A simple trick for more efficient home A/C
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Simply cleaning your home's A/C condenser can make last longer and run more efficiently. Just make sure you follow these simple instructions to avoid damaging your air conditioner.
This is very simple one man can do what another can do. The reason they recommend you not to do anything is so you can hire someone like him to come rip you off for doing basically nothing.
He forgot to mention to turn unit to OFF POSITION before hosing down the coils from inside out .
Exactly right! 🤨
So true. Companies ripping off consumers is the American way.
Air from the inside first, then chemical clean/water rinse from the outside. A plugged condenser restricts air flow across the coil, causing the compressor to run hotter. This will cause increased amp draw and a higher power bill. Also if the refrigerant doesn't condense, you won't have a solid column of liquid at the metering device, and thus less cooling.
Even if the refrigerant does fully condense, a dirty condenser will still reduce your cooling capacity because hot liquid won't be able to absorb as much heat in the evaporator as cool liquid. Also, raising the head pressure while keeping the suction pressure relatively constant increases your compression ratio, reducing the compressor's pumping capacity.
Someone needs to put 0:44 on a constant loop.
omg just came to comments to say this ROFL
Bobblehead
At :45 I could almost see the thought bubble above his head saying "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh!"
I love how they treat us like dummies. They'll do anything to keep us dependent on them.
Dude theres like 900,000 grandmas who husbands died 20 years ago that need someone to explain this to them. Believe me those ladies are Loaded and they LOVE having a young strapping lad talking to them about Hosing something down. They could care less about the money or the explanation, they just want a man to do something and talk to them for a while. That is a Valuable service most men will never understand.
@@Hoffmanpack
I'm not saying that videos are not important. What I'm saying is that the presenter said that some of what I see as easy jobs should be left to the professionals.
@@amorales9613 I agree with you there.
@@amorales9613 I agree that he was somewhat patronizing, but at the same time, your average person shouldn't be messing with 220v wiring unless they know how to do it safely.
Damn, Jack Nicholson really let himself go.
Joey Landerno, He looks a little better.
This job is NOT beyond the skills of a normal homeowner by any stretch of the imagination. The comment that it's 220 volts is silly because you turn off the power. The box on the wall behind the A/C unit has a plug that you simply pull out. Also, you can turn it off from inside the house. In other words, you shut off the juice before you do this. These guys imply that the power is still on. The only thing that you have to remember is not to touch the terminals on the capacitor until you make sure they are discharged because capacitors can hold a charge for a while. To do that, just put a screwdriver between the connections on the capacitor. There's usually three connections. Jump all three possible connections. You usually have to unplug those connections to remove the top fan unit. When you have the case of the A/C removed, clean out all cobwebs and debris and then clean the cooling coils with a hose and a brush. Any hardware store will have a special product that you spray on the coils to help remove all the dirt and debris. Some A/C units have fuzzy things that look like tin foil boas on the coils to increase cooling. Be careful when you clean those to not crush those delicate things too much. (If you have them, you'll know as soon as you see them and what I said will be clear and obvious.
Remember, air is pulled in through the cooling coils and hot is is blow out of the top of the A/C unit. That's why you clean from the inside as the man said. You are pushing debris out the way it came in (from the outside). But to really get it clean, some cleaning from the outside is necessary.
Actually, this is all MUCH simpler than this may make it sound. But the point is that if you have any basic skills and common sense at all, you can easily do this yourself. There's plenty of videos and info online to show you exactly how to do it. It's super simple. The hardest part with some A/C units is just getting the panels off the unit to expose the coils. You remove the top (fan unit) first.
So don't let anyone tell you a typical homeowner can't do this. They don't want you to because they want to charge you a couple hundred bucks to do something you can easily do yourself. And it's unfortunate but many HVAC people will then tell you that you need all kinds of other work or possibly a new A/C system when you really don't.
True, and if you clean often enough, basically once a year, unless youre in a very dusty or pollen/leaf fiiled environment- you don't need brushes or seperate cleaners. Use Simple Green, which won't hurt shrubs etc. Spray it on, let it soak and hose it off. From the inside. Do this for the inside coil ocassionally too.
Plus that outside unit gets sprayed with water every rain likely with power on. Outside pollution is hard on the aluminum fins on the coils. If you let it go then service tech will likely use cleaner especially made to clean coils fins.
rain doesn't do jack for coils, you need to wash them off directly.
And don't forget wasp spray, or flame thrower for pesky hornets nests. Oh I don't use the flame part just high pressure diesel to kill em from a distance
What if you have hard water? Does the hard water dry on your coils leaving them less efficient.
Is it important for unit to be level ?
There is coil cleaner that can be applied as well.
Sanford Willis muratic acid
@@williamwalters9403 dickhead reply
somewhere along the line, this dude didn't cut the power first...
220 volts does not hurt if you turn on the power to the unit.
Whats he doing from :43 to :45 ??
HawaiianBrian64 his oh face
I Was Wondering the Same CREEPY
Jollies 😜
Free meme for the kids.
Bobbleheading...lol
Maybe that guy should clean out the leaves all over his yard. And of course he doesn't think a homeowner should take the lid off the air conditioner. It would put him out of a job.
I took mine apart and cleaned it . I’ll pay somebody next time.
The guy in the left gives me bad vibes. I don't know why but reminds me of Mel Gibson evil twin or something 🤷♂️
I'd like to thank Jack Elam for appearing in this video~!!!
I thought it what Mel Gibson in the thumbnail.
horseshit !!!! I've been cleaning my unit for years with a garden hose from the inside, takes 15 minutes
You are right sir. Push that crap back out the way it got sucked in there. Then you can clean the stuff in the bottom of the unit also.
No no no.
He just told you from the inside out.
You can really damage your condenser if the water pressure is to high.
H K %
Oh yeah, I've replaced several customer's units because they flatten the fins on the coil with pressure washers. You can do it with a high pressure water hose too.
why not stand the fins back up, the tool is cheap and works quickly.
taint wolverine tis vincent price
B
That condenser isn't even derty. 🤔
You don't want the customer to take the top off and do it their self so you can make the money to come out for 20 min for $100
Hey professional guy.... Telling homeowners to spray conductive water at a machine that has electrical potential is a great idea!!! What if their ground isn't active... What if a million things. Maybe read a book before telling ppl how to electrocute themselves.... Your first statement should have been..... WITH POWER LOCKED OUT....
You cut the power before you do this job! See the panel on the wall behind the A/C unit in this video. You just open that box and pull the cartridge out. To be doubly save, you can also shut off the circuit breaker in the house. Were you actually thinking that this work is done with the power still on? Come on - a little common sense please! But it was pretty dumb of these guys to warn homeowners not to do this job because of the 220V because YOU SHUT THE POWER OFF!
What do you think happends when it rains genius.......
Ron Sphar common sense, if you try to clean it with it running and something burns out, you deserve it. It’s a two minute video to be used as a reference
The electrical section is already weather proofed so you can spray it while running.
Ron Sphar what happens when it rains?
Me listening to someone explain something that I don't understand
0:43
I didn't know Jack Elam was in the heat and air business
Home owners can do this. Its 220 volts but all you have to do its flip the circuit breaker to do it safely. Then spray some coil cleaner inside it and wash it out with a hose. It's not hard.
That dude is higher than a kite!
This is the issue with UA-cam Vids, some are general knowledge and some are True instruction. BIG Difference..
Man that one dude must have been raised by wolves
It's pretty hard to get shocked with the 240 vac. From a hot wire to chassis or neutral will be 120 vac. You would have to be holding both hots at the same time to get the 240. Besides, any fool knows to turn the power off before cleaning it from the inside ...
"so on a scale from 1 to 10, how am i doing?"
"really good...."
Thought the taller guy was Jack Elam.
Mike Mcmonahan or at least related to jack Elam
If one eye took off in another direction he could be his twin.
I try to keep the condenser coil clean by taking a leak on it whenever I'm working in the garden. Is that recommended?
Just don't hit the part of the compressor that contains the electrical connections.:)
Depends on how red your neck is…
You can use male dogs to do that and won't get arrested for exposure! lol
Remember to shut the power off first before you shoot a bunch of water
If you have a male dog, keep him from squirting on the condenser. The acid in urine will eventually corrode the coils.
I do this shit every fucken day. Turn off the dam power. Instead on a condenser wash sell him a contractor
A little dish soap solution will help, too. And keep the metal surfaces clean and waxed!
A dirty condenser coil can make your liquid line so hot that you cant hold on to it.
Any homeowner can do the cleaning. Remove the grill over the fan and wash from inside out with the power off. Then wash the outside . Repeat 3 times and button everything up. Restore power and run the unit to dry the coils. Do this every spring. You will save $150 every time you do it yourself
Can't afford the rich mans expensive luxurys a 20$ walmart fan will work good enough...
*It's like what the parking lot attendant said from Ferris Bueller, "I'm a professional".*
If taking ur AC unit apart is above the homeowner then pretty stupid , one of the simplest jobs ever , pull the breaker , stay away from capacitor, if has one and clean away
Is this a joke?!
Your suppose😲 to put cleaner on inside coils fins let set 10 min. Then rinse 🤔💡💡💡🙁
Thank you SR
don't use a nozzle but same time the guy is squeezing the hose, - so it will act as a nozzle. nice!
There is less pressure squeezing the hose than using the nozzle!
Every outside condenser unit has to have a breaker or pullout, do best to disable it.
NEC rules
If its not bypassed already LOL
If the condenser unit is under eaves but with about a 4 1/2 ft gap between top of condenser and eave, is it worth building some sort of metal deflector to redirect the hot air from the condenser fan out from under the eaves?
no. air will hit the eaves and split going out the sides. It isn't going to bounce the air back down. These are pretty strong fans.
Gonna bad video. Esp when there was no mention of killing power before removing the top. Last thing you want is a homeowner getting caught up in the fan. Nice job....
Also it’s way easier to clean out heavy buildup from the outside of the coil. You can use a nozzle. You just have to make sure you aren’t spraying at a left/right angle. Hit the fins straight on.
Not true. If you only do it from the outside in it leaves a bunch of debris that simply got pushed further into the coils. Wash your unit from the outside and then when you think it's clean, rinse from the inside to outside and watch how much more comes out. (+20 yrs hvac tech)
Works the same with a heat pump during ac time in Virginia ???
3 times a year...hose off your unit...cancel the HVAC guy who will charge you $99 a call. :)
once a year is all you really need unless you have a dusty environment or lots of leaves/pollen.
I take mine apart and do it from the inside out
Love the grin and head nod!
Use garden hose with pressure, you can use an attachment, they should not bend from that, not a pressure washer is a bad idea.
Clean from the indie out and from the bottom up.
DID HE TURN OFF THE POWER.
I prefer to line the insides with c4 and detonate the dirt off.
You're are suicidal. Go see a shrink fast! lol
Joke
Is it important for unit to be level ?
Yes
Motor bearing health
220 HZ?
220 volts. 60 hz
Europe uses 50hertz
A lot of major electrical consumers in the home use 220 Volts, Electric Dryers, water heaters, Electrical furnaces ($$$$$$ on the bill) and Electric stoves all use 220.
John It's not the volts that rack up the bills, its the amps. And my stove is 120v
I was thinking of a full size stove with 4 hobs on the top and a big oven, is this one of those smaller jobs with not as many hobs and a smaller oven? Every full size oven I have ever checked has been 220v.
Wow, Jack Nicholson does a/c videos......".HERE'S COOLING !!!"
That head nodding thing was funny.
Doesn’t rain do just about the same dam thing?
no
Definitely not. Do you wash your car with rain or a pressurized water delivery system (hose genius)?
And dog pee'
Only if you can get it to go sideways and all around. You aren't too swift are you.
220 is dangerous if you don’t disconnect the power before servicing. Same goes for 120.
I spray a mixture of 1/3 muriatic acid and 2/3 water on the coil fins and rinse after 15 minutes.
There is some subtle humor in this bit that is hilarious....
Insulation on the suction line, the larger of the 2 refrigerant lines, helps too.
John- how does that help in cleaning the condenser coils?
Insulation should be in place already. If not your condenser is pretty old.
Weathering and wear happens too. My favorite trick to replace missing insulation is to get a pool noodle from the dollar store or wherever and slit it down one side and slip it over the suction line, then wrap it with white duct tape, because white bounces the environmental heat away best, at least it's the best among the cheap choices. I spent like $6 last time doing this on the outdoor section
Always get the thickest noodle you can get, too :p
John great tip John, I just noticed my insulation on both lines was kinda rotting away. So only the thick line ?
kennycybertron1 the thick line is called the suction line, Google "insulate ac suction line" without the quotes for a better explanation than I can give in a UA-cam comment
Was the Elec power shut off
Have you heard about using Cold Plus refrigerant additive to get colder air and use less electricity? I heard that both commercial and residential units are saving between 8% to 18% utility bill savings...is that possible?
Lets lube it up inside, Not! Tommy the sales guy always working.
no
I am so glad to see him do it the right way. Many companies use an acid base condenser coil cleaner but water is just fine. The coils didn't come from the factory nice and shiny so an acid coil cleaner will actually ruin a coil. It is good to use an evaporator coil cleaner for the inside coil as it is not acid based but taking a water hose to the inside coil will make a large mess!
Not if done right. (+20 yrs HVAC tech)
Andrew Meyer Try explaining to a home owner that an acid based coil cleaner is good for the environment and their yard. Acid coil cleaners just are not necessary. (26 years HVAC experience)
@@andrewmeyer2401 20 years of being a terrible HVAC tech apparently.
Plain water won't burn the grass near the units.- In some cases you can use Calgon or some other brand coil cleaner. Always rinse well after any chemical application.
I put foam air filters over the vents of my window AC. Works great with no air restriction to keep the condenser clean.
CauseAndEffect you said “air filter” and “no restriction” in the same sentence.
By doing that, you are restricting airflow and making the unit work harder. Therefore, you will probably reduce its life.
Guarantee their is air restriction. Put that foam up your nose and tell me you can breathe the same.
Lmao!!
Diluted muratic acid works wonders on your condenser coil!
Not a swimming pool. No acid on the coil please.
I use caustic soda (NaOH), also use on my car radiator. It works like magic.
Only a few case you can use acid on metal.
Scraggly beards are nasty Food catching Odor absorbing Drool mops. Shave that thing OFF and show me how to use my a/c more efficiently
Please