When purchasing a split system or a mobile unit, many buyers are wondering if the air conditioner can work in winter, and what are the restrictions on its use.
Features of work
If we consider a mobile monoblock, then there are no special restrictions, since it works in fan mode for heating, and the built-in heating element is responsible for heating the air. They try not to use such devices for cooling in cold weather, since their efficiency is extremely low. As a rule, they do not require special training. The only thing that can be done is to close the air duct from the outside with a special plug so that cold air does not blow from the air conditioner in winter.
With split systems, the situation is more complicated. Most two-piece chillers can work not only for cooling, but also for heating. These units are called “warm” or “reversible” air conditioners. But most of them have significant limitations:
- functioning in the cold is permissible at an outside temperature from +18 to + 45 ° C;
- operation for heat is permissible at an outdoor temperature of +18 to -5 ° C.
But this applies to split systems with a linear type of compressor control. Inverter air conditioners can work in winter at more advanced rates. They are usually cooled at outdoor temperatures down to -10 ° C, and heated to -15 ° C.
If the user needs cooling, even in winter, the split is equipped with a low-temperature kit, which consists of:
- fan retarder installed on the control board and preventing freezing of the indoor unit;
- heating the drain connected to the drain hose and preventing the drained condensate from turning into ice;
- heating the compressor crankcase, which prevents the oil from thickening and prevents freon from boiling up.
Inverter systems already have a program on the board that is responsible for slowing down the fan, so the first component does not need to be installed.
Neither start-stop nor inverter devices will be able to increase the temperature range for heating using this accessory, since it is not intended to solve the problem of undersizing of an evaporative heat exchanger operating as a condenser in heating mode.
Possible problems and malfunctions
So, when answering the question whether air conditioners can work in winter, in most cases a negative result will be obtained. This is easily explained. There are several reasons why the air conditioner cannot be used in winter, if it is not provided by the manufacturer.
If a person decides to cool the room, then the following consequences are possible:
- The efficiency decreases markedly, and the work becomes ineffective;
- first, the drain pipe freezes due to condensation, and the outdoor unit is covered with a dense layer of ice;
- the likelihood of compressor failure becomes very high, since cold oil loses its lubricating properties.
What happens if you turn on the air conditioner for heating in winter, violating the instructions? The following happens more often:
- freezes the outdoor module;
- freon can enter the compressor in a liquid state, and this is 100% of its breakdown;
- the heat output becomes zero due to the impermissible temperature difference between the heat exchanger and the outdoor air.
These are the problems that can arise if you turn on the air conditioner in winter and use it without a low-temperature kit in cooling mode or try to warm up using a split system that is not designed for this.
Sometimes users are faced with the fact that they blow out of the air conditioner in winter when there is a strong wind outside. To avoid this, it is enough to cover the inner block with plastic wrap before the onset of severe cold weather or slightly turn the drain pipe in the other direction, since it is usually through it that the coolness passes into the room.
If you want, you can use other advice. If it blows from the air conditioner too strongly in winter, they look for a hole for draining condensate on the indoor unit and plug it with a rag. To find it, you need to remove the front cladding panel and unscrew the self-tapping screws on which the drain pan is attached. Most often, such a "bath" is located under the evaporative heat exchanger.
The main thing is to remove then all unnecessary items from the system before the working season!
Some users complain that the air conditioner gurgles or squelches during winter operation. If such sounds appear immediately after starting the compressor or turning it off, you should not worry, since this is a variant of the norm for split systems of average build quality.
If the air conditioner gurgles in winter after a certain operating time, then the following factors may be the cause:
- condensate has accumulated and frozen in the drain pipe;
- the installation of the freon line was performed poorly - the wrong length was selected or there is no evacuation of the system.
Sometimes in winter, the gurgle of the air conditioner occurs when switching modes. This is not a sign of any malfunction.
Preparing for winter
In many climate companies, closer to the cold season, there are many requests for preparing the air conditioner for winter. What is it like and can you do it yourself?
Professional conservation
Professional services for preparing for the winter of an air conditioner usually include the following list of works:
- pumping freon to the outdoor unit;
- complete de-energization of the system in order to avoid accidental switching on;
- installation of protection for the external block from falling icicles in the form of a special iron visor;
- cleaning the indoor unit.
Although the entire list of the listed services is not always required. Thorough cleaning of the room module with rinsing of filters, heat exchanger and fan is best done before the start of the warm season, and before cold weather it is enough to rinse mechanical cleaning filters in soapy water. Freon pumping can be ruled out altogether. As practice shows, he perfectly survives until spring without unnecessary manipulations. Professional preparation of the air conditioner for winter or its conservation are justified in the case of the presence of commercial or industrial equipment. In this case, the service department may refuse warranty repair if the device was not sealed before the cold weather. In order to reopen the equipment, you will have to contact the climate company again.
Self-preparation
It turns out that you can prepare your home air conditioner for the winter on your own, but how to do it correctly?
- First, they turn on the split system for a couple of hours in fan mode, and then for an hour in heating mode. This will help dry all the internal components of the device well;
- Wipe dust off the outer surfaces of the device with a soft, slightly damp cloth. Professionals usually use microfiber for this;
- The mechanical cleaning filters in the indoor unit are washed;
- Completely de-energize the system;
- Remove the batteries from the remote control.
No more additional steps are needed to prepare the air conditioner for winter. The only thing is that for those who have a split system on the windy side, you can think about insulating the refrigerator.
Warming
What is an air conditioner insulation for the winter and how is it done? The outdoor unit can be wrapped in a dense cellophane film, the indoor unit is either also covered with polyethylene, or the drainage hole is plugged.
There is no other way to insulate the air conditioner for the winter if we are talking about a split system. As already mentioned, for the mobile unit, they simply close the plug from the street side, and for the window unit, it is advisable to cover the part of the device protruding outward with a film or warm material. Sometimes window monoblocks have to be dismantled in the autumn-winter period, since they can be conductors for the flow of cold air into the apartment.
Care
No special care of the air conditioner is required in winter if it is not planned to use it for the entire frosty period. It is enough to carry out preparatory work on cleaning and de-energizing, and in the spring to call the foreman for complex maintenance.
If the air conditioner is used in winter, then it is necessary to take care of it from time to time - to clean the external panels and mechanical filters of the indoor unit, and also, if necessary, rinse the fan and radiator of the heat exchanger in the room module.
The frequency of processing depends on the dustiness of the room and the number of people who are constantly there. If you have carpets, rugs, curtains and other fabric surfaces, you will need to clean at least once a month. If the room is slightly dusty, it is often unnecessary to take care of the air conditioner in winter. Cleaning once a season is sufficient.
The most important point of high-quality air conditioning care is still compliance with the established framework, even for systems with an extended operating temperature range. It is also worth remembering that when you turn on the device to cold or warmth, you should not keep the window and balcony door open.
Installation: yes or no
As a rule, in the cold season, the demand for the installation of split systems falls noticeably. What is the reason for this and is it possible to install an air conditioner in winter in cold weather?
An unequivocal answer to this question cannot be given, since the main inconveniences are associated with the purely human feelings of the installers themselves and some features of the crimping and vacuuming of the circuit.
When pressure testing, it is important to maintain an equal temperature of nitrogen in the cylinder and air outside in order to check the tightness of all joints of the route. It is almost impossible to create such conditions in winter.
After pressure testing, the circuit is usually evacuated using a vacuum pump, that is, excess moisture and air are removed. At subzero temperatures, the boiling up of the refrigerant in the circuit not only slows down, but almost completely stops, which is why moisture often remains inside. It is risky to use a vacuum pump in temperatures below -15 ° C. In extreme cases, he needs to ensure that he is constantly warm before and after the cleaning process of the circuit.
You can install an air conditioner in winter if you do it in two steps. The first stage involves chipping the walls and laying freon tubes. The second includes all other works, namely:
- installation of both blocks and their connection to each other with a trunk and wires;
- pressure testing and vacuuming of the circuit;
- commissioning.
Why is it impossible to carry out commissioning work in frosty weather? The fact is that this can be done qualitatively only when the air conditioner is turned on for cooling. A few minutes after start-up, the functionality of the system is checked: the temperature at the outlet of the evaporator and the pressure. Accurate readings can only be taken at an outdoor temperature of + 20 ° C. Turning on the split system with unacceptable thermometer marks on the street often leads to compressor breakdown, so it is unlikely that any master will take on such responsibility. How to check the operation of the air conditioner in winter and hand over the result to the customer? It turns out that in no way.
Added to the above troubles is such a circumstance as heating the valve on the outdoor unit, which it is advisable to do with a professional hairdryer with precise temperature control. In cold weather, wires lose their plasticity and become quite rigid, which creates some discomfort during installation.
To say that it is impossible or impossible to install an air conditioner in winter is not entirely correct, but nevertheless, significant problems arise. If possible, experts advise to wait at least until April, when the average daily air temperature becomes positive.
