Berkeys / Berkeys Blog

December 14, 2016

Portable Air Conditioner Troubleshoot For Dallas Homeowners

When temperatures start to clump outside, the last thing you want is to find your portable air conditioner knocked out by a simple malfunction. The good news is that not every malfunction is a disaster. Though some require professional help, a great many can be resolved on your own, without the need for a technician.

This video shows how to repair Portable Air Conditioner.

Troubleshooting Your Portable Air Conditioner

My Portable Air Conditioner Won’t Start

• Check that the water reservoir isn’t full. Air conditioners act as dehumidifiers because they remove water from the air, which collects in buckets that need to be emptied periodically. If it’s full, a float switch can interrupt power to the unit and halt operation.
  
  
• Make sure that the air conditioning unit is properly plugged into the outlet. If it has an integrated circuit interrupter then make sure it hasn’t been tripped. If so, press the reset button. If the reset button won’t stay engaged then there is probably a problem with the wiring and you’ll need to have a professional fix it. Also, make sure that the cord itself isn’t damaged.
  
  
• You should check the breaker to make sure the power is being supplied to the room air conditioner. If the unit is on its circuit and a fuse is blown or the breaker is tripped then it is probably a problem with the wiring and a professional will need to fix it.

My Portable Air Conditioner Isn’t Cooling Properly

• Check that the air filter has been properly cleaned by removing the grill (it should be cleaned about every two weeks). To clean the filter, remove it from the frame and tap the filter lightly with your hands to remove any dust and dirt particles. Do the same to the carbon filter (if your unit includes one). Then thoroughly rinse the filters with warm water and a mild detergent. Let them dry completely.
  
  
• Make sure that there isn’t any furniture or objects blocking the air intake vents on the AC unit, and that there is proper clearance around the unit. The vents might be dirty and can be easily cleaned by light vacuuming.
  
  
• Make sure there isn’t any ice building up on the air conditioner’s coils. If so, see the “IceBuildup” section below.
  
  
• Make sure that the portable air conditioner is correctly sized for the room you are using it in. See “Doesn’t Stop Running” below.

My Portable Air Conditioner Doesn’t Stop Running

• You should make sure that the portable air conditioner isn’t too small for the area that you are trying to cool. You can determine what size AC unit you need by looking at the BTU (British Thermal Unit) rating. It describes cooling capacity and the higher the BTU, the stronger the portable air conditioner. To get a quick estimate of how many BTUs you need just multiply the square footage of the room by 35 to get a rough estimate. You can also refer to our Air Conditioner BTU chart to easily find the BTU you need for your room. Be sure to account for extra sunny or shady areas, and additional people in a room and kitchens.
  
  
• You should make sure that all the doors and windows are closed in the area that you are trying to cool because you want to minimize the heat gain to your home. Portable ACs need to operate in a “closed” environment with air that is continuously circulated to work properly.
  

Advantages of Portable Air Conditioner

Portable air conditioners are ideal for cooling small areas, such as bedrooms or living rooms, or for providing supplemental cooling in places central AC systems can’t reach. Because they’re small units, the two primary reasons for inadequate cooling are incorrect sizing and extreme ambient temperatures.