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- Aircon blinking & malfunction code(click to read more) These error codes are provided based on the best of our knowledge, the same set of error codes may differ depending on different models. Check with your aircon manufacturer when in doubt: When your “timer” light blinks, it is not that your timer is faulty. Most manufacturer uses blinking LED lights to indicate a faulty air conditioning system Video instructions to retrieve Daikin error code using the remote controller: 1) If your DAIKIN remote controller comes with a “test” button, use it. Otherwise press the Temperature UP, Temperature DOWN and the MODE buttons all at the same time. 2) You will… Read more: Aircon blinking & malfunction code
- Aircon gas leakWhat causes Aircon Gas Leak? Your aircon shouldn’t leak gas at all; if it was properly set up, gas will not leak even after 10-20 years!Now, lets take a good look at high risk areas where gas leaks often occur. 1) At the locking nut area. Picture of the nuts removed. The ‘o-ring’ seal will leak after some years. Therefore, the outer nut is vital to be properly tightened. Located at the condenser, you’ll see all these nuts. Some condenser has a cover so you may not see them. These nuts must be properly tightened. If they are not properly tightened, gas can… Read more: Aircon gas leak
- Aircon is not coldDetermine if it is producing cold air Fundamental Concept:Cold Fan Coil + Strong Airflow = Cool AirWhen your air conditioner is not cold, it can either be that your Fan Coil is not cold or the airflow is weak or both. Therefore, it is important for you to know if it will be a repair job or merely a servicing job, or both. Systematic Troubleshooting : Step 1: Turn on the air conditioner and make sure it is set to the cool mode. Set the temperature to the minimum and wait for approximately 3 minutes, the compressor should be running by now.… Read more: Aircon is not cold
- Aircon Not cold enoughClogged Filter Fundamental Concept:The aircon is producing cold air, but it is not strong enough to reach you. Solution is to improve on the air flow. Systematic Troubleshooting (for layman): Step 1:Open the aircon lid cover, you wil see 2 pieces(usually) of plastic net filters. Step 2: Check if the filters are dirty. Yes, they are as dirty as the picture above.No, they are okay.
- Aircon power tripThere are generally 3 types of power tripping: 1) It trips the ELCB (Earth Leak Circuit Breaker) or the RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker). That’s the big circuit breaker with the blue lever. It is often installed on the left, the first one. It will be written ELCB or RCCB. If you are interested in what’s the difference between this two, there’s this answered question in Yahoo Answers! ELCB & RCCB respectively. If it trips the ELCB or RCCB, it’s really no good news. It means that there is a short circuit. If it is caused by turning on the air conditioner, usually, it… Read more: Aircon power trip
- Aircon remote controller is not working1st:First, make sure that you’ve got new batteries replaced. It takes very little electricity to show the display on the remote controller, doesn’t mean the batteries are OK. The batteries may be too weak to send the signal across to the air conditioner. 2nd :The same brand of air conditioner usually have more than 2 different  types of remote controllers. If you got them mixed up, they don’t work. Troubleshooting:Most air conditioners have a manual on/off button on the air conditioners. Most of them are inside the flap cover. Open the flap first: Usually, the ON /OFF button is on the right side of… Read more: Aircon remote controller is not working
- Aircon turning on/off by itselfCommon Causes:Fear not! It may just be a very simple problem. This problem can be cause by a couple of possibilities (ranking from the most probable): 1) A faulty miniature aircon ON/OFF switch. Most probable (and cheap to repair)2) A faulty aircon remote controller that keeps sending signal repeatedly.3) A faulty aircon PCB (printed circuit board, the electronics board), indoor unit.4) A faulty aircon PCB (printed circuit board, the electronics board), outdoor unit; if it is an Inverter system. (least probable and more expensive to repair) A) A faulty miniature ON/OFF switch. Most probable (and cheap to repair) This is a picture of… Read more: Aircon turning on/off by itself
- Aircon water drippingWhat causes aircon water dripping?Your aircon, which is cold, will naturally produce condensation. Thus, all air conditioners have an inbuilt water collection tray, which is connected to a water pipe to discharge the condensate water. For more details pertaining to condensation, please read condensation. Common Causes, watch video (Part 1, water dripping caused by Jelly): Part 2: what is this “jelly” and “dust” that’s causing aircon problem For reading: A) 1st and the most common cause: Clogging of aircon drain pipeAircon water dripping is usually caused by choking of the air conditioner’s condensate drain pipe or aircon water tray. Look at the disgusting jelly!… Read more: Aircon water dripping
- Chocked blower or worn out compressorFundamental Concept:The aircon is producing cold air, but it is may not be 14’C to 16’C, it could probably be 18’C – 20’C. Otherwise, it means that the fan coil and blower is choked too.Diagnosis: Stand about 2 meters away from the blower, if you cannot feel strong wind blowing at you, the fan coil is choke and a good chemical servicing will save the day. , you can book me here. Otherwise, it will most probably be a compressor and gas related problem.
- Condensation on casing/copper pipesTucked inside your PVC casing are the insulated copper pipes and PVC condensate water pipe. Under normal condition, there shouldn’t be any condensation.When there are abnormal condensation, it could be due to: 1) A dislodged PVC condensate water pipe due to poor installation. I shall try to explain this subject in layman terms, so engineers do pardon me if it is technically not too “correct”. The copper pipe which is cold (about 10’C) will become wet when comes into contact with air, this is called condensation.To prevent this from happening, we have to insulate the copper pipe so that it… Read more: Condensation on casing/copper pipes
- Condenser fan not turningRemarks:When the fan is not turning, it can be due to : a) a jammed / spoilt fan motorb) a faulty relay switch / capacitor / pcb Diagnosis : Do you hear the sound of the compressor turning? Yes: It is a fan motor related problemNo: It is an electrical/electronics problem)
- Condenser fan turningFundamental Concept: When it feels warm while the outdoor condenser fan is turning. It means that the condenser is receiving a signal (please make sure thatthe rest of the air conditioners are turned off). It could be that the compressor is turning but had run out of gas (gas leak) or the compressor is not turning at all. Diagnosis: Can you hear the sound of the compressor? Yes ( you have a system leak, low gas level)No (either you can’t hear it or else the starter is faulty or the compressor is faulty)
- Covid 19 aircon servicing ?What kind of aircon servicing is recommended during Covid 19? The first thing that comes into mind is disinfection, however, how do you disinfect? Most aircon in Singapore that are used 8-10 hr daily on average, becomes mold and bacteria infested after roughly 1 year of usage. We have to understand why this happens, the reason is simple. Our aircon recycles the air in the room, there will be organic stuff in the air, even from our human breath (there are more than 3000 different organic compounds in our exhale). However, these are nano particles, you will need to cycle… Read more: Covid 19 aircon servicing ?
- Dirty filterFundamental Concept:The aircon is producing cold air, but it is not strong enough to reach you. The filters are very dirty, thus inhibiting proper air flow. Solution: You can rinse the plastic filters using the shower spray, smack it against a wall to shack off the water droplets. You can put it back, it need not be 100% dry. Do not scrub the filters too hard as it may tear it. Do not use thinner, spirit or kerosene to clean it. Now that the filters are clean, does it improve the performance? Yes: Congratulations!No: Click Here
- Disgnostic step (Aircon not cold)Fundamental Concept: When it feels warm while your hand is placed right at the outlet, it means, the air conditioner is not producing cold air at all. It cold be due to: a) a faulty indoor pcb that doesn’t send a request to the condenser, orb) the condenser receives a signal from the indoor unit, but is not processing it, orc) a faulty starting capacitor that doesn’t kick start the compressor, ord) a compressor that runs out of gas (gas leak), ore) a faulty compressor, orf) the compressor has overheated and shut down, org) the outdoor fan motor is jammed… Read more: Disgnostic step (Aircon not cold)
- How much is aircon servicing in Singapore.Following is a rough guide on what to expect from every dollar you commit on aircon servicing in Singapore. We are not offering many of the services listed below, information is solely for educational purposes. $20/unit (what to expect?) Starting with what appears to be the cheapest, it is none other than the regular aircon maintenance contract. Cost roughly $300 a year for 4 visits. Most companies formulate their pricing based on $80-$100 per visit, and targets to complete the “cleaning services” within 30 minutes in order to remain profitable. The quality of work, scope of work is often superficial.… Read more: How much is aircon servicing in Singapore.
- How often should I service my aircon?If servicing is defined as removal of dust from the aircon covers and filters, it depends on how dusty the environment is and how often you use your aircon. I’ve been in this industry for more almost 20 years. I’ve seen aircon that needs no servicing even after 10years, because it hasn’t been used at all or used just a few times only. If the filters are dirty, just wash them, you can easily do it yourself. However, please bear in mind that the aircon fan coil and blower can become wet and very wet when the aircon is cold… Read more: How often should I service my aircon?
- How reliable is your aircon compressorThis is the compressor, the heart of the air conditioning system. As you can see, it looks like two cylinders. The cylinder on the right is a liquid receiver, while the “cylinder” on the left is the compressor. This is a rotary compressor, the entire system is sealed up and compressor oil is poured into the compressor to lubricate the moving parts. The compressor operates at enormous pressure and subjected to very high temperature. It is very challenging to lubricate the moving parts in such a hostile environment, especially when the oil needs to co-exist with the refrigerant. The compressor oil is not any… Read more: How reliable is your aircon compressor
- Ice on copper pipesIce forming on the small liquid line is an indication of low gas pressure. Either you have a gas leak or its due to a restricted valve/capillary tube. BUT!!! if it ice is on the suction line (picture below), do not top up gas. It means that the aircon in the room is not fully evaporating the liquefied gas. This can be caused by several reasons: 1) The fan motor in the aircon blower is not turning (either jammed or faulty). Under such a condition, the indoor fancoil will ice up too. Or had you set the remote controller to “dry”. That… Read more: Ice on copper pipes
- Ice on fan coilsIce usually form when suction gas pressure has dropped to ~ 40psi to 45psi (on a r22 system), ~ 80psi on a r410 system. As such, it could mean that your system has a problem of gas leak. However, if you see the entire fan coil turning into a block of ice, it is most likely caused by a faulty magnetic switch that doesn’t cut out when you turn off your indoor air conditioner; meaning, the outdoor condenser is still running and continuously supply the refrigerant to your indoor aircon blower. Modern inverter system do not have such a problem, they do not use… Read more: Ice on fan coils
- Moldy, smelly AirconLook carefully, these are not dust! Mold on aircon blower, water tray and back of the aircon. When your aircon smells, it’s an indication that your aircon is moldy and bacteria infested. A smelly aircon should not be ignored and you should not attempt to cover up using perfume or air freshers, this will make the condition worst. When mold grows on your aircon, it can cause you some serious health problems. It is especially important for families with infant before reaching age 1 to pay special attention to mold growth. Source Wikipedia: “Infants may develop respiratory symptoms as a result… Read more: Moldy, smelly Aircon
- Noisy aircon blowerCommon Causes: 1) An unbalanced aircon blower. a) The circular aircon fan is too dirty, the weight of the dirt may not be evenly distributed and thus causing the aircon fan to vibrate when turning. b) The balancing chips attached to the circular blower had rusted and dropped off, leaving the blower unbalanced. Or some blades were broken accidentally while you or your technician attempts to clean up the blower. For your information only: Any spinning round object must be perfectly balanced, if it gets heavy one sided, it will vibrate. The “vibrate” mode on your mobile phone is made by attaching a… Read more: Noisy aircon blower
- Noisy condenserCommon Causes: 1) An unbalanced Condenser Fan blower. a) This is a very rare condition, but I’ve personally come across such before. Normally, the outdoor condenser fan has 3 fan blades. Should any of the fan blade breaks off, the fan will be so unbalanced in weight that it causes the entire condenser to vibrate vigorously. If you suspect this, try to see if any of the fan blades had broken off. for your info** Any spinning round object must be perfectly balanced, if it gets heavy one sided, it will vibrate. The “vibrate” mode on your mobile phone is made by attaching… Read more: Noisy condenser
- Should I be keeping my copper pipes?You’ve spent a fortune renovating your house and after many years when the air conditioners are old. You’ll like to simply replace the air conditioners while keeping all the pipes. But, the pipes are leaking, and you wondered what had gone wrong? Pipe leakage is often caused by acid build up within the gas system or damage to the flare joints. If it is damage to the flare joints, it is still not so bad. Technicians can simply cut away the damage joint and weld/braze a new copper pipe to replace the damaged section. But if it is due to corrosion… Read more: Should I be keeping my copper pipes?
- Should i keep my windows and doors shutShould i keep my windows and doors shut after turning off aircon to reduce condensation in aircon? is a common question arised. This is a concept termed as climatisation of air conditioning system, does it really work? Surprisingly No. Why? If you have big mirrors or glass panels in your room and after running the aircon all night, these glass surfaces becomes cold. If you open the windows immediately after turning off the aircon, the mirror and glass will fog. If you allow the room temperature to slowly climb, meaning the glass surfaces warming up before opening the windows, there… Read more: Should i keep my windows and doors shut
- Things technicians do to sabotage your airconBy Technicians: 1) Topping up of refrigerant The refrigerant (commonly known as FREON) is not a magic substance, it is not cold by itself. Scientists around the world are busy trying to find that magic substance and we’re not too sure if anyone’s found that. What we are very sure is that refrigerant used in your air conditioner is definitely not that magic substance. Do not be mistaken that if you add more FREON into your system, your air conditioner will be cooler. In fact, the opposite will be the result. The fundamental of air conditioning is the use of a compressor to… Read more: Things technicians do to sabotage your aircon
- Things you do to sabotage your aircon1) By fragrance loving home owners: a) Burning of essential oil or incense and using of air purifier or oil based/alcohol based body lotions. Essential oil is believed to promote better health, improve breathing, de-stress and lots of other benefits. Thus, it is very difficult to advice home owners to refrain from using them. Chemical added to air-purifiers was promoted as air purifiers and claims to effectively remove dust from the air, helpful for people suffering from asthmas. In case you don’t know what it is, it is the 4th picture in the centre. I have a customer who claims… Read more: Things you do to sabotage your aircon
- Types of Aircon compressor problems1) Compressor overheating : A compressor can overheat due to:a) A choked condenser or a condenser fan that is spinning too slowly.b) Too much or too little gas in the system. For more details, please read compressor.c) A worn out compressor.d) Compressor oil turned bad, thus generating high friction and heat. Read compressor.e) A choked drier filter / capillary tube / expansion valve.f) Capillary tube undersized, faulty expansion valve. 2) Compressor Jam.For more details, please read compressor. 3) Compressor Trips Circuit BreakerFor more details, please read compressor and power trip. 4) Compressor spins too slowly (for inverter system) Some high efficiency label inverter system (4… Read more: Types of Aircon compressor problems