PSA: Clean your A/C condensers

[LVSteve]

Like many here, I have split A/C systems, one for each floor. The condenser and compressor units are on the ground on concrete plinths. The heat will be on soon, so I thought I would give them a rinse to dislodge any dust and dirt in the radiator matrix.

Well, we had a bad summer and fall in '21 for wildfire smoke. This spring it's been one windstorm after another. We are due another on Sunday, and each one has been generous with the low flying dust, pollen, pets and small children. Consequently, when I turned the hose on my units, the water ran brown and cruddy for an extended time, far more than I've seen in other years or at other homes. You might wnat to go do yours this weekend.

 

[Rustyt1953]

This post was worth the price of admission if for no other reason than to reunite me with the word "plinths".

Bloody well done old bean.

 

[fordson]

Plinth……Had to look that one up…..
BTW, thanks for the reminder

 

[gjgalligan]

And don't use ANY high pressure water clean them with. Can damage the cooling fins.
Just a gentle flow out of the hose and let the water wash down.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

When I was in college and installed the condensor units-we called it a "pad". It was concrete and we placed the unit on four pieces of rubber mat at each corner. Now they use some kind of shock absorbing black thingy that does the dame thing-still call it a pad. I guess the rich folks and Englishmen call it a plinth-down here ask someone if they want a concrete or rubber plinth they'll shake their heads and say no just put a pad down-I ain't paying extra for a plinth.
Tip for cleaning: if you can cake the top grating off and spray from inside out you can get more stuff out. And do NOT use any high pressure hose as you WILL bend the fins. If you do bend the fins you can get a tool at the supply store that will allow you to "comb" them out.

 

[remshooter]

And don't use ANY high pressure water clean them with. Can damage the cooling fins.
Just a gentle flow out of the hose and let the water wash down.

good suggstion ,.i didnt know this.used my pressure washer for years to clean mine ,bent all the fins ,but didnt notice it was me doing it . thought a dog kept rubbing against it bending them .Had to get a fin comb to straighten them all out

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

When I was in college and installed the condensor units-we called it a "pad". It was concrete and we placed the unit on four pieces of rubber mat at each corner. Now they use some kind of shock absorbing black thingy that does the dame thing-still call it a pad. I guess the rich folks and Englishmen call it a plinth-down here ask someone if they want a concrete or rubber plinth they'll shake their heads and say no just put a pad down-I ain't paying extra for a plinth.
Tip for cleaning: if you can cake the top grating off and spray from inside out you can get more stuff out. And do NOT use any high pressure hose as you WILL bend the fins. If you do bend the fins you can get a tool at the supply store that will allow you to "comb" them out.

Fin comb straightening tool. had for 30 years.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I cleaned mine out. I do what was said above by taking the top off and hosed from the inside out. I usually will do it again around mid-July to Aug. Grass and pollen are notorious for plugging condensers. Roof top units that I used to take care of, as well as refrigeration units that had woods nearby always needed cleaning.
Be careful with those fin combs. Depending on what style you use, one little slip will give your thumb or fingers nice straight slices. Use gloves. Ask me how I know!
Oh, and kill the power to the unit; let it drip dry for about a half hour.

 

[LVSteve]

Plinth……Had to look that one up…..
BTW, thanks for the reminder

Thing is, when I cannot recall the proper American technical term for something, I revert to type.

I will reiterate that high pressure water is a no-no. I have removed the top grille in the past, but you can only do so much with the length of the cable to the fan. The other issue is putting it back such that it doesn't vibrate.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Well, I have only one now in my modest single floor home. Had two in the old place for upstairs and down.

Sunday night I noticed that mine was blowing warm air. Checked outside, and sure enough the unit was not running. I switched the thermostat over to fan only, and the next morning called for service. Service guy arrived about 4:30 pm. Checked everything out with his meter, and told me there was a 50-50 chance my compressor was toast due to the readings. It still had continuity, but the readings weren't good. So he flipped the thrown breaker back on after warning me that the seams on the compressor might blow when it came back on. It didn't come back on, though, immediately flipping the breaker once again. At least it didn't blow out, though.

Verdict - compressor is toast. Since it's an 18 year old R22 system there is no way to replace just the compressor, so a new entire system is needed. He was very apologetic, and said the worst part of his job was giving people bad news like that. Next day his boss called me, and came out to take a look and make a quote for the new system. I told her I didn't want anything fancy or high efficiency, just something that would keep me cool in summer and warm in winter.

She gave me a price of $8600 installed for a 3.5 ton cooler and 80,000 BTU gas heat (the same spec as the old unit) for 14 SEER or $9450 for 16 SEER. Heat is 95 AFUE. My old system was 10 SEER and 77 AFUE, so the new one, although not considered high efficiency, will be somewhat more economical to operate. Install is next Thursday. We've had some coolish days with highs in 80s to mid 90s and lows in the 60s so far, but tomorrow is projected to be 102, so I bought a portable AC to use in the living room until the new unit is installed. It works pretty well, keeping the living room nice and cool. We can sleep in there starting tomorrow night while it's hot.

NO, I did not get more quotes. Mostly because the same guy has bought up most of the AC and plumbing contractors in our area. He's unlikely to underbid himself. My wife's semi-retired uncle works part time in AC, though, and he said that's about average for what we're getting.

 

[LVSteve]

Yep, that's close to what I paid when the upstairs unit quit a few years ago. I also got a 14 SEER unit because we didn't intend to be here too long. Plans change. I doubt I'll ever use the heat side of that unit, enough makes it upstairs from the lower unit and we both detest a stuffy bedroom.

 

[crstrode]

She gave me a price of $8600 installed for a 3.5 ton cooler and 80,000 BTU gas heat

That sounds like a good deal to me. We had a similar situation here 2 years ago. Our 4-ton heat pump set us back about $6000, but the gas furnace did not need replacement - just the heat pump. Our heat pump cools and heats until the temp gets below 40, then the gas furnace takes over.

 

[Dave_n]

Thing is, when I cannot recall the proper American technical term for something, I revert to type.

I will reiterate that high pressure water is a no-no. I have removed the top grille in the past, but you can only do so much with the length of the cable to the fan. The other issue is putting it back such that it doesn't vibrate.

Steve: You should know by now that there are at least 50 different terms for the same "technical object" in the US, and if you then fail to take into account the lack of the fifth vowel in spelling them, you are doomed to do as I do, revert to the King's English (yes I was born before 1952). Cheers, Dave_n

 

[fordson]

Thing is, when I cannot recall the proper American technical term for something, I revert to type.

I will reiterate that high pressure water is a no-no. I have removed the top grille in the past, but you can only do so much with the length of the cable to the fan. The other issue is putting it back such that it doesn't vibrate.

Well, my lovely wife is from your side of the pond, so she knew what you were talking about……..

 

[yaktamer]

Praying I can get one more year out of my units since I plan to sell the house a year from now. They are OEM from when the house was built in 2007 and, according to my AC repair guy, are the cheapest pieces of junk on the market. He's been out twice in the last three years to do some pricey repairs. Last time he told me the next time it'll have to be replacement or nothing. Fifteen years is pushing it in these parts, what with months of high temps well into the triple digits. Most units are done in eleven.

 

[mtgianni]

I put in a mini split last year, first time we had AC in 35 years. I installed it so it hangs on the garage wall 18" up. It is surprising what it doesn't catch vs the ones on the ground I look at for my in-laws.