Home AC - Come on, you lot are pretty smart....

[Chilli]

Apart from re-gassing and hosing the unit down, what else makes them work properly?

We've just about had enough of 'engineers' telling us that the unit is too small for room and that it needs to be upgraded. I suggest this is bks due to the fact it was able to reach 19-20 degrees for the last 2 years, but now sits at 25.

We have 6 units on the roof and 3 are perfect, the others not so good. One doesn't cool at all, and the other 2 can't seem to get below 25.

Anyone any ideas...apart from moving?

[e21jason]

No one in the Middle East has an idea about AC, they think if it is not noisy and blowing a gale it is not working. On contractor told me the reason that all the ac was running at 200% design was to make it noisy to stop complaints about it not working.
But issues that stop it working many including it was probably cheap crap to start with.
•Gas levels too much or too little
•How clean the condenser is i.e. hosing the unit down but you really need to hose it and blow it out with compressed air.
•The condenser fans not running fast enough, the motors start to wear out
•st air filters on the indoor unit so the condenser needs blown out with compressed air
•Control valves wear out and start to let by
•Badly designed and installed refrigerant pipe work with no p traps so after a while oil starts to settle in bends etc causing blockages .

[Chilli]

Thanks mate, it's probably a combination of all of that!
It's the usual problem isn't it...people with no idea or experience build then install these things, then we're surprised when they don't work!

I think I'll try and source some new units.

[IanUAE]

Are the ac ducts connected? Check the ac outlet non return flaps are closing. At my old villa one of the ac outlet flaps stuck 30% open thus the cold air was not into the ac duct but into the ac that was off.

[Chilli]

IanUAE said:

Are the ac ducts connected? Check the ac outlet non return flaps are closing. At my old villa one of the ac outlet flaps stuck 30% open thus the cold air was not into the ac duct but into the ac that was off.

Erm, not sure...tis all getting a bit technical for me! Air comes out if that helps...it's just not cold enough.

Oh, and I've just had a re-think about getting new units....what's the point??!!!!!!