Published on July 14th, 2015 | Creating a maintenance plan for any window A/C unit is an important first step in optimizing your comfort, while making sure each appliance is functioning with the best energy efficiency possible. Window air conditioners work like central air conditioners, except they are smaller and usually more expensive to operate. Depending on the size of a unit, a window A/C unit may cool one room or multiple rooms. Remember, you want to stay cool in the heat of the day, but you want any cooling unit you use to be a miser about the electricity it demands. Located between the coils are a compressor, two fans, a motor, and thermostat controls. Dirt is the biggest problem for window air conditioners; it can lower the efficiency of the evaporator coil, block the operation of the fan that blows out the cool air, clog filters, and block drain ports. This video from MrJustDIY will prove to be very helpful. The coils, the compressor, and the motor of a room air conditioner are sealed components, so any repairs to them should be left to a professional service person.

You can make minor repairs and regular maintenance will keep your unit running well. When extensive repairs are needed, you can also save the cost of a service call by removing the air conditioner from its mounting and taking it to the technician’s shop. During the winter, room air conditioners should be protected from the elements. Either remove the unit from its mounting and store it or cover the outside portion of the unit with a commercial room air conditioner cover or with heavy plastic sheeting, held in place with duct tape.how much does an ac unit cost to run When all is said and done, enjoy keeping a “cool head” about yourself!how much to change ac unit Images via LG, How Stuff Works, MrJustDIYbest rated ac unit for home

What you will learn from How to Wire an Air Conditioner for Control - 5 Wires article:this article includes a comprehensive list showing thermostat wire terminations for an air conditioner and a source of heat that includes five wires.a detailed description of where each wire goes in the air handler and condenser and what it controls.a detailed diagram illustrating where the wires go for 5 wire air conditioner and heating system control.resource and related links to help you with wiring and installing a thermostat.How to Wire an Air Conditioner for Control - 5 WiresHow to Wire an Air Conditioner for Control - 5 Wires  – The diagram below includes the typical control wiring for a conventional central air conditioning system. It includes a thermostat, a condenser, and an air handler with a heat source. The heat source for a basic AC system can include heat strips for electric heat or even a hot water coil inside the air handler that is fed from a water heater. Every conventional residential AC system uses 24-volts for the control of the system.

All the relays in the system have 24-volt coils.Circuit boards or printed circuit boards found in modern systems utilize 24-volt control which originates from the control transformer. Typical systems that do not use 24-volt control are window unit air conditioners, ductless mini split systems, and baseboard electric heating systems. Honeywell Thermostats Available Here If you are unsure about the control voltage of your system consult an HVAC professional as some appliances use high voltage and this can be dangerous. Related Link: Standard 18 gauge thermostat wire is used for all control wiring.How to Wire an Air Conditioner for Control - 5 Wires - Thermostat Wiring DiagramHow to Wire an Air Conditioner for Control - 5 Wires - Breakdown of colors and terminalsThe R terminal is the 24 volt hot feed from the control step down transformer that will power the relay, contactor, or complete the circuit in the circuit board feeding it with 24 volts when the thermostat calls for whatever it is set for.

The W terminal is for heating including the heating for gas furnaces, electric furnaces, boiler systems and the back-up heat for heat pumps.The G terminal is for the blower fan located in the air handler. It is the fan that circulates air throughout the duct work system.The Y terminal is the terminal that will turn on the air conditioner and typically is terminated at the compressor contactor in the condensing unit located outside. It will be one of the few control wires (thermostat wires) that will terminate at the condenser in a split system air conditioner and heating system. Typically, the yellow wire will be ran to the air handler where at the air handler this wire is usually connected to another wire (typically by wire nut but could be connected via a terminal strip in the air handler) and then ran outside to the condensing unit along with at least one other wire in an air conditioner split system set up. The other control wire will be the common wire need at the compressor contactor where the coil in the compressor contactor needs a hot and a common from the control transformer to work.

Finally, the C terminal is the common terminal and this terminal feeds the common side of load from the control transformer.Related Link: Control Circuits for Air Conditioning & Heating - Delve deeper and learn more about HVAC (opens in a new window) Honeywell Thermostats Available HereTerminal Strip where wire terminations are made during installation. Typically inside the air handler.Additional resource links for wiring a thermostat: 1) Thermostat Wiring Colors 2) How to wire a thermostat 3) Heat Pump Thermostat Wiring Chart & Diagram 4) Select the Proper Thermostat for Your HVAC SystemHow to Wire an Air Conditioner for Control - 5 WiresHow does the smartAC thermostat remote work? It works like a home thermostat for a central AC system. You can program a target temperature and the thermostat will work with the modlet to cycle your AC unit off and on to keep your room at the desired tempe... What does the X on the smartAC thermostat screen mean? Your smartAC thermostat remote is not connected to a modlet.

This may be a temporary disconnection. Wait 30 seconds and then try to use the thermostat again and see if the symbol remains on the screen. What does DR mean? When “DR” is displayed on the bottom of your smartAC thermostat, it means there is a Demand Response or an Energy Conservation event occurring. During a “DR” event, your set temperature may be raised by a few d... How do I opt out of a demand response event? To opt out of a demand response event, simply press the down arrow on your thermostat remote and turn down the set temperature. You will see the "DR" symbol on your thermostat disappear when you have successful... How do I reset the smartAC thermostat remote? Press and hold the power button, located in the top left of the remote, for 15 seconds. When the thermostat has been reset, you will see the no wireless symbol (X) blinking in the bottom left corner of the scre... How do I change the temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius? Press the menu button once and then use the +/- buttons to toggle between F and C.