Cleaning Coils in a Portable Air Conditioner in an Easy Way. How to drain easily Portable Air Conditioner without a hose - • How to Drain easily P... How to test noise level in Portable AC - • Air Conditioner Noise ...
Thank you this is so completely thorough and helpful I’m not sure why it had took so many times of me having to keep seeing the same videos pop up to finally get to this informative demonstration. I appreciate the tactfulness and presentation, so I subscribed and hope the other videos will be of use to me as well.
Hi Shereen - Thank you for your kind words and your subscription. We try to make videos with practical tips to address situations that we encounter ourselves, hoping that they will benefit others as well. We're planning a couple more videos soon, and we would be glad to get your thoughts.
Hi Brett - Great timing! We were thrilled to have a viewer right after uploading. We hope that your coil cleaning goes smoothly. If by chance your coils have lots of built up dust that's hard to remove, there are coil cleaning sprays/foams that should be helpful. Thanks for watching and for your nice note!
Can I clean the coils with a new paint brush.? I can't find a brush like the one you showed.? I'm from Ireland and air conditioners are alway expensive.but I can't do without them. Looking forward to any of your tutorials.
Hi again Celine - This is a question we can answer right away. =). We think that you should use something slightly stiffer than a paint brush because paint brush bristles are too soft to dislodge the dust, etc. that get stuck in the coils. You might try a soft tooth brush - it stiffer than a paint brush, but not so stiff that it would damage the sensitive coils. Or if you wanted to be more specific, you could do an internet search for air conditioner coil cleaning brush. Hope this is helpful, and thank you for watching. Stay cool!
Great video!! What about insulating the hose - Keeps radiant heat from returning into room. I also put duct tape along the inner lip of the solid part of the part that the exhaust hose screws into. Reduces hot air leaking into the room.
Hi Brewer - We've noticed some heat in our exhaust hose, but it has never affected the cooling process. The size of a room, the BTU of the AC, the mode that you use (some modes use more energy than others) , and how long you use it, can all play a role in whether your exhaust hose may be heating the room. As for insulating, we would suggest checking with the manufacturer or with an AC technician as to whether there would be any safety issues. Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience.
Thank you for the video :D We noticed our air intake is also gunked up. We have the same model in the video, if you have any info on how to clean it or how to take the plastic case off that would be great. Right now we just used a very small soft pipe brush but its not getting everything since the plastic casing is in the way. Thank you again for the vid and any info.
Hi, Thanks for watching and your question. We thought to open the bottom cover as well and clean the coils, but it seems like it was sealed. So we just left it as it is. The AC is still working fine.
I use a cheap paint brush. It has to be cleaned off quite a bit more often as my unit has a lot more dust on it. Any kind of brush works well, just make sure you were brushing it out instead of brushing it in.
I need expounded help on what I already know. I have a NEW frigidaire portable unit (purchased end of July/2020) that the TOP filter isn't dirty but check filter light comes on once a week. That means the 'bottom' air intake is clogged up. There are screws on the a/c casing. I have taken those out, but their doesn't seem to be any WAY to get at these internal 'veins' to clean any potential dust out!! [I know this is likely the situation because my PREVIOUS portable a/c unit. I had the same problem & after about 18 months when I finally did get the hard cover off, the amount of dust clogged up inside was ridiculous & that bottom vent, under the drain plug, does SUCK IN ROOM air....]. Please advise how I get the cover off to clean out the BOTTOM grill!!
Hi Shyla - Sorry to hear about your problem. Our model is different from yours, and, based on your description, we haven’t been able for figure out how to get to the coils. We would suggest calling customer service to check on this. If they can’t help, you could contact your seller for help or a possible return if you're still within the return period. Wishing you a good solution to your problem.
Just found this video tonight because my Frigidaire portable AC kinda doesn’t drain any water and I just am shocked I haven’t thought of using a pipe cleaner to stick in there and move whatever is going on in there. Like I drain it and a little mold I assume comes out.. but it slowly just drains barely anything now. The air started to smell a little funky too as of this week. I’m going to try this tomorrow and hopefully your tips work!
Hello i followed the process and cleaned thoroughly but my ac still gets filled with water every 2-3 hours max is there any other coils that needs to be cleaned? I cleaned two coils one upper and lower the ac is danby 12,000 btu portable ac
Hi Darren, Thanks for watching and your question. One of the reasons for excess water build up is high humidity. If the humidity is high in your area and you don't have a self-evaporating AC, then that might be some or all of the problem. We hope that you cleaned your filter as well as the coils, because a dirty/ clogged filter can also cause water build up. Also, we found a site that has more information on how to deal with excessive water build up. Here is the link - machinelounge.com/portable-air-conditioner-fills-with-water-quickly/ Wishing you good luck with this.
Any tips for getting rid of a bad smell ? Got my Toshiba one a couple months ago and all of a sudden it just started to smell weird , I drained the water but barley anything came out and cleaned the filters….not sure what else to do or how to get rid of it .
Hi Kristen - Thanks for watching. We would suggest checking the drain spouts by pushing in a pipe cleaner. That would dislodge any debris that may be clogging the drains and creating the smell. Also, check this site which gives some information about the bad smell in portable ACs - www.noble-air.com/how-to-remove-odor-from-an-air-conditioner/ Hope it will help and good luck!
I recently found you’re video on how to drain it, now as for the coils their moist and dirty. Will leaving AC out in the sun to dry help with the cleaning after? It’s never happened before I’m assuming it’s due to the water
Hi Alicia - Thanks for watching and your question. We think that cleaning will be easier while the coils are still moist because that way the dust or dirt is not attached as much to the metal of the coils. As far as seeing the water on the coils, it may just be a question of timing. If you opened the unit soon after using it, there could be condensation from warm moist air passing over the cold coils.
thanks but what about those lower ribs? Just clean them on the outside? I have them too and I have to say they suck quite strongly and being positioned lower hence even closer to the carpet - they must have built up a lot of dust inside. so strange that you cannot access them on no unit I know
Hi Andreas - You are right - it seems there is no access to them. We tried ourselves and have the same result. Regardless of the dust on the lower ribs, our unit is still working well after 4+ seasons of intensive use (10-14 hours almost every day). It seems that taking good care of the AC in general is the key to good performance. Thanks for watching and your input.
Hi Theresa - Thank you for watching and your question. We searched online and found the site which gives some information related to your issue. They say that ".. The evaporative coils can ice up, and when the ice melts, water may drip from the front of the unit, and again, the force of the fan may turn the drip into a spray. " Here is the link to the site www.hunker.com/12575736/why-is-my-air-conditioner-spitting-water Hope this helps, and good luck!
I've loved my portable AC for about 6 or 7 years, and have diligently cleaned the coils and drained it. Unfortunately, ice started forming over the coils after about 15 minutes or so. My AC is an LG 14k btu (LP1417GSR). I read online that it could be from not getting enough air to the unit, but it still freezes even after I completely disconnected it from the hose. What's the life expectancy of these, and can you think of any suggestions to fix my unit? Thanks in advance!
Hi Luana, if you are still having this issue - we assume that since you've been cleaning the coils, you've also been cleaning the filter. If not, try that first, if your unit is still building up ice, you may have low refrigerant level, which is understandable after 6-7 years of use. If that's the problem, check the cost of repairing vs replacing your AC. You may find that you can get a new AC for about the same cost as the repair job. Regarding the life expectancy of any portable AC, much depends on how often you use it, your climate, and possibly other factors. So unfortunately we can't give an accurate answer to that question.
Hi, look for screws that hold the casing over the unit. If you can get the casing off easily, then cleaning will be much easier. Make sure your unit is unplugged before trying this.
Hello, mine has a mildew smell coming from it when I’m close to the air coming out. I also saw in the green coils part breaks or small openings. What should I do?
Hi - Thanks for watching. We would suggest checking the drain spouts by pushing in a pipe cleaner. That would dislodge any debris that may be clogging the drains and creating the smell. Also, check this site which gives some information about the bad smell in portable ACs - www.noble-air.com/how-to-remove-odor-from-an-air-conditioner/ As for the broken coils.. we would suggest to call a technician - it's a serious issue. We found the site which explains in detail about the broken coils. Here is the link: www.diamondbackplumbing.com/blog/evaporator-coil-vs-ac-unit-replacement-cost-comparison-and-considerations/ Hope this helps.
Hi, To clear the light try to reset your AC's filter: under the Fan Speed button there is a fine print. It says hold 5 seconds for filter reset. Hope this helps.
Starting last night there is a lot of condensation building inside our portable ac unit to the point it sprays water when running. I opened the drain in the back and a bunch of water came out. Ran the ac again and within an hour same issue and more water gushing out of the drain. You can see water pooled inside thw unit when the vents are open where the air is coming out. Any suggestions? Bad coil? Dirty coil? Something clogged inside?
Hi, apologies for the delayed reply. If you still didn't find a resolution of your issue, here is a site we found which gives some information that could be helpful. Here is an excerpt : ".. The evaporative coils can ice up, and when the ice melts, water may drip from the front of the unit, and again, the force of the fan may turn the drip into a spray. " Here is the link to the site www.hunker.com/12575736/why-is-my-air-conditioner-spitting-water Hope this helps, and good luck!
I tried to use the foam coil cleaner from box store on my last portable a/c & it made a mess blowing soap/foam everywhere. Is there something else you can spray on coils to help clean them?
Hi, we've never used a foam spray because our unit is a portable AC , completely indoors and foam cleaner seems better suited for outdoor units where you can just splash water on them to rinse it off. Since you haven't been able to get rid of the foam completely, it may require a professional to do this.
How many years of freon is in a portable A/C? Mine started to leak when it’s very hot last year and is not that cold anymore. It gets really dirty because we have 3 long haired cats and even if I vacuum all the time the hairs get inside the coils and the filters real fast . There’s some build up in the front vents too , I’m not sure how to clean it and there’s no easy access to the back unless I remove it because there’s some kind of plastic “fence” ( not the right word but I can’t remember the appropriate one, I’m not a native English speaker ).
Hi -Thank you for watching our video and your questions. Regarding how long Freon lasts in a portable AC the answer is about 5 to 10 years depending on how much you use the unit. We've found online that if your AC isn't cooling well and the Freon is low, it may be wiser to replace the AC rather than replacing the Freon. Replacing the Freon can cost almost as much as buying a new unit. As for cats - with three long haired cats you may need to clean your filter and coils almost every day. The hair that builds up on the filter and coils makes the machine work harder, which uses up more Freon and electricity. If you own your home, you might want to check on getting a split system (built in high up on the wall). We think it may gather less hair than a portable unit on the floor. Hope this helps.
Hi, if your coils are dirty and dried out, a coil spray cleaner could be helpful. We've never used the spray because our coils have had only light dust, so we don't have any recommendation of our own. An internet search of AC coil cleaner reviews should give some info on this. Hope this helps.
Hi Olivia - Thanks for watching our video and your question. We would suggest the following cleaning procedure: first clean the filter using a soupy solution and then rinse thoroughly and dry out. Then clean the coils as shown in our video. Next , drain all water from the drain tanks and clean both spouts with a soft tooth brush and a weak soupy solution. if your drain tanks are removable, then pull them out and clean them also. After all the cleaning, let the unit sit for a day to dry out. Leave the filter out, the drain tanks out if they are removable, and the coils uncovered. When everything is dry, spray the coils with a vinegar solution of 1 cup vinegar in a standard size spray bottle, filled the rest of the way with water (use the spray setting rather then stream).Give it a good spray, but don't soak it. This will get deeper into the coils and other parts behind the coils. Also spray the filter with the same solution and the buckets, if removable, and again let everything dry out. Vinegar has some effectiveness against mold, so this may do the trick. If not, you can look for spray mold killer for portable ACs. We found some, but they were for car air conditioners. You could contact an AC dealer to see if they have any suggestions for sprays. Thanks again, and hopefully you will get rid of the smell.
My ac looks exactly same but last summer were cooling waaay better. This year doesn’t go lower than 26C. I cleaned upper coil and filter, drained upper and lower water. What can I do?
Hi, it seems like you've done everything you can. At this point it may be that some of the Freon( Coolant) has escaped. Oftentimes it can be more expensive to recharge the Freon than to buy a new unit. So if you are thinking of this, be sure to get a written price quote before committing to it. Hope this helps.
Hi Liet - For the exhaust hose issue we would suggest checking it in case some debris blocking the air flow. Also, in your owner's manual you can find error code page with suggestions how to fix them. If none of them works, call the manufacturer's customer service. (Dirty filters and coils are one of the reasons for lack-of-cooling issues, but It appears that you have already cleaned your filters and coils as you've watched our video). Thank you for watching, and good luck!
Hi - Sorry for the late reply. The first thing we would suggest is to clean out the drainage spout with a pipe cleaner to allow the water to get out. We would also suggest checking and cleaning the filter and the refrigerant coils (on the bottom of the unit) as these probably have cat hair as well. Using a vacuum might be helpful. To help prevent this from happening in the future, you could try putting cheese cloth over the air intake vents to keep the cat hair from getting into the system. Our current video shows how to clean the top coils. We are going to show how to clean the bottom coils in an upcoming video - we hope to have that ready soon. Thanks for watching, and hope this is helpful.
I have a musty smell coming from my AC…it’s a Ukoke smart WiFi unit. First of all, are most parts universal across all machines? Second, I don’t know how to clean the parts or even how to access them. I’ve drained the unit and cleaned the filter and it still smells like musty. How do I access the water tank? Kind of a newbie here lol😓😊
Hi Stephanie - Most units have the same general parts like water tanks, hose, etc, but the sizes and materials are often different. As for the smell, you might have accumulation of water in the drain pan or drip lines (or ducts in case of ducted systems), which can cause fungus or mildew to grow. We searched online and found this site which gives detailed information about the possible source of the smell, here is the link - www.noble-air.com/how-to-remove-odor-from-an-air-conditioner/ Regarding how to access the water tank, and how to clean the parts, we would suggest that you check your Owner's Manual, if you don’t find the instructions there, then you should contact your manufacturer's customer service line. Hope this helps.
@@ZLhow2 Thank you so much! I think the smell might have dissipated over time; almost as if the unit needed to “get the dust out” due to being so new. Is this possible? 🤔😊
Hi Stephanie - You're very welcome! As for the smell, it's good that it's gone. I am not sure about the reason, but you may be right - maybe your unit had the AC equivalent of "new car smell". ; )
Hi Ron - Your cooling problem could be due to several factors, such as dirty air filter or dirty/frozen coils. We did some research on the internet and found this site that may be helpful. Here is the link: solvitnow.com/what-to-do-if-your-ac-is-not-blowing-cold-air/ There is another possible issue, low refrigerant, but we would suggest checking the others first.
Hi Christopher - A toothbrush should be fine, just be sure that you brush gently. If you're getting a new toothbrush for this project, we would suggest getting a soft toothbrush.
@@ZLhow2 thank you very much I don't know why but I also seem to have a lot of water leaking out of the bottom from the dripple and from one of the screws in the back underneath. I was trying to see if there's something I can pour in there to seal that up on the screw part the part that's outside and the screw is on the left side underneath. I don't like the water dripping out onto the walkway in my apartment, so I was trying to figure that one out.
Hi Christopher - We searched online and found this site which you may find helpful in you case. It gives detailed information about leaks in portable ACs. Here is the link - applianceanalysts.com/leaky-portable-air-conditioner/ Thanks for watching and good luck.
Hi Tammy - Thanks for watching and your question. We called our customer service (Frigidaire), just to ask in general about wet coils. We were told that "it's normal to be wet, especially when it's running. It's the condensation that causes it." You may want to call your customer service number just to see what they say. As for the water indicator light, that shows up when it’s time to drain the tank - not to warn of wet coils. Hope this helps.
There are several reasons why your portable air conditioner is leaking water. The most common one is a clogged duct, damaged drain pan, a disconnected drain line, etc. You can check this site, which discusses many other possible causes and how to fix them. www.hotpointheating.com/HVACMaintenanceTips/StopLeaks
I didn't know that the Coils got dirty I cleaned my Filter all the time then I noticed I had major Sludge all in it it was bad it is dried on now and I have no clue if I can get it off now
Hi Ann, sorry for the delayed reply. In case you haven't found an answer to your issue, we would suggest to get a solution for cleaning AC's coils. Follow the instructions on how to use it including for how long to let it sit. Hopefully this will take care of your issue.
Hi Joseph - We googled, and it looks like that cage you mentioned may be a removable grill. Your Owner's Manual probably gives details on how to remove the grill and clean the coils. Hope this helps.
This helps a lot but I have a bigger problem.... I bought this exact unit from heavy smokers and it smells like it when turned on. I have no clue how to get the smell plus the horribly built up residue on the coils from it.
Hi Tee, Thanks for watching and your question. We've never had this kind of issue, so we looked online and found a site which might be helpful. Here is the link - savannahairfactory.com/why-does-my-hvac-system-smell-like-smoke/ Hope this helps.
@@ZLhow2 Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I will def look into and read through the site. Also, would you happen to know if you can spray that coil cleaning spray directly on this unit? Again, thank you so much!
You're welcome. As for your question about spraying the unit we found this video which might help you with your question: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x1VjjHZtSWM.html
Hi again, We double checked our original response and found that the link we sent you was not quite as relevant as we assumed. We checked further and found a site specifically addressing cigarette smoke smell. It doesn't mention Portable ACs, (we searched for portables , with no luck) , but the information on how to deal with the issue applies just as well. Apologies, and hope this will help you. Here is the link - colmanair.com/blog/remove-ac-cigarette-smell/
Hi Omar - Thanks for watching and for your questions. The dry mode works sort of like a dehumidifier drying out the air as it cools. Regarding your 2d question, there is no “best” mode. You choose the mode based on the weather. Dry mode is for very humid weather. Cool mode is for very hot weather. You use the fan mode when it’s not too hot or humid, and you just want to circulate the air. Thanks again, and hope this is helpful.
Hi Wendy - Thanks for watching our video and your question. We would suggest the following cleaning procedure: first clean the filter using a soupy solution and then rinse thoroughly and dry out. Then clean the coils as shown in our video. Next , drain all water from the drain tanks and clean both spouts with a soft tooth brush and a weak soupy solution. if your drain tanks are removable, then pull them out and clean them also. After all the cleaning, let the unit sit for a day to dry out. Leave the filter out, the drain tanks out if they are removable, and the coils uncovered. When everything is dry, spray the coils with a vinegar solution of 1 cup vinegar in a standard size spray bottle, filled the rest of the way with water (use the spray setting rather then stream).Give it a good spray, but don't soak it. This will get deeper into the coils and other parts behind the coils. Also spray the filter with the same solution and the buckets, if removable, and again let everything dry out. Vinegar has some effectiveness against mold, so this may do the trick. If not, you can look for spray mold killer for portable ACs. We found some, but they were for car air conditioners. You could contact an AC dealer to see if they have any suggestions for sprays. Thanks again, and hopefully you will get rid of the smell.
Hi - Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for watching. We think that If there is a little dust on your coils, you can get it out with a hand vacuum cleaner. Just be sure to turn off your AC. We found a site where you can find some information about cleaning AC coils in different ways including the vacuum cleaning. Hope you'll find it helpful. Here is the link - www.griffithenergyservices.com/blog/evaporator-coils-dirty-heres-safe-way-clean
Hi Celine - Sorry we're a bit late with our reply. We have a question, we are not sure what you mean by 16 and 17. Please let us know and we'll tell you as much as we can.
Yes, my new air conditioner, stays at 17 degrees, 30 Fahrenheit. It used to be 16 degrees, which I thought makes a big difference, but they seem to stop at 17 degrees. I had a 12,000 BTU portable air conditioner I could put the dial down to 16 degrees. With the one I have now, is a 12,000 BTU, but it stops at 17 degrees. I know the difference between the 16 degrees, and the 17 degrees. I asked for a 13,000 BTU portable air conditioner. The man said that it would be too bulky! Which I wouldn't mind! I have my window blocked with ply wood so I can get more cooling in the room. Still not as good as my old one. The reason why I get air conditioners is , my breathing does be bad when it's too warm, especially when trying to sleep. The weather in Ireland is not as fresh as some other countries in the summer. They are a great invention. But so hard to repair when they break. Thanks for your time and help. Stay cool mate, and I'll probably ask for more information when I need it, from you. 👍...
Hi Celine - If the temperature won't go as low as you want, and the unit is still within the return period, we would suggest returning it and looking for another AC and checking the temperature settings before purchasing if that's possible. In addition to checking the temperature settings, we suggest checking the size of the room you are cooling and the number of BTU in the unit you want to buy. The right number of BTU is a question of fit , not power. With not enough BTU the machine will run for a long time struggling to cool the entire space and it may never succeed. With too many BTU, the machine will cool of the room very quickly and then shut off , and then start again soon afterwords when the room heats up again. And it repeats the cycle over and over which can waste electricity and wear out your machine very quickly. Hope this is helpful, let us know what you think.
I have a 12,000 BTU. Does it make much of a difference, if the lowest on the unit is 17 degrees, as opposed to 16 degrees? I always had ,air conditioners,were the dial stopped at ,16 degrees. Is this a new way they are manufacturing portable air conditioners? If I keep the filters clean, does it help keep the coils clean? Thanks for any advice you can give me. Stay cool👍...
Hi Celine - We don't know if all AC manufacturers have the same lower limit on temperatures, you might want to check with sellers or manufacturers in you area. As for your second question about coils and filters, both need to be cleaned as needed (the clean -filter light will appear on the display panel when it's time; for coils you need to check on your own).
Hi Mario - Don't worry, that is just the warm air being removed from your home. That's how it's supposed to work. Despite the warm air in the tube, the unit is cooling your space. Thank you for watching.
Hi Bev - Thanks for watching and your question. We would suggest checking every day or so. After awhile you'll develop a sense of how often to drain. Our unit which is partially self-evaporating, has generated little or no water to drain since the first time we drained it, as in our first video. But we still check it every 5-6 weeks, and more often when the weather gets very hot or humid. Also we have a follow up video showing how to drain the unit without a hose and much easier way than in the first video. Here is the link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q7APzY39Vn8.html
Hi Alondra- There is no need to do anything. The moisture in the air condenses on the coils and then drips into the drainage tanks. So water on the coils is perfectly fine. Thanks for watching.
Hi Dana - in our unit there is no way to access the "the bottom vent" as there are no screws. You might try using a powerful vacuum cleaner with a narrow nozzle attachment; or contact Frigidaire customer service.
@@lemonteazify No but the inside fan propellor looks caked with dust, so I'm thinking a long tool with a taped rag, then light swipe on each blade will do.
Hi Eddie - We searched online and found this site . It might help you with your issue. Here is the link - www.fixya.com/support/t13653540-delonghi_air_conditioner_triangle
Can someone give me advice.i have one of these.i don't have the plastic for the window. But my window is only 13 inches across. And online the minimum is around 16 inches . not sure what i should do
Hi - Thank you for watching and your question. We would suggest that you get an inexpensive window insert and cut it to fit your window. If you don't feel confident doing it yourself, you could take a good measurement of your window and the insert and take it to a hardware store, and ask them if they will cut it for you.
Sorry to hear of your electrical issues. The usual reason that a fuse “blows,” or a circuit breaker “trips,” is that the electrical device (like an AC) is pulling more electricity than the circuit can handle. There may be some other causes for your problem - you can learn about them in a video we found online (the link is below). But we also think you should check the question with an electrician - putting too much “load” on an electrical circuit can cause fires. Good luck with this! Here is the link to the video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1Yg2Gk-jLzY.html
Hi Noe - It seems like you have accumulation of water in the drain pan or drip lines (or ducts in case of ducted systems), which can cause fungus or mildew to grow. We searched online and found this site which gives detailed information about your issue, here is the link - www.noble-air.com/how-to-remove-odor-from-an-air-conditioner/ Hope this helps and thanks for watching.
Hi Don - Thanks for watching and your comment. One suggestion: you might want to follow your bleach /water cleaning with a 100% water "rinse". This is because bleach is corrosive to metal. Thanks again.
Hi Carrie - If your filter and coils are clean, then check the following steps: 1. If your AC's BTU is right for the size of your room. Air Conditioners with lower BTU will not be powerful enough to cool the larger space adequately. 2. Check the room thermostat temperature with the temperature set on your AC - the unit’s temperature should be lower than the room temperature . 3. Check if there is a leak/gap in your exhaust hose, or window insulation . If everything looks fine , then there may be an issue with the Freon refrigerant. In this case, we would suggest contacting customer service or an HVAC contractor. Thanks for watching, and hope this helps.
