[Gansan]

^^ The cooling coil of a Samsung split unit in my home was replaced with an after market one four years ago. It has been good so far.

I am already feeling unhappy I replaced an old Samsung window unit in another bedroom with a Whirlpool 1.5 ton R34 split unit during Jan'20. For the past month or so the cooling seems to be less. I have purchased extended warranty from Croma which includes gas filling,for an additional three years, apart from the one year Whirlpool warranty which is now over.

Looks like every year the gas filling will cost Rs 2.5k, which I will have to shell out after the warranty period. I am thinking of replacing the unit with a very conventional and conservative non inverter unit a few years down the line.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by diyguy

I have a karcher pressure washer and should just get the flexible nozzle and the wash bag so i can do this myself going forward.

That is a good idea if you have many split ACs. But your Karcher may use high pressure water jet which may damage the fins. I have a Bosch pressure washer which I used to clean the car's radiator/AC coils. It damaged a part of the fins. There is no way to control the pressure in my unit.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Prowler

There is no way to control the pressure in my unit.

My Karcher has a pressure adjustable lance but the unit is leaking water under. I am tempted to purchase the Bosch 100bar compact washer as we have 6 split acs at home and it comes with a rotating nozzle which otherwise costs 2200rs. Might as well pay another 4k and buy a new unit was my thinking seeing how easy it was in cleaning my two acs last weekend.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Prowler

That is a good idea if you have many split ACs. But your Karcher may use high pressure water jet which may damage the fins. I have a Bosch pressure washer which I used to clean the car's radiator/AC coils. It damaged a part of the fins. There is no way to control the pressure in my unit.

If the pressure is not adjustable, then you can use a "spreader nozzle". If you do not find one just add an adjustable garden spray head. That will spread the water jet.

https://www.amazon.in/ZOQWEID-Patter...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

or

https://www.amazon.in/GOCART-Metal-T...s%2C296&sr=8-5

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Aroy

For those who are wondering about dirt accumulation in an IDU of an Inverter AC, here is the proof. I got my LG 5* Inverter serviced yesterday.

Jugaad at its best. Never seen anything like it, especially that plastic bag covering the unit with a pipe made to drain the water into a bucket. How are they protecting the idu circuit board and motor from water ingress?

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Jugaad at its best. Never seen anything like it, especially that plastic bag covering the unit with a pipe made to drain the water into a bucket. How are they protecting the idu circuit board and motor from water ingress?

This is how IDUs are pressure washed without taking down the unit from the wall. At-least this is the only way I know of in India

Any portable/pluggable electronic component is removed and rest that can't be removed are covered in plastic bags before starting the water wash.

The actual wash is a quick task to be honest.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by sunilch

This is how IDUs are pressure washed without taking down the unit from the wall. At-least this is the only way I know of in India

Any portable/pluggable electronic component is removed and rest that can't be removed are covered in plastic bags before starting the water wash.

The actual wash is a quick task to be honest.

Looks like someone can come up with a daily spray unit that would spray some isopropyl alcohol on the fins and allow it to clear the accumulated dust into some receptacle. Would have to exhaust the alcohol fumes, though.
Thankfully, have not seen much dust here in Bangalore. (Don't use it more a few days a year).

[diyguy]

To folks who are using an ac in the kitchen or kitchen vicinity that could be prone to oil deposits, this additional filter can be a good first level of defense.
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07BB2HV43/
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08GYMRPKR/
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08RRQG979/
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07FNW9WYB/

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by diyguy

... this additional filter can be a good first level of defense.
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07BB2HV43/
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08GYMRPKR/
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08RRQG979/
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07FNW9WYB/

For simply grabbing the oil, probably better to get one of the cheaper ones.

For air purifying --- Thanks, I had been trying to remember about these products, having thought about giving them a try in the past. This one has nanotechnology silver and washable so it wins on buzzwords. Actually, washable does seriously appeal to me, as our air is very dusty. It could be worth the higher price than the 3m.

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Jugaad at its best. Never seen anything like it, especially that plastic bag covering the unit with a pipe made to drain the water into a bucket. How are they protecting the idu circuit board and motor from water ingress?

Not at all. In fact this is the method used in more developed countries and after many years it has just started making its way here.
Here is an example from Australia :
https://www.sanitair.com.au/

Here is another example from Singapore :

https://shopee.sg/DIY-Aircon-Cleanin...1841.410787520

[HBK]

Hello guys..need your valuable advice on A/C installation in a room of size 225 square feet (15×15)
Sunrays fall directly on one Wall of the room after noon (around 1pm).It will probably be used 7-8 hours during night and 2-3 hours during the day. I haven't bought an AC before so please tell me what brand and size/capacity should I go for. Also it should be easy on maintenance and the budget is around 30k-35k.
Thank you

HBK

[Eddy]

I had similar requirements last year and bought this one.

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B082TGK3K8/...ing=UTF8&psc=1

I paid 32k at Vijay Sales.

PS - I didn't have the option of installing a split, so mine had to be a window AC.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I am already feeling unhappy I replaced an old Samsung window unit in another bedroom with a Whirlpool 1.5 ton R34 split unit during Jan'20. For the past month or so the cooling seems to be less. I have purchased extended warranty from Croma which includes gas filling,for an additional three years, apart from the one year Whirlpool warranty which is now over.

Looks like every year the gas filling will cost Rs 2.5k, which I will have to shell out after the warranty period. I am thinking of replacing the unit with a very conventional and conservative non inverter unit a few years down the line.

I called Croma about the reduced cooling and they sent the technicians today. They checked and said the R 32 gas pressure was 40 psi whereas it should be 130 psi. Cost of service will be Rs 2800 for gas and Rs 500 for service. For me it was done free. They cleaned the indoor unit and outdoor unit with brushes - I always wash and clean the filters every 10 days so there was not much cleaning needed there - and refilled the gas while the Ac was running. Told me to run it at the minimum temperature for half an hour before switch off and left. Took about 45 minutes.

I have Onsitego warranty for a total of three years. But it seems this gas filling will be an annual ritual, which was not the case with my old window unit. Had I known, I would have changed/reconditioned the compressor of the old Ac and kept it.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Gansan

... But it seems this gas filling will be an annual ritual ...

That should not be the case. They should test and find out where the leaks are.

[manim]

Originally Posted by Gansan

But it seems this gas filling will be an annual ritual...

My (O)General-Inverter aircon is seven years old, the IDU had been removed twice in these seven years for pressure-washing by locking the gas in the ODU. But I never had to refill gas so far.

My old (O)General-Window aircon is about 21 years old! (it was a grey-market unit from a gulf-country) and never had a gas refill so far.

Maybe I am lucky, I don't know, but this annual re-filling seems to me to be a racket and/or a shoddy job to me.