In the hot summer, the demand for air conditioners grows the faster the higher the thermometer rises. And the queue for their installation is growing even faster.
Installation of monoblocks (mobile air conditioners, windows, stationary wall monoblocks) usually does not cause difficulties. To install a monoblock air conditioner with your own hands, you only need to strictly follow the instructions and be careful.
Is it difficult to install the air conditioner yourself?
Split systems are another matter. Imagine a hot summer. The long-awaited split system has already been selected, purchased, the price and installation date have been announced to you. The wait can take up to a week, or even two. And the price of installation often approaches the price of an inexpensive air conditioner.
Let's make a reservation right away that it's better to wait for the professionals. But if you decide to install an air conditioner with your own hands (to save money or gain new skills), nothing is possible. You just need to follow the technology and follow the instructions clearly. The instruction is the first thing you need,to install the air conditioner with your own hands. Reading the instructions is a must! Many installation instructions take into account the most common "shoals" of installations. Their task is to eliminate the possibility of improper installation and ensure the correct operation of the equipment.
Preparing for installation. Required Tools
Below is a list of the basic tools you will need to install your own air conditioner. If you don’t have something from the list, you can always ask friends or rent it. Very often instrument stores offer this service. Difficulties can arise with renting a specialized tool, but a little later we will show how to get around them.
List of tools:
- Big puncher. For drilling a hole for a freon line.
- Drill with a diameter of 40 mm. They can drill holes for small air conditioners. For more powerful air conditioners, use a drill with a diameter of 80 mm or drill two holes with a diameter of 40 mm.
- Small perforator. Also for drilling holes, but for self-tapping screws (for fixing the plate of the indoor unit) and for anchors (for installing brackets for the outdoor unit).
- Screwdriver. Screw in the self-tapping screws when attaching the indoor unit plate. With a one-time installation, it is quite possible to replace with a screwdriver.
- Level.
- Screwdrivers.
- Roulette.
- Keys. To connect the interblock route with the air conditioner. Rather, for the final tightening of the union nut of the air conditioner. Hex keys.
- Pipe cutter. A hacksaw cannot be used! Since when it is used, a lot of sawdust is formed. They will get into the freon pipeline of the air conditioner, then into the compressor and the air conditioner will fail.
- Flaring. Needed to roll copper pipe. Create a pressing lip between the air conditioner brass nuts.
- Beveler (example). Removes a bevel from a pipe that is formed when cutting with a pipe cutter.
- Vacuum pump.
- A set of pressure gauges for the type of freon, corresponding to the installed air conditioner. Now the most common freon is R410.
- Electrical tester or indicator screwdriver.
- Electronic thermometer.
- Step-ladder.
Determining the right place for the air conditioner is very important
To choose the installation location, consider the following points:
- Cold air coming out of the air conditioner should not create discomfort. Therefore, it is better to hang the split indoor unit so that the flow does not fall directly on a person. We choose a place when the cooled air will flow parallel to or above the people in the room.
- When choosing a location, you must observe the installation clearances (distances from the ceiling and walls). This is necessary for the normal operation of the air conditioner, the convenience of its maintenance and repair. These distances are written in the installation instructions and are usually: 7 cm from the top edge of the air conditioner to the ceiling, 10-12 cm from the sides of the air conditioner to the walls.
- It is necessary to provide a power supply near the installation siteor take care of the power supply.
- Drainage from the indoor unit must flow by gravity (slope of at least 2 cm per meter of pipe line).
- It's good to know the material of the wall on which the air conditioner will be hung. This will allow you to choose the right fasteners.
Material Kit
Here is a list of materials needed to install a household split system:
- Copper tubes. Usually sold in coils of 15 m 24 cm each. The ends of the pipes must be plugged to prevent moisture and debris from entering the pipe. Not all sellers agree to cut off the desired piece from the whole bay. If you encounter this, try contacting a small company that installs climate equipment. There you will be more willing to meet halfway.
- Insulation. Sold in 2 m pieces. Buy insulation designed for mounting air conditioners. It holds the temperature better and recovers well after being crushed.
- Interconnect wire. The type and size depends on the capacity of the air conditioner and on the model (for example, this model has a signal cable or not). The instructions say which cable is needed for a particular model.
- Drainage hose. You can use either a special corrugated tube for drainage, or a metal-plastic tube.
- Self-tapping screws with inserts.
- Bolts, nuts, washers. For attaching to the brackets of the outdoor unit.
- Bracket kit.
- Insulating tape.
- Teflon tape. Forfreon line windings.
- PVC tape may be needed.
Today, for low-power splits, freon line materials and a pair of brackets will cost 1200 rubles.
Installation of outdoor and indoor units of the air conditioner with your own hands
Instruction:
Start by mounting the mounting plate of the indoor unit. We mark and drill holes on the wall for its fastening, having previously outlined the place of installation of the plate according to the level. We use self-tapping screws and dowels with a diameter of at least 8 mm for fixing
- When installing the plate, you need to follow the distances from the future indoor unit to the walls and ceiling recommended in the instructions.
- We outline and drill a hole through which the freon line will pass. At the same time, we take into account that the design of the indoor unit provides for the possibility to withdraw the pipeline from under it in several directions. This will depend on the block locations you choose.
- We attach brackets to the outer wall, taking into account the distance between the “legs” of the outdoor unit. To do this, you need anchor bolts with a dowel. We pre-plan and drill holes. Tightening the brackets.
- Install the block on the brackets. We fix it with bolts with washers and nuts with a diameter of at least 8 mm.
Forming a pipeline
- Cut off the pipe with a margin of about 15 cm.
- Putting insulation on coppertubes. If at the same time it is necessary to use several pieces of insulation, then they are joined end-to-end. No gaps. The joints are wrapped with adhesive tape. For example, PVC tape.
- Chamfering with a reamer. We put on the union nut screwed onto the fittings of the outdoor unit or attached to the air conditioner.
- Rolling the pipe.
View of pipe ready for installation (with union nut, insulated and flared).
- We take the interconnect cable, fix it on the track.
- Also fix the drain hose.
- We wrap the track with Teflon tape. In the photo - preparation of the freon line.
Attention! The drain hose in the correct route is positioned below the copper pipes to avoid counter slope when the drain runs off. The interconnect cable is laid with a small margin. Copper tubes are fully insulated.
Connection of freon line with split system units
- Pull the pipe through the prepared hole.
- Hanging the outdoor unit.
- Hang up the indoor unit.
- Connect the freon tubes under the indoor unit of the split (there are nuts on the tubes of the indoor unit). We use the key for this.
- Connect the drain hose of the freon line with the built-in factory one.
- Connect the rolled tubes with the valves of the outdoor unit.
Attention! On the laid pipeline should not remain"bare" areas. We cover all copper pipes with insulation.
How to make the electrical connection of the air conditioner with your own hands?
- Flip off the front panel of the air conditioner wall unit.
- Unscrew the plug to connect the interconnect cable.
- Push the cable through and connect it to the appropriate pads. The wiring diagram is in the manual and (or) on the inside of the indoor unit cover.
- Checking the correct connection.
Then everything is assembled in reverse order.
Evacuum or not?
Vacuumization is a mandatory process. With it, moisture and air are removed from the air conditioner pipe. Vacuum the freon circuit with a vacuum pump. Freon is a specially invented substance. When the air conditioner is in operation, it condenses at one point, at another it turns into a gas. This is how the air conditioner works. If moisture or air enters the freon circuit, the properties of the freon change. For example, at the outlet of the outdoor unit, a smaller amount of it can go into gas. System performance deteriorates. In addition, there is oil in the air conditioning compressor. It only works with certain freon. When moisture or gas enters the system, the oil cokes, settles on the walls of the compressor and the life of the compressor is reduced.
If there is no vacuum pump
If there is no vacuum pump, then there are several options for resolving the issue:
- Apply to the climate company to take over the work onevacuate the system.
- Start the air conditioner without evacuation. Briefly blow the pipe line with freon in the outdoor unit. Accepted standards (for example, STO NOSTROY 2.23.1-2011) do not allow this.
There are many videos on the Internet that show how to install an air conditioner with your own hands without a vacuum pump, using this method. However, we advise you not to perform such an operation. It is better to contact the HVAC company. Indeed, in case of failure, the air conditioner will not be changed under warranty.
Starting the mounted air conditioner
If the track is more than 5 m, most likely, you will need to add freon. We check the need for this with pressure gauges and refuel to a normal level. Manufacturers usually recommend refueling by accurately calculating the amount of additional freon in grams per meter of gas tube.
Check the tightness of the system. For this operation, it is not necessary to buy a leak detector. You can simply “soap” the pressurized system (lubricate with a composition of any detergent and glycerin using a regular shaving brush). Bubbles will appear at the leaks. Most likely, these will be places for rolling, connecting copper pipes with an indoor or outdoor unit.
Checking the control parameters. This is the temperature difference between the indoor unit of the incoming and outgoing air and the pressure on the gas pipe in cooling mode. For R410 freon, on which most air conditioners now operate, the temperature difference is from 8 to12 °C. The pressure gauge may fluctuate by up to ten percent depending on the outside temperature.
Checkpoints for checking correct installation
During the installation of the air conditioner with your own hands, you need to check some points:
The hole for the freon line is made with a slight outward slope
- Drainage is brought out with observance of the slope and leaves by gravity without encountering any obstacles.
- The drain tube in the freon line lies below the copper ones.
- Pipe insulation completely covers the copper pipes, leaving no "bare" areas.
- The outdoor unit is installed at the same height as the indoor unit or below it. The maximum height difference for a particular split model is prescribed in the installation instructions. Usually it is not more than 5 meters. It happens that the outdoor unit needs to be installed higher than the indoor unit. Then you need to provide a compensation loop to prevent the accumulation of oil in the indoor unit of the air conditioner.
- The supplied electrical power corresponds to the capacity of the installed air conditioner.
- The electrical connection of the air conditioner is correct.
- The joints of the freon line with the units are “soaped”, there are no leaks in them.
Is it possible to install an air conditioner at home with your own hands? We think that it is easy to carry out installation operations yourself, strictly following the instructions and observingtechnology. And specialized ones (rolling, vacuuming, commissioning) are best left to professionals.
