[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

That's a good rule to know.

Reminder: due to some strange thermal property of water, as ice freezes (from 0 to -4, if I remember correctly) it expands. This is what causes burst pipes in colder climes. So, the ice, if solid, can be causing actual damage. It was weird cracking and popping noises that first alerted me to the problem.

Frosting, rather than solid ice, is, I think, a sign of gas leak at that point. Aroy?

1. Ice normally forms on the fins and not in pipe, hence its expansion will have no effect on pipe.

2. Frosting is the initial stage. If there is sufficient moisture in the air, then the ice slow builds up.

3. The gas leaks mostly from the filling point, and then from the joints. As the air expands to produce the cooling in the Indoor Unit, that is where ice starts forming, and not at the leakage point (unless the pipe in the front condenser is punctured)

Again, first check if there is sufficient air flow (bad blower, clogged filters or choked passages). If it is fine, only then suspect gas leakage.

One point alluded to in one of the previous posts is that if there is moisture in the gas, then an ice crystal can choke the gas passage. That happens either due to moist gas when filled , or a leakage. As there is a moisture trap (desiccant) in the gas circuit, first the desiccant has to be used up, and then the ice crystals form and choke the gas line. A sure way to confirm it is to switch the AC off for half an hour. On switching the AC the cooling will be perfect till the crystal form and the gas stops circulating. In your case there is cooling and ice formation, so you can rule moisture in gas out.

[bluevolt]

Here is the picture of ice formation on indoor unit fins. I will get the unit checked this weekend.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Here is the picture of ice formation on indoor unit fins. I will get the unit checked this weekend.

Attachment 914926

May be it is the photo angle, but both the filter and the fins seem to be clogged. Clean the filter in running water and try a tooth brush on the fins.

The ice formation patten definitely points to a gas leak, but clean the parts and then check.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by Aroy

May be it is the photo angle, but both the filter and the fins seem to be clogged. Clean the filter in running water and try a tooth brush on the fins.

The ice formation patten definitely points to a gas leak, but clean the parts and then check.

The filter is actually clean it is appearing dirty but it is not, flash was used that's why it is appearing dirty. I have also concluded that this is definitely a gas loss problem, will get it checked this weekend.

Thanks!

[girishglg]

Hi Folks please provide me some valuable suggestion on buying an a/c for my room (specs attached). I am looking for a 1.5 t split a/c below 35k. I have shortlisted the following ones -

LG - LSA5AR3T - 32k - 3 star

Hitachi - RAU5186SDD - 35 - 5 star

[mjumrani]

Originally Posted by girishglg

Hi Folks please provide me some valuable suggestion on buying an a/c for my room (specs attached). I am looking for a 1.5 t split a/c below 35k. I have shortlisted the following ones -

LG - LSA5AR3T - 32k - 3 star

Hitachi - RAU5186SDD - 35 - 5 star

You mean Hitachi RAU518HSDD.
It does not come with the 4m piping. See the brochure of website.
It's for people who already have piping from a previous split.
It's a good Ac though.

Hitachi is better than LG by miles. You should keep this in mind too.

[vina]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

The filter is actually clean it is appearing dirty but it is not, flash was used that's why it is appearing dirty. I have also concluded that this is definitely a gas loss problem, will get it checked this weekend.

Thanks!

Would a leaking gas leave such a uniform pattern of ice? I thought it would be more like a spot-cooling with ices forming more like an irregular blob rather than a perfectly laid strip of ice.

[thenomad]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Here is the picture of ice formation on indoor unit fins.

Formation of ice at the evaporator unit is because of blocked air or low freon pressure. Two things to check

1. Functioning of fan motor - coil, capacitor; One of them should be weak requires a repair/replacement.
2. Low freon gas pressure in the compressor. Check if the gas pressure at the suction side (low side input) reads somewhere between 70-75 psi. Anything lesser would need a recharge.

If you have a clamp-on meter, you could check the current drawn when the compressor switches itself on. For a 1.5 ton unit, the reading should be around 11A when the unit starts and should slowly come down between 8.5-9A.

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by vina

Would a leaking gas leave such a uniform pattern of ice? I thought it would be more like a spot-cooling with ices forming more like an irregular blob rather than a perfectly laid strip of ice.

Originally Posted by thenomad

Formation of ice at the evaporator unit is because of blocked air or low freon pressure. Two things to check

1. Functioning of fan motor - coil, capacitor; One of them should be weak requires a repair/replacement.
2. Low freon gas pressure in the compressor. Check if the gas pressure at the suction side (low side input) reads somewhere between 70-75 psi. Anything lesser would need a recharge.

If you have a clamp-on meter, you could check the current drawn when the compressor switches itself on. For a 1.5 ton unit, the reading should be around 11A when the unit starts and should slowly come down between 8.5-9A.

I have checked the fan - it is running fine with good air flow, may be the fins are deep dirty. I have not called the technician yet as the weather in NCR was quite fine all this week due to thunderstorms, will call soon. Also this A/C is sparingly used as it is installed in drawing room where we don't stay for long. This unit is of 1 Ton capacity.

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by mjumrani

You mean Hitachi RAU518HSDD.
It does not come with the 4m piping. See the brochure of website.
It's for people who already have piping from a previous split.
It's a good Ac though.

Hitachi is better than LG by miles. You should keep this in mind too.

Thanks for that great insight about 4m piping which I was not aware of. Was wondering how come a 5 star ac retails at 35k. On that note how much does this piping etc cost since this is a brand new installation that is there was no ac earlier fitted.

Some key statistics -

Room Size - 140 sq ft
Window direction - East
Floor - Top floor
Usage - 8 hours mostly night times most of the year

Also since it is the first time purchase of an ac please educate on -

1. Which tonnage is recommended 1 or 1.5 (can I install 1 / 1.25 ton to save cost as looking for the cheapest option and night only use)
2. What is the cost of installation for a split ac (average) and is there a need for a stabilizer and what is the cost
3. On a average the extra cost that needs to be added apart from the price of the actual ac (installation / stabilizer / other fittings etc)
4. How many units does a 3 star and a 5 star consume per hour (for 2012 model ratings)
5. Is there any other comparable model to LG - LSA5AR3T - 1.5T - Rs.32k - 3 star (has auto clean) in terms of price and specification (attached detailed specks in my previous post)

[mayankjha1806]

Bought a Panasonic 1.5 Ton 3 Star AC on Friday and got it fixed on Saturday, the cooling is very good and absolutely silent. Cost me 29K excluding fixing charges. Here is the model number CU-YC18NKY-1.

One thing that is bothering me is, my earlier older window AC had a mode called Sleep mode (or night mode) in which it used to switch off the compressor after sometime when running at night, making the temperature not too cold. It also probably meant low electricity consumption. This feature is missing on this AC. Any idea why? or should i have gone with the 5 Star rating one?

At the moment we are manually switching off, or setting a timer to switch it off.

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by girishglg

The requirement : key statistics -

Room Size - 140 sq ft
Window direction - East
Floor - Top floor
Usage - 8 hours mostly night times most of the year

Also since it is the first time purchase of an ac please educate on -

1. Which tonnage is recommended 1 or 1.5 (can I install 1 / 1.25 ton to save cost as looking for the cheapest option and night only use)
2. What is the cost of installation for a split ac (average) and is there a need for a stabilizer and what is the cost
3. On a average the extra cost that needs to be added apart from the price of the actual ac (installation / stabilizer / other fittings etc)
4. How many units does a 3 star and a 5 star consume per hour (for 2012 model ratings)
5. Is there any other comparable model to LG - LSA5AR3T - 1.5T - Rs.32k - 3 star (has auto clean) in terms of price and specification (attached detailed specks in my previous post)

Guys and gurus if you could provide some inputs at the earliest since planning to purchase the unit by the weekend. Also looked at the Croma brand of A/c both 3 and 5 star.

1. Any reviews on their performance and durability. Is it a good buy since they are cheaper than other brands
2. What is the energy efficiency of 3 and 5 star compared to others in the market

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

my earlier older window AC had a mode called Sleep mode (or night mode) in which it used to switch off the compressor after sometime when running at night.

You could set the thermostat or use an off-timer and have a table/floor/ceiling fan running all night. An alternative would be to have a high-end generic remote control that can be programmed to automatically send a signal to the AC. Off the top of my head, I can think of the Sony universal remote controls. I know for certain that the Logitech Harmony series of universal remote controls don't have a timer so you would want to cross that off your list.

[yajaman99]

Was looking for an AC to purchase under EMI. Was very happy with the Reliance Digital offer of 15 EMI (5* only) and a new outlet opened in Sahakarnagar which would have made life easy. However the did not have stock for Samsung 5*. I ended up going to Mantri Mall and visiting the Samsung Shop. They have an 18/4 option from Future Capital. They did not have stock of the new 3*, so got an offer for AS183BGC at Rs30150/- (installation extra rs2500/-)
This is last years model, mar 2011, so the 3* is actualy a 2*
Got it installed yesterday, inital impression very cool .
Unfortunately i have noticed there is water dropplets appearing near the power swtich/display.
The AC does not seem to be installed very straight, sligt slope.
Not sure if that is the cause.
Any ideas, we have called the installers to check. so let see what he has to say.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Guys, planning to install an ac in our rented apartment in Chennai. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to ac. Never needed it back in Kerala, but Chennai is a different story. Hence, totally confused after going through this thread.

Requirement is for a normal sized bedroom, on the top floor. (Hence you can imagine the heat in Chennai summer!). Will a 1T ac suffice? Or do i need to go for something bigger?

Which is the reliable brand at prices less than 30k? I'll prefer it to use as less electricity as possible. 1T, 5* split ac will be a good choice? As mentioned - priorities are reliability & low power consumption.