Air Conditioner Relocation Steps

Air Conditioner Relocation Steps:

1. Preparation Work

At least two or more skilled refrigeration repair workers, a set of tools, safety belts, and other safety equipment.

II. Steps for Dismantling the Unit
1. Refrigerant Recovery
Whether relocating the air conditioner in winter or summer, the refrigerant in the unit must be collected into the outdoor unit. Before dismantling, start the air conditioner, using the remote control to set it to cooling mode. Once the compressor is running and the cooling operation is normal, use a wrench to unscrew the protective caps on the liquid and gas pipe connections of the outdoor unit, close the shut-off valve on the high-pressure (thin) pipe, and after 1 minute (about 2 minutes for larger air conditioners) when condensation forms on the outside of the pipe, immediately close the shut-off valve on the low-pressure (thick) pipe, quickly turn off the unit, unplug the power cord, and use a wrench to tighten the protective caps. At this point, the refrigerant recovery process is complete. (If it is winter, it is recommended to first cover the indoor unit’s temperature sensor probe with a warm towel, and then set the cooling mode before starting the unit.)

2. Dismantling the Indoor Unit
After recovering the refrigerant, the indoor unit can be dismantled. Use a wrench to unscrew the indoor unit connection lock nut, then use the prepared sealing nut to protect the threads of the indoor unit connection, preventing damage to the threads during transportation. Next, use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the control wires. Marks should also be made to avoid incorrect connections during installation. If the signal line or power line is connected incorrectly, it may cause the outdoor unit to not operate or the machine to be uncontrollable.

The indoor unit mounting plate is generally fixed quite securely and can be difficult to remove. After removing it, place the mounting plate on a flat concrete surface and gently flatten and straighten it.

3. Dismantling the Outdoor Unit
Dismantling the outdoor unit should be carried out by a professional refrigeration maintenance technician while ensuring safety. After unscrewing the outdoor unit’s connection lock nut, the prepared sealing sodium should be used to properly seal the threads of the outdoor unit connection joint. Then, use a wrench to loosen the fixing screws of the outdoor unit’s base. When removing and setting down the outdoor unit, it is best to use a rope to lift it, paying attention to balance during unloading to avoid vibrations or collisions, and be mindful of cars and people below.

III. Reinstalling the Air Conditioner
1. Connect the air conditioner properly, mainly ensuring that the connection pipes between the indoor and outdoor units are tightened securely. Make sure the connections are correct to prevent refrigerant leakage.
2. Use a hex switch to set the air conditioner to automatic mode for normal operation. Open the high-pressure valve (the thin-tube valve), then use a hex to press the pin at the refrigerant charging port (located on the low-pressure side) to release the gas inside. About 10 seconds is enough, but do not take too long to avoid releasing too much refrigerant. This allows the air in the pipes to be expelled.
4. Then open both the high and low-pressure valves, and connect the power lines to the indoor and outdoor units.
Note: The connecting pipes are made of copper and should not be bent sharply, as this will affect the flow of refrigerant and cause the system to fail in cooling or heating.

1. Installation
After determining the position of the internal and external units according to the installation requirements of the air conditioner, immediately install the internal unit hanging plate, and after the external unit and the internal unit hanging plate are firmly installed, then straighten the indoor unit and connecting pipes to check whether the pipe is bent; Next, check whether there are cracks in the bell ports at both ends, and if there are cracks, the mouth should be re-flared, otherwise fluorine will leak. Finally, check whether the control line has a short circuit or break, and after determining that the pipeline, control line, and outlet pipe are good, tie them together and seal the connecting pipe mouth. When crossing the wall, two people should cooperate inside and outside the wall to slowly pass through to avoid strain; Connect the pipeline with the internal and external units, and connect the control line. Next, remove the air from the pipes and the internal unit. Use the hexagon switch to hit the automatic air conditioner to work normally, open the high-pressure valve (thin tube valve), and use the hexagon to hold the fluoride mouth ejector pin (the fluoride port is on the low pressure), so that the gas inside runs out, about 10 seconds, don’t take too long, so as not to run too much refrigerant. This allows the air in the pipeline to be released.

Next, don’t forget to use an Allen wrench to fully open the shut-off valves on both the low-pressure side and the high-pressure side. Absolutely do not forget this, otherwise starting the air conditioner could potentially damage the compressor. Just make sure to put on the protective caps for the shut-off valves. To be safe, it’s best to also check the joints for leaks using soapy water. If there are no issues, carefully inspect the electrical connections and other pipelines, and once you are sure everything is correct, you can start the air conditioner. In my opinion, the original machine also has a place for venting, but the exhaust volume is insufficient, so it’s not as effective as this method. Without this method, the venting is not thorough, which is based on my practical experience.

Finally, use detergent for leak detection, carefully observe each joint for any bubbles. Once it is confirmed that the system has no leaks, tighten the valve safety caps, and then you can start the trial operation.

The method for evacuation is as follows: Connect and tightly secure the high-pressure pipe (the thinner one) of the main unit (outdoor unit), and connect the low-pressure pipe (the thicker one) but do not tighten it fully—in other words, tighten it and then loosen it one turn so that air can be released. This completes the preparation work. Now start the evacuation. There is no need to start the air conditioner. Use an Allen wrench to slightly open the shut-off valve on the high-pressure side (the one for the thin pipe) until you hear the sound of gas flow. At this point, air will escape from the low-pressure connection (the joint that was not fully tightened earlier). The evacuation time is approximately 5-10 seconds, depending on the situation on site. Once you judge it is sufficient, immediately tighten the low-pressure joint (of course, be prepared with the appropriate wrench to avoid being caught off guard). This completes the evacuation.

2. Operation, Debugging, and Adding Refrigerant
After powering on, use the remote control to turn on the air conditioner. Check whether the air conditioner operates normally and whether the cooling effect is good. During air conditioner relocation, as long as the control operations are performed according to standard requirements, if the cooling is good after starting, there is no need to add refrigerant. However, for minor leaks during use, or slight refrigerant loss caused by slow evacuation during relocation, or factors such as extended piping during relocation, the air conditioner may not meet the four normal operating conditions after running for a period: pressure below 4.9 kg/(mm)², frosting of the pipes, reduced current, or air outlet temperature not meeting requirements. In such cases, refrigerant must be added. Another point is that if the air conditioner has been used for three years or more, it is undoubtedly low on refrigerant.

When fluoridating during operation, it must be refueled from the low pressure side. Before adding fluoride, unscrew the process cap on the maintenance port of the low-pressure gas shut-off valve of the outdoor unit, and select the gas filling pipe according to the requirements of the male and imperial systems. Use the gas filling pipe with the thimble end, open the thimble on the filling valve and connect it with the refrigeration system, and connect the other end to the tee meter. Use another gas filling pipe to connect the tee meter at one end and the R22 cylinder at the other end, and use the refrigerant in the system to discharge the air from the connecting pipe. Hear a squeak at the mouth of the pipe for l-2 seconds, indicating that the air is drained, tighten the gas filler nut, and open the refrigerant bottle valve. Turn the cylinder upside down and add fluoride slowly. When the gauge pressure reaches (4.9-5.4) kg/(cm)2, it indicates that the refrigerant is sufficient. Close the bottle valve, let the air conditioner continue to run, observe the current and pipe condensation, when the outdoor unit water pipe has condensation water flowing out, the low-pressure gas pipe (coarse) shut-off valve is condensed, confirm that the condition is good after production, remove the low-pressure gas maintenance process port gas pipe, tighten the outer fumper, and fill the refrigerant work is completed. At this point, the relocation work is all over

After moving the unit, the main task is to evacuate the evaporator (indoor unit). Please follow the steps below and pay attention to safety!

1. Dismantling the unit:
1: Turn on the air conditioner in cooling mode. (This is necessary to recover the R22)
2: Open the cover of the two copper pipes on the outdoor unit; inside are British standard hex screws.
3: First, use a hex key to tighten the small copper pipe; for a small air conditioner, wait about 1 minute (for a larger air conditioner, wait about 2 minutes), then tighten the large copper pipe.
4: After confirming, unplug the power, use a wrench to loosen the copper pipes, and disconnect the power line of the outdoor unit.
Note: After dismantling, seal the connections to prevent dust and other debris from entering.

2. Installation:
1. Connect the air conditioner properly, mainly ensuring that the pipes between the indoor and outdoor units are tightly connected. Be sure to connect them properly to prevent refrigerant leakage.
2. Use an Allen switch to set to the automatic mode, and the air conditioner will operate normally. Open the high-pressure valve (the small pipe valve), then use the hex key to press the pin at the refrigerant charging port (the charging port is on the low-pressure side) to release the gas inside. About 10 seconds is enough; do not leave it too long to avoid too much refrigerant from escaping. This will release the air inside the pipes.
4. Then open both the high and low-pressure valves and connect the power cables of the indoor and outdoor units.
Note: The connecting pipes are made of copper and should not be bent sharply, as this would affect the flow of refrigerant and cause the air conditioner to fail to cool or heat.