One of the very most frustrating issues with a window air conditioner is if it starts to ice up. For the owner of the air conditioner is can be perplexing.
When this problem occurs most people immediately believe that it is the fault of the refrigerant gas. More regularly the cause is the result of other difficulties 冷風機.
It is most often the consequence of poor airflow.
Any time the airflow via an air conditioner is restricted the coolant system becomes affected. If taken to extremes the critical pressure-temperature balance of the cooling coil can be changed. Should they drop too low the cooling coils surface temperature can drop below the dew point temperature of the room. At these times the cooling coil will quickly operate as a refrigerator rather than an air conditioner. Instead of simply cooling the air it will collect and hold moisture. The moisture will freeze onto the cooling coil where it’ll appear as ice.
The primary job of an air conditioner is to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the room air. By removing the moisture from the room air it gives us a sense of comfort. To do this though the temperature of the cooling coil should always be higher than the room’s dew point. If it’s allowed to drop below the dew point the air conditioner will start to produce ice.
With this information in mind the following are several problems that can lead to your air conditioner icing up:
1. Dirty filter.
To avoid this replace or clean your filter every little while of the cooling season. In case a smoker do it weekly. To clean filter remove from air conditioner, wet thoroughly, and lay in bottom of a sink. Sprinkle detergent (laundry detergent is effective) onto filter surface. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Add warm water to sink in order that filter is completely covered. Soak for 15 minutes. Remove from water and rinse. Allow to air dry.
2. Dirty or blocked cooling coil.
An air conditioner requires regular maintenance. Usually every two or three years. Every year would be best, but this could be costly unless you do it yourself. During cleaning the cooling coil ought to be degreased and washed to eliminate accumulated dirt and debris. Degreasing is essential to eliminate any coatings on the coil. Or even done greasy residue can trap and hold air borne particles. They will build-up on the coil and affect heat transfer. If left too much time this can result in the cooling coil becoming partially blocked. This can produce a lower airflow.
3. Dirty or blocked condenser coil .
The condenser coil is the one at the rear of the air conditioner. Its job is to dissipate the heat that’s being removed from the room. Similar to the cooling coil it too must be cleaned every few years. Since the condenser is on the outside of the home it becomes exposed to a lot of dirt, pollen, and smog. Since airflow direction is from inside to outside it is the inside surface of the condenser that becomes dirty. Therefore to completely clean this part the air conditioner must be completely disassembled. Or even cleaned regularly an airflow blockage here may also burn out the compressor. Before this happens although lowering of airflow will affect the overall operation. This can bring about the compressor efficiency dropping, the inner pressure-temperature relationships being affected, and the resultant production of ice on the cooling coil.
4. Inefficient compressor.
As describe above an inefficient compressor could cause icing up. If the compressor is not able to pump the refrigerant properly the cooing coil may not get cold enough to shut off the cold control. It could hover just above the cut off point. When this happens the cooling coil will quickly refrigerate. Ice on the cooling coil will result. If the compressor itself reaches fault the air conditioner will have to be replaced. But note that many icing problems are misdiagnosed as bad compressors when they were actually one of the other faults discussed in the following paragraphs.
5. Not enough refrigerant. Too much refrigerant.
Both scenarios can result in and icing condition. If your air conditioning equipment was repaired recently suspect an excessive amount of refrigerant. Mixed with an airflow problem this is often difficult to diagnose. Or even repaired recently then suspect airflow problems before considering a refrigerant imbalance.
6. Outdoor temperature too low.
Icing can occur if the outside temperature falls below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit. If the outside temperature is too low the air conditioning equipment pressure-temperatures can be affected. When the outside temperature falls the cooling coil temperature will also fall. So much that the coil will refrigerate the room air. This will bring about the cooling coil beginning to produce ice. This problem is more frequent in the fall. If it is hot during the day but cold during the night suspect this problem because the reason behind icing up. If this issue is suspected try running the air conditioner in the fan only position. Leave the re-circulating vent open. This can circulate the room air without cooling it, while bringing in handful of outside air during the night.