If you use the air conditioner for a long time, you might have problems like “the air is not coming out” or “the wind is not cold.” You might even find some bugs.
This time, I’ll talk about how to deal with the problem that “the outdoor unit doesn’t work.”
First of all, what is the outside unit of the air conditioner
I don’t think there are many chances to pay attention to the outdoor unit because it is outside.
First, an air conditioner is made up of two parts: a “outdoor unit” and a “indoor unit.” The two are connected, and the outdoor unit moves heat between the indoor and outdoor units.
In the summer, heat from inside is let out through the outdoor unit. In the winter, heat is taken in through the outdoor unit.
We usually pay attention to the indoor unit, but the outdoor unit is the unsung hero that makes everything work.
Why doesn’t the outdoor AC fan work?
You might be worried if the outside unit doesn’t move while you’re driving, but you can’t tell if it’s broken or not.
This is because the outdoor unit is made to be strong enough to handle rain and wind, and it is also made to stop automatically when the room temperature reaches the set temperature.
It’s a place where heat is exchanged with the room, so you can take a break if you don’t need it. Follow the steps below to find out what’s going on.
The air conditioner’s outside unit doesn’t work: 3 check items
A home outdoor unit that has stopped working can be fixed in three steps. If it’s just a bug or mistake, it’s easy to fix.
Outside air conditioner unit Look at things
(1) Take away things from around the outdoor unit
If you store things in the area around the outdoor unit, the air flow might be bad and the outdoor unit might not work well.
Pay attention if you put something in the way of the air vent. The outdoor unit’s safety device can be turned on.
Don’t put anything around the outdoor unit, and set it up so that as much air as possible can flow through.
(2) Change the temperature set
Once the area around the outdoor unit has been cleaned up, go back into the room and change the temperature setting.
Set the temperature to extremes, such as 18°C for cooling and 30°C for heating, for a short time and check to see if the air conditioner works well.
If the room temperature just stopped working at the set temperature, it will start working again as soon as you change the temperature.
(3) Plug the outlet back in
Even if you change the temperature setting and the outdoor unit still doesn’t turn on, you should restart the air conditioner.
When you’re done driving, unplug the power cord to turn off the power completely. Wait a minute or two, reconnect it, and turn it back on. If it was just a mistake in the system, everything is back to normal.
When should I request maintenance?
If the outdoor unit still doesn’t work after you try the steps I gave, there may be a problem with the fan or compressor that pulls heat out of the house.
In this case, it is hard to handle at home, so it needs to be fixed.
First, call the company you bought the product from and explain in detail what is happening. Usually, problems with the outdoor unit are caused by wear and tear over time. If you live in a rental house, you may want to call the management company and ask them to fix it.
What can you do before your AC’s outside unit breaks?
When the outdoor unit stops working, I worry that even if it is fixed, it won’t work again.
Take care of the following things and it will be hard to wake up the outdoor unit’s problem.
Don’t leave things lying around
The outdoor unit moves heat between the inside and outside, so it is important to make sure that the area around it has enough airflow.
Keep plants and other things on the veranda at least 1m apart.
Don’t put it out in the sun
If the outdoor unit gets too hot in the summer because of direct sunlight, it won’t be able to get rid of the heat well.
You can get the air to move around well by putting up blinds or putting things in a different spot.
Because of this, you will use less energy and pay less for your electricity bill.
Wipe stubborn dirt away
Also, you usually don’t have to clean it, but if it gets very dirty, you can wipe it clean with a rag.
This will help keep the outdoor unit from breaking down as quickly.
Start with what you can do if the outdoor unit stops working
This time, if you try the three steps and it still doesn’t work, it’s probably broken. Don’t take it too far, and then do these 4 things.
(1) Replace the remote control battery and restart
If the air conditioner won’t turn on, the first thing you should do is change the battery in the remote and turn the main unit back on.
If it’s a small problem, a restart might fix it. Please try to start it again by following the steps below before you take it apart or ask for help.
Change the batteries in a remote control
Don’t leave old batteries behind, and put new batteries in all the ones that were there.
Unplug
When the air conditioner is turned off, unplug the power.
Reconnect it
Let it sit for 10 minutes, then plug it back in.
Drive
Check to see if the remote works right.
If your remote control has batteries and your air conditioner still won’t turn on after you restart your console, here are some other things you can try to figure out what’s wrong.
(2) How to fix an air conditioner that doesn’t work
The air conditioner won’t work at all if the remote doesn’t send a signal in the first place.
You can tell if the signal is being sent by looking at the part of the remote that gives off light through the camera on your phone. If you have an iPhone, you can use the front camera to check it out.
Use the phone’s camera by turning it on.
Use the camera on the iPhone.
Point the camera’s remote control at it.
Point the tip of the remote (the part that sends the signal) at the camera (lens part of the mobile phone).
Press the button to see if it lights up.
Click the button on the remote (operating button, etc.). If the remote is working right, the part of the remote that sends signals will light up when it is reflected in the camera.
If you do all of these things and the part that says “transmission” doesn’t light up, the remote control isn’t working right.
You can also check if the remote control is broken by using the emergency operation switch on the main unit. If you can turn on the main unit by pressing the switch and it works without the remote, the problem is with the remote.
If the remote control is broken, you will need to get a new one. It is sold on the website of the company that made it, so be ready.
(3) Check to see if the indoor unit is wrong
If there is nothing wrong with the remote, the problem may be with the indoor unit.
If there is a problem, the light on the main unit will blink, so let’s look in the manual to find out what’s wrong.
If the air outlet works, but no air comes out, it may think that the room’s temperature has reached the set point. Change the settings for the temperature and see if the air comes out.
(4) Confirmation that the outdoor unit isn’t working
The trouble with the outdoor unit is really easy to forget. It’s been outside in the rain and wind so that the damage may be getting worse.
Go outside and check to see if the fan is on.
During the winter, snow might build up on the outdoor unit, or the drain hose might freeze, stopping the unit from working. Please clear the snow away from you and wait until it warms up and the ice melts.
Removing anything in front of the outdoor unit will make room for it. It gets harder to breathe in air, and an extra load is put on the body.
Never works! Hire a pro as soon as possible
If you have tried all of the above and still can’t figure out what’s wrong, it may be broken and you should have a professional fix it.
For repairs, you can call the company that made the air conditioner, the store where you bought it, or, if you rent a house, the management company. If the product hasn’t been used for a long time with normal use, the warranty may still be valid, so it’s a good idea to check the warranty and receipts.
The cost of fixing an air conditioner varies a lot depending on what’s wrong with it. If you get a rough estimate of how much the repair will cost before you start, you can go ahead with confidence.
Let’s fix the broken air conditioner
- If the air conditioner breaks, I’m in trouble.
- Restart the “remote controller,” “indoor unit,” and “outdoor unit” if there’s a problem.
- If it still doesn’t work, leave it alone and ask for repairs as soon as possible.