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Air con compressor cleaning

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Steve1960
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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by Steve1960 » Thu, 01 Oct 2015 4:50 pm

maneo wrote: Was not suggesting you rely on the rain to clean the fins.
Thought that "waiting until it rains" was so the people in the "23 floors below" would close their windows and take their clothes in before you start spraying your unit.
However, this should not be an issue if your balcony has a proper drain and a ledge to keep the dirty water from spilling over.


It really shouldn't matter that you are spraying from the outside.
Other than the fan, there really shouldn't be anything "inside" to worry about.
A cleaning solution should help the dirty water flow down and over to the drain.

Keep the spray pressure low and the angle close to parallel with the fins.
The fins are delicate and work best at transferring heat when they are not bent or damaged.

By the way, last set of compressors I cleaned using a hand sprayer.
It was a little tedious, more so because I had to keep refilling the sprayer from a bucket of water, but the compressors were just way too far from any threaded faucet to use a hose.
Sorry misunderstood you and yes waiting for rain is for the benefit of those below. Unfortunately the balcony does not have a suitable drain and ledge. Any water applied will just go straight over the edge!

I do have the water supply close enough to use a hose but I am still inclined to try steam cleaning. I own a steam cleaner and it will be way less messy especially with a dust sheet or two down. I would not have to wait for rain or risk the wrath of those below.

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by maneo » Thu, 01 Oct 2015 5:18 pm

Steve1960 wrote:Sorry misunderstood you and yes waiting for rain is for the benefit of those below. Unfortunately the balcony does not have a suitable drain and ledge. Any water applied will just go straight over the edge!

I do have the water supply close enough to use a hose but I am still inclined to try steam cleaning. I own a steam cleaner and it will be way less messy especially with a dust sheet or two down. I would not have to wait for rain or risk the wrath of those below.
If you use a steam cleaner would suggest you keep the nozzle as far back from the fins as possible and keep the angle of spray close to parallel with the fins.
It will not take much force to bend those fins.

If, by any chance, some fins do bend you can try straighten them using a piece of a comb with the thick parts cut off, or with a wooden toothpick, but be very, very gentle.

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by x9200 » Thu, 01 Oct 2015 6:08 pm

If he uses steam he may not need any detergent at least to increase wettabilty.

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by davidppc » Sun, 04 Oct 2015 10:11 pm

isn't it safer to get a aircon servicing person to do the compressor cleaning? having the skills and the experience to do it makes more sense.

if cost is the issue, perhaps it will be better to go to a diy shop (those in major malls) to check with the sales staff there on how you can clean the compressors on your own.

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by x9200 » Mon, 05 Oct 2015 8:31 am

davidppc wrote:isn't it safer to get a aircon servicing person to do the compressor cleaning? having the skills and the experience to do it makes more sense.

if cost is the issue, perhaps it will be better to go to a diy shop (those in major malls) to check with the sales staff there on how you can clean the compressors on your own.
For me these are the reasons:
1) I don't need to rely on any local servicemen (calling, arranging, ensuring they did the job - all the hassle)
2) I learn something new or maintain the skill
3) I save money and time.
4) I like to do things like this by myself.

Besides, while I don't have this particular experience yet, my general experience dealing with most of this type of contractors (handyman, construction, repair etc.) in Singapore is that I can do it better and often faster (and of course always cheaper).

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by JR8 » Mon, 05 Oct 2015 2:26 pm

I agree with all of X9s points (!? :)): The same goes for me.
Perhaps one simply needs to have a natural curiosity as to 'how things work' [an 'engineer gene'?]. I'll often have a go at repairing stuff myself whereas my wife's default response is to call an engineer.... IMO DIY is just not part of her culture. Probably about 75% of the time I can successfully fully resolve a problem by DIYing it, but when I can't, even then it usually means I'm left with a clear, or very clear, idea as to what the problem is. That means if I have to call an engineer I can outline what I've already done and tried and a) hopefully when he visits he then can build on that and arrive with a decent idea of what the problem is, and so hopefully come with the correct tools/parts, b) he's going to know I'm not a complete helpless newb and is less likely to try and scam me with faked work/repairs.

Of note though which might not be generally known within the consumer sphere, is that appliances usually come with 2 or more guides/handbooks, only one of which the consumer usually receives. The latter these days seems to be 50% warnings for the brain-dead... 'Don't stick your tongue in the electrical outlet', 'Don't tip the 100kg fridge/freezer over on yourself' etc.

Sourcing the 'service manual' is usually where the help lies for any 1/2way competent DIYer. Appliance makers often also have two websites (IME), one for consumers, and one for 'trade', you'll find the service manuals on the latter. These usually come with a lot more detail on diagnosing problems, and their rectification. Currently I have a problem with the water feed to a dispenser on our fridge/freezer door, and after a bit of coaxing (that at this stage I don't want an engineer) the manufacturer has sent me the pages from the service manual including a step-by-step diagnosis tree (flowchart) for the problem.

P'raps I do have nascent engineer-gene as this kind of thing does interest me, and so now I've a mini-project/challenge in seeing if I can fix it. Barring gas and electrical work at the supply/fuseboard end of things, a lot of repairs are DIYable if you have some tools and get pointed in the right direction.

[One downside is the wife still reminds me just about everyday that the water dispenser isn't working, but if I can DIY it the satisfaction I'll get will more than make up for that ;)].
'Do it or do not do it: You will regret both' - Kierkegaard

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by nakatago » Tue, 06 Oct 2015 12:27 pm

JR8 wrote: Sourcing the 'service manual' is usually where the help lies for any 1/2way competent DIYer. Appliance makers often also have two websites (IME), one for consumers, and one for 'trade', you'll find the service manuals on the latter. These usually come with a lot more detail on diagnosing problems, and their rectification. Currently I have a problem with the water feed to a dispenser on our fridge/freezer door, and after a bit of coaxing (that at this stage I don't want an engineer) the manufacturer has sent me the pages from the service manual including a step-by-step diagnosis tree (flowchart) for the problem.
Rant-mode: ON

I was looking for my microwave's user manual online because I wanted to adjust the time. I came up with service manuals and owners manuals and all that stuff from dodgy-looking websites wanting my credit card details, address and the blood type of my son come year 2065. No way. I should note that the first result was from the manufacturer website. But here lies the rub: the manual isn't in a common format. (WTF is wrong with using PDF?!) It was in an obscure format but I was relieved Chrome had a viewer plugin available for it so I installed that. But when I click on the download link, the stupid website is hardcoded to only accept clicks from Internet Explorer. WTH....What's this? 2008?! Not everyone uses Windows anymore and even if they are, they're probably using NOT Internet Explorer. Even Windows rebranded their browser which will fail that stupid piece of code check on that website as it's most likely to use a different agent-string.

And don't even get me started on appliances that require you finish a master's thesis on a specific field just to adjust the time...

I just want the correct time on my microwave so that I don't have to put a wall clock in my kitchen.

Rand-mode: OFF
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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by x9200 » Tue, 06 Oct 2015 1:41 pm

To set time in >80% of home appliances that have no specific button/switch for it you press something and wait between 3 and 10s till the clock digits start to blink. To find this something is normally not that difficult esp. in a microwave (probably up to 4 buttons to check).

For the service manuals all you said is true, but this is how the things are. If within few minutes I am not able to find (I mean pdf) the manual by plain name then I switch to the file specific type search (pdf).

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by maneo » Fri, 09 Oct 2015 2:04 am

nakatago wrote:Rant-mode: ON

I was looking for my microwave's user manual online because I wanted to adjust the time.

. . .

And don't even get me started on appliances that require you finish a master's thesis on a specific field just to adjust the time...

I just want the correct time on my microwave so that I don't have to put a wall clock in my kitchen.

Rand-mode: OFF
Is your microwave a built-in unit from a certain German manufacturer?
x9200 wrote:To set time in >80% of home appliances that have no specific button/switch for it you press something and wait between 3 and 10s till the clock digits start to blink. To find this something is normally not that difficult esp. in a microwave (probably up to 4 buttons to check).
Usually need to press several buttons in the right sequence and without too much delay, or you have to start all over again.
:P

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by nakatago » Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:09 pm

maneo wrote:
nakatago wrote:Rant-mode: ON

I was looking for my microwave's user manual online because I wanted to adjust the time.

. . .

And don't even get me started on appliances that require you finish a master's thesis on a specific field just to adjust the time...

I just want the correct time on my microwave so that I don't have to put a wall clock in my kitchen.

Rand-mode: OFF
Is your microwave a built-in unit from a certain German manufacturer?
x9200 wrote:To set time in >80% of home appliances that have no specific button/switch for it you press something and wait between 3 and 10s till the clock digits start to blink. To find this something is normally not that difficult esp. in a microwave (probably up to 4 buttons to check).
Usually need to press several buttons in the right sequence and without too much delay, or you have to start all over again.
:P
I eventually gotten hold of a copy of the manual in a readable format because none of what x9200 said applied to the microwave. You can see why it was frustrating for me; none of it was intuitive, unlike washing machines. NB: All this was before x9200's post.

And a 재벌 made it.
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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by x9200 » Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:25 pm

Washing machines are all but intuitive. I have a Sharp one and I don't know what's the trick to close the door (standard, front-loaded). If my wife closes it, no problem. If this is myself - 70% chance the machine won't start with the error the door is not closed. Either I am too strong, too gentle or too tall or yet something else. Fortunately it doesn't have a clock.

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by nakatago » Fri, 09 Oct 2015 1:19 pm

x9200 wrote:Washing machines are all but intuitive. I have a Sharp one and I don't know what's the trick to close the door (standard, front-loaded). If my wife closes it, no problem. If this is myself - 70% chance the machine won't start with the error the door is not closed. Either I am too strong, too gentle or too tall or yet something else. Fortunately it doesn't have a clock.
I remember seeing an episode of Iron Chef (the original Japanese one with campy English dubbing) where chefs paired off but they had no assistants.

A few minutes in, here's this world-class, grandmaster chef who couldn't figure out how to use the broiler.

I think people who design controls and user interfaces for appliances hate people.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by JR8 » Fri, 09 Oct 2015 2:08 pm

My wife has just had a new fridge delivered to her workplace. To be told that because she declined the parallel optional $service that is available with delivery, of having the fridge removed from it's packaging and plugged into the wall, that it isn't covered under the manufacturers warranty. This is just a standard small fridge as one might buy for your home.

How's that for getting the lifetime customer service experience off on a good footing! :???:
'Do it or do not do it: You will regret both' - Kierkegaard

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Re: Air con compressor cleaning

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 10 Oct 2015 8:07 am

x9200 wrote:Washing machines are all but intuitive. I have a Sharp one and I don't know what's the trick to close the door (standard, front-loaded). If my wife closes it, no problem. If this is myself - 70% chance the machine won't start with the error the door is not closed. Either I am too strong, too gentle or too tall or yet something else. Fortunately it doesn't have a clock.
You just have to hold your mouth a certain way when shutting the door. We had a Westinghouse a few years ago that had the same problem. Or at least my wife did. I never had any problem shutting it properly. It's what I told her, anyway. ;-)
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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