How to remove the split system unit. How to dismantle a split system with your own hands: features and procedure for performing work

It happens that household equipment for some reason needs to be dismantled. It is easy to do this with a TV or a washing machine: unplug the plug from the outlet, and then move the equipment where you need it. But the device for maintaining the optimum temperature and humidity in the room cannot be turned off and removed from its place according to such a simple scheme.

Reasons for dismantling the air conditioner

The need to remove the split system arises in the following situations:

• The air conditioner has worked out its time and needs to be replaced with a new and improved one;
• The facade of the house, on which the external unit of the system is attached, is planned to be plastered and painted;
• A housewarming party is planned, the working staff will move to another office with the preservation of the old climatic equipment;
• Carrying out repairs in the apartment - painting the walls, pasting wallpaper or installing a stretch ceiling.

Peculiarities withdrawals various kinds

Climatic equipment can be divided into three groups:

• split system;
• cassette air conditioners;
• duct type air conditioners.

During dismantling, it is impossible to drain the working fluid from the split system by starting the process idly, as is done with cassette and duct air conditioners. In this case, the refrigerant is collected in a special container. Moreover, even the sequence of emptying the nozzles matters. First, the refrigerant is drained from the thin pipe, and then from the thick one. In general, the dismantling of a split system is difficult: most often the pipes of such climatic equipment are copper, which is why they have to be cut off rather than removed.

The cassette air conditioner is heavy equipment, so it cannot be dismantled alone. The block of the cassette conditioner is necessarily protected by fittings. Therefore, after disconnecting the pipes through which the refrigerant passes and disconnecting the equipment from the network, you will need to use a power tool to cut metal.

Such equipment is dismantled from a false ceiling

Dismantling a duct-type air conditioner is extremely difficult. Still, the duct unit for air cooling weighs a lot, has large dimensions and a special design with air ducts. So, in this case, you can not do without an assistant.

Such an air conditioner is similar to a split system, but combines the functions of ventilation.

Possible consequences of incorrect dismantling

The main requirement for dismantling is to be careful. Neglecting this rule can lead to the loss of freon from the tubes that cool the air. To pour a special liquid into the equipment again, you will have to pay a lot of money to the master.

Also, poor-quality dismantling of climatic equipment is fraught with the penetration of air into the structure, which can oxidize its metal parts. Later, rust may appear on the internal elements of the air conditioner, which will disable it.

It is important to remove the necessary parts from the climate equipment with the utmost care, otherwise they may break. In the best case, the air conditioner will need to purchase some new elements, in the worst case, you will have to buy a new split system.

Therefore, it is worth thinking twice before removing the air conditioner on your own. You should abandon self-dismantling and invite a master to the house in the following cases:

• It is necessary to dismantle a heavy duct or cassette air conditioner;
• There is no knowledge and confidence to carry out dismantling;
• There were no tools to remove the air conditioner.

We remove the air conditioner with our own hands

Required Tools

Before dismantling the climate equipment, you need to prepare the tools:

• A set of hex keys;
• Adjustable wrench (alternative - gas wrench);
• Set of open-end and socket wrenches;
• Screwdriver;
• pressure gauge;
• Pipe cutter.

In addition to tools, you will need material that will serve to create plugs.

The listed items are used when dismantling the air conditioner in an apartment, on a balcony or in a summer house. But in order to remove household appliances attached to the wall of a multi-storey building, you will need to find equipment to perform work at high altitude.

Outdoor unit

The dismantling of the air conditioner begins with the removal of the external module - the compressor and condenser unit:

The process requires caution

• At the end of the outdoor unit, using an adjustable wrench, open the valve plugs;
• Using a hex wrench, screw the liquid valve;
• Turn on the air conditioner for half a minute, setting the cooling mode (for freon to flow into the external module). At the moment when the compressor starts to work only to draw in air, a pressure gauge is attached to the valve from the gas pipeline. After that, they wait for the zeroing of the values ​​​​and immediately close the refrigerant return valve;
• Disconnect the air conditioner from the mains. After that, you need to make sure that there is no current - insert an indicator screwdriver into the phase terminal;
• Using a pipe cutter, they cut the freon line and cover the edges remaining from it with electrical tape so that debris does not get into the structure through them and moisture does not seep through;
• Cut off the connecting tubes, stepping back from the fittings by about 20 cm;

If you are faced with the task of repairing the capacitor module, then when dismantling the air conditioner, there is no need to cut the copper tubes.

• Disconnect the drainage pipeline and the wires that connect the blocks together. The end of each wire, as well as the drainage tube, is wrapped with a protective cloth;
• Bolts and nuts are unscrewed from the air conditioner, using a socket (you can open-end) wrench. This work must be done together;
• Taking the end head, remove the protective fittings and brackets from the wall on the balcony or building.

It is necessary to remove the air conditioner from the facade of the building with insurance

The dismantled air conditioner is put into a reliable box, covering it from all sides with foam plastic and packaging film. In order to prevent damage to the equipment during transportation, it must be placed in the car only vertically.

How to remove the indoor module?

Having removed the outdoor unit from its place, proceed to the dismantling of the indoor module. This work is also carried out step by step:

• Remove the protective coating from the frame of the air conditioner;
• Unscrew fasteners;
• Disconnect the climatic equipment from the network and remove the connecting elements, that is, the freon line, the cables between the blocks and the drainage tube;

The process is carried out with a screwdriver

• Open the latches of the fasteners and remove the block from the plate;

The fixing clips that fix the indoor unit to the mounting plate must not be broken. Therefore, when dismantling the unit, you must act very carefully.

• Remove the mounting plate from the wall, unscrewing the fasteners, and remove all copper tubes along with the plastic wire;

To make it easier to remove the block from the wall, it is supported with pliers

• The edges of the freon copper pipes are covered with a special material, proceeding in the same way as when sealing the pipes of the outdoor unit.

The air conditioner module, removed from the wall in the room, must be placed in a cardboard box, placing foam on all sides. After that, the equipment must be covered with a soft bubble wrap. There are no special requirements for the transportation of the indoor unit.

Video Tips

Naturally, in order to remove the air conditioner, you need to have an idea about the structure of a particular model of climate equipment. If you take on this business "blindly", you can make a lot of mistakes and break the air conditioner.

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In connection with moving to a new place of residence or with a change in the location of the office, it may be necessary to dismantle the split systems of air conditioners - removing the external and internal modules from the mounts. The process has its own characteristics regarding the type of device, time of year, and also requires the availability of appropriate tools.

A team of professional installers will be able to carry out these works qualitatively and quickly, but their work costs money, especially if it is necessary to dismantle several split systems of air conditioners at the same time. If they have high power ratings, on which the price depends, then the total cost will be rather big. Is it possible to save money on this, or will trying to cut costs entail big expenses?

Of course, dismantling the air conditioner with your own hands is the first thing that comes to mind in a situation of shortage of funds. It would seem that it would be intuitively clear to a man who is at least a little versed in technical topics how to unscrew the fittings, pump over freon, disconnect the necessary communications, remove everything and pack it in boxes. There are instructions and videos for dismantling the air conditioner with your own hands - I read it, looked it up and set to work. But everything is not so simple in reality.

Cons of self-dismantling

The main danger is not pumped freon. And this can happen if there is no special pressure gauge for measuring pressure on the gas line. Freezing of water vapor in the air conditioner leads to pump failure.

Operations with non-professional tools will damage the indoor unit evaporator pipes, which are very close to the place where the device is attached to the walls.

If the pipeline was cut too short, then it may simply not fit in length during subsequent installation. Building a new one disables the unit.

Evaporative blocks of channel split systems, in addition to pumping out the refrigerant, disconnecting the pipeline, electrical wires and drain hose, require careful separation from the air ducts. To do this without experience is quite difficult.

To dismantle the air conditioner yourself, you will need special tools, the cost of which significantly exceeds the price of dismantling by qualified craftsmen, even if they are rented.

Large-sized semi-industrial splits have considerable weight and dimensions. It is impossible to remove them alone. Here you can add the complexity of removing the external unit - it is located on the facade of the building, often at a sufficient height and a decent distance from the window. Here, in any case, a team of industrial climbers will be needed if the amateur master does not want to risk his life.

No one can guarantee 100% safety of the functionality of the air conditioner when dismantling it with their own hands. The risks of delivering the device to a new facility in a faulty condition are very high.

If these arguments do not stop a person in his decision to try himself as a master installer, then you should carefully study the instructions for dismantling air conditioners of various types below.

Dismantling the wall split system

Oversized wall splits are not particularly difficult to remove. The following set of tools should be available:

• 2 Swedish keys;
• wire cutters or pipe cutter;
• wrenches or a set of heads;
• indicator screwdriver, simple screwdriver;
• manometric station for collecting freon (if the air conditioner needs to be dismantled in winter).

They begin work by pumping freon into the external unit, in order to use it again later. To do this, connect a pressure gauge through the shredder valve to the gas valve of the pipeline. The air conditioner is in cooling mode. Next, remove the covers on the side valves and, using a hexagon, tighten the discharge valve. After a couple of minutes, the pressure should drop below zero. Now you can close the suction valve, turn off the device, turn off the power.

The next step in dismantling the air conditioner with your own hands will be disconnecting (cutting) the main pipes with wire cutters or a pipe cutter at a distance of 15-20 cm from the fittings, caulking them and removing the outdoor module from the bracket. It must be placed in a dense cardboard packaging and wrapped around with foam. Then the brackets are unscrewed with wrenches or heads.

Transportation of the capacitor unit is carried out only in a vertical position.

Next, they proceed to dismantle the indoor unit of the air conditioner, in which it is necessary to open the cover that protects the device. The module is held on both sides and the fasteners are unscrewed. Disconnect the pipeline, caulk the ends of the tubes, disconnect all electrical interconnecting wires and remove the unit from the mounting plate, opening the fastening latches and following the guides of the indoor unit.

Now they move on to removing the mount itself, the remaining pipeline and decorative plastic box. Thus, the dismantling of the split-system wall-mounted air conditioner is completely completed, and all that remains is to carefully pack the system and transport it to a new location.

If you do everything according to the proposed scheme, then during subsequent installation you will not have to completely fill the circuit with freon.

All the described works can be viewed below on the video of dismantling wall-mounted air conditioners.

Dismantling the channel split system

The greatest difficulties arise when dismantling the duct air conditioner on your own, since the weight of this structure is significant, and you still have to disconnect the air ducts from the blocks.

The set of tools in this case remains the same. Work begins with the disassembly of the ducts. The supply and exhaust adapters with a grill are removed. Remove the air ducts by disconnecting them from the indoor unit. If they are metal, then unscrew the screws, flexible - remove the clamps. Next, freon is pumped into the receiver of the external unit and removed according to the scheme for dismantling the wall-mounted split system.

At the evaporator block, the fastening nuts are loosened, the freon line, drain hose and electrical wires are disconnected. Next, carefully remove the block from the wall and pack it in a special container.

Some craftsmen dismantle the duct air conditioner with their own hands in the following order:

• freon injection into the receiver of the external unit;
• removal of the outdoor module and disconnection of its connecting communications;
• disconnection of air ducts;
• dismantling the indoor unit of the air conditioner and its connecting communications;
• split system packaging and transportation.

Both options will be technically correct and will not bring subsequent problems with the functioning of the system in a new location.

Dismantling of columnar, cassette and console split systems

A columned split system, along with a wall-mounted one, does not present any difficulties in terms of dismantling. Everything goes the same way:

• checking pressure with a manometer and pumping freon into the indoor module;
• disconnection of all its connecting highways with subsequent removal of the device from the outer wall of the building;
• disconnection of the connecting lines of the indoor unit of the air conditioner and its subsequent dismantling.

The indoor unit of the column has neither a mounting plate (like a wall-mounted one), nor studs (like a cassette, column and console) on which it would be attached, so there are much fewer problems with it in this regard.

The cassette split system is dismantled according to the channel scheme. When working with the indoor module, it is necessary to loosen the fastening nuts, and then perform the rest of the manipulations. The only difference is that in this case there are no air ducts.

The indoor unit of the floor-to-ceiling (console) split system is attached to the wall or ceiling with studs, like a cassette or duct unit. When removing it, the instructions for dismantling the wall or channel split system will help.

Do not remove the outdoor unit during rain or snow, as moisture that has entered the ports leads to compressor failure.

Dismantling the split system in winter

Some difficulties arise if you have to dismantle the air conditioner yourself in the winter. What are the difficulties? The fact is that when the temperature outside is below the permissible operating values ​​of the device, it cannot be turned on, therefore, it is impossible to remove the working fluid from the line. In such cases, you will need a manometric station to collect freon. The taps on the outdoor unit are closed, the station is connected to the shredder valve and the refrigerant is collected from the line and the indoor module.

Failure to do so will result in complete refrigerant leakage. You will have to refill the circuit and change the glands of the service ports. Therefore, it is better not to dismantle the air conditioner with your own hands in winter.

You should watch a video of dismantling a wall-mounted split system with your own hands for a complete picture of the process.

When moving to a new apartment or house or changing the location of the office, it becomes necessary to dismantle the air conditioner or several devices at once. The nuances of this type of work largely depend on the type of device.

To dismantle the air conditioner quickly and very efficiently, sometimes only professionals, wise with experience in this area, are capable of. However, their services are quite expensive, so often many people prefer to dismantle the device themselves. This raises a fair question: how to dismantle the air conditioner with your own hands? Such a solution will allow you to save a lot, but only if you do everything right.

When is the best time to remove an air conditioner?

Many companies have seasonal discounts, and very significant ones.

Seasonality practically does not affect the cost of services for the dismantling of climate equipment. But it is much more important to take into account the weather conditions during the work. So, it is not necessary to carry out dismantling in the winter, since low temperatures will significantly complicate the work or make it simply impossible (for example, due to the need to release freon). It should not be dismantled in rain and snow, as moisture can damage the elements of the outdoor unit. If there is no rain, snow and frost, then please dismantle your device.

Precautionary measures

Most damage to the device occurs during its transportation.

Any modern air conditioner is equipped with two blocks: one of them is outside, the other is inside. They are connected by two lines designed to move the refrigerant through them. After circulating through a tube with a smaller diameter, freon moves to the outdoor unit from the indoor unit through a tube with a larger diameter. Further, already gaseous freon circulates in the opposite direction. It is here that problems may arise that can prevent the self-dismantling of the device.

• The loss of freon (full or partial) may well happen if the main pipelines are incorrectly turned off. Moisture-containing air is quite capable of getting into the heat exchanger, as well as pipes, and this will lead to a malfunction of the split system already at the place where it will be re-installed. Why? Moisture will penetrate into the compressor of the device, and the latter will simply break down.
• If small particles, during improper transportation or if they are pulled through the wall, penetrate into the tubes, then damage cannot be avoided.
• Pay close attention to the threads that are soldered to the tubes. At their slightest damage, repairs cannot be avoided, which will cost a pretty penny.
• If the wires are connected incorrectly, namely, if the necessary places are not marked on the terminals with special marks, then when reinstalling, it will be very problematic to connect the air conditioner correctly.
• Determine the size of the drain tube clearly (if it is cut short, it will have to be replaced very soon). It's not too expensive, but it's labor intensive.
• Finally, do not lose parts and fasteners during the transportation of the device. To do this, they simply need to be securely fastened.

All of the above points can lead to a very expensive repair of the air conditioner, so before you start dismantling the device yourself, carefully study the instructions that came with it.

Preparatory work

Ignoring the advice of professionals will certainly lead to incorrect shutdown of the air conditioner

Before dismantling the air conditioner yourself, you need to carry out preparatory work. And this applies not only to the preparation of the tool.

So, the dismantling of the device can be carried out without first pumping freon into the device. A freon leak is not so easily replenished. If you refill the entire system with refrigerant, you will have to fork out. So, this operation for inexpensive air conditioners will cost about 4 thousand rubles. (depending on the refrigerant used).

If we talk about self-dismantling the air conditioner, then this can be done in three ways. Let's take a quick look at them.

• Disassembly of the device, which involves the release of freon.
• Saving inside the split gas system.
• Complete preservation of freon using a special technique and the use of special equipment.

The last option is considered the most effective, since it does not involve any losses. What do experts advise? They strongly recommend that you save all the refrigerant, since in this case there will be no problems when installing the device in a new location.

To independently turn off the air conditioner without any significant loss of freon, it is necessary to ensure the transfer of the latter to the condenser. To do this, with the device operating in cooling mode, the valve must be closed between the small diameter tube and the air conditioner. After pumping all the refrigerant into the condenser (it will take no more than a minute), close the valve on the tube of the largest diameter, thereby turning off the freon supply.

Necessary materials and tools

In addition to tools, you will need material for plugs

Before dismantling the air conditioner, it is worth preparing the tools necessary for this purpose. Let's list them.

• hex keys (set);
• gas wrench (alternative - adjustable wrench);
• socket and open-end wrenches (set);
• manometer;
• pipe cutter;
• screwdriver.

Step-by-step instruction

So, consider the instructions for dismantling the air conditioner step by step.

Working with outdoor unit

The outdoor unit must be placed vertically during storage and transportation. It is important to avoid bumps and shaking, so the block should be placed in a box with foam

1. We carry out the disconnection of freon wires.
2. We unscrew all the nuts connecting the fittings of the block with the highways. A similar method is used when the length of the tubes, which makes it possible to reuse them.
3. Next, we seal the open fittings with tape or electrical tape so that they do not clog.

Since the extension of freon wires is not allowed, they are not reused. In such a case, the tubes are cut off, and then their ends are minted.

If the air conditioner is disassembled for a long time, then, as a rule, the tubes are clogged, after filling them with nitrogen. The fact is that nitrogen does not oxidize products.

Next, from the device disconnected from the mains, you need to remove the protection cover, which is located where the electrical cable is connected. We mark somehow its terminals (this is done in order to prevent confusion with a new connection). Then we unscrew the clamps that screw the wires to the contacts. After that, the end of the wire must be screwed to the freon pipelines. Next, you need to unscrew the nuts holding the outdoor unit and remove it together with the brackets.

We remove the compressor

If the air conditioner is dismantled in order to carry out its repair, then the device should be disconnected correctly. To do this, do the following.

1. Remove the cover from the outdoor unit
2. Disconnect the discharge and suction pipes from the compressor.
3. Disconnect the cables supplying the fan and compressor.
4. Unscrew the fasteners that hold the condenser and valves.
5. Remove condenser.
6. Remove compressor.

If you proceed in this way, then do not damage the piping piping. In addition, it will be possible to repair several elements of the outdoor unit at the same time, and this will significantly speed up the task.

To start working with the compressor, you should pour out the oil from it. In piston devices, it is drained through a pipe. In models of a rotary or spiral type, it will be necessary to drill the bottom (and it is not allowed to drill through it, since chips may well get inside). You should leave a thin partition, and then pierce it with a punch.

Removing the indoor unit

After removing the unit, it is necessary to unscrew the mounting plate, then remove the freon wires, cable and box

To gain access to the latches holding the indoor unit, remove the front panel. Then we ensure the disconnection of electrical, freon wires, clamps, and only then remove the block from the guides.

At this stage, a number of difficulties may arise: if you act carelessly, you can easily break the evaporator latches. This element is usually closed with a lid. The latches were specifically made difficult to access, since this is a guarantee that the dismantling of the device will be carried out exclusively by professionals. Two thin screwdrivers will help you get to the latches.

When snapping the latches, you also need to be careful. If they are damaged in a new place, the device cannot be fixed, and due to vibrations it will break very quickly.

Those who carry out dismantling on their own should invite an assistant

Of course, when dismantling the air conditioner yourself, errors of a very different nature are possible. Here are some of them.

• Coolant leak. It will lead to additional costs, because the device will have to be refilled. To prevent this, dismantling must be carried out in such a way that the refrigerant remains inside the air conditioner.
• Dust or moisture has entered the internal circuit of the device. This will quickly damage the compressor. To minimize water ingress, do not dismantle the equipment during snowfall or rain.
• Block fall. Since the external unit is quite heavy, you can not calculate the forces and drop it. Specialists using special equipment are insured against such an outcome of events.
• Damage to device components. The most serious are the damage, as a result of which the air conditioner circuit is depressurized. Even through an imperceptible crack, freon can leak or water and dirt can get inside. Therefore, be careful.

Now you have learned how to dismantle the air conditioner with your own hands. If you have at least a little experience in carrying out repair work, then you can safely get to work.

Partial or complete dismantling of the air conditioner is carried out for various reasons - repairs in the apartment, moving, installation in another room, and so on. The standard approach is to call the employees of a specialized company for the correct removal of the split system by paying for this service. A more economical option is to dismantle the air conditioner with your own hands, having understood the intricacies of the procedure. This is not to say that it is simple, but with the right approach it is quite feasible.

About the methods and difficulties of dismantling with your own hands

As a rule, owners of private houses and apartments install 2 types of air conditioners - monoblock (mobile) and split systems. There are no special problems with the first ones, since in such models all the main elements are enclosed in a single housing, and to move the unit, it is enough to simply disconnect the air duct.

In addition to monoblocks and "splits", there are other types of climate control systems - cassette, channel and column. But usually such equipment is installed in offices, shopping centers and other large areas, in private homes it is used quite rarely.

The split system consists of two sections located inside and outside the dwelling. They are interconnected by two highways, through which the refrigerant - freon circulates in various states of aggregation. Through a copper tube of small diameter, it flows in the form of a liquid from the external unit to the internal one. In a large diameter line, the gaseous refrigerant moves in the opposite direction. This gives rise to a number of difficulties that await an ignorant user when trying to dismantle himself:

1. Complete or partial loss of freon as a result of unskilled disconnection of main pipelines.
2. Ingress of air containing moisture into the tubes and heat exchangers. If the split system is installed incorrectly in another place, incompressible moisture will enter the compressor and may damage it.
3. Clogging of copper pipes when pulling them out of the wall and during transportation. Moisture or sand in the freon circuit is a quick "death" of the compressor.
4. When disconnecting the lines from the nozzles of the inner section, it is possible to accidentally roll up the threaded drives soldered to them.
5. Disconnecting power wires without markings on the terminals where they were connected leads to confusion during the reassembly process.
6. Too short trim of the drain pipe leading to the street condensate.
7. Loss during transportation of screws and other small parts that are not fixed after dismantling.

Most of these cases lead to expensive repair of your air conditioner in a specialized workshop, so before removing the split system, you must carefully study the instructions below.

There are three ways to dismantle the indoor and outdoor unit:

• simple disassembly with the release of refrigerant into the atmosphere;
• with the preservation of freon in the system according to the "by eye" method;
• using special equipment that allows you to completely save the refrigerant in the circuit.

The last method gives the best result, although all three are used in certain circumstances. So that you do not have problems with installing the removed air conditioner and its further operation, it is recommended to act according to the third option, having previously familiarized yourself with the method of preserving freon.

Preparatory activities

First of all, you need to prepare such a set of tools and fixtures:

• screwdrivers with a cross-shaped and flat slot;
• a set of open-end wrenches;
• stationery knife;
• hex keys 5…10 mm in size;
• a manometric manifold or a pressure gauge with a tube and a threaded connection, designed for a maximum pressure of 10-15 bar;
• masking tape and marker;
• insulating tape or ordinary tape.

A pressure manifold will definitely be needed when you plan to install a split system in another room, so it’s better to rent it, and it will be too expensive to buy.

Also, for convenient and safe work, a stepladder is needed to safely get to the indoor module installed under the ceiling. The outer section, located on the wall of an apartment building, is best pulled through the window, after tying it with a rope. Here, the services of an assistant will be useful.

An important stage of preparation is to ensure the preservation of the refrigerant with the least loss. For this, the principle of operation of the air conditioner is used, thanks to which all freon can be collected in one place - the contour of the outdoor unit. Having prepared the tools, follow the instructions:

1. Covering the infrared element on the remote control with your hand, switch the split system to the "Turbo" mode and set the minimum temperature. Remove your hand from the element and point the remote at the air conditioner. In this way, you start the compressor immediately at full capacity.
2. Connect the hose from the pressure gauge to the service port located on the side of the outdoor unit, after which it will immediately show the pressure in the system. In some models, these pipes are hidden under the cover, it must be removed.
3. Unscrew 2 nuts - plugs located at the ends of the fittings. Under them will be found valves, adjustable with a hex wrench. Choose the right hex size.
4. Turn off the liquid line valve (this is a thinner tube) and watch the pressure gauge. At this time, the compressor draws in gaseous freon through the second tube.
5. When the arrow of the device drops to zero and begins to go into the vacuum zone, close the second valve and quickly turn off the air conditioner with the remote control. That's all, the refrigerant is in full in the circuit of the external module.

In split systems filled with different brands of freon (sometimes R22 and R410), the thread diameter of the service fitting, where the pressure gauge is connected, is different. For R410, a special adapter is needed, which should be prepared in advance.

Preservation of the refrigerant by the method "by eye" is carried out without a manometric manifold. After closing the liquid valve, wait about 40-50 seconds, then close the gas cock and turn off the household appliance. The disadvantage is clear: you will not know how much freon managed to get into the outdoor unit, and it is unacceptable to keep a running compressor with a blocked line for a long time. The result will appear the next time you install the "split" and run it.

Instructions for removing the external module of the split system

The outdoor unit of the air conditioner has to be dismantled when moving or moving it to a new location. To repair the apartment, it is not necessary to remove the outer section, but you still have to disconnect the freon lines, cable and drainage. The work is carried out in the following order:

1. Unscrew the hose of the pressure gauge used when pumping the refrigerant, and replace the end nuts - plugs.
2. Using an open-end wrench, unscrew the cap nuts pressing the copper tubes to the fittings, bend them to the side. Using adhesive tape or electrical tape, protect all open holes in the lines and pipes of the outdoor unit so that debris and dust do not get inside during operation.
3. To disconnect the electrical cable, disconnect the device from the mains and remove the cover covering the terminals (located above the freon valves). Before unscrewing the wires, stick a strip of masking tape over the terminals and sign with a color marker to fix the connection order. Disconnect the wires and remove the cable.
4. Tie the disconnected lines to the bracket of the outdoor unit so that the copper pipes do not hang or bend, otherwise they will have to be changed.
5. Unscrew the 4 nuts securing the outdoor unit to the bracket, tie it with a rope and remove the unit together with an assistant.

Professional refrigerators often practice a slightly different approach: they do not unscrew the union nuts and do not remove the freon pipes from the fittings of the outdoor unit, but bite them off. Then it is not necessary to wrap the ends of the pipelines with adhesive tape in order to protect them from moisture and debris, because they are flattened by wire cutters. During subsequent installation, the flattened ends are cut off and flared for connection with a union nut.

After disconnecting the cable cores from the terminals, tighten the terminal screws and tighten them, as they may fall out and be lost during transportation.

It is better to remove the bracket itself later, when you untie the freon circuit pipelines from it. If the lines go out of the wall no more than a meter, then they do not need to be tied. Carefully align the tubes to make it easier to pull them in from the inside. The bracket is most often attached to 4 anchor bolts, unscrewed with a conventional open-end wrench.

Proper disconnection of lines from the outer section - photo gallery

The lines are disconnected after unscrewing the union nuts Screw the plugs that close the port valves into place Unscrew the cover to disconnect the wires Marking the location of the wires, disconnect the cable After disconnecting the cable, the screws on the block must be tightened According to the rules, copper pipelines must be cut off Cut off pipes must be plugged

How to remove the outdoor module while preserving freon - video

How to dismantle the indoor unit of the air conditioner yourself

To remove the indoor module from the wall, it is necessary to disconnect all communications from it - cable, tubes for freon and condensate. The place of twisting of pipelines is, as a rule, in the niche of the body, arranged in the lower part. Depending on the split system model, there are 2 ways to get to this niche:

1. Unlock the 3-4 plastic latches securing the bottom of the unit to the mounting plate. Deviate the bottom of the case from the wall and insert any rod between them, remove the communications harness from the niche.
2. If there are no latches on your “split” model, then you need to remove the front plastic panel, having previously dismantled the blinds and additional covers (when available).

When you get to the harness, make a longitudinal cut on it with a clerical knife, which will allow you to move the insulation away and grab the nuts with the keys. Do not cut too long, otherwise you will have to change the thermal insulation material later. Follow the next steps in this order:

1. Unscrew the joints of the highways with two open-end wrenches. An important point: the drive, soldered to the short tube of the block itself, cannot be rotated, it must be held in place with a wrench by unscrewing the union nut.
2. Wrap the ends of the pipelines with electrical tape or tape in order to protect against dirt.
3. Locate the junction of the drain pipe with the outlet pipe and disconnect it. Do not cut the corrugation anywhere, so that later it would be more convenient to dock it back.
4. Remove the electrical compartment cover (located on the right side of the case or under the front panel), make marks with a marker and adhesive tape, then unscrew the screws and disconnect the cable cores. Retighten the screws and screw on the cover.
5. When all communications are disabled, grasp the case on both sides and remove it from the mounting plate, lifting it up a little. Pass the block to the helper.
6. Remove the mounting plate by unscrewing all the dowels.

Considering that condensate may remain in the tray of the indoor unit, it is advisable to protect the wall with a plastic film before dismantling. If you are renting an air conditioner for apartment renovation, then such a precaution is unnecessary.

After removing the inner section from the wall, put all the unscrewed parts on it, tighten the screws and put on the mounting plate. Lay the protruding pipes in a niche, fixing with masking tape. Use the same material to secure the opening front panel so that it does not dangle during transportation.

The last step is the dismantling of communications laid along the wall or inside it. There are no difficulties here, the main thing is not to bend the copper tubes under a small radius. From such treatment at the bend, the flow area decreases, and it is quite difficult to align the tube with an oval profile. Pull the harness out of the outer wall carefully so as not to damage the insulation. If the hole was sealed with mounting foam, then it must be cut in parts. At the end, roll the tourniquet into a ring and fasten it with tape.

How to dismantle the indoor module - photo gallery

To disconnect the electrical wiring, remove the cover of the electrical compartment. Before disconnecting the wires, write down the order of their connection. Cut the bundle passing in the niche with a knife and get to the junction of the tubes. stage - removal of the mounting plate Having rejected the body, it must be fixed in this position

How indoor units of different designs are removed - video

Dismantling in winter

If the outdoor temperature has dropped to -5°C or more, it is recommended to refrain from dismantling for the following reasons:

• it will not be possible to pump refrigerant into the external module;
• in the cold, you can not disassemble the connections, unscrew the plugs and close the service ports;
• as a result of disassembly, the seals of service valves often fail.

In a situation where it is impossible to do without removing the split system at a negative temperature, be sure to warm up the fittings of the outdoor unit with a building hair dryer. Then unscrew the plugs and close both valves, thus saving some of the freon remaining in the outdoor unit circuit. Then slowly unscrew the lines from the fittings and disconnect them, releasing the second part of the refrigerant into the atmosphere. Then proceed according to the algorithm described above.

The staff of specialized firms uses manometric stations to pump out freon in winter. But if you rent such equipment, then dismantling will cost more than the wages of specialists, and the result will be questionable.

At temperatures above -5°C, work can be carried out according to standard instructions, but it is advisable to use a pressure gauge to control the transfer of refrigerant. If you start acting “by eye”, you may not guess the exposure time and still lose part of the freon. It is equally dangerous to keep the compressor in operation without cooling (and it is cooled by circulating freon), it can fail from overheating.

You will successfully dismantle a home air conditioner if you take up work in the warm season and follow the instructions given. You can not miss a single detail, act very carefully and without haste. Do not neglect the pressure gauge, as the loss of refrigerant will negate all the savings from this procedure.

Before dismantling the air conditioner with your own hands, you need to study the instructions. The difficulty lies in the fact that in the split system, the refrigerant moves between the blocks. If you perform incorrect actions during the removal process, you can disable the equipment. Some units consist of only one block, so there are no problems with them.

To understand how to dismantle the air conditioner with your own hands, you need to know what problems you will face. They are as follows:

• Refrigerant may leak during operation. It will start escaping into the atmosphere. This will lead to the need for extraordinary refueling of the unit. Better not to let that happen. It is necessary to carry out dismantling so that the substance remains in the system.
• Water entering the refrigerant will cause the liquid in the evaporator to freeze. Hard pieces of ice will destroy the compressor. To prevent this from happening, you can not work in the rainy season.
• The outdoor unit located on the outside of the wall may fall when dismantled. To eliminate the risk of such a nuisance, work should be carried out with an assistant.
• Structural elements must not be damaged. Freon will begin to escape through the crack or dirt will get inside. Therefore, care must be taken in the work.
• Care should be taken when disconnecting from the branch pipes of the mains. They are soldered with threaded horns that can be torn off.
• When disconnecting wires, record their location. This will come in handy when reassembling.
• Do not cut short the drain pipe through which the condensate escapes.

Stages of preparation

At the preliminary stage, it is required to keep the refrigerant in the system. It is located in the circuit, which consists of a compressor, evaporator, condenser, as well as connecting pipes.

Freon enters the evaporator in a liquid state, so small-diameter tubes lead here. Evaporating, the refrigerant enters the compressor already in the form of a gas. Here the branch size is larger.

Purpose of the preliminary stage: to collect all the gas in the condenser. To do this, follow these steps.