Air conditioner is a very useful device. Thanks to him, car trips, especially over long distances, become more comfortable and convenient. Home devices create comfort on hot and sultry days. But like any other devices, they require regular maintenance and repair. Periodically, cleaning and refueling of the air conditioner is necessary. This service is provided in specialized services. But with certain knowledge and skills, all these procedures can be quickly done by hand.
Causes of odors from the air conditioner
The characteristic smell from the air ducts may indicate that the element needs cleaning. There are several reasons for this phenomenon. Most often, the air conditioner smells due to the formation of bacteria and mold on the evaporator. When the device cools the air, dust and dirt settle along with the air on the evaporator, which is located in the heater unit. Condensation also forms in the air ducts. In addition to the air ducts, condensate also appears on the evaporator itself, as well as inside it. Dampness is an excellent environment for the spread of various microorganisms,which are the sources of the smell.
Methods and types of cleaning work
The process of cleaning the air conditioner can be chemical or mechanical.
The simplest chemical treatment involves the use of cleaning aerosol or foam preparations. It must be borne in mind that the first ones are suitable only for disinfection. The cleaning itself should be carried out only using foam formulations. Mechanical processing is used in cases where work with the help of chemicals did not bring the expected result. The mechanical method is much more difficult. It involves the dismantling of the evaporator. Also, if necessary, it is possible to refuel the air conditioner, since it has already been dismantled.
Chemical treatment and necessary medications
There are a huge number of manufacturers, whose means can defeat the colonies of bacteria and mold in climate systems and remove the smell. Most often, these are disinfectant sprays or foam for cleaning air conditioners with a tube of a certain length.
When the drugs are purchased, the cleansing process can be carried out. Processing the climate system from bacteria is carried out as follows. If this is a car, the first thing they do is start the engine, then turn on the air conditioner and start the air recirculation mode at its full power. An aerosol can is installed near the front passenger seat, where the air intake pipe is located. It remains only to start spraying the drug. Allwindows and doors must be closed. You also need to wait a certain amount of time. Usually the waiting time is indicated on the package.
Then the air conditioner is turned off, and the interior or room is thoroughly ventilated. In the case of foam, it is necessary to remove the cabin filter. In some car models, it is located just above the stove. Next, a sealing tube is put on the foam can. This is done in order to prevent foam from entering the evaporator. Then with this composition it is necessary to fill all the air ducts. In addition, foam can be introduced through the drainage holes. Then, after the time specified in the instructions, the air conditioner is started and allowed to run for about 10 minutes in various modes. After that, thoroughly ventilate the salon or room.
Mechanical cleaning
This procedure will require certain tools and materials. In this process, the refrigerant is bled and the car's air conditioner is refueled, each pipe and all washers are cleaned. The first step is to dismantle the dashboard to get to the evaporator. Next, the refrigerant is pumped out of the system. Sometimes you have to remove the stove to get to the air conditioning evaporator pipes. Then, each sensor is disconnected, as well as the pipe going to the radiator on the heat exchanger, and this radiator is carefully removed. The element itself should be thoroughly washed with soapy water. Then it remains only to collect everything that is disassembled and change the oil in the compressor. The air conditioner may need to be recharged.
Why refuel your device?
This question is often asked by the townsfolk,those who are not familiar with the device of this technique.
And right, why, because the manufacturer has already refueled the unit? For new air conditioners, additional charging is not needed, but over time the refrigerant is gone. Leaks can be caused by improper installation, various mechanical damage to nozzles or tubes. This is true not only for car air conditioners, but also for household split systems. Often, due to malfunctions that lead to overheating of the compressor, anti-vibration elements and pipes through which the refrigerant flows can be destroyed. Parts rub against each other. Often they are rubbed through, and then the special gas just goes into the air.
Consequences of freon leakage
When the amount of refrigerant decreases or it leaves all, then the difference between the outside and inside air is no longer felt when the device is running. Without a filler, the unit will not be able to cool the air. Refueling the air conditioner will help solve the problem. But first, you should look for the cause of the leak. If this is not done, then after a while the refrigerant will leave again and the climate system will stop working.
Working with freon 410
Freon brand R410A consists of two components.
Its physical characteristics are different from other refrigerants. The difference is in the boiling point. Therefore, refueling the air conditioner with freon 410 has its own characteristics. Unlike R22 components, which can be used in both liquid and gaseousform, R410 is filled only in liquid state. This is a guarantee of the ratio of the two components in the mixture in a ratio of one to one. This is how the refrigerant will perform best.
Do-it-yourself air conditioning refueling is done as follows. First of all, a special gauge manifold is connected to the service port of the device. The refrigerant is then completely discharged from the circuit. Then the circuit is evacuated and kept in this state for some time. After that, the device is refueled by weight.
Refilling with freon-410
Refilling the air conditioner with freon-410 is not recommended. Manufacturers of climate equipment advise, if necessary, to bleed all the refrigerant completely and then re-pump a new one into the system. However, there is a lot of controversy on this topic. Some HVAC service companies offer refueling to minimize repair costs.
It is produced if the leakage does not exceed 20 percent. The layman does not know this norm. And it is determined by the pressure in the circuit and the environment. From this it follows that it is better to entrust the maintenance of air conditioners to professionals. Refueling the car air conditioner, if it contains the 410th freon, must also be carried out with the complete withdrawal of the old freon.
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Modern climate technology can be serviced independently. However, it must be taken into account that not allissues can be resolved by hand. For example, it is possible to clean and recharge the air conditioner if it is charged with the correct refrigerant. But only professionals should perform more serious tasks.
