[Rshrey22]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Thanks for your recommendation. But Panasonic does not offer non inverter AC.

The room in question is an odd shape and the roof gets direct hit from sunlight for 6 hour during summer. Also, we will be using the AC only for 4 months an year - Feb end to June mid. These two factors rule out the inverter AC. Also, the inverter AC's are very expensive to repair if something goes wrong with the PCB after the warranty period.

Hence the need for 'reliable' fixed speed AC.

Edit - I checked Panasonic India website and they do offer fixed speed AC's. Let me pay them a visit. Thanks

Best fixed speed window ac in my list is still General 1.5 ton or 2.0 ton models. During the heatwave in Delhi when temps hovered around 50°c, the 2 year old carrier unit in my room leaked gas while 9 year old general 1.5 ton unit in my parent's room chilled the room like it was no one's business. It was completely unbothered from outside tempratures, never tripped and ran almost 18 hours everyday.

And the best part is that somehow cooling stays inside the room even after the ac has been switched off for 2-3 hours.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Aroy

No idea of Daikin, Panasonic or Mitsubishi.

For Daikin and Mitsubishi, its Thailand.

[Aroy]

Over the last 30 years I have tried a lot of brands. All of them had problems after a few years. The longest trouble free period was my Hitachi Split which developed gas leak after 13 years (diagnosed to a crack in the pipe between IDU and ODU, not joints, not coils). It is now on its 16th year.

Daikin MB packed up after 5 years and the replacement within a year. Hitachi window AC's had perennial problem with fans burning out.

Ultimately I have homed to LG Inverter with 4 years extended warranty. I now have 4 of them and will get a Hot-and-Cold one soon. The USP is that with extended warranty your ownership is hassle free for 5 years, and then extendable for a few years more. All services and repairs are included, so no shocks. As LG Inverter AC is manufactured near Delhi (Surajpur?) spare part are priced economically compared to others. The MB is around 6K compared to 15+ for Daikin.

[JithinR]

I just got a Voltas 1 ton AC for my parents home. However, this one doesn't seem capable of cooling the upstairs bedroom.

Wanted to ask fellow members here if I am expecting too much from a 1 ton AC. The room is about 180 sqft and is on the first floor in the North East corner (isn't this traditionally where you would have the least heat gain from radiation?).

Also, the room was a new addition to the house and so the terrace slab over it is covered with that Dr. Fixit URP Waterproof coating thing (no use for us, I can still see seepage into the room...I guess it fails against Kerala monsoons).

Coming back to the AC. Right now the ambient temperature is about 26C here. If I set this AC to 24C it's actually not capable of bringing the room down to that temp even after about 15+ mins. If I lower the AC temp to 23C then the room finally comes down to 24C

I then set the temp lower to about 20C and now even after 1h and 10 mins the room is still at 23C.

Contrast this with the same model that I had purchased for them last year. That one installed in a room measuring 150+sq on the ground floor is able to bring the room temperature down to 24C in about 8 mins.

All temperatures are measured using the inbuilt AC temp sensor. I did call up and log a complaint with Voltas customer support. They sent across a technician who confirmed that the AC was not cooling the room but then went away because he didn't have the thermometer to be able to log a report with pics.

After multiple reschedules they sent across another Senior technician who promptly said that the 1 ton AC couldn't cool such a big bedroom on the 1st floor. He then proceed to refill the gas and then went away after logging the report with pics of the thermometer readings.

I still don't think the AC is performing it's duty. If it struggles to bring the temp down by even 3C on a cold day in KL, I am not sure what use it's going to be in Summer.

[Gansan]

^^ For a 10x12 size room, if there is another floor above it, 1 ton ac will suffice. If it is just terrace above, 1.5 ton will be required. This is elementary.

A 1 ton Samsung I had for my similar sized groundfloor bedroom took roughly one hour to cool the room by one degree in peak Chennai summers. No 1 ton ac can cool a room that size, even on ground floor, a couple or three degrees in 15 minutes.

Ambient temperature should be measured by a separate thermometer. What the Ac display shows is the set temperature and not ambient temperature. When the ambient temp reaches the set temp, you can feel the compressor cut off.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by JithinR

I just got a Voltas 1 ton AC for my parents home. However, this one doesn't seem capable of cooling the upstairs bedroom.

Before you start diagnosing cooling issues with AC/Fridge/Freezer, invest in a IR thermometer which helps you to put a figure objectively. Now measure your grill temperature which should be about 9 degree C lower than the room temperature. Don't confuse the room temperature with ambient temperature.

I will show typical figures here:
Ambient temperature: 36 degree C
Grill Temp: 9 degree C
Room Temperature: 18 degree C (measured about 2 meters away from the grill but in the path of the airflow)

If your AC shows typical values at the grill, but the room remains 'warm' the air flow may be impeded. Clean the IDU. Clean the blower.

But if the grill temp is not sufficiently low, it can mean a lot of things:
1. Low gas
2. Compressor keeps cutting off - Thermostat, board problem
3. Clogged IDU
4. ODU shedding metal resulting in excess current -> OLP

Generally if the unit is not adequate for the heat load, you will find the compressor running all the time.

Like any complicated device, ACs need logical analysis of the issue.

[bluevolt]

My Voltas split AC turns into DF mode on display but I cannot see any ice formation on the condenser or evaporator. I am not happy with cooling as well.

What could be the issue.

[Rshrey22]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

My Voltas split AC turns into DF mode on display but I cannot see any ice formation on the condenser or evaporator. I am not happy with cooling as well.

What could be the issue.

Either low refrigerant or clogged outdoor unit.

[abhi9044]

Dear Bhpians,
Advice Required:

Our 2011 Voltas Window Ac finally stopped cooling after 11 years of trouble-free service. During its entire lifetime, it was only serviced thrice by 'Technicians' and the remaining times by me. The gas has leaked, and now we are confused if we shall get it repaired or go with a new one.

The only problem it had before the leak was that it used to trip during Extreme Summer temperatures.

So should we get it repaired or buy a new one?

And what brands should we look for? Since the replacement(if that happens) has to be a Window Fixed Speed, thus our options are limited to Hitachi, Voltas, BlueStar and Carrier. Not planning to go for Voltas as the service here is not good.

Also considering LG Window Inverter.

[Rshrey22]

Originally Posted by abhi9044

Dear Bhpians,
Advice Required:

Our 2011 Voltas Window Ac finally stopped cooling after 11 years of trouble-free service. During its entire lifetime, it was only serviced thrice by 'Technicians' and the remaining times by me. The gas has leaked, and now we are confused if we shall get it repaired or go with a new one.

The only problem it had before the leak was that it used to trip during Extreme Summer temperatures.

So should we get it repaired or buy a new one?

And what brands should we look for? Since the replacement(if that happens) has to be a Window Fixed Speed, thus our options are limited to Hitachi, Voltas, BlueStar and Carrier. Not planning to go for Voltas as the service here is not good.

Also considering LG Window Inverter.

An 11 year old ac most probably has multiple small leaks, I feel repairing would not be fruitful unless done by an experienced and reliable guy. But it still is worth a shot, if 2000 rupees saves your ac for some more time like 1-2 years then that's money well spent.

In case of replacement, why not go with a General r410a Window unit? Will probably be a good investment as your current AC trips during heavy summer. You can be sure that a General Window unit WILL not trip no matter what.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by abhi9044

Dear Bhpians,
Advice Required:

Our 2011 Voltas Window Ac finally stopped cooling after 11 years of trouble-free service. During its entire lifetime, it was only serviced thrice by 'Technicians' and the remaining times by me. The gas has leaked, and now we are confused if we shall get it repaired or go with a new one.

The only problem it had before the leak was that it used to trip during Extreme Summer temperatures.

So should we get it repaired or buy a new one?

And what brands should we look for? Since the replacement(if that happens) has to be a Window Fixed Speed, thus our options are limited to Hitachi, Voltas, BlueStar and Carrier. Not planning to go for Voltas as the service here is not good.

Also considering LG Window Inverter.

Not worth spending any mney on 11 year old AC. Better sell it as-it-is, you will get 3-5K for it.

After suffering Samsung, Hitachi and General AC's, I have finally homed on to LG Inverter AC's. I now have 4 split and 1 Window LG Inverter. The reason is :

. 5 year extended warranty at around 10K. Includes every thing - repairs, parts and 2 services a year. Some rubber parts are exhempt.

. Excellent after sles service; at least in Delhi; everything is attended to without a hitch.

. With various schemes around festive seasons the price is quite reasonable. Much lower than the so called premium AC's - General, Mitsubishi, Panasonic etc.

[MBond007]

Originally Posted by abhi9044

Dear Bhpians,
Advice Required:

Our 2011 Voltas Window Ac finally stopped cooling after 11 years of trouble-free service. During its entire lifetime, it was only serviced thrice by 'Technicians' and the remaining times by me. The gas has leaked, and now we are confused if we shall get it repaired or go with a new one.

The only problem it had before the leak was that it used to trip during Extreme Summer temperatures.

So should we get it repaired or buy a new one?

And what brands should we look for? Since the replacement(if that happens) has to be a Window Fixed Speed, thus our options are limited to Hitachi, Voltas, BlueStar and Carrier. Not planning to go for Voltas as the service here is not good.

Also considering LG Window Inverter.

Having been in the same boat a year back, I will recommend that you get Voltas AC repaired. I have a 15 year old Hitachi Window AC and the gas leaked last year. Initially I thought of disposing it, but spouse was against it. Called UC guy and he fixed it, but the gas leaked again within 5 months. Called him again and told him sternly to check every joint properly and seal even the minutest of leaks. Touchwood, the AC has been running smoothly since then. I have a year old LG Window Inverter AC in another room and it is no match to the 15 year old Hitachi. In peak Delhi summer my LG AC literally gives up while the Hitachi one keeps chugging along happily.

Somehow I feel that the quality of previous generation ACs is far superior to that of the current generation and they are worth preserving.

[bharanidharang]

With some of my home ac's running for a longer time, wanted to check if there are timer's available for scheduling ac's ? There are a few in amazon but the reviews dont talk about scheduling.

Would be a help if anyone can suggest.

[deathwalkr]

Not sure if this has been discussed before, did a quick search but could not find relevant discussions.

I have an issue with Mice wreaking havoc in my outdoor units. Either their fallen hair shorts off the circuits in the mainboard or they chew up the wires inside. But yesterday was the topper. Last night, i turned on the AC and heard the fan making weird clanking noises from outside. Switched it off.

Service guy came and opened the AC outdoor unit to find a dead mouse inside. Apparently i had killed it while turning on the AC!

Service guy suggested dumping pepper inside. Looking for some better solutions? Do i need to call the pest control guys and have them place rat traps around the house?

Sigh.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by bharanidharang

With some of my home ac's running for a longer time, wanted to check if there are timer's available for scheduling ac's ?

Invest in Sonoff Power switch which can be controlled remotely by the ios/android app. You can also use Alexa/Google to control that. It can be used to schedule on/off according to a timing schedule.

Buy the Power consumption version if you want to monitor the current consumption. I have a dozen such Wifi Switches to control all the electrical appliances including the porch light.

There is one caveat though - it can control a maximum of 10 A as the internal relay contacts are rated only upto 10 A. I still control the Air conditioners as the modern inverter acs don't consume more than 9 A at one time.

I had to replace the relay in one unit to control the Water heater as the load is 16 A.