Home Aircon

[Mkl22]

8 hours ago, Kb27 said:

A few tips:

1. Vaseline - get a bottle, use it to lubricate the connecting part of the pressure washer hoses. It makes it easier to insert and extract hoses. It's safe to handle and you can use it for other purposes as well 😁
2. Condensate pan tablets - https://www.amazon.sg/Nu-Calgon-4296-60-Pan-Treat-Scum-Tablets/dp/B003N5AS60/   I bought previously another brand for $25, but it seems not available anymore at Amazon. You put this in the drip tray. Use your fingers (carefully) to follow the FCU fins downwards and you'll find a small plastic tray there. That's the drip tray. You put the tablets there, one or two, maybe monthly. It's dissolved by the condensate water and flows down the discharge hose, cleaning scum and killing bacteria that blocks the hose, which may eventually cause backflow and waterfall from your FCU 😁
3. Fin comb - if you have lots of bent fins, you can try to repair it, by combing. https://shopee.sg/Air-Conditioner-Stainless-Steel-Fin-Comb-Air-Conditioner-Coil-Cleaner-Metal-Fin-Evaporator-Radiator-Cleaning-Tool-Universal-Folding-Brush-i.54615708.4336217768

Been using condensate pan pills for sometime, but the jelly still forms. Still need to unclog where the drain pan connects to the flex hose. Lucky it’s a simple 5min job to open the flap on the starmex and use a small bottle brush to clear it out. 
 

my other unit with the drain hose pointing immediately after the unit doesn’t have this problem as the condensate water clears quickly 

Edited November 19, 2022 by Mkl22

[Kb27]

40 minutes ago, Mkl22 said:

Been using condensate pan pills for sometime, but the jelly still forms. Still need to unclog where the drain pan connects to the flex hose. Lucky it’s a simple 5min job to open the flap on the starmex and use a small bottle brush to clear it out. 
 

my other unit with the drain hose pointing immediately after the unit doesn’t have this problem as the condensate water clears quickly 

My Starmex discharge hose is connected to 10 ft of pvc pipe. If I don't use the tablet, I'll find the jelly-like algae at the end of the pipe. Once I added the tablets, I'll find clear water.

When it clogged up my discharge hose, I can feel raindrops coming out of the FCU, for which I quickly find a clogged drain hose. Add a couple of tablets, and it drain away quickly.

The tablet usually contains Quats (quaternary ammonium compounds) disinfectant. it's effective and also kills COVID.  

I used this one from Rectorseal  https://www.amazon.sg/Rectorseal-68115-Hydrex-Tabs-200-Tablet/dp/B008A3UCYS

[Kb27]

I found a cheaper quat disinfectant tablet. This should work also, but I haven't tried it.

https://www.amazon.sg/dp/B000W09SF6/

[Lala81]

17 hours ago, Ender said:

Can try to replace vaseline with silicone lub, coz more friendly to rubber material. like gasket.

Spray or the tube one? 

 

[Ender]

22 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Spray or the tube one? 

 

I have spray one, easy to apply. But spray one like wd40 has that cooling effect feel when contact to the skin, i think it's the propellant. Overtime may not be good to rubber i guess. 

To be safe, i think should use tube one.

 

Also spray one dries up faster. Tube one like grease should last longer since it doesn't dry that fast.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Ender

[Kb27]

1 hour ago, Lala81 said:

Spray or the tube one? 

 

Get the silicone grease from Super Lube, but it's definitely more expensive than Vaseline.

https://shopee.sg/MAV-Store-SUPER-LUBE-MULTI-PURPOSE-SYNTHETIC-GREASE-WITH-SYNCOLON®-(PTFE)-MIXED-WITH-SUPER-LUBE-TRANSLUCENT-CLEAR-OIL-i.112909903.13593762734

I bought this 7 yrs ago. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042FG74W/

I dig out the grease and put it in plastic container. I had forgotten about it and bought the vaseline. Yes, my mistake, vaseline, or petroleum jelly attacks rubber gasket, so I should stop using that.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Kb27

[Kb27]

I had to clean my Starmex FCU yet again with pressure washer. This is probably the 4th or 5th time.

I use it 24/7. After some usage, it would get uncomfortably warm, even though I try to set it 23 deg. Cold air is still coming out, but somehow it's not cooling the room. The operation LED would turn on, as if, running the compressor. Still it's not cooling the room. 

But once I clean the FCU, immediately the coolness came back. I can set it higher at 27 deg, and it's still very cold, The operation LED didn't come on as often.

So I have been wasting electricity before the cleaning trying to cool the room, which is quite difficult.

Now, I cannot do without the pressure washer cleaning regularly.

Another thing is that the a/c expert told me that using talc powder could cause the cooling fins to be clogged up. Also sometimes I use aromatherapy diffuser, I think the evaporated oil particles is also clogging up the coils. 

So I had to clean more often or avoid evaporated particulate uses.

Just to share.

[Lala81]

Lol tap pointing up. 

Two reasons.

1. Anything less than full tightening, Buay sai some leakage. I had to use about 6 rounds of tape on the tap side cos the tap is slightly smaller than the connector. 

2. if pointing downwards the tap release will rub against my wall if need to open. 

Looks silly but I want to preserve the stop valve. If that valve spoils, I would need to call the plumber to help me fix cos I mentioned my home the water mains can't be easily turned off. 

I probably get a very short quick connect hose for it to be used as a functional tap. 

[Kb27]

18 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Lol tap pointing up. 

Two reasons.

1. Anything less than full tightening, Buay sai some leakage. I had to use about 6 rounds of tape on the tap side cos the tap is slightly smaller than the connector. 

2. if pointing downwards the tap release will rub against my wall if need to open. 

Looks silly but I want to preserve the stop valve. If that valve spoils, I would need to call the plumber to help me fix cos I mentioned my home the water mains can't be easily turned off. 

I probably get a very short quick connect hose for it to be used as a functional tap. 

I usually put 20 rounds of tape. It seem to land on the right side facing downwards. Tight enough but not too tight and facing the right direction downwards.

6 rounds seems a bit too little for me. Remember to tape on the thread only, avoid the ends of the thread, which may block the opening or jam up the other side.

Maybe you can try.

The pink handle can be removed first during the installation of tap. Then when it is in the correct orientation,  put the handle on.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Kb27

[Lala81]

4 minutes ago, Kb27 said:

I usually put 20 rounds of tape. It seem to land on the right side facing downwards. Tight enough but not too tight and facing the right direction downwards.

6 rounds seems a bit too little for me. Remember to tape on the thread only, avoid the ends of the thread, which may block the opening or jam up the other side.

Maybe you can try.

Was already not easy to screw in already. I think this connector is well made, not much margin of error. 

Let sleeping dogs lie! 

[Ender]

23 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Lol tap pointing up. 

Two reasons.

1. Anything less than full tightening, Buay sai some leakage. I had to use about 6 rounds of tape on the tap side cos the tap is slightly smaller than the connector. 

2. if pointing downwards the tap release will rub against my wall if need to open. 

Looks silly but I want to preserve the stop valve. If that valve spoils, I would need to call the plumber to help me fix cos I mentioned my home the water mains can't be easily turned off. 

I probably get a very short quick connect hose for it to be used as a functional tap. 

I had this problem, but not as silly as facing up, Mine just not facing down. I added another gasket and play around with the amount  of teflon tape, like put alot more of them. So even when it is not fully tighten, but still reasonably tight, it doesn't leak

[Kb27]

16 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Was already not easy to screw in already. I think this connector is well made, not much margin of error. 

Let sleeping dogs lie! 

Yeah, unscrew the tap and it will break apart, lots of mess. 

My house the ball valves, I have never had any of them leaking. They all seemed to be well-made. But the plastic handle will break.

If you're going to do some plumbing in the future, invest in some small tools, especially the slip-joint pliers and adjustable spanner, you need 2 of them.

https://www.thespruce.com/top-plumbing-tools-1824860

Recently my toilet bowl got clogged, When you flush, the water will fill up, then take a few minutes to slowly go down. I tried all means to clear it, bought a few augers and "snakes". Can't shit there, or it will float up. 😬

Finally, I tried the old fashioned cup plunger I had, pump a few times, push and pull, then the clog disappear. Later I got a bell type plunger or toilet plunger to get ready for the next clog.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Kb27

[Lala81]

7 minutes ago, Ender said:

I had this problem, but not as silly as facing up, Mine just not facing down. I added another gasket and play around with the amount  of teflon tape, like put alot more of them. So even when it is not fully tighten, but still reasonably tight, it doesn't leak

Haha it took me a while of trial and error to get to this point. Nevermind lah. If it leaks or what then change again. 

Originally I connected tap to the male-male connector 1st, then tried to screw everything onto the valve male at one go. But buay sai, even with only 2 rounds of tape.

So after five mins gave up then dismantled. Used the original tap end to screw onto the valve. Then can connect. 

DIY sometimes is really trial and error. 

[Lala81]

6 minutes ago, Kb27 said:

Yeah, unscrew the tap and it will break apart, lots of mess. 

My house the ball valves, I have never had any of them leaking. They all seemed to be well-made. But the plastic handle will break.

If you're going to do some plumbing in the future, invest in some small tools, especially the slip-joint pliers and adjustable spanner, you need 2 of them.

https://www.thespruce.com/top-plumbing-tools-1824860

Recently my toilet bowl got clogged, When you flush, the water will fill up, then take a few minutes to slowly go down. I tried all means to clear it, bought a few augers and "snakes". Can't shit there, or it will float up. 😬

Finally, I tried the old fashioned cup plunger I had, pump a few times, push and pull, then the clog disappear. Later I got a bell type plunger or toilet plunger to get ready for the next clog.

I have a simple 8 inch adjustable spanner that I bought during 11.11. Not too big, small enough for smaller spaces. 

[Kb27]

10 minutes ago, Ender said:

I had this problem, but not as silly as facing up, Mine just not facing down. I added another gasket and play around with the amount  of teflon tape, like put alot more of them. So even when it is not fully tighten, but still reasonably tight, it doesn't leak

Try 20 turns of teflon tape next time. We all seem to think too highly of the tape and tend to use only a little bit.

Last time I remember the gas technician from PUB came to install the gas hose and he put like 40 or 50 rounds of tape.  That's kiasu, but it seems the right way. Don't use too little. Gas is probably a different thing. I have a yellow type of tape for it. It's much thicker than the white tape.  So for using white tape, be generous. :}

[Kb27]

9 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Haha it took me a while of trial and error to get to this point. Nevermind lah. If it leaks or what then change again. 

Originally I connected tap to the male-male connector 1st, then tried to screw everything onto the valve male at one go. But buay sai, even with only 2 rounds of tape.

So after five mins gave up then dismantled. Used the original tap end to screw onto the valve. Then can connect. 

DIY sometimes is really trial and error. 

I also learn plumbing by DIY, trial and error. If you don't do hands-on, you'll never learn.

Now, got internet, can learn a lot, if you have time and patience. 😁 I watch a lot of youtubes.

[Lala81]

Update. Today got some time after work to try washing the AC. 

Opened up the Bosch box, was unopened since 11.11

Took some trial and error to fit the quick connect expandable hose to the Bosch. Only one end of the hose has a tight fit to my tap, even though all the quick connects are supposed to be the same size. Lucky the other end can connect to the Bosch without leaks. Experienced some water spills here and there while doing this. 

Tried my son's room FCU. Find it quite hard to fit the bag properly. Only removed the louvers. Didn't remove casing. Tried to use duct tape to tape to the bottom of the FCU. Started washing for a while but after a while, the water started flowing down the wall onto the floor after the duct tape got loose. 

My floor is vinyl so have to be careful with too much water. Was home alone so had to quickly get pail and cloth to wipe down. Wah Lao water everywhere. 

After that got detoured to cleaning my kids room ledge and window instead (lot of pigeon dropping etc as got breeding pigeons inside the airwell). 

Only later afterwards, realized I fitted the washing bag wrongly . Back to front. 

Think I will finish up the cleaning tomorrow. Any tips to prevent the cleaning bag from coming loose?

I want to minimize water on the floor. Scared it seeps into my vinyl. If it's normal tile, not scared lol. 

When I was cleaning it didn't really see dirty water. At first I thought why so clean... But later did see the grey water. 

[Lala81]

OK cleaned all of my FCU. The furthest FCU the 10m hose and the pressure hose need to stretch to the max. I had to ask my kid to hold onto the Bosch placed on a stool so that it can reach the furthest FCU. 

What I would suggest is 

1. Duct taping the washing bag tube to the bag. It gets dislodged quite easily. 

2. Duct taping the base of the washing bag to the fcu bottom to reduce leakage only works for the very first time. Once the bag gets wet, the duct tape fails. 

The MBR fcu is used the most. So it's the only one that's significantly dirty. 

I think the air around my new place is cleaner than my old place. My old place confirm will be dirtier given I last serviced in May. 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Lala81