How to install the air conditioner yourself?

More and more people recently think about the acquisition and installation of devices for controlling the microclimate in the home. In urban areas, especially if the apartment is entirely on the sunny side, air conditioning is the only option for creating comfort in the hot summer months. The considerable cost of this useful device causes a desire to save money by completing the installation of a split system with your own hands. Is this procedure so complicated, as air conditioning companies claim? And how to install the air conditioner yourself in accordance with all the rules to ensure its uninterrupted operation for the longest possible time?

Types of air conditioners

To create comfortable conditions in the apartments, the following types of air conditioners are used:

Monoblock systems

All air conditioning units are placed in one housing. This reduces the cost of the device, but also leads to certain inconveniences: the bulkiness of the system and rather high noise from the compressor even at full power. They, in turn, are divided into two types:

1. Window air conditioners. Pioneers among apartment systems. The main disadvantage: the device unit occupies a significant part of the window opening. This prevents sunlight from entering the room, and it is extremely difficult to harmoniously enter its interior. Therefore, air conditioners of this type are found less and less.
2. Mobile systems. Much more attractive in design than window ones. In addition to the attractive ability to move, they have one more indisputable advantage: the unit practically does not require installation. It is enough to simply equip a hood with your own hands 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 a different design and can be placed in the most convenient place. Divided into 3 varieties:

1. Wall split systems. The most affordable and common at the present time, have a power of 2 to 7 kW. They are perfect for maintaining the desired microclimate: in the summer they create coolness, but the air conditioner can also work for heating in the winter. For such systems, the most relevant question is: how to install an air conditioner without resorting to the help of professionals?
2. Duct air conditioners. They are installed under the construction of a suspended ceiling and have a high power - 12–25 kW. This is enough for a fairly spacious apartment. Complicating the task is the need for the correct calculation of air exchange in the room. When installing thermostats and special electric valves, you can set the system its temperature for each room in the apartment. Naturally, this complicates the installation of system units and significantly increases its cost.
3. Cassette air conditioners. The main system is also hidden by a false ceiling. Cassette split systems are made so as not to stand out. As a rule, the dimensions of the cassette air conditioning grill coincide with the dimensions of the ceiling tiles: 600 by 600 mm, and with a larger capacity - 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 grill used in the installation of suspended structures.

Do-it-yourself preparation for installing the air conditioner: choosing a place

Since wall split systems are most popular, we will describe how to install the air conditioner with our own hands in relation to them.

Choosing a location for the outdoor unit of an air conditioner in an apartment building may cause some difficulties:

• In the external unit of the system, the refrigerant is cooled, so it should be placed in such a way as to avoid heating by sunlight. The north or east side of the house or balcony is well suited.
• The massive outdoor unit of the air conditioner must be placed so as not to interfere with the neighbors.
• It is unacceptable that condensate from the drain pipe run down the wall of the house. It should be brought out as far as possible.
• Like any device, the outdoor unit 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 interior of the split system be covered with curtains or other objects that impede the free movement of air.
• The processor of the air conditioner unit may fail if it is in the area of ​​intense electrical noise caused by household appliances. Therefore, for example, it can not be placed in the kitchen.

Instruments

Choosing the right tool will also be difficult. To work, you will need:

• Pumps: vacuum and bicycle.
• Pipe flaring kit. Better complete with pipe cutter. You cannot cut copper tubes with another tool - sawdust will surely fall inside them, which will damage the vacuum pump.
• Reamer for finishing flared pipes.
• Pressure gauge for measuring pressure in the air conditioning system.
• Indicator screwdriver and tester for mounting electrical wiring blocks.
• Hammer drill.
• Bay copper tube.

Tubes are better to take a whole bay, with ends rolled at the factory. You can never guess which tool cut the tube, if you purchase only part of the bay. Copper tubes should not have dents, cracks or other defects.

Installation of an external air conditioning unit

It should be noted immediately that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner must be located below the indoor unit.

• After marking the mounting points of the brackets, a hole for communication is drilled. 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 carefully selected. In a brick wall, it is better to lay it on the seam of the masonry. 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 fastened with anchor bolts to the wall. You can fix the outdoor unit of the air conditioner directly on the balcony, slightly changing the mounting scheme. But in any case, it is important to maintain the level: at the slightest distortions 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 no less than 60 kg, which is why this work must be performed, at least, together. To securely fasten the air conditioner to the brackets, you may need the help of industrial climbers or special equipment.

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

Progress:

• Do-it-yourself indoor unit is mounted onto the mounting plate using a snap system. The plate is firmly 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 together the inner part, it is fixed with latches.
• The copper tubes of the air conditioner for supplying refrigerant are cut off with a margin of one meter for the proposed bends. The minimum length of these communications is at least 1.5 meters. Carefully bending them, we put on the nuts and flare the ends. The nuts tighten tightly on the fittings, but without much effort.
• The drain pipe is attached to the unit 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. Here the indicator and 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 carried out 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 air supply, tighten the nuts on the fittings.
• After checking the tightness, air is pumped out of the air conditioner. A vacuum pump is connected to the nipple and works for at least an hour. This is necessary to completely remove moisture from the system.
• Having connected the cylinder with freon to the block 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 through the machine.

If the air conditioner independently switched to the system testing mode, then everything worked out. If not, then maybe starting from the remote will help. Otherwise, you will have to call the wizard.

With a positive result, it remains only to insulate the communications cable between the foil blocks and the waterproof tape, after which the hole in the wall is blown up with foam. Everything, you can enjoy the air conditioner.