OT: Air conditioner

[Sylvia Else]

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

 

[Franc Zabkar]

On Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:59:25 +1000, Sylvia Else
<sylvia@not.here.invalid> put finger to keyboard and composed:

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

I have had the same experience. In fact I even had difficulty getting
companies to quote on a new ducted A/C supply and install. I contacted
about 10 companies and only 2 actually turned up.

ISTM that they aren't hungry enough. Bring on the recession!

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

 

[who where]

On Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:59:25 +1000, Sylvia Else
<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

How long after you fire it up on heat does the noise start? This is
key to the next bit.

If is not straight off, but after something more than a minute, then
do the following test. Rug up and after giving it say 10 minutes
rest, stick it on COOL and - if it will actually do anything - see
whether it still makes the same noise.

What you may be experiencing is defrosting issues.

 

[kreed]

On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

You will find it difficult to find one of similar power that will fit
in the same size hole, I have found, and if there is brick involved,
you will find it a real pain to enlarge the hole, especially if you
aren't on ground floor level.

When you replace it, and you are happy with the new unit, I would
consider buying a spare of the same model and putting it aside
if you can afford to do so, and have the room. Suitable units are
getting harder and harder to find as time passes.


Out of interest, do these things store ok - anyone know ?

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 16/07/2011 11:01 AM, who where wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:59:25 +1000, Sylvia Else
sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

How long after you fire it up on heat does the noise start? This is
key to the next bit.

If is not straight off, but after something more than a minute, then
do the following test. Rug up and after giving it say 10 minutes
rest, stick it on COOL and - if it will actually do anything - see
whether it still makes the same noise.

What you may be experiencing is defrosting issues.

Thanks for the thought. Before doing that (and ultimately, instead), I
collected some of the gunk from around the condenser, and confirmed that
it won't mix with water. So it's dirt mixed with oil, or something of
that nature. Similar dirt collected from elsewhere in the housing
happily wets with water. I needed to use washing-up liquid to get the
gunk off my hands - soap wouldn't touch it.

So I pulled the insulation material off the condenser, and sadly the
culprit became all too obvious; massive corrosion to the base and sides
of the condenser, and the mounting brackets are almost gone.

The good news is that I pulled apart the other airconditioner I have of
the identical model, and it's fine. It's under a deck, so is not subject
to driving rain, and that maybe what makes the difference. Now I just
need to finish the task of drilling out one of the screws whose head
stripped

I have to wonder about the insulation. Its position is such that if any
amount of water accumulates in the base, the insulation will absorb it,
and then hold it in contact with the condenser and its mountings. This
seems like a design flaw (or a deliberate attempt to prevent the unit
from lasting too long).

Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:

On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.


Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 16/07/2011 9:16 AM, Franc Zabkar wrote:

ISTM that they aren't hungry enough. Bring on the recession!

Judging by the one quote I've got (given sight unseen, on the basis that
it's a replacement), that's only too true. It's about $500 more than I
was expecting.

Roll on spring.

Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 16/07/2011 12:08 PM, Sylvia Else wrote:

I have to wonder about the insulation. Its position is such that if any
amount of water accumulates in the base, the insulation will absorb it,
and then hold it in contact with the condenser and its mountings. This
seems like a design flaw (or a deliberate attempt to prevent the unit
from lasting too long).

Oh, and just to make sure that water does accumulate, there's a
depression under the compressor, and no drain hole.

I think I'll make a weather proof cover for the replacement unit, and
have it covered up except when it's in use.

Sylvia.

 

[David]

In article <98aocvFbenU1@mid.individual.net>,
Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Wow. But at least you got a promise for that Friday. When I tried in
Summer to get someone out to fix my aircond I got told they were too
busy so couldn't attend. Bugger

So went without over Summer and tried again in Winter. got told they
are too busy fixing heaters and installing slow combustion heaters, so
couldn't come.

One the disadvantages of living in the country

David

 

[Jasen Betts]

On 2011-07-15, Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

The refeigerant in them is mixed with the libricant oil, so if it's
leaking oil it's pretty sick and needs attention.

may not be terminal, depends on the cause.


--- Posted via news://freenews.netfront.net/ - Complaints to news@netfront.net ---

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 16/07/2011 7:46 PM, Jasen Betts wrote:

On 2011-07-15, Sylvia Else<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

The refeigerant in them is mixed with the libricant oil, so if it's
leaking oil it's pretty sick and needs attention.

may not be terminal, depends on the cause.

Unfortunately it is - severe corrosion.

Caused by a design flaw that means that driving rain drains into the
condenser compartment, there to be absorbed by the insulation around the
condenser, thus creating the perfect environment for the dreaded oxide
formation.

This is a ten year old Daikin model. The replacement will be of another
brand, 'cos they don't deserve brand loyalty after perpetrating that.

Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 16/07/2011 9:54 PM, kreed wrote:

On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:



On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.

And even if you have the gear and the knowledge, you still can't legally
do it without a licence (at least, in NSW).

Sylvia.

 

[F Murtz]

Sylvia Else wrote:

On 16/07/2011 9:54 PM, kreed wrote:
On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:



On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which
now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started
calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says
they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken
reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the
lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.

And even if you have the gear and the knowledge, you still can't legally
do it without a licence (at least, in NSW).

Sylvia.

You can if you use hydrocarbon refrigerants which is perfectly possible.
read this lot.
http://www.hychill.com.au/pdf/hcm_e.pdf
And it is possible to even bypass the commercial supplier as you can can
get propane butane elswhere although not as pure.
If you google hydrocarbon refrigerants you will get a plethora of info,
a lot of which is claptrap and misinformation by people protecting
their interests.
For instance almost all the cheap friges and freezers imported use R600
which is iso butane (used in a lot of camping stoves)
Most house air cons will run on propane which is legal on small systems

 

[kreed]

On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:



On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid>  wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too.  You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.


The way things are going in this country - you should get a wood
stove.
At least this can be easily serviced and operated, and immune to
blackouts
as long as you have the wood available.

 

[Metro]

"kreed" <kenreed1999@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:59a623cf-7d91-4615-8288-4e64c62d5488@m3g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:



On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they
no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack
of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.


The way things are going in this country - you should get a wood
stove.
At least this can be easily serviced and operated, and immune to
blackouts
as long as you have the wood available.

Probably be hit for carbon tax for creating pollution ?

 

[Dave Goldfinch]

On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:19:34 +1000, Sylvia Else
<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

On 16/07/2011 7:46 PM, Jasen Betts wrote:
On 2011-07-15, Sylvia Else<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

The refeigerant in them is mixed with the libricant oil, so if it's
leaking oil it's pretty sick and needs attention.

may not be terminal, depends on the cause.


Unfortunately it is - severe corrosion.

Caused by a design flaw that means that driving rain drains into the
condenser compartment, there to be absorbed by the insulation around the
condenser, thus creating the perfect environment for the dreaded oxide
formation.

This is a ten year old Daikin model. The replacement will be of another
brand, 'cos they don't deserve brand loyalty after perpetrating that.

Sylvia.

I couldn't agree more about Daikin - I have had two units die because
geckos got into the exterior unit and died on top of the PCBs. Daikin
will not honour the warranty if the problem is due to 'vermin'.

I would suggest that if vermin are able to access the sensitive bits,
then the product is not fit for purpose and therefor not fit for sale.
However I know that it would be a long and costly process to fight
them.

Dave Goldfinch

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 17/07/2011 1:19 PM, Dave Goldfinch wrote:

On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:19:34 +1000, Sylvia Else
sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

On 16/07/2011 7:46 PM, Jasen Betts wrote:
On 2011-07-15, Sylvia Else<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

The refeigerant in them is mixed with the libricant oil, so if it's
leaking oil it's pretty sick and needs attention.

may not be terminal, depends on the cause.


Unfortunately it is - severe corrosion.

Caused by a design flaw that means that driving rain drains into the
condenser compartment, there to be absorbed by the insulation around the
condenser, thus creating the perfect environment for the dreaded oxide
formation.

This is a ten year old Daikin model. The replacement will be of another
brand, 'cos they don't deserve brand loyalty after perpetrating that.

Sylvia.


I couldn't agree more about Daikin - I have had two units die because
geckos got into the exterior unit and died on top of the PCBs. Daikin
will not honour the warranty if the problem is due to 'vermin'.

I possibly had a similar problem some years back (on the other example I
have of the model that's failed on me), with a circuit board suffering
some strange component failures, and there was a dead spider present. I
was able to repair the board, fortunately. Daikin never did respond to
my enquiry about the price of a replacement board. Of course, I'll be
salvaging the board from the failed one, so I'll have a spare now.

I would suggest that if vermin are able to access the sensitive bits,
then the product is not fit for purpose and therefor not fit for sale.
However I know that it would be a long and costly process to fight
them.

I agree about the fitness argument. Actually, the small claims tribunals
are not so expensive to use, and you don't need lawyers. If the unit
fails due to vermin entry during its warranty period, I think Daikin, or
any other supplier, would fold as soon as they saw the application to
the tribunal.

Equally, I could go to the tribunal in respect of the corrosion, but on
a ten year old unit, it's questionable how much damage the tribunal
would find I'd actually suffered, even if it found that Daikin was at
fault, and Daikin would likely to be sufficiently stubborn to resist
anything more than a nominal payout beforehand. It doesn't help that
suppliers tend to think (wrongly) that their own warranty period is the
final word on how long their responsibility lasts.

Still, if Daikin are reading this, and want to pacify me with the offer
of a free replacement unit (I'll pay the installation cost), I'm
willing, and I'll then post about how Daikin did the right thing by me

Sylvia.

 

[kreed]

On Jul 17, 11:51 am, "Metro" <Home@home> wrote:

"kreed" <kenreed1...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:59a623cf-7d91-4615-8288-4e64c62d5488@m3g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:



On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:

On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they
no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack
of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.

The way things are going in this country - you should get a wood
stove.
At least this can be easily serviced and operated, and immune to
blackouts
as long as you have the wood available.  

Probably be hit for carbon tax for creating pollution ?

I don't know what they could do there. Put a tax on firewood, or on
wood stoves ?
What if you cut the wood yourself or buy it privately ?

Where we are, they have become popular with the high price of
electricity.
From an environmental point of view, even the dirtiest commercial
electricity has to be cleaner
than home wood stoves and heaters.

Then again, as we know, the carbon tax has nothing to do with reducing
pollution, that is just a front
in order to try and get people to accept it

 

[kreed]

On Jul 16, 10:07 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

On 16/07/2011 9:54 PM, kreed wrote:



On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid>  wrote:
On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:

On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid>    wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too.  You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.

And even if you have the gear and the knowledge, you still can't legally
do it without a licence (at least, in NSW).

Sylvia.

It is the same in QLD. I'm sure though that many do it though, and
that will
increase if there becomes a shortage of qualified people.

 

[F Murtz]

kreed wrote:

On Jul 16, 10:07 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 16/07/2011 9:54 PM, kreed wrote:



On Jul 16, 12:11 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 16/07/2011 11:30 AM, kreed wrote:

On Jul 15, 9:59 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
One of mine has suffered some sort of leak from the condenser which now
makes a loud buzzing noise. Probably oil, I suppose. Anyway it looks
pretty terminal, and the thing is 10 years old, so I started calling to
get quotes to replace the entire unit.

So far, of the two companies I've been able to contact, one says they no
longer do residential work, and the other says the earliest they can
come is next Friday.

OK, so it's cold, and people will be calling about their broken reverse
cycle airconditioners - running it in heating mode is after all how I
found out that mine had a problem. Even so, I'm surprised at the lack of
people making a dash for my door. I'd have thought summer was the time
when airconditioning companys would be run off their feet.

Maybe I'll just use a fan heater and wait until October.

Sylvia.

Normal where I live too. You are lucky if anyone even shows up.
If it is a through the wall unit, you will probably have to change it
yourself.

It's not a through wall unit, it's a split system. So that aspect of
things shouldn't be such a problem.

Sylvia.

I guess the through the wall system has one advantage, if you are out
of town, and no one will come
to fix it, you can at least remove it yourself and replace it, or take
it in for service.

Split system, you have to know about refrigeration and have the gear
if you are going to install it yourself.

And even if you have the gear and the knowledge, you still can't legally
do it without a licence (at least, in NSW).

Sylvia.


It is the same in QLD. I'm sure though that many do it though, and
that will
increase if there becomes a shortage of qualified people.

Queensland has different rules to NSW. Non ticketed people can use
hydrocarbons in NSW they are just not legally allowed to let the old
stuff escape (r22, R134a etc)
In Queensland there are still ways and means for some stuff.