Air conditioning is a device that is designed to create comfortable living conditions in the house. He uses a very harmful liquid called a refrigerant for his work. If during installation and operation of the device the installation rules of the air conditioner are not followed, this can cause freon leakage, short circuit or even fire.
Therefore, before installing, it is recommended to consult with specialists. Nevertheless, for experienced home masters there are several recommendations that will help you do the installation yourself, which will save on the cost of installing an air conditioner from 18,000 to 30,000 rubles for paying for a professional.
Principles of Good Installation
To guarantee the correct functioning of the air conditioner, before installing it, you need to choose a model adapted to the design of the house, area, number of rooms, etc. Criteria for choosing air conditioning:
- The power that must be studied in accordance with the cooled surface or volume of the premises.
- The sound level of a device that may be more or less noisy.
- Air conditioner design is an important selection criterion.
- Imperative for split systems working for cooling and heating.
- It is necessary to correctly determine the heat balance of the house to ensure high-quality heating and the selection of the most suitable air conditioning system.
- The design features of the building, their careful study is mandatory before the installation and installation of air conditioners.
For an ideal location, it is necessary to install the outdoor and indoor units of the machine as close to each other as possible so that you do not need to buy an additional connecting pipe. Energetically, the smaller the distance between the two units, the less heat loss.
Installation and installation of air conditioners should ensure its best performance.
- The outdoor unit is best fixed at zero.
- A noisy unit mounted on a wall can cause unpleasant vibrations.
- Avoid direct exposure to air, which can affect air conditioning performance.
- If necessary, install a protective outdoor unit from the sun, rain and drafts, but it is better to take advantage of the site where it will be cheaper to install an air conditioner.
- Place the indoor unit in an open area to ensure the best air exchange.
- To maintain the health of residents, the air supply should not be directly directed at people.
- Follow the installation rules for the indoor unit of the air conditioner, as well as the recommendations of the manufacturer and supplier regarding the distance around the indoor unit. In any case, you need to keep it away from heat sources, radiators, or windows.
The influence of the exterior design of the house
If the user lives in an apartment with a small balcony or has a common wall with other owners, the installation location is chosen so as not to violate the rights of neighbors. The rules for installing the air conditioner require that the noise protection conditions are met and if the system is installed a few meters from the windows or doors of a neighbor, the user must check it for sound pollution in order to comply with local protection rules. Neighbor approval is likely to be required before installing the unit.
The owner of a detached house should remember that installing an air conditioner should not reduce the fire resistance of any wall or affect the structural integrity of the house. There are many other factors that can affect the installation of a new air conditioning system and set restrictions; they must be known before installing an air conditioner in an apartment.
Ideally, the outdoor unit should be installed where there is a lot of free space on both sides to provide airflow and access for maintenance. If a split system or a system with several branches is selected, the outdoor unit must be installed on a solid base - attached to a wall or to a concrete slab.
Location of outdoor unit
It depends on various factors. It is worth installing the unit so that the distance from the indoor unit is as short as possible. The bracket for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner has an L-type supporting structure attached to the external wall of the building. And you can also place the unit on the supporting structure of the roof of the building or on a concrete screed on the ground.
In the case of air conditioners with a heat pump, the outdoor unit should be installed approximately 30–50 cm above the ground to allow drainage and condensate to collect during the defrosting of the outdoor unit. In addition, outdoor units must be installed in well-ventilated rooms. Where possible, easy access to the device for business purposes should be provided. It is not recommended to mount the unit near windows and the entrance to the building.
Equipment and materials
For independent work, the user must be properly equipped. Some parts are supplied with the kit upon purchase, but then you will have to purchase the necessary tools, equipment and non-standard equipment on your own. The rules for installing the air conditioner oblige to use only certified materials during installation.
Materials supplied with the air conditioning kit:
- An air conditioner with refrigeration connections between the two units, usually 10 meters away. If the devices are to be installed further, you will need to order a connecting pipe of the required length. Experts advise avoiding the use of connected hoses of several pieces, which increase the risk of leaks.
- A condensate drain pipe, the length of which is usually up to 30 m. When installed, it should have a minimum slope of 1 cm, if this is not possible, then a mini-pump should be pumped out.
- Screws and anchors that are not supplied with air conditioning. Before installing an air conditioner at home, they are selected in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Electric cables for connection to the protection system in the form of circuit breakers.
- Finishing materials: mortar, paint to hide the holes left during installation.
- Pipe insulation materials to ensure optimal and energy-efficient operation.
- Tools required for installation.
Installing SPLIT Systems
In the air conditioning industry, split air conditioners are one of the most commonly used types. These systems consist of two separate parts: an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, which are connected to each other using a copper pipe to form a closed circuit. Currently, most manufacturers offer split air conditioners that can operate in cooling or heating mode. The heating process is carried out by a heat pump by changing the cycle. In order to ensure the calculated mode of operation, it is necessary to follow the installation rules of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and choose the right power.
Assembly of split air conditioners.
- Choose the right place for installing indoor and outdoor units. When choosing a location, it is necessary to ensure uniform distribution of air in the room and ease of use of the system. Excessive drafts in the zone of constant presence of people should not be allowed.
- When installing the indoor unit, you should consider access to the device in order to clean the filters and disinfect the evaporator.
- After choosing the right installation location, the indoor unit is first assembled.
- It is mounted on the frame, marking the center of position, aligning and fixing the structure.
- Then, a hole with a diameter of 65 mm is made in the wall so that it is closed by an indoor unit through which the installation of pipes, electrical and condensate drainage will be performed.
- The hole is made with a slight slope from the outside.
- It is recommended to install a protective sleeve in the hole, and on the side of the external wall - a socket that closes it and increases the aesthetics of the installation.
- Drainage of condensate from the indoor unit should always be done in a natural way, if possible, providing a slope of approximately 3%. The solution with a condensate pump should only be considered as a last resort. The pump is a mechanical part that serves to discharge condensate and increases the reliability of the air conditioning system.
- After installing the condensate drain system, it is necessary to check its patency by pumping about 2 liters of water through the drain into the drip tray.
- If the air conditioner operates year-round, a heating cable must be installed in the drain pipe. Before you hang the indoor unit on a rack mounted on the wall, you must connect a cooling unit to it.
- The connection must be in the form of a screw connection, therefore, special care must be taken to ensure that the strength and tightness of the refrigeration system are ensured.
- On the outer surface of the socket, when tightening the screw connections, you need to use a paste that prevents the nuts from twisting.
- It is necessary to isolate the pipe connections on the indoor unit, which will prevent moisture condensation on the outer surface of the pipes and the formation of stripes on the wall below the indoor unit.
- The outdoor unit is mounted on an L-type support structure.
- The device should be installed at a safe distance from the wall to ensure free air flow through the condenser, its subsequent maintenance and cleaning.
Leak test
After fulfilling the rules for installing air conditioners on the facade of the building, you need to connect a cooling system. When mounting the structure, it is necessary to ensure the sealing of the refrigeration lines in order to protect against impurities from entering the interior of the pipeline, as well as to install oil traps that return oil to the compressor crankcase. During installation, the permissible differences between the levels and lengths of the installation specified by the manufacturer must be observed.
The pressure tightness test of the refrigeration system shall be carried out using technical nitrogen. In the case of air conditioning systems operating on R410A refrigerant, in the heating mode, the condensation pressure can reach about 37 bar. Therefore, the pressure value at which it is necessary to check the system is 43 bar.
The leak test gives a guarantee of the device’s performance, as well as the vacuum test performed by the vacuum pump. These tests are especially important for novice professionals who do not have sufficient experience and practice in creating high-quality compounds. During overpressure testing, all leaks will be detected, which will prevent the release of refrigerant into the atmosphere. Tightness in the simplest version is checked with a solution of soap and water, apply it to bolted joints.
Vacuum filling system
After a successful leak test, a vacuum must be created in the refrigeration system. For this purpose, a vacuum pump is used, which removes air and reduces the pressure in the refrigeration system. Under reduced pressure, moisture from the air evaporates and the unit dries. During evacuation, its duration and external temperature are of great importance. The lower the outside temperature, the lower the pressure should be achieved during installation, while the time is increased. For systems with pipe lengths not exceeding 10 m, a test duration of at least 60 minutes is recommended.
The purpose of using a pump is not only creating a vacuum, as some users think. There is another equally important commitment - the creation of conditions so that internal moisture has time to evaporate. Proper implementation of this requirement is important for the life of an air conditioner. The moisture remaining in the refrigeration system reacts with the oil to form acids that damage the motor windings in the compressor. It can also cause the expansion element to freeze and block.
During the creation of the vacuum, there is time for the simultaneous execution of electrical connections in the external and internal units. It is good if the air conditioner is connected in the switchboard to a separate protection element. During these works, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's instructions for assembling the electrical connections of the indoor and outdoor units.
Adding refrigerant and starting
After the vacuum in the device is created, you can fill the system with refrigerant. In the case of split air conditioners, the outdoor units are filled at the factory with an appropriate amount sufficient for the length of the pipeline specified by the manufacturer. If the unit will be with an installation of more than 10 m, it is necessary to determine the amount of additional refrigerant and add it until the valves of the outdoor unit open. The volume for each extra meter depends on the capacity of the system and the diameter of the pipeline. For 1⁄4 inch pipe, the amount of additional refrigerant is 20 g / m.
After filling with freon, the air conditioner is started using the remote control and the cooling mode is set, the pressure readings on the manometers connected to the air conditioning service valve are monitored. The pressure measured by the pressure gauge during cooling operation is the suction pressure. For the coefficient R410 A, it should be about 7.5 bar, which corresponds to a refrigerant vaporization temperature of +2 degrees.
Maintenance
A correctly installed split system should please the user for many years. It is very important to remember the need for periodic external and internal examinations, preferably before the spring and autumn periods of operation.
The frequency of inspections depends on the location, degree of environmental pollution and the intensity of operation of the equipment. This is necessary to protect the health of users, the proper operation of the system and warranty service of the device.
It is important that the air conditioner is in a convenient place for maintenance. Filters should be periodically cleaned of dust. At the outdoor unit, dust or fallen leaves may interfere with airflow.
Users should periodically check for fluid leaks and remember to clean the condensate pan. Finally, in order to get the most out of the air conditioner, the room must remain airtight to prevent the suction of hot air. The latter circumstance leads to a decrease in comfort and significantly increases energy consumption.
Common installation errors
Installation is not a simple matter, and even full implementation of the rules for installing the air conditioner is not enough for the device to work properly. Errors in the assembly of air conditioners are:
- Poor location of the indoor unit.
- Incorrect connection of the factory section installed in the device with the rest of the system. This violation can lead to leaks and loss of refrigerant.
- Poor attachment of the air conditioner outdoor unit.
- Incorrect connection of the unit to an external unit, which can lead to leakage and loss of refrigerant.
- Unintentional clamping of the copper pipe during installation bending. It should be remembered that the copper pipe must be correctly bent with a right angle of bend. Otherwise, it is flattened, and the refraction of the cross section leads to restriction of the flow of refrigerant and improper operation.
- Inappropriate length or installation height, lack of bracket for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.
- Incorrect routing of the condensate installation.
- Incorrect drainage connection to the sewer system, for example, the absence of a siphon, the connection directly creates fetid odors coming out of the air conditioner.
- Wrong choice of cooling capacity of the device. The norm of 1 kW per 10 m 2 is in homes, offices and other institutions, which will significantly increase the cost of installing an air conditioner.
- Installing a capacitor without shock absorbing washers, which leads to the transfer of vibrations from the device to the building.
- Malfunction of pressure in the system after the release of refrigerant and turning on the air conditioner.
Unprofessional installation is associated with high risk. The subsequent trouble-free operation depends on the diligence and accuracy of the assembly performed before installing the air conditioner in the apartment. , , .