🥵 99% Don't Know THIS About Window A/C!
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2022
- Window Air Conditioners use a "slinger ring" to throw water onto the condenser coils to help with the efficiency. HVAC technicians may be the only ones who knew. Do Not drill a hole into the bottom of the Unit. I learned something today!
🎥 FULL Video: 99% Of People Don't Know THIS about A/C
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🎥 Video: Clean Window ac the lazy way
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#hvac #ac #airconditioner #windowac - Jak na to + styl
🥶 Just released the full video!
Well since I work on systems up to 100 tons on the regular, I'm pretty sure I understand how this little 10000 btu window shaker works. I didn't say the process wasn't effective. But as your video clearly shows, there's lots of corrosion and scale inside that machine. And as we all know, Once the components of the coil erode, the heat transfer is adversely affected. Therefore, what little efficiency that was gained by the slinger will be lost after a couple of seasons of the stagnant water bath. Then there's the pests attracted by the aformentioned stagnant water. But the video is informative for the typical DIY'er. 🤣
Lmao peoples drain gets clogged and they drill new drain instead of cleaning it???
@@thatboss3836 You may want to watch the video again and pay a little more attention this time before making pointless comments. This unit doesn't have an external drain by design. It uses the condensate and a slinger to slightly improve the efficiency of the condensers heat transfer.
@@kodiak410a well I didn't look but when mine starts making that noise it's dirty asf so I clean it and all the water goes away for the most part but even bought a unit 3 years ago so I'm speaking on experience not a minute video
@@kodiak410a lmao it's summer and you have time to type shit that long you slow right now or in-between jobs?
I miss these. Most people would say they are noisy.. but the sound makes sleep even better.
You need to get a white noise generator
You need to get a white noise generator
@@thicok4555 I've tried that and I've tried fake fan noises. It's not the same. I literally can't sleep when I use those.
you can still get them.
Better than the portable units where the compressor is in your room with you
Ah childhood. I remember summer days napping close to these. They are very comforting to me.
My two year old won't sleep any other way this summer. She loves it.
Ahh yess me too!! Good memories
Yes, I also love the low demonic humming that summons demons.
Not going to lie, I drilled mine.
I used too as well. I wanted the longevity from lack of rust over the efficiency gain from the water.
You:
Me too. They ate so cheap to replaced too.
Drilled and none drilled they last the same and if you don’t drill it and your window is in a wooden wall its just going to leak in to the home causing damage you won’t see until it’s to late
Next time try cutting the lip in two spots and carefully folding it down mine actually drains better and started blowing colder
The newer ones have the drain hole halfway back too. As a feature, they rot your walls.
I took aluminum coil trim and bent it in a tray. That made it specifically for the window to funnel the water outside and not inside
These weren’t built to last forever, if anything they want them to rot so you buy another one
The mounting instructions say to mount it at a slight angle to prevent that.
@@VC-TVyour house ?
@@brycen910 central air, dont worry about those cheap ass temporary units, that’s really all they are, say you move into a new house, ac needs work, its 90 degrees out, these are great untill your actual ac unit is either fixed or installed, but for long term ac? Nawww i sure you can get away with it for a while but
I carefully threw gallons of water against the condenser coils on my window unit and it actually solved the short cycling issues. The evaporator coils were filthy and filled with dust and debris. It was blocking the airflow. Before I poured water onto the condenser coils, I felt very warm air blowing out. That wasn’t a good sign. Short cycling will eventually damage the compressor. I’m glad I fixed my window unit. It now shuts off when it’s supposed to. My room wouldn’t even cool below 85 degrees. My room is cool when it’s hot at now. I’ll do it again if I encounter an issue.
The only thing they maximize is the efficiency of how fast mold grows
Thats an old school one it'll take longer
that why it's needed to be clean periodically.
It just needs to be cleaned. Command your wife to do it.
Only happens when you dont clean the ac every 3 months which most people are lazy to do
@@aronPlays14 Again.... wife.
Many people know that water helps cool the hot side when fan hits the water. But the slightly more obscure part is that the water comes from the moisture that was collected on the cold side before being put to use to help efficiency on the hot side.
It may save you power, but you'll need to replace the ac sooner as it will cause the condenser to rust out.
I have never replaced an ac unit in any rental houses or my own bc of a rusted condenser unit....just my experience
I have had them rust out
15 years carrier units here and go strong ! Water Splash help a lot here (Hermosillo Sonora Mexico 121 Fahrenheit) I put fog/mister on 3 of my split units and the amps draw lows to 11 from 13.5 (24000 btus 220v)
@@charliebrownn6622 Works in Sonora because the climate is dry.
Maybe if you don't take care of it. My rooftop swamp cooler is over 30 years old and still going strong. There's the kind of lifespan you get when you take care of your appliances rather than ignoring them until something breaks.
100% Accurate.
It slings that water onto the condenser causing Head Pressure to drop, lowering discharge air temp and increasing efficiency. 🤨
That's how I understand it also
Rights its almost like they dont understand thermodynamics. Cuz you know the coil needs to be colder than ambient to dissipate heat huh? Lol and for those of you whom dont get it: ac/refrigeration guy here:
1) heat moves to cold
2) ac is just absorbing heat and transferring it
3) the outdoor coil needs to be lower than ambient temp so outside air is cooler giving it the ability to give heat away.
4) yes the water is cooler but honestly not saturating the coil to the degree needed to get rid of enough heat to inside can have maximum heat absorption so his theory isnt sound.
@@863TheTravis the outdoor coil is hotter than ambient not lower. Maybe that's why you can't understand how it works
but only when it rains.
@@diymacgyverguy8054 lmfao right dude?! Heat ain't going anywhere if we ain't transferring it lol. Cool air passes over coil and cools it condensing and sub cooling the refrigerant
The evaporation of the water helps to move more heat. A lot of ptac's have this design too
This is actually written in the installation instructions.
Most window ACs require a tilt of about 2 to 3 degrees to drain properly. This means that the back of the AC needs to be about ½” lower than the front. The tilt is needed to keep condensation draining out of the back of the window AC unit.
Correct!
There were installation instructions? I just drilled some holes but they’re clogged up now.
So thankful for this information!!!
How do you install it at an angle? I just deep cleaned my unit and it STILL spits inside!
@@briannec2016 you usually use a plastic shim or the foam strip that comes with it. Or can also use just about anything else that doesn't absorb water in case it does leak.
Yep, i can confirm they operate longer and more efficiently with the weep hole in the bottom. I bought 2 identical units, put a hole in only one of them. The unit i did not put a hole in didn't make it thru the season, the one i put a weep hole in lasted about 7 years until we finally installed a mini split unit.
Dude! Thank you for this tip! I was on the brink of buying a new window A/C! 😂
No wonder my A/C was less cold these past few days after I took off a rear drain plug during DIY cleaning and I did not put it back, causing no water to accumulate on the pan for the Slinger Ring to throw to the condenser coils. Charged to experience :)
Glad to help! Yeah, I just learned that too a few years ago, kind of cool engineering 👍🏼
and that's why the bottom will rust and the unit will smell like mildew and blow that wonderful smell into your lovely room and when the unit is turned off dirt infiltrates the standing condensate and soon becomes mud,
Is it preventable
You do have a 👉
Both of mine are full, I mean freaking full, of rotting mosquitoes right now. It is just grey sludge and smells like complete ass. Horrible, just horrible.
@@shelbyseelbach9568 have you tried turning it off and on again
@@HurtsEnd Of course, I have. I'm not stupid! That usually clears it right up, but we've had mosquitos really bad for a prolonged time this year I guess I could try it one more time though?
Some units require a specified pitch, some require to be level.
Window AC sounds like vacation in the Caribbean 🍻
I did ! Am a 30yr.retired HVAC tech. Thanks !
👍🏼 thanks for the input
😂😂😂
I’ve always wondered what that liquid sound was.
Here in Houston 100% humidity most of hot weather you have to do a drain😳
They have both. The drain hole is slightly higher than the bottom of the pan so as to leave a little water in the pan, but it will also drain. It does help with efficiency but in the long run it will rot out the condenser coil. I worked on a lot of PTAC units that are glorified window unit and they work the same way.
@@HandymanHertz - well it’s 85% at the moment. That figure you quote is not typical at all in the summer here
@@HandymanHertz gets very uncomfortable outside
Don’t drill it, instead fold a paper towel and with a fork stick it into the bottom back of the AC and it’ll maintain a steady drip
Right?!? FL here!😅😂
Mosquitoes love it when you don't drill 😎
Exactly. It's a good spot that's hard to notice them flying out of but I always wondered where the he'll they were spawing from. Check the Ac unit in the wall and found a mosquitoes paradise.
Youre right, i always opened up the drain hole as i thought water was a bad thing
And I drill mine cuz it slings that rusty water on the condenser making it mucky which makes it hold more water when the ac is off, wonderful air refresher mildew flavored scent after two weeks. Not forgetting a clogged up condenser after 10 weeks.
I'm with you, I've seen too much rust and gunk to NOT drain that water.
@@topknotsrule same
I've been debating this lately as well.
I've known about this engineering design for several years now but recently I'm leaning more towards the opinion that it may be more beneficial to not have a standing pool of nasty water in the unit which accelerates death of the unit due to increased corrosion that typically leads to refrigerant leaks at copper joints in the coils, especially between copper to aluminum coil unions on top of corrosion eating away aluminum fins on the condenser radiator.
I haven't researched all the benefits of slinging nasty water over the condenser radiator yet but if it only gains a small amount of temperature efficiency it's definitely not worth it in the long run IMO since it destroys the a/c dramatically faster than running dry.
Please, Change my mind...
To be honest though, you shouldn't smell anything coming from the rear part of the unit where the nasty water is being slung since the condenser fan is blowing away to the outside and the inside portion should be sealed well enough to keep the two portions of the unit separate.
@@eds6569 About half of the window units out there have fresh air dampers that draw outside air from the slimy, mildew, condenser water compartment.
Drill it. Friggin gurgling will drive you crazy 🤣
You think you can hear it over the compressor? Cause you cant
If you can hear it, it's not leveled.
@@Schmuly the compressor turned off it’s basically the only thing you heat
mine has a factory drain have mine for 20 years and no rust ,rust air do smell
@@keithbroh5730 why would the outside fan be running without the compressor on
I always wondered why my window unit sounded like rain and now I know
I know someone who just spent $15k on a new AC and furnace. Their house is still 75 degrees in the Summer. Then I go to another friend's house and they only have window AC, it feels like heaven so nice and chilly 69 degrees
I always drill them out as I'd rather the water drain then rot the machine
@@Farquad76.547 yeah😂 so it'll rust out and you have to buy a new one sooner. it's called planned obsolescence
@@oliver_klozoff nailed it
Fans there that’s cooling it.
It’s that way so it rots and you buy more
Lol my 10 year old one that I even dropped from the second floor window running none stop every spring and summer would disagree with rotting...
Drill gang here, was tired of it sounding like a running toilet, 4th season and still running strong.
I’ve drilled them in the past 👍🏼
3 years ago when I got my air conditioner It filled with water so i a hole in it. A few weeks later when it wasn’t working as well I put a pipe fitting in the hole to control the leaking and it worked much better.
Its supposed to drain out the condensation that's why some have a drain hose...it will get mold and stink..
Wrong. It’s using the condensate to lower pressure in the condensing unit. Did watch the video?
@@fashizzlemanizzle4808the pressures wouldn’t even be that high unless you ran the fan on low on a hot day. that water will eventually heat up enough to the point where the added efficiency isn’t worth shortening the life of a unit.
All that standing water causes that rust on the inside too. Even better is pulling the A/C before winter (just did mine) and dumping a gallon of water all over my interior floor. Genius!!
If you were smart you would get some gauze and stick it right in the back end of it and allow it to drain the water.
My 10,000 btu window air conditioner came with a factory drain hole. The condensation will overflow without it.... I've had this specific one for 8 years, and it cools flawlessly, and the plants underneath it love it....
I had to drill a hole in mine more towards the middle and angle it pretty good plus screen netting around it to keep the cotton and shit out lol. It would fill with water enough to drip inside
when I had an air conditioner I used to have it on a slight angle so the water would drip out..If I didn't it got nasty inside with bugs and such..lol
It's supposed to be installed pitched away from the room/window sill
Supposed to drop a quarter inch from front to back
AC units have a drain coming from the pan to drain the water away from the house so it doesnt cause rot. The reason the pan gets full of water is because the drain gets clogged. Drill your holes. The fan is not meant to splash splash water.
Ikr this dumb ass just making up shit why does it say in manual to place unit at a slope to allow water to drain...
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👌🏾
I can't speak for all, but the ones I had actually had drain plugs on the bottom for cleaning purposes. Installing them required the rear to be 1/2 inch lower than the front and to clean it, the booklet said to use a spray bottle with soapy water to spray down the condensing coil through the vents and from the back, and rinse with low pressure water (book specifically mentioned shower setting) to clean the coils and the condensate tray and to reinstall drain plugs afterwards. Cleaned mine twice a year and they all ran for 10 to 15 years.
I bet 99% of you didn't know that on the older style a/c units there were drain plugs that in the instructions said to tap it with a punch or small drill bit if it flooded while in slant.
You answered so many questions. Thank you. 😊
my dad drilled a hole through the damn condenser
I drilled a hole through the freon pipe. So sad but I got pretty high
@@raysure1345 it's not called a Freon pipe
I did the same lol
I just thought of that
@@CdLLP376 what ?
You can also see why you should get some of that water out because it produces condensation regardless, a small weep hole is what i would recommend, it still has water flowing to the area it needs but also drains out excess water because it will breed mosquitoes
I have mine drained, including a pipe that runs to a gutter downpipe. What I didn't notice is the inside was full of debris, and water wasn't draining. By the time I realised, there was major unrecoverable rust damage.
yup, gotta do a deep clean on them once in a while.
that sound of the water slinging drove me nuts with mine. drilled a hole in it about 12 years ago and still works great lol I do try to keep the condenser clean and maintain it time to time
Mine is a hotel style a/c unit that hangs out of the wall. It got clogged and started draining inside. So i drilled a few 3/4 inch holes around the pan xD
@@chrishansen5784 problem solved I guarantee. Lol the last hotel I stayed in had one that was running off inside the room. Soaked all my clothes and stuff I had beside of it. I'd say it was the same problem you had
Evaporative cooling y’all it’s how the human body cools itself!! Water on the coils definitely helps ac efficiency
Correct. a comment from someone who knows their stuff! 👍🏼
If it dripped evenly all along the top to drizzle down the condensser fins, it could be achieved by collecting water in a bottle and when its filled a pump should push the water above the condenser coil and let it drip, and collect it again,so the cycle could restart imple.ented by new cool water from evaporator,
A company also invented a water treatment that turns this watr into a drink water fountain
It will ruin the fins. A coating of hard water crud will build up over time. There is a reason you don't see this on whole house ACs
I feel like this was an idea that began as a mistake but actually did something worthwhile.
My apartment manager drilled a hole in my pan. I’ve definitely noticed a difference.
Good or bad "difference?"
Designed to not to last…rust. Class Action
These new designs were made due to government energy regulations ,but it is backfiring because these AC's are rotting/rusting/dying in a couple of years which causes people to buy another one which contributes to pollution when the old one go to the garbage dump.
@rainerrain9689 No ac unit should ever rust in anything critical for use unless it isn't installed correctly
Embarrassed to say I used to be a "driller". A couple years ago I actually read the installation manual on a window AC. Now my AC is more efficient for sure.
The problem is the water ends up down the wall causing water damage and the moisture causes mold in the AC. So, I prefer to drill mine.
Right before you go to bed, go outside and spray that condenser coil with the hose. Cold is sleep you'll ever have 😊
Good tip! 😴
I did not know that😳. I actually drilled holes in one once to drain the water .😮
Lol
I used to think it was a bad design / defect too. ‘Salright.
CAULK THEM!
It is a genius design flaw, it makes the machine ROT from the inside. Dry coils equal no mud and the coils will not clog and rot, causing high pressure witch will eventually make the unit spring a refrigerant leak and then WORTHLESS and you go by another. They basically made them disposable. My grandmother has 2 AC’s that are almost 40 yrs old and still run great and they drip enough to water her flowerbeds!!!
Hopefully at the back of the unit. They have over flows out the back...
made that mistake. hit one of the high pressure lines. RIP AC. second came with a plug and since it was in an indoor flex space. couldn't have water flinging around everywhere so had to use the drain port. at least the second one had one.
I read the manual when I was installing mine. My windows open to the side, so I was hoping to find some creative tips to get it set up. No advice to be found, but I did learn about the slinger!
👍🏼
Yep, I definitely drilled a hole in the bottom to let that drain out thinking that it was a problem.
Bacteria paradise
Yep Legionnaires disease at play right there
@Usual Suspect William Hamilton that’s 99% of the population
This was the real cause of Covid. An undrilled window unit in China.
The water isn’t stagnant. It is safer than having a bird bath in your backyard but go off lol
@@xXSasukeXx89 it’s called legionnaires disease, caused by bacteria it is common in air conditioning and cooling towers . It kills a few people a year
Why wouldn't they contain the water better if it was for that? Pretty sure it would be a plastic pan if this was meant to hold water.
Then it wouldn't rust out. And you wouldn't have to go buy a new one. Gotta keep the economy rolling lol
Mine was draining into my wall! I had to put a few holes in the outside just to prevent damage.
I had no idea so thank you for sharing this knowledge.
Happy to help
Summer days Nintendo 64 with the AC blowing! Nostalgia at its finest!
The whole unit is covered with rust
Yes helps transfer heat! I'm in the 1% 😆
Drilled mine about 12-13 years ago. Still works perfect. The noise was annoying and it was causing the unit to corrode prematurely. Plus to not mention the fact that the motor constantly being bogged down will reduce its life spa
Even some tech don't know this but u learn in the feel
I like the hole that is at the back of my AC. Straight from the factory. Guess they didn't know that.
Smh... You think you're so clever don't you? Some ACs, particularly older ACs, did have drain holes because manufacturers did not realize at the time that it actually could increase the efficiency of the unit by utilizing the cold water that just came off of the cold evaporator coil, in order to help cool the condenser coil. When they realize that, they started to build and design them so that they threw water onto the coil. Now granted, they also didn't think about the rust when they started doing this. But they have been for a little bit now, and newer components are rust resistant or completely rust proof.
@@glasshalfempty1984they definitely are not rust proof. I have seen units completely rusted after just 2 or 3 seasons of use. That on its own is enough reason to drain a hole. The water also causes the coil to get muddy and that will result in high head pressure, which defeats the purpose of the design in the first place.
1% er here..... Also a refrigeration and AC mechanic lol
So that’s what that iconic sound was
I'm literally hearing my window a/c now lol. Best asmr for summertime sleep
Drill it.. Your efficiency will drop once all the nasty water slinging on the condenser turns into a hard mat of crap blocking airflow.
Some window units have part of the condenser coil at the bottom of the unit to help reject heat and evaporates the water causing a dripless unit
That’s genius!
I have two dripless units in my rental right now. I will never buy anything else.
That would be nice. My neighbors window AC upstairs drips right on top of my AC. Gonna have to do something about that for next year
@@jessefoulk Same problem here. I got a galvanized sheet of metal and slid it under the upstairs unit to divert the drip further out from my unit.
Water cooled condenser!
Best advice is when newly purchasing and installing an ac unit, paint and treat all the prone rust location with additional coats of waterproofing paint and oils!
This is really good advice, thanks! 👍🏼
Always wondered what that sound was but never bothered to look it up. I knew it had to be something funky like this. Very cool
Laying with mine on now. Ahhh, ice cold air to help me sleep.
ok going to plug the holes i made hahahaha
99%? Wow, ylu really worked it out to 3 standard deviations, nice work👏
Bruh. Thanks so much for this! This is a lifesaver for sure bcuz i always thought my wall had problems.
Yeah, me too, I remember thinking it's not leaking on the inside, it's not leaking on the outside, it must be going through the wall
The only problem with that is its an AC unit sitting outside, that water gets nasty af.
Why not just take it down in the winter
@@bsanchez3563 why would you take it down?
@@JahonCross if its cold or rainy/snowy (present/applicable for mehself in my area it does but not coldder than about 20f or hotter than about 120ish degrees so strangely enough fwiw its said still to be a "moderate climate" ) I mean if its a portable unit id just simply take it out of the window or if I had a eother a widnow unit or a first floor need for ac and had both then Id also take that down or fwiw cover it so rain an snow and heaf do escape from back and forth inside to out and vice verse but otherwise as I prefer not to climb a ladder fwiw needlessly.. just not for meh as far as mere fun goes for going up and down and/or getting out a ladder is not meh idea of excitement fwiw idk but yeah
Ph also id not want there to be ice an stuff breaking the coils etc from expansion
@@bsanchez3563Ladder? Most people do it from the window
Some people don't realize some of the big window acs weighing over 150lbs are in Windows 2nd floor and up. Many people have medical/physical disabilities and can't move it. Money can be a issue too for those who say "hire someone".
Definitely got me on that one I've been drilling holes in my air conditioner for years
My Frigidaire window ac came with factory holes.
They all come with a drain hole from the factory you just have to make sure they are level so to much water doesn't sit in there.
@@chadklaren9537many manufacturers stopped putting drain holes in the units several years ago.
Yup. Love that clank banging sound.
I almost drilled a whole in mine! But then "if it ain't broke don't fix it" popped into my head.
DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT CAUTION!!!!
if you over drill youll hit the freon
Drill only in the drain, ideally pull it out first so you can see - they have a drain tray, put a heavy handed drill could go through the condenser.
Welp looks like I need a new one 😂😂🤦♂️
Should’ve came across this yesterday morning 😂
haha no problem, it still works fine, just slightly more inefficient!
Plug the hole was never an option. Boat sank
I have a portable one and i thought it was quite clever when i saw where the water was hitting it also pooled under the condenser but still drained away
You are correct. I thought mine was at the wrong angle.😂
Is that why I have nats coming in my room?
Do they look like blsc2k. Triangle shaped flies? Drain flies from nasty sitting water.
🌺 Correct & you need to drill a hole under the lowest point of the Air conditioner frame underneath to allow water to either drip or release water from your unit.....😊.......😊.......😊.......
What if that water is going right into my floor? I pulled a rubber insert and it hasn't done it since.
Hmm… How old is your unit? Definitely, water shouldn’t be coming into your room!
It's supposed to be tilted a bit so the water runs toward the outside
the slinger ring promotes evaporative cooling -During evaporation, water molecules absorb heat from the air to overcome the latent heat of vaporization. This heat transfer cools the air as it passes through the medium thus making the the coils cool better
I did a couple times and I didn't know that. Didn't have instructions
I used to as well! 👍🏼
We always gotta remember to tip it back a little cause it ends up leaking in from the level difference. 😮💨
Yup, must have an angle! Most now are designed to be that way from my experience.
Didn't know that. Have been considering the drill for a bit. Thank you for keeping me from stupid.
My window AC is 20 years old and still blows nice cool air. I can hear the water inside mine just like this one sounds.
Until you drill into the condenser 🤣 I've replaced a few for friends lol
For all you leftist and Yankees movin on down to the dirty south, this is your life. Hard work and hard times. Enjoy. and Bless yer hearts.
Don't challenge them...shit, they'll do it. Just what we needed.
I heard it all the time back in new york. Didn't know exactly what it was until this video.
I got one near a kitchen. It gets real nice and juicy with oils that spiders like to nest in.
No shit!!! I was today years old when I found this out.I thought my old A/C unit was bad and bought a new one. That won't happen again thank you for the info
You’re welcome! Glad to help! 👍🏼
I knew it, I just don't want the bottom of my AC to rust out so it drains instead!!..😉
I drain mine to ;)
It hits me in the face when I step out the back door on a humid day
I have one like that and it would always have a bad smell the water inside would never evaporate...So I drilled a small hole...I don't get why they make them like this...maybe for people that didn't want a puddle of water on the floor? supposedly to cool the coils? I also have one that has a rear drain and works just fine...I had it for about 20 years...
Love seeing them on the trash pile because someone drilled a drain hole and punctured the coil.
😂😂 soo many have commented saying they’ve done this. Even I drilled into the fan once
I read an article that one of the most common places to find the bacteria that causes Pnuemonia (psuedomonas aeruginosa) is in air con condensate
I couldn't tell you how many window units I've thrown away in the 43 years that I've heating and cooling. And I've repaired a few
I always wondered why they didnt cool coils with water in ac units. Very cool to see certain units do. Still not sure why they wouldnt use something like this in larger units