One of the most frustrating issues with a window air conditioner is if it starts to ice up. For who owns the air conditioner is can be perplexing.
When this problem occurs a lot of people immediately believe that it is the fault of the refrigerant gas. More often the cause is the consequence of other difficulties.
It is most often the result of poor airflow.
Any time the airflow via an air conditioner is fixed the coolant system becomes affected. If taken up to extremes the critical pressure-temperature balance of the cooling coil could be changed. If 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 begin to operate as a refrigerator rather than an air conditioner. Instead of simply cooling the air it’ll collect and hold moisture. The moisture will freeze onto the cooling coil where it will appear as ice.
The principal job of an air conditioner would be to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the room air. By detatching the moisture from the room air it gives us a feeling of comfort. To get this done though the temperature of the cooling coil must always be higher than the room’s dew point. If it is permitted to drop below the dew point the air conditioning equipment will start to produce ice.
With this information at heart the following are a few problems that can lead to your air conditioner icing up:
1. Dirty filter.
In order to avoid this replace or clean your filter every couple of weeks of the cooling season. In case a smoker do it every week. To completely clean filter remove from air conditioning equipment, 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 quarter-hour. Remove from water and rinse. Allow to air dry.
2. Dirty or blocked cooling coil.
An air conditioner requires regular maintenance. Usually every several years. Every year will be best, but this is often 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 important to eliminate any coatings on the coil. If not done greasy residue can trap and hold air borne particles. They will build-up on the coil and affect heat transfer. If left too long this can bring about the cooling coil becoming partially blocked. This will produce a lower airflow.
3. Dirty or blocked condenser coil.
The condenser coil is the one guiding the air conditioning equipment. 空氣淨化機 would be to dissipate the heat that’s being removed from the room. Just like the cooling coil it too should be cleaned every few years. Since the condenser is externally of the house it becomes exposed to plenty 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. If not cleaned regularly an airflow blockage here can even burn up the compressor. Before this happens though the lowering of airflow will affect the overall operation. This can bring about the compressor efficiency dropping, the internal 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 down the cold control. It can hover just above the take 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 remember that many icing problems are misdiagnosed as bad compressors if they were actually one of the other faults discussed in this posting.
5. Not enough refrigerant. An excessive amount of refrigerant.
Both scenarios can result in and icing condition. If your air conditioning equipment was repaired recently suspect too much refrigerant. Mixed with an airflow problem this can be difficult to diagnose. If not repaired recently then suspect airflow problems before considering a refrigerant imbalance.
6. Outdoor temperature too low.
Icing can occur if the exterior temperature falls below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit. If the exterior temperature is too low the air conditioning equipment pressure-temperatures can be affected. Once the outside temperature falls the cooling coil temperature may also fall. So much that the coil will refrigerate the room air. This will bring about the cooling coil starting to produce ice. This issue is more prevalent in the fall. If it is hot throughout the day but cold during the night suspect this problem as the cause of icing up. If this issue is suspected try running the air conditioning equipment in the fan only position. Leave the re-circulating vent open. This can circulate the room air without cooling it, while attracting a small amount of outside air during the night.