.

We need to check if the value is correct and if it is not set then replace it.

13. Water is dripping from the front panel.

When you see that there is a drip of water from the front panel, you should proceed to correct the position of the unit so that it leans slightly downward on the outside. This way we make the water flow out of the house.

14. Faulty temperature sensor or thermostat.

When we notice a thermostat malfunction, there may be different solutions:

• Check the temperature sensor to make sure it is working.
• Make sure there are no obstructions from the curtains. Any nearby component can cause it to become clogged and this causes failure.
• Check for leaks. Leakage can be one of the main reasons.

15. Circuit size problems (amps)

If the circuit of our devices does not have  the appropriate size in amperes , we can notice a failure in it.

Most window air conditioners require 120 volts and operate on a 15 amp circuit. However, keep in mind that some of the larger units may require a larger circuit.

16. Gas flash in the liquid line.

When there is instantaneous gas in the liquid line, we shall automatically add refrigerant to the system. In this way we will solve the problem.

17. Improper design of pipes.

That there is  an improper design of the pipes  may be the reason that the vertical height is too high.

To solve this problem, we have to make sure that the cooled sub-coolers are sufficient (about 5 degrees Celsius at heights of up to 8 meters).

18. The computer turns on and off frequently.

When this kind of problem occurs, we can have two possible solutions:

• Check the thermostat until it is positioned correctly.
• Or check that the capacitor is not damaged.

19. Pollution in the system.

Pollution in the system is usually caused by the presence of moisture in the system caused by a series of conditions.

Solutions to this problem would be:

• Equipment drying.
• Replace the system.
• Keep the refrigerant oil container closed from the atmosphere at all times.
• Or the system has the wrong oil.

20. Power component failure or load loss.

The solution to this problem will be to replace the power assembly or expansion valve.

21. Low condensing pressure.

For air-cooled condensing units, when the condensing pressure control system is faulty or poorly adjusted, there are two solutions:

• Install a universal type condensation pressure control system.
• Or adjust the fan cycle.

22. The unit will not turn on.

When the unit does not turn on, it may be because it is not fully plugged in, the circuit breaker has tripped, or the fuse has blown.

To fix these possible causes:

• Fix the plug connection well.
• Reset the circuit breaker.
• Replace blown fuses.

23. Excessive refrigerant or oil.

When this type of problem exists, there may be a variety of solutions:

• Charge the refrigerant to the appropriate levels.
• In systems with thermostatic expansion valves and without a receiving tank, charge by subcooling liquid refrigerant to 5.5°C below condensing temperatures.
• Remove the oil and maintain the levels according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

24. Excessive buildup of oil in the evaporator.

To solve this problem, we must modify the suction pipe to increase the speed and provide a suitable oil return.

As we can see, there are many problems that an air conditioning unit can cause. This is why our recommendation is always, as soon as you spot the error, to consult an expert.

If you are already an expert, here we have provided a list.

general examination

To prevent all these problems from occurring, it is  recommended  that you perform a general checkup. The additional recommendations  include:

• Primary data collection
• Remove the service cover
• Securing filters
• Power supply guarantee
• Chinese wash
• Engine overhaul
• Electrical circuit review
• Paint review

All this can save you from many  long-term problems.