How do you clean your air-conditioner?
william chan
Posts: 1,326
I wonder whether anybody here clean their own air conditioners?
How do remove the indoor fan blades for cleaning?
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www.fd.com.my
www.mercedes.com.my
How do remove the indoor fan blades for cleaning?
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www.fd.com.my
www.mercedes.com.my
Comments
For cleaning, what I do it to run the fan during the drier winter season to shake loose anything that may of started accumulating on the blades during the higher humidity summer season. When things are wet and sticky, it is harder to clean. The real dilemma is that slime molds love wet, cool, and dark environs. My A/C starts spitting out slime mold as the summer progresses, but it doesn't seem to affect the operation. I run a separate dehumidifier with its own room fan to limit the mold from spreading into the room. With 90% humidity, the mold can start to grow on the back of bookcases and pictures hung on the wall. At 30% humidity, that isn't a problem.
Are you worried about something like 'sick building syndrome'? That is where the A/C begins to grow bacteria or fungus that makes people ill. If so, I'd spray the fan with a dilute solution of chlorine bleach to sterilize [noparse][[/noparse]something like 50 to 1 ratio of water to bleach] and after allowing a period of drying time, I'd run the fan to dump out any residue. Pressurized air, like a hose at a gas station might be a more aggressive means of purging.
Why not take a look at what a rebuild shop does in the process of rebuilding 2nd hand air conditioners. At the very least, you will get some idea of what the internal geometry is like. The interior side is completely separate from the rather large cooling fins on the outside. Care must be taken with all fins as they are easy to damage and create clogs in the flow. So I would avoid disassembly unless you have a high degree of confidence about your skills.
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Ain't gadetry a wonderful thing?
aka G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse] 黃鶴 ] in Taiwan
Now that I have central AC I do the same with the outside condenser and use a vacuum cleaner and paint brush to clean the evaporator coil.
Where is the blower/fan, what kind is it?
Where are the coiling coils located, and what shape are they?
Or just post the model and manufacturer.
- Howard
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I have a few Panasonic Split 1.5 HP units.
The fan blades are typical cylindrical types.
When I try to remove them, I found that there is one missing blade near the motor that provides a hole so that I can access the jam screw.
On the other end, there is a bearing covered by a rubber wheel.
I am afraid that if I force out the blades I won't be able to put it back in.
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www.fd.com.my
www.mercedes.com.my
a hose clamp. You most likely will have to move the inner coil slightly to get in there. Hopefully, it's just a hose clamp and a pair of pliers can get it loose.
You'll have to remove all screws holding the inner coil in. If it doesn't wiggle with the slightest pressure, then something is still holding it in.
IMPORTANT: If you bend or break one of the pipes leading into or away from the coil, you might as well throw it away and get a new one (I think walmart sells them for
around $100).
Your best bet, of course, is to get it professionally cleaned. Some companies will do it for as little as $35. Or at least they did ten years ago when my father still worked
heating and air.
william chan
The fan blades are typical cylindrical types.
When I try to remove them, I found that there is one missing blade near the motor that provides a hole so that I can access the jam screw.
On the other end, there is a bearing covered by a rubber wheel.
I am afraid that if I force out the blades I won't be able to put it back in.
This is if it is plastic·squirrel cage
If it is this type then all you have to do is loosen ·jam screw· and take it off· and move the squirrel cage back and forth about 1/8 of turn only·and pull the squirrel cage until it come off
The squirrel cage can take a lot of pulling but that is if you are pulling it from the back where it is mostly flat and if you are only turning it 1/8 of a turn back and forth
Make sure that you also clean the outside coil as well when you clean the· inside coil
If this is a metal squirrel cage you will need a fan blade·puller for this type
I hope this help
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Sam
Post Edited (sam_sam_sam) : 6/27/2009 7:59:01 PM GMT
Where do I get a "fan blade puller"?
Should I remove the squirrel cage starting from the motor end or the far end?
Should I unscrew the motor mountings first?
Why don't they make aircons that can easily remove the fan blades?
Thanks.
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www.fd.com.my
www.mercedes.com.my
If you want to buy one PM me and I will you know how much one cost
It looks like a metal squirrel cage.
Where do I get a "fan blade puller"?
Should I remove the squirrel cage starting from the motor end or the far end?· Motor End
Should I unscrew the motor mountings first?
Dose it have round metal ring that six screw that hold the ring on or dose it have Three metal ear's on the motor that mount on the cage
It will make a different which way you can do it
If it has the metal round·ring then just take those screws out and the blower wheel will come out as well
If it has the Three ear"s on the motor you can clean it with a screwdriver the blade's·and a air hose with a nozzle·and blow it clean
and you would not need to take the blower wheel off
I hope this helps
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··Thanks for any·
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Sam
Post Edited (sam_sam_sam) : 6/28/2009 6:59:21 PM GMT