of 637results12345NextDidn't find what you were looking for?magnifying glassMy air conditioner causes my room to have brown-outs. Can I fix this? August 19, 2009   Subscribe When my window-unit air conditioner revs its motor, my overhead light dims... then seriously brightens up when the AC slows down. Is there anything I can do? I just moved into an older (1950s-era, I think) house. My room is cooled by a window-unit AC, which has been running close to full blast all the time lately (it's hot as hell right now). Intermittently, the lights in my room will dim as I hear the AC crank up, only to blink back to full brightness when the AC slows down a few minutes later. I've thought about replacing the incandescent bulbs with CFLs, which would at least reduce the power load, but since I know CFLs aren't supposed to be great at handling irregular voltage, I'm not sure that wouldn't make things worse. (I did read this potentially-relevant question, but I don't think it helps me in my situation.)

Right now, I think of this mainly as an annoyance... BUT, I'm also worried about other issues down the line. I have my laptop plugged into a power strip ("surge protector" of unknown efficacy) but a desk fan I just plugged into the same strip seemed to slow down when the AC cranked up, which makes me think my computer (and, when I hook it up, my year-old TV) is being subjected to the same kind of local brownout... and that can't be goodwhere to buy a ac unit Worth noting, perhaps, is that the AC looks pretty old, so maybe I could convince the landlord to replace it with a more efficient (?) modern unit. york ac unit model numberBut the landlord had to be essentially forced into doing basic maintenance, so I don't see him doing anything about the AC unless it dies (and AC murder isn't an option since, again, it's hot).1 ton ac deals

What can I do?Fire Marshal warns against using extension cords to power air conditioning units Trying to beat the searing temperatures by using a window air conditioner powered by an extension cord can spark another of the afflictions currently plaguing the area — fire. Fire Marshal Clyde Ellis, Ardmore Fire Department, said within the past 30 days local firefighters have responded to three residential fires.  All three fires were caused by the same combination of exceptional heat and window air conditioners powered by extension cords. “First off, window air conditioners are not meant to run off extension cords — that’s dangerous in itself and it’s never a good idea. What’s adding to something that’s already dangerous is the high temperatures, which is causing window air conditioners to not cycle properly. These units aren’t able to sufficiently bring the temperature inside the room down so the compressor continues to cycle instead of turning off at regular intervals.

That continuous cycling causes heat to build up and eventually that causes the cord to burn out and a fire to start,” Ellis said. Extension cords may seem to be a quick fix when someone installs a window air conditioner only to discover there is no electrical wall outlet close enough to plug in the unit’s power cord. Price quotes from area electricians about the average cost of having a wall outlet installed ranged from $85 to $350. While certainly the safer alternative, the installation costs may not be financially feasible. For some, the question then becomes weighing the health risks associated with living in stifling heat against the risk of a potential fire. It’s a dilemma Ellis understands. And while he strongly recommends having a wall outlet professionally installed, he said there is a short term alternative that can provide a measure of safety. “Don’t use a common household type extension cord. Use one made for commercial purposes — one with at least 10-gauge wire and use the shortest cord possible,” he said.

To ask questions concerning safely operating window air conditioners call Ellis at (580) 221-2550. Does a freon leak mean I must get a new home AC unit? Can't I just get the leak fixed? A PSE&G technician was at my house to charge the freon in my AC. He told me that I've got a leak & that I'll have to get a whole new unit. This seems a little far-fetched to me, especially because my unit is only 10 years old. Can't the leak just be fixed? The technicians are getting lazy, especially if the companies pay commission , then they would rather try to sell you a new system , than repair !Call and get someone else to perform a proper leak check on your system ,I've got systems that we service that are 40 years old and still operating. Call and get someone else to perform a proper leak check on your system ,I've got systems that we service that are 40 years old and still operating.The technicians are getting lazy, especially if the companies pay commission , then they would rather try to sell you a new system , than repair !good luck

Source: Owner of hvac company 9 out of 10 times if you have a good tech with enough technical skills he should be able to find your leak. if it is a single leak he should be able to fix it. But now a days it is more advantage to sell you a new system than repair it because the fix is time consuming and they would rather have the tech stick to schedule than waste time looking for the leak. time is money and techs are paid by the call then by the hourRaymond gonzalez Did he say where the leak is ? If in a fitting or line, simple and cheap to just repair or change that out. If in the exchanger coils, commonly they have to be replaced unless it is in a reachable spot that can be brazed. If in the compressor (compressor bypass leak) then that is a major component, and probably the most expensive part of the system to replace, so in that case you would be putting down a lot of money to fix a system that is out of warranty and is probably 65-85% of the way to its average service life of 12-15 years.

One other possibility which he may have been thinking but did not say, is if it is an R22 refrigerant system, that is costing hundreds of $ to fill now that it is going out of production, and will cost more in the future, so he may have figured you were better off with a system that uses the replacement refrigerants. For more on that subject and when the phaseout takes full effect, see the discussions in Home - HVAC (link right below your question, above).I would call him back and find out where the leak is (if he tested for that, rather than just checking the pressure and saying there was a leak somewhere), and why he recommended a new unit over repair.Then you can decide what you want to do, and if you wnt to get another opinion. You might want to check his firm's rating on Angie's List too, to see how much weight you want to give to his opinion. If the leak is in the "indoor" Evaporator coil, the cost to replace the coil, if not covered by a ten year parts warranty( you should check warranty), is far greater then 50% of a new system.

These coils are not repairable , in most cases, there are numerous pin holes from Formicary Corrossion, and more on the way.The tech should and may have indentified the leak, if not ask that they do so.Most all new systems will have a 10 year parts warranty, though it must be registered with the manufacturer to be valid.Check out Carriers new Green Speed system, terriffic system, much lower utility bills.As always find the best contractors on Angie's List! One thing I did not mention directly, but is in the referenced discussions on R22 (Freon) under the HVAC category, is that refilling your system will cost from $100+ to several hundreds of $, because of the rapidly rising price of Freon. Therefore, unless the tech is certain he has found and totally fixed the leak (by using an inert gas pressure test after the repair and BEFORE refilling the system with Freon), then you could end up sinking a hundred or two in repairs, and a hundred or few in Freon that would just leak back out if there is an unidentified leak.