More and more people have recently been thinking about purchasing and installing devices for controlling the microclimate in their homes. In urban areas, especially if the apartment is entirely on the sunny side, air conditioning is the only option to create comfort during the hot summer months. The considerable cost of this useful device makes you want to save money by installing a split system with your own hands. Is this procedure as complicated as air conditioning installation companies assure? And how to install the air conditioner yourself according to all the rules to ensure its uninterrupted operation for the longest possible time?
Types of air conditioners
To create comfortable conditions in apartments, the following types of air conditioners are used:
Monoblock systems
All blocks of the conditioner are located in one case. This reduces the cost of the device, but also leads to certain inconveniences: the bulkiness of the system and the rather high noise from the compressor, not even at full power. They, in turn, are divided into two types:
- Window air conditioners. Pioneers among apartment systems. The main disadvantage: the device block occupies a significant part of the window opening. This prevents sunlight from entering the room, and it is extremely difficult to harmoniously fit its interior. Therefore, air conditioners of this type are becoming rarer.
- Mobile systems. Much more attractive in design than windowed ones. In addition to the tempting possibility of movement, they have another indisputable advantage: the block practically does not require installation. It is enough just to equip with your own hands the hood from the room to the outside, to which the system is connected. But the cost of such air conditioners is quite high.
Two-block systems
In devices of this type, the refrigerant circulates between the outdoor and indoor units of the air conditioner. The main advantage of such systems is noiselessness. The main "troublemaker" - the compressor, is located behind the wall. Indoor units have different designs and can be placed in the most convenient place. They are divided into 3 varieties:
- Wall split systems. The most affordable and common at present, have a power of 2 to 7 kW. Perfectly suited for maintaining the desired microclimate: in the summer they create coolness, but it is also possible to operate the air conditioner for heating in the winter. It is for such systems that the most relevant question is: how to install an air conditioner without resorting to the help of professionals?
- Channel conditioners. They are installed under the false ceiling structure and have a high power - 12–25 kW. This is enough for a fairly spacious apartment. Complicating the task is the need to correctly calculate the air exchange in the room. When installing thermostats and special electric valves, you can set the system to its own temperature for each room in the apartment. Naturally, this complicates the installation of system blocks and significantly increases its cost.
- Cassette air conditioners. The main system is also hidden by a suspended ceiling. Cassette split systems are made so as not to stand out. As a rule, the dimensions of the grille of a cassette air conditioner coincide with the dimensions of the ceiling tiles: 600 by 600 mm, and with a higher power - 600 by 1200 mm. The dimensions of the indoor unit allow you to easily place it and all the necessary communications inside a standard metal profile grate used in the installation of suspended structures.
Preparing to install an air conditioner with your own hands: choosing a place
Since wall-mounted split systems are the most popular, we will describe how to install an air conditioner with our own hands in relation to them.
Choosing the location of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner in an apartment building can cause some difficulties:
- The outdoor unit of the system cools the refrigerant, so it should be located so as to avoid solar heating as much as possible. The north or east side of the house or balcony is well suited.
- The massive outdoor unit of the air conditioner should be placed so as not to disturb the neighbors.
- It is unacceptable for condensate from the drainage pipe to flow down the wall of the house. It must be taken out as far as possible.
- Like any device, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner needs periodic maintenance. Therefore, it should be located so that it can be approached without much effort and risk.
When choosing a place for the internal part of the system, there are also a number of conditions:
- It can not be placed near the elements of the heating system.
- It is unacceptable that the inside of the split system is closed by curtains or other objects that prevent the free movement of air.
- The processor of the air conditioner unit may be damaged if it is located in the area of intense electrical noise generated by household appliances. Therefore, for example, it cannot be placed in the kitchen.
Tools
The selection of the necessary tool will also not be easy. For work you will need:
- Pumps: vacuum and bicycle.
- Pipe flaring kit. Better with a pipe cutter. Copper tubes cannot be cut with another tool - sawdust will surely get inside them, which will disable the vacuum pump.
- Reamer for finishing expanded pipes.
- Pressure gauge for measuring pressure in the air conditioning system.
- Indicator screwdriver and tester for mounting the electrical wiring of the units.
- Perforator.
- Bay of copper pipe.
It is better to take a whole bay of tubes, with the ends rolled at the factory. You can never guess with what tool the tube was cut if you buy only a part of the coil. Copper pipes should not have dents, cracks or other defects.
Installation of the external unit of the air conditioner
It should immediately be noted that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner should be located below the indoor one.
- After marking the mounting points of the brackets, a hole is drilled for communications. Of course, in this case, it is necessary to avoid getting the drill into other communications or fittings, so the place for the hole must be chosen carefully. In a brick wall, it is better to lay it along the masonry seam. If the concrete slab has frequent reinforcement, then the only way out is to drill a separate small hole for each wire or tube of the system.
- Brackets are attached to the wall with anchor bolts. You can fix the outdoor unit of the air conditioner directly on the balcony by slightly changing the mounting scheme. But in any case, it is important to maintain the level: at the slightest distortion of the system, there will be problems with the condensate drain.
- The most difficult stage of the operation is the direct installation of the external unit with your own hands. It weighs at least 60 kg, which is why this work must be done by at least two people. It may be necessary to use the help of industrial climbers or special equipment to securely fix the air conditioner to the brackets.
For normal operation of the system, it is necessary to leave a gap of at least 100 mm between the air conditioner case and the wall.
Installation of the indoor unit and necessary communications
Work progress:
- The indoor unit is attached by hand to the mounting plate using a latch system. The plate is securely attached to the wall at a distance of at least 10 cm from the ceiling and at least 5 cm from the corner of the room. Having lifted the inner part together, it is fixed with latches.
- The copper pipes of the air conditioner for the refrigerant supply are cut off with a margin of a meter for the intended bends. The minimum length of these communications is at least 1.5 meters. Carefully bending them, put on the nuts and flare the ends.The nuts are tightened tightly on the fittings, but without much effort.
- The drain tube is attached to the block with a threaded flange or with a piece of heat-shrinkable hose.
- The power supply of the air conditioner must be done through the machine. For a split system, its own wiring is laid with a cross section of at least 1.5 square meters. mm. A yellow wire with a green stripe is usually zero. This is where an indicator and a tester come in handy.
- Both parts of the air conditioner are connected by stranded wires according to the scheme from the instructions. At the slightest doubt, it is better to consult a specialist, repairing the system in case of incorrect connection will cost more.
Leak test and system filling
It is performed in the following sequence:
- A bicycle pump is attached to the nipple, and all joints and tubes are covered with soapy water. If bubbles appear during the air supply, then tighten the nuts on the fittings.
- After checking the tightness, air is pumped out of the air conditioner. A vacuum pump is attached to the nipple and runs for at least an hour. This is necessary to completely remove moisture from the system.
- By attaching a freon cylinder to the unit using an adapter with a pressure gauge, the system is filled until the pressure specified in the instructions is reached. Then turn on the power supply through the machine.
If the air conditioner independently switched to the system test mode, then everything worked out. If not, then starting from the remote might help. Otherwise, you will have to call the wizard.
With a positive result, it remains only to insulate the wiring harness between the blocks with foil and waterproof electrical tape, after which the hole in the wall is blown with foam. Everything, you can enjoy the operation of the air conditioner.
