Any equipment has its weaknesses. Even the most technically equipped unit is easy to disable, if you stop taking care of it, and let the process go by itself. The air conditioner will work properly in winter and summer, if you follow the rules regarding the temperature regime outside the window, the condition of the filters, and the amount of refrigerant. To understand why the air conditioner does not turn on, you need to understand the principles of the device.
The principle of operation of climate technology
Cooling devices are divided into budget and expensive. Cheap devices require more careful handling, compliance with all operating rules. There is no protection against misuse in their electronic control unit, which makes them easy to break. It doesn’t matter - an expensive or cheap model is installed in the apartment - compressor repair will cost half the cost of the unit itself.
Expensive air conditioners are not so easy to destroy, because they refuse to start if the conditions for normal operation are not met. At this point, there is a mistrust of expensive equipment, but in this way it protects users from unnecessary spare parts costs.
The device of expensive and cheap cooling devices is not much different:
- The compressor makes freon move in a circle in the system.
- The heat exchanger located in the outdoor unit cools the liquid.
- The heat exchanger in the indoor unit evaporates the refrigerant and transfers it from a liquid form to a gaseous one.
- The fan blows the heat exchangers of the outdoor and indoor units.
The general principle of conditioning is the intake of warm air, its cooling inside the unit and delivery back to the room. Through a copper pipe, the coolant circulates under pressure.
If the air conditioner stops blowing, then an error has occurred in one of the main nodes. The reasons may be different - serious and banal.
The air conditioner does not work - the causes of the problem
In order to save time and nerves, simple reasons that lead to equipment breakdown should be considered:
- The battery in the remote control has run out. They should be replaced and try to turn on the unit.
- The remote control is out of range of the equipment sensors.
- The plug is not tight, the air conditioner does not receive power.
- The device works slowly and does not cool the apartment enough: a lot of people gathered in the room or devices that emit heat are turned on, open windows in the heat do not allow the device to work fully.
- The device turns off shortly after the start of work: the set temperature has been reached, you need to reconfigure the sensor for more powerful cooling.
- An obstacle appeared on the air flow path, for example, furniture that needs to be removed to ensure the normal passage of warm and the exit of cold air.
If the air conditioner does not work well and produces little cold, the power for a particular room may have been incorrectly calculated.
After checking the banal operation errors, you can proceed to more serious breakdowns. They occur due to a systematic violation of the rules for using climate technology. One of such errors is turning the device into frost on heating. You can heat the house with air conditioning only in the off-season - in the spring or in the fall, when the outside temperature is positive. In winter, you can turn it on in cooling mode, if the outdoor unit is equipped with a winter kit - drainage and crankcase heating.
Below 0 degrees in winter, the air conditioner does not turn on. It is used in the "cold" mode to reduce the temperature in the server room or computer class.
Compressor failure
Compressor problems begin after a clogged filter, the purpose of which is to protect internal parts. If this is not done, the dust clogs the small cells so much that the air stops circulating. Possible overheating of the compressor and freezing of the pipeline. When turned off, the ice melts and drips water. The filter must be cleaned immediately until the evaporator is dirty. This is done using warm water and detergent, the part is dried and inserted back.
Filters in home air conditioners are cleaned once every two weeks and more often if the equipment is in the kitchen, where there is evaporation in the form of fat.
Coolant leaks cause the compressor to overheat. You can detect a problem during the inspection:
- ice is visible on choke joints;
- compressor operation is disrupted - it cools the room much weaker than usual.
If the air conditioner compressor does not turn on, damage to the winding and cable may be the cause. Check resistance. To do this, you need a special tool, but it is better to invite a wizard who will immediately replace the wire.
The air conditioner may not turn on if the outdoor unit is clogged with dirt. The same thing happens when the fan is blocked by debris or branches.
Fan and remote control do not work
If the fan does not turn on when the air conditioner is turned on, it may have been started in a frozen state when the impeller iced up. The fuse blows and the fan turns off. It is recommended to inspect the outdoor unit after winter.
The fan speed is lower than required, so the settings on the remote control are checked.
To verify the malfunction of the remote control, carry out the following steps:
- remove all obstacles in the signal path;
- turn off electronic devices;
- change the batteries.
It is advisable to study the instructions well, which button is responsible for what - perhaps the wrong mode is set. If the remote control does not work, but the device can be turned on using the buttons on the front panel, then you need to carry it for repair.
Other air conditioner breakdowns
The device is designed for a constant voltage of 220 watts. During power surges, equipment malfunctions begin. Capacitors sometimes collect excess voltage - because of this, the device may not turn on. Using an insulated screwdriver, they close the terminals, freeing the capacitor from excessive voltage.
To prevent voltage fluctuations from adversely affecting home appliances, it is recommended to install a stabilizer.
Voltage is supplied to the indoor unit for the motor and compressor. The contactor is responsible for the distribution. 220 watts should be on both sides. If the device shows 0 W at the output, then the contactor is faulty.
The air conditioner does not turn on in winter, since the sensors do not allow the device to start at minus temperatures. This is a special protective mechanism of the system. Working conditions in cold weather should be discussed when buying a model. Equipment that can work in winter is more expensive.
Not all craftsmen undertake to repair air conditioning boards, preferring to replace them with new ones. This is due to ignorance of the scheme and soldering places. But after fixing the board, you can bring the fan and other details back to life. Changing it to a new one is expensive.
Weak cooling is sometimes attributed to jamming of the four-way valve spool in the intermediate position during mechanical damage or factory defects. If the air conditioner blows warm air in the “cold” mode, the valve requires repair or replacement. By tapping on one side of the valve, the spool moves to the “cold” position.
The valve seizes if the core sleeve has been damaged and has lost its sliding ability. It is necessary to exclude the presence of foreign particles in the air conditioner circuit, which cause the valve to become blocked. The lack of coolant can also lead to inadequate movement of the spool, which will affect the quality of the equipment.
Repairing the air conditioner on your own, especially if the warranty period has not expired, is not recommended. HVAC installers have much more experience and can quickly identify breakdowns, which reduces repair costs and time.
