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Do it yourself
Vladimir 03/28/2020
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Probably everyone who values comfort has a device such as an air conditioner. In hot weather, this is just right. Don't have an air conditioner yet and want to install it yourself? Then this one is just for you. If you don’t like to waste your money, then you need to buy such equipment out of season when it is in demand.
Air conditioning kit and installation equipment
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Installation of the external air conditioner unit
Installing a device with your own labor is a job in which there are many little details; if you miss them, it leads to wear and tear of the equipment. But if you decide to install it without the help of professionals, we advise you to follow the instructions below.
The electric air conditioner kit includes the following components:
- Outdoor unit
Outdoor unit
- Indoor unit
Indoor unit
- Metal frame. Used for installation
Metal frame
- Nuts, self-tapping screws with dowels (for fastening the frame)
Nuts, self-tapping screws with dowels (for fastening the frame)
- Drainage tubes. Used to remove moisture
Drainage tubes
- Remote control for the device
Remote control for the device
- Instructions
When installing the mechanism yourself, an addition to the standard package is required. They consist of the following components:
- electrical cables. Most often, four-core cables with a length of about 30 cm are used.
- brackets for mounting an outdoor model
- Copper tubes with plugs. The length of the tube corresponds to the length of the route
- thermal insulation. Its length is equal to the length of the route * 2
- reinforced tape
Copper fittings for air conditioning
If the device is already a verse, you should choose a location for installation. We take into account the following factors:
- device requirements
- maximum length and width of side parts
- installation of the outer part. Not all buildings can be equipped with an outdoor unit. If there is nowhere to attach it, then they usually put it on the balcony
Tools and equipment for work
Installation equipment:
- Hammer with drill (length 45 mm)
- Vacuum pump
- Collector
Set of tubular products, for fastening
set :
- 2 copper pipes; diameter of one is 6.35mm, the other is 9.52mm
- Insulation
- Drainage hose
- Wiring
- Mounting bracket
Do you need permitting documents?
Many people believe that after purchasing a device you can immediately install it anywhere, but this is not true. Unauthorized installation of an air conditioner is illegal and is punishable by administrative punishment in the form of a fine of 5-10 basic units. After paying the fine, the person will have to dismantle the device. To avoid such problems, you need to familiarize yourself with how to coordinate work and what documents will be needed for this.
The installation must be approved so that:
- do not spoil the aesthetic appearance of the facade of a multi-storey building;
- do not damage the building;
- the condensate released during operation of the device did not fall on the walls of neighbors or on the heads of passers-by who walk under the windows.
To obtain permission to install, you will need the following documents:
- a certified copy of the passport for the apartment where the device will be installed;
- a floor plan showing the location of the device;
- a document that confirms the right to property;
- document to confirm the identity of the owner of the apartment.
After submitting the listed documents, a person can receive:
- Coordination. The apartment owner can install the air conditioner according to the plan he has developed.
- Partial agreement. In this case, the device installation technology is redesigned and another location for its installation is selected.
- Refusal. This answer is obtained only if there is a possibility of the wall collapsing due to severe loads.
Starting the system
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Pressure gauge needles, pressure check, plugs
First you need to start a split system. Here you need to follow the recommendations:
- Connect the large pipe to the port that is on the gas side
- Connect the middle hose to the pump, close all taps
- Turn on for 20 minutes. Afterwards, turn off the pump and watch the pressure gauge needle for 20 minutes
- If the pressure gauge rises to zero, then it is worth redoing your system
- Turn on the air conditioner and check its operation (when the pressure rises, unscrew the hose and put plugs on the edges)
Installation instructions for different types of air conditioners
Duct split systems are distinguished by the fact that jets of cooled air flow from the middle block to all rooms. Installation of a duct air conditioner is carried out according to a special scheme. It may vary depending on the power of the device, which affects the length of the air ducts.
Example of a duct type installation diagram
The procedure for installing a mobile type air conditioner is that you need to find a special place for it and connect the drainage hose to the air duct, which is inserted into the hood of the device. Its other end is led out onto the street. Before this, the window insert is manufactured and installed, ensuring tightness.
The installation instructions using Toshiba air conditioners as an example will help you do this.
Ductless air conditioners are often advertised. In fact, this is fake and deception. The water in these devices is discharged through a filter with pores, which is cooled by the air flow. In this case, heat will escape, but in very small volumes. Even such a small effect is offset by a sharp increase in humidity in the room. You should not buy such devices, and therefore installing air conditioners without laying pipes does not make sense.
Safety
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Damaged air conditioner
The electrical connection diagram must comply with the “Electrical Installation Rules”, since the air conditioner is a high-power device. Before you buy a device, you need to calculate the power of your electrical devices and compare all the restrictions. Otherwise, this may lead to emergency situations.
Key points for connecting to the electrical network
When the indoor and outdoor units of the split system are installed, begin connecting the air conditioner to electricity. To begin with, both blocks are connected together using a copper four-core cable, the cross-sectional area of which is at least 2.5 mm2. The connection cable is carried out either together with the freon line, or in a separate plastic package. If the installation is carried out in the same groove with copper cables, then in order to insulate the cable, a corrugated plastic tube is used.
The simplest electrical connection diagram for example
When the electrical interconnection is completed, the air conditioner is connected to the electrical network. There are different options for this, but the best way is to connect directly to a separate power line. This will allow you to avoid additional pressure on the electrical system lines in your home and will allow you to make a direct connection to the apartment part of the device. The cable is laid from the shield to it in a grooved groove in the wall material or in a separate plastic box.
The shield from which a separate type of power line will come must first be grounded. Connecting the power cable to the terminal block on the panel can only be done through a machine. Its power is calculated by dividing the power of the device by the voltage. The result is a certain indicator, to which another 30% is added as a reserve.
Connecting via an outlet is usually practiced in the following cases:
• the electrical network in the home is made through a copper cable, the cross-section of which is at least 2.5 mm²; • temporary fixation of the device will be performed; • the device has low power; • there are no devices with a high degree of energy consumption in the same branch; • it is assumed to use a circuit breaker with an RCD of at least 20 amperes.
Vacuuming
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Evacuation of the air conditioner
To remove moisture, the system is evacuated. Connect the air conditioner to the vacuum pump for about 1 hour. Freon is pumped into the system from the factory, we must connect a pressure gauge to control the pressure.
After this, the automatic separator is turned on, and the system automatically goes into test mode.
In a word, installation and installation of an air conditioner is a complex and responsible matter, so some owners call specialists from the supplier. But unfortunately, not everyone can afford it. Therefore, when installing yourself, do not forget about safety precautions.
Video materials:
Air conditioner installation, errors, tools! (Theory)
Installing an air conditioner in an apartment or private house: step-by-step instructions for do-it-yourself installation | Photo & Video
Air conditioner installation! (DETAILED TRAINING IN 5 MIN)
Installing an air conditioner in an apartment or private house: step-by-step instructions for do-it-yourself installation | Photo & Video
Troubleshooting yourself
If your air conditioner suddenly stops cooling the air in the room entrusted to it, you can independently determine the cause of the problem:
- Does not work. The reason may be a lack of power supply. Occurs due to a damaged plug or cord, a blown fuse, or a lack of voltage in the electrical network.
- Poor cooling. Air flow is obstructed by a dirty filter, an obstruction, or a nearby heat-generating appliance.
- Doesn't heat well. The heat exchanger located outside is frozen, which prevents air circulation.
A normally operating window air conditioner will make a barely audible click when the thermostat starts and stops, and after the compressor is turned off, the fan will still run for a short period of time.
general information
From the history of air conditioners, we know that the first truly mass-produced devices appeared in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century. They were quite bulky and noisy, and also toxic, as they emitted dangerous fumes.
But progress did not stand still; air conditioners became safe and compact. In the middle of the last century, America was swept by a wave of popularity of window air conditioners. Any average family could afford to purchase such a device, so they were produced on a huge scale.
Historically, most windows in America have one sash that goes up. Of course, air conditioner manufacturers took this feature into account and therefore manufactured units of such a shape and size that the air conditioner could easily fit into the window opening of a typical American home.
As a result, this format became the standard, and most manufacturers still produce window air conditioners aimed at the Western market. But our windows look completely different! They have at least one door that swings open to the side. And in modern plastic windows there are two or three such sashes.
However, this feature did not particularly affect the market for window air conditioners in Russia and the CIS countries. Our craftsmen adapted to the dimensions of American “windows” and came up with ways to install such devices even in a plastic window.
Nowadays, the popularity of window air conditioners is not as great as it used to be. They were replaced by split systems. They are more expensive, but more effective, more aesthetically pleasing and simply more convenient to use. And the frame does not have to be adjusted to the size of the device.
However, window air conditioners are still available in the market. After all, they have a number of significant advantages:
- Compactness;
- Low price;
- Uninterrupted operation;
- Ease of maintenance and cleaning.
By the way, a monoblock type air conditioner also has all these advantages; it is also called a mobile air conditioner. This is a more modern and convenient replacement for the “window”. If you don't know what a candy bar is, read the article below.
Device installation features
To ensure that your system always works efficiently, it is not enough just to know how to install a window air conditioner; there are many nuances that you need to pay special attention to. Of course, such a device in the form of a monoblock system is much simpler than installing a more complex split system, since there is no need to draw a route between the blocks for refrigerant and drainage, but it also has its own characteristics.
- Experts recommend installing a separate outlet with a separate circuit breaker, even for devices that have very little power.
- When choosing a model, be sure to consider the width parameters. It should be smaller than the width of your window.
- There should be enough free space around the device. so that it can work properly.
- Unlike the outer edge, which is located below the inside, the left and right sides of the device are installed level. otherwise, the condensate that accumulates during operation will flow unevenly from the pan.
How to choose the right one
To avoid getting into an awkward situation, you should not trust the purchasing decision to a supposedly competent sales consultant in a retail store of climate control equipment. Also, you should not rely entirely on the recommendations of online consultants or even good friends. Of course, it won’t be superfluous to listen to an outsider’s opinion about a specific model. However, it is necessary to have your own correct ideas about the features that the designated devices have.
Today, having a very limited amount, it is not surprising to find yourself in a difficult situation when it is necessary to purchase climate control equipment. By no means, the difficulty will lie not in the limited choice, but, on the contrary, in its breadth.
