Helpful Tip and Tricks
Air Conditioning Trick and Tips
1. Heating – Set temperature between 23-25°c (Winter)
2. Cooling – Set temperature between 22-24°c (Summer)
3. Dry – This mode eliminates humidity while maintaining the indoor temperature within a practical range, (slow cooling mode).
4. Fan – Fan only (no cooling or heating).
5. Auto – Regulates room temperature depending on thermostat setting and ambient temperature.
1. Locate the Air Conditioner circuit breaker at the main switchboard and turn off for 5 minutes then turn back on again.
– This will reset the system and any fault will be erased.
2. Why might this happen?
– Due to power fluctuation in areas sometimes system electronics may cause malfunction.
– During hot weather, with the thermostat set at very low temperature (e.g.17°), the compressor may overheat by running continually at high RPM. This may cause electronics malfunction and a loss of electrical supply.
3. After resetting the circuit breaker at the main switchboard, refer back to helpful tip #1.
At all times keep doors closed while running air conditioning. This saves running energy, cools home faster and prevents condensation build-up on the internal grille, from humid outside air being drawn into the home.
1. A blocked air filter reduces system performance significantly. Air cannot pass a blocked filter freely, resulting in poor performance.
2. To clean the filter, wash it in cold water and leave to dry completely before putting it back in the unit.
3. If the air filter cannot be cleaned, contact your Alliance service professional for the genuine replacement part.
4. Blocked filters can also cause drain blockages and water leaks, causing unnecessary water damage to your home. A complete drain flush is recommended at every service event to make sure all dirt, grime and mould is removed and the drain is clear.
5. A blocked filter will prevent airflow and in severe cases may cause the indoor fan motor to burnout due to increased load.
1. A blocked air filter reduces system performance significantly. Air cannot pass a blocked filter freely, resulting in poor performance.
2. To clean the filter, wash it in cold water and leave to dry completely before putting it back in the unit.
3. If the air filter cannot be cleaned, contact your Alliance service professional for the genuine replacement part.
4. Blocked filters can also cause drain blockages and water leaks, causing unnecessary water damage to your home. A complete drain flush is recommended at every service event to make sure all dirt, grime and mould is removed and the drain is clear.
5. A blocked filter will prevent airflow and in severe cases may cause the indoor fan motor to burnout due to increased load.
1. Regular service schedules for all air conditioning systems are recommended to keep them operating reliably for long periods of time.
2. A regular service schedule, completed by an Alliance Climate Control service technician, can highlight any emerging issues and help prevent a mid-summer breakdown or need for repair.
3. An Alliance Climate Control annual reminder or service alert can remind you to check the condition of your air conditioner, ready for the peak period of summer. If you would like to receive an annual reminder please contact Alliance Climate Control on (02) 8004 5980 for further information.
4. Many homeowner insurance claims are related to water overflows, some from air conditioning systems. Most claims of this type can be avoided during inspections at regular scheduled services.
5. Large capacity HVAC systems can produce 110 – 190 Liters of water per day. Clogged drains with dirt, grime and mould must be checked at every regular service, to make sure they remain clear.
1. On a hot day, with the thermostat set to 17°, the compressor may overheat by running continuously and at a high RPM. Be cautious of this – it may mean your air conditioning system is overloaded; this may cause electronics malfunction and a loss of electrical supply.
2. This may result in a premature breakdown, along with higher electricity bills.
3. For further information on compressor overheat refer to helpful tip #12.
1. If your air conditioner makes an unusual noise, turn off the unit immediately and switch off electrical power at the point of supply. Call Alliance Climate Control and request an urgent service technician appointment.
2. If water begins to drip from the ceiling or wall, turn off the unit immediately and switch off electrical power at the point of supply. Call Alliance Climate Control and request an urgent service technician appointment.
1. Over time the internal fan coil and blower wheels become partially impacted with dirt and grime. This can cause heat exchange failure, prevent the indoor fan coil from cooling itself with the movement of air, and increase the power requirements of the compressor. If the coil is blocked and air flow is reduced blower motor failure can occur, as reduced air flow causes high temperatures, the compressor will ultimately experience failure due to overheating.
2. In the heat mode, a blocked fan coil may crack due to poor circulating air flow and eventually freeze over. This causes system overheating and results in premature component breakdown, usually at the
3. Eco-cleaning will remove mould, grime, bacteria and fungi which in turn improves air quality, energy efficiency, and reduces power bill costs.
1. Set your air conditioner at the highest temperature setting, at which you still feel cool enough; 24°C is usually adequate. Each increase of the thermostat setting will save about 10% on your energy usage.
2. Remember ‘set point is the system cut out (system will cycle off and have a break when it reaches set temperature). Whether you have the system set at 24°C or 18°C, air coming off the coil is the same. When set on low temp. the air conditioning system will need to work hard and push more air flow to reach the set temperature; when set on 24° the system won’t have to work as hard, and will use less energy to reach that temperature.
3. To achieve ultimate set point 24°C a 10°C temperature difference required; to achieve 24°C you need to reach 14°C off the coil. To achieve 14°C or cooler off the coil, the unit must circulate the room temperature until room temperate becomes 24°C. For example if room temperature starts at 35° it would have to be circulated and pushed out from the coil at approx 25°C, bringing room temperature to 30°C. The same process would have to be repeated until room temperature becomes 24°C, which indicates off coil air of 14°C. The correct temperature difference on correctly sized systems should be around 10°C. to 12°C.
Refer to the diagram:
4. Homes are not completely sealed units like a refrigerator, this is the reason why it is hard to achieve an extremely low indoor temperature (17°C); cool air escapes and hot air enters. Keeping you home seal by closing all window, doors and blinds will help you reach a low comfortable temperature in extremely hot days.
1. A blocked condenser coil is a danger to the liquid line1. the liquid line needs to be cooled, if it’s hot due to a blocked coil, the liquid line will remain hot and the system will lose efficiency/performance.2. the liquid line will push warm liquid into indoor fan coil and cycle back into the suction line which is detrimental to the outdoor compressor (suction line must be cooled).3. the suction line will heat up and eventually this will result in compressor burning out. Indoor coil blockage, dirty filtration and partially impacted blower wheels will prevent airflow distribution from coil; the outcome will be the coil icing up and condensation building up.
2. This can destroy the valves in compressor and burn out the motor.
1. A power surge or spike (power fluctuation) is a fast, short sudden increase in voltage and current that can cause damage to sensitive electronics. It typically happens when there is a short circuit or there is lightening/a thunderstorm. The system electronics will trip and cause the system to not operate accordingly.
2. Did a thunderstorm take out the power in your home or business? If so, a lightning strike probably caused a power surge that tripped your A/C breaker.
Even if it was just a seemingly random outage, not caused by a storm, there can still be an electrical surge when the power returns and that can also trip the breaker. That’s just the circuit breaker doing its job of protecting your equipment.
3. Locate the A/C circuit breaker in the electrical box, and check to see if a breaker has tripped. If so, reset the breaker, turn off for 5mins and turn back on. If the unit won’t start up again, the system has sustained more damage and you’ll need to call in an air conditioning repair technician.
1. During hot weather if your air conditioning unit is not cooling enough, despite the thermostat set at very low temperature set point (17°C), the compressor may overheat by running continually at high RPM. This could mean your air conditioning unit is overloaded, thus causing electronics malfunction and a loss of electrical supply.
2. Air conditioning use has spiked significantly of late, due to the increase in warmer weather, largely relating to our ever-changing climate. However, to combat the heat, air conditioning units are operating continuously. This continual running of air conditioning has seen many systems overload, and has left them unable to cool when needed. Normally, the air conditioning unit running on overload often leads to problems with the capacitors. In order to combat this problem, it may be best to upgrade the capacitor.
3. If your air conditioner cuts off due to overload (turns off), option one is to reset all function and let the system rest. A simple systems rest can fix majority of A/C electronic related problems.
4. To reset, locate the air conditioner circuit breaker at the main switchboard and turn off for 5 minutes; then turn back on again, but leave the system off for 30min. After 30min turn back on, as this will reset the system and any fault will be erased.
If your air conditioner does start up again after you reset the breaker but then trips again a short time later, you could have a more difficult problem on your hands.
Important
If the circuit breaker is tripping repeatedly, don’t turn it back on! The circuit breaker’s job is to protect your building, wiring, and equipment by shutting off the flow of electricity when the current flow gets too high. If it keeps tripping, you could risk a fire if you turn it back on.
If it is only the air conditioner that’s tripping the circuit breaker, it’s a sign that that the unit is overheating and drawing too much power. Overheating can easily lead to AC failure, and may be caused by any of the following underlying issues:
Electrical Components
Loose connections, a bad capacitor, or a short in the equipment’s wiring can be the culprit.
Refrigerant Leaks
Your unit’s refrigerant lines may have developed holes or cracks, causing a leak of refrigerant. When your air conditioner’s refrigerant charge is too low, it puts a strain on the system that causes it to work harder and leads to overheating and AC failure.
Fan Motor Issues
If the fan that helps remove heat from the condenser has failed or is not working properly, the system can overheat.
Evaporator Coil Freeze-up
When you have reduced airflow in your system, which can be caused by clogged air filters, blocked vents, or a faulty fan, the outside of the evaporator coil can become coated with ice. That makes the system run continuously without cooling, eventually causing overheating and AC failure. You can also end up with water leaks causing damage to your interior and furnishings.
Dirty condenser coil
When your outdoor unit’s condenser coil gets coated with dirt and debris, it can’t effectively release the heat that is removed from the air in your property. That can easily cause overheating, which if not addressed, often leads to the next item on the list: compressor failure.
Compressor failure
This is probably the worst-case scenario. The compressor is the heart of the system, and when it fails it is very expensive to replace. You may find yourself shopping for a new air conditioner.
Poor Maintenance
Very often, all the issues mentioned above have one root cause: poor maintenance, or upkeep, of your air conditioning system. To avoid the above it is highly recommended that you maintain regular servicing, especially with the help of a trained technician. Technician visits should ideally be scheduled every 6 months to a year.