Putting off repairing air conditioners could lead to deterioration. If you are the do it yourself type, you can do some of the basic repair tasks yourself.
Lubricating the Motor
Required Tools and Materials
Safety goggles
Electrical tester
Work gloves
Small pliers (wrap in it tape)
Screwdriver
High speed lubrication oil
Step 1
Look for the house breaker. Turn the breaker off and twist the fuses. If the air conditioner comes with a thermostat, turn it off too.
Step 2
Put on your goggles and gloves. Use the electric tester for the voltages. Go over the entire unit. The results should be negative.
Step 3
Remove the screws connecting the grill to the unit. Before you continue repairing air conditioners, put the screws in a safe location so they don’t get lost. Lift the grill. Carefully flip the grill. Put it over the air conditioner. You can see both the fan and motor now.
Step 4
Look for the lubrication ports. Look for a hole by the motor. There should be plastic there. It is concealing the ports.
Step 5
Use the pliers to take out the port plugs. Do this carefully so you don’t damage any parts. Apply the lubricating oil. Put in a few drops at a time. Keep adding oil until the ports cannot take any more.
Step 6
Get a rag and rub the excessive oil off. When repairing air conditioners, the next step is to spin the fan. This is necessary so the oil can flow around the motor.
Step 7
Take the grill and reinstall it. Put in the screws and fasten it. Be certain the grill and unit holes are aligned correctly. Set the breakers on. Put in the fuses. Turn on the air conditioner. It should run properly.
Tips
When looking for an electrical tester, get one that doesn’t require making contact with the air conditioner. Take a long careful look at the positions of the wirings. Depending on the damage, you may need to repair them too.
Notes on Car Air Conditioners
To determine if the refrigerant is leaking, get a fluorescent dye. Install it according to the instructions. This will help detect any leaking refrigerants. Anyone repairing air conditioners needs to be familiar with the compressor. It is the one that has rubber and metal hoes linked to it.
To determine if the compressor is working, look for it below the hood of the car. The vehicle has to be running.
To fix the air conditioner (for cars or home), you need to be familiar with its major pars. These include the expansion valve, receiver / dryer, the condenser etc. Study the manual of your unit; familiarity with its features will be a tremendous help.
Warnings
Be careful when you remove the grill as the blades will be near your arms. Take all necessary precautions so you don’t get cut when spinning the fan.
To avoid major problems, you should have the unit cleaned regularly. If it is well maintained, then repairing air conditioners won’t be that difficult.
