Do-it-yourself split system dismantling: step-by-step instructions

Content

Mistakes when dismantling a split system
Mistakes when dismantling a split system
Preparatory activities
Dismantling in winter
Dismantling the split system in winter
Dismantling split systems
Tools and materials for dismantling
Air conditioner device
Reasons for dismantling a household split system
The cost of dismantling the split system with your own hands
Do-it-yourself dismantling
Removing the outdoor unit
Removing the compressor
Removing the interior

Mistakes when dismantling a split system

Why might you need to dismantle the split system? The reasons can be completely different, for example:

People move from one place of residence to another
The apartment is planned to be renovated and it is necessary to remove the equipment from the room so that it does not interfere with the finishing work.
The equipment is broken and needs repair or maintenance.

In no case do not proceed with this complex procedure without first knowing how to do it correctly. For example, out of ignorance, you can unscrew the fitting where they connect the block and copper pipes. In this case, all the refrigerant will simply leave the system. And then you have to refill the air conditioner with freon, and these are additional costs.

If you make mistakes when uninstalling the climate system, then in the future this may adversely affect the life of the air conditioner. And sometimes this can lead to the fact that the equipment will become unusable and will either have to be seriously repaired or completely changed.

Any violations in the technology of shutting down the system can lead to freon leakage. This substance is under high pressure inside the freon line

If microcracks are allowed to appear in the heat exchanger due to careless handling of the device, then air or moisture may get inside. Such an omission will negatively affect the operation of the air conditioning compressor, leading to its breakdown.

Air conditioner monoblocks

Uninstallation of air conditioning equipment, which took place with violations, can lead to the fact that the device will work for a very short time in a new place. In order not to make mistakes, you will need an instruction manual for the air conditioner. There should be instructions on how to properly dismantle it. As for practical recommendations, they will be given below.

Mistakes when dismantling a split system

Why might you need to dismantle the split system? The reasons can be completely different, for example:

People move from one place of residence to another
The apartment is planned to be renovated and it is necessary to remove the equipment from the room so that it does not interfere with the finishing work.
The equipment is broken and needs repair or maintenance.

In no case do not proceed with this complex procedure without first knowing how to do it correctly. For example, out of ignorance, you can unscrew the fitting where they connect the block and copper pipes. In this case, all the refrigerant will simply leave the system.And then you have to refill the air conditioner with freon, and these are additional costs.

Any violations in the technology of shutting down the system can lead to freon leakage. This substance is under high pressure inside the freon line

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.

Manometric manifold for 1 valve

Hex keys are needed to turn the service port valves

Also, for convenient and safe work, a stepladder is needed to safely get to the indoor module installed under the ceiling. It is better to pull the outer section, located on the wall of an apartment building, through the window, having previously tied it with a rope. Here, the services of an assistant will be useful.

Service ports are located on the side panel of the outdoor unit

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

The manometer is attached to a special fitting

To pump freon, close the valve of the liquid line

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 valve 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.

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.

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.

Are you moving to a new place of residence or changing the location of the office and want to dismantle the air conditioner or split system with your own hands? Depending on the type of device, the dismantling of air conditioners has its own characteristics. Also, this process is influenced by the time of year, and of course, the availability of the appropriate tool.

Only a team of professionals can quickly and efficiently dismantle a split system of air conditioners, but their work costs a lot of money, especially if you need to dismantle several split systems at once. The price of dismantling depends on the capacity of air conditioners - the higher the capacity, the higher the price of dismantling.

But there is always an alternative. You can dismantle the air conditioner yourself, for this you need to have all the necessary tools, and of course know how to do it.

Removing an oversized wall-mounted air conditioner will not be difficult if you have the following set of tools:

Swedish keys - 2 pcs;
Pipe cutters or wire cutters;
pressure gauge;
Simple and indicator screwdriver;
Set of wrenches;
A set of hexagons;
In order to make the dismantling of the air conditioner with the preservation of freon, we need a manometric station (if the dismantling is carried out in winter).

The dismantling of the air conditioner with the preservation of freon begins with the injection of freon into the external unit, in order to use it again later. To do this, we connect a pressure gauge to the gas valve of the branch pipe to the valve through the shredder valve. The next step is to remove the side panel, and with the help of a hexagon we twist the valve on the supercharger. Within two minutes, the pressure should drop below zero. We twist the suction valve, turn off the air conditioner and disconnect from the electricity.

Next, using wire cutters or a pipe cutter, we disconnect (cut off) the main pipes at a distance of 15-20 cm from the fitting, roll them and remove the outdoor module from the brackets. The outdoor module must be placed in a dense cardboard package and lined with foam plastic on the sides. We unscrew the brackets with wrenches.

We proceed to dismantle the indoor unit of the split system. We open the cover that protects the device from external damage, unscrew the fasteners that hold the module on both sides. We disconnect the main pipeline, roll the ends of the tubes with a vice, turn off the inter-side electrical wires, remove the block from the mounting plate and unclench the fastening latches.
Now we remove the fastening of the remaining pipeline and plastic box. At this stage, the dismantling of the split system with your own hands is almost completed, it remains only to carefully pack the split system and transport it to a new location.

Dismantling the split system in winter

Everyone knows that split systems can be used not only for cooling, but also for heating a room.And the situation happens, it develops in such a way that it is required to remove the system in winter. The dismantling of devices in winter and summer is somewhat different, since in the hot period it is necessary to pump all the freon into the second unit, which is located on the street.

To do this, the system is connected to the network, the "cold" mode is set, the low pressure parameters are set on the pressure gauge. Next, block the flow of coolant by closing the high pressure valve. As a result of such manipulations, all freon is in the second block, which is installed outside. The split system must be turned off when the pressure gauge reads zero.

In winter, almost all the coolant is in the outdoor unit, so there is no need to pump it. Based on this, it is even easier to remove the split system with your own hands in winter. To do this, simply turn off the device and remove both units. The only thing with which difficulties may arise is with the overlap of taps. If such a problem occurs, it can be easily eliminated by heating them with a hairdryer.

For long-term safe storage, it is necessary to pump nitrogen into the system unit (internal), but it is simply unrealistic to do this on your own at home.

Dismantling split systems

Before you independently remove the split system, it is important to understand that the most important goal during dismantling is to ensure the safety of freon in the device. It is advisable to carry out the work in such a way that in the future it will not be necessary to refuel the device or carry out its full refrigerant recharging when the system is installed at a new location.

So, the sequence of actions when dismantling the split system will be as follows.

Copper hoses have special protective nuts. They must be unscrewed using a well-known hexagon of the appropriate size.
Next, you need to use a key, the diameter of which will correspond to the size of the valve to block the copper pipes.
The next step is to turn on the device and wait until cool air comes out.
Now you can close the valve responsible for supplying freon. This hose has a smaller diameter.
Next, you will have to wait again, only the already warm air that will come out of the indoor unit. It won't take more than 3 minutes.
When the coolness has been replaced by warmth, you can block the second, larger tube in diameter.
The split system must be turned off.
In order to dismantle the copper pipeline, ordinary wire cutters are ideal. They cut copper tubes in the right place. With such dismantling, they are ideally sealed and such dangerous water and dust do not get inside the copper track.
Now it remains only to disconnect the electrician on the device. Be sure to turn off the device from the network before these works, and also completely turn off the apartment or house completely.
Don't forget the drain.
Now you can safely remove the split system and move or transport it to a new place or put it in the pantry until better times.

As you can see, it is not difficult to remove the split system yourself, the most important thing is the correct order of work and no haste.

Tools and materials for dismantling

Like any other type of work, dismantling air conditioners with your own hands requires some preparation.In order not to worry about the materials and not be distracted by the search for the necessary tools, it must be prepared in advance.

Do-it-yourself tools and materials for dismantling the air conditioner

So we need the following:

an adjustable wrench, if there is none, a gas wrench will do;
hex keys;
end keys;
wrenches;
screwdriver;
pliers;
if present, manometer;
pipe cutter;
materials that will be needed to make faucet plugs and disconnected pipes.

If your air conditioner is installed on the balcony of a multi-storey building or in a private house, in this case, dismantling will not be difficult even for a beginner master, but if the device is installed on the wall surface, in this case, you should stock up on a set of accessories for mine rescue.

Air conditioner device

Few people know the principle of operation: the compressor of the outdoor unit pumps out refrigerant vapors from the indoor unit, then they thicken, warm up well and give off heat to the environment, and evaporate through the radiator. Then it begins to absorb the air of the room temperature, thereby cooling the room. The entire cycle described above is constantly repeated.

One sensitive place can be immediately noted in the device device, this is the air conditioning pump. Working in such difficult conditions, it must be a fairly massive unit. Indeed, it contains several rotors of complex configuration, closed in a sealed chamber. The necessary vacuum is achieved through one-sided actions, which are formed solely due to the fixed precision of the parts processing. Few designs can handle these pressure and temperature fluctuations.

Now you can understand why the pump is so vulnerable, because a small scratch from dust, a piece of oxide from pipes or ice and the air conditioner will waste electricity on mixing the refrigerant for nothing, and not cooling the room.

Reasons for dismantling a household split system

It would seem that the obvious and main reason for the decommissioning of air conditioner modules is the complete expiration of the declared period of operation of this equipment.

Indeed, it is best to replace an exhausted climate device with a new one. And this practice is quite common among owners of used air conditioners.

Not the best example of dismantling the external module of a household split system. This method of removal is a direct violation of safety regulations. Other methods must be used

Meanwhile, it is also necessary to dismantle the split system if the main technological equipment fails, for example, a refrigeration compressor. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the compressor diagnostic methods and repair tips in more detail.

This can happen at any time, regardless of the established terms of operation. In any case, it becomes necessary to dismantle the external unit of equipment.

Removal of air conditioner units is not excluded in order to transfer the system to another installation site. For example, when the owner of the device changes from one place of residence to another.

A similar dismantling option, albeit infrequently, is noted in everyday life. In any case, in order to independently dismantle the air conditioner without damaging the equipment, you need to have certain knowledge.

The cost of dismantling the split system with your own hands

Even a slightly technically equipped person intuitively understands that it is impossible to simply open the fittings, since the entire system is filled with freon inside. If this is nevertheless done, the liquid will flow out of it, and refilling with a new one varies from 800-1500 rubles. Therefore, certain measures are needed to solve this problem.

Therefore, some installations and tools are needed. To dismantle the air conditioner, first of all, a manometric manifold is needed. The cost of the cheapest varies from 1,500 to 3,500 rubles. This is almost the cost of the entire dismantling. It also requires a set of hex socket wrenches and a pipe cutter - about 250 rubles. That's the amount that the work will cost. Well, if you rent all the equipment, or at least partially, then the independent dismantling of the split system is quite justified.

Do-it-yourself dismantling

Knowing how to remove the air conditioner yourself, you can get down to business. You will need to follow the following steps:

dismantle the outdoor unit;
disconnect and remove the compressor;
remove the indoor unit.

The instructions, which tell you how to properly dismantle the air conditioner, indicate the necessary tool. It consists of the following things:

sets of folding and open-end wrenches;
screwdrivers;
pipe cutters;
side cutters;
vise;
pliers.

Removing the outdoor unit

Removing the air conditioner with your own hands begins with the dismantling of the outdoor unit. This is done in case of rearranging the entire device to a new location. If the equipment is being repaired, then the external unit does not need to be removed.

Work is carried out in the following order:

The manometer hose is unscrewed, through which the refrigerant is supplied. A plug is placed in this place.
The nuts with which the copper pipes are attached to the fittings are unscrewed. They all bend to the side. Tape off the holes to keep dust and dirt out.
The cable is disconnected. To do this, the device is de-energized, the protective cover is removed above the freon valves. Under it are the terminals. Before removing the wires, stick adhesive tape on them and sign the location. Then they are turned off and removed along with the cable.
The outdoor unit is attached to the bracket with four nuts. They need to be unlocked. The body of the block is tied with a rope and removed with the help of two people.
After that comes the dismantling of the bracket. To do this, unscrew the four anchor bolts. Previously, all aligned tubes are pulled into the room.

A person who has experience in such work does not need to unscrew the copper pipes from the fittings. They just bite off at the base of the mount. In this case, the ends are pinched and automatically sealed. During the re-assembly, they are flared and the separated end is pressed with nuts.

Removing the compressor

In case of repairing the air conditioner after removing the unit located outside the room, it is required to disconnect and remove the compressor. This is done according to the following instructions:

The cover is removed from the removed block.
All tubes are removed from the compressor: suction and discharge.
The wiring is turned off.
Next, you need to remove the fasteners that grab the capacitor and valves.
After removing the condenser, it becomes possible to remove the compressor.

For its further repair, it is required to drain the oil. If this is a piston model, then it is removed through the nozzle. The situation is more complicated with spiral and rotary products.They have a hole drilled in the bottom. In its manufacture, drilling is not carried out through, so that dirt does not get inside. A small partition is left, which is then pierced with a thin pin.

With the compressor removed, other repair work is possible, since access to the interior of the equipment is opened.

Removing the interior

According to the instructions, to remove the indoor unit of the air conditioner, you need to disconnect the cable and tubes from it. To do this, you need to get to the niche where all the places of twisting of pipelines are located.

This is done in two ways:

The bottom of the unit is attached to the mounting plate with plastic latches. They are filming. After that, the body deviates from the wall of the room, an object is inserted into the gap and the tourniquet is removed.
In the absence of latches, the blinds are dismantled, and then the front panel.

Having reached the harness, a small incision is made on the insulation so that the nuts appear. Then the work is carried out in the following order:

Using two wrenches, the nuts are loosened. The block pipe run does not rotate, but is held by a key.
All holes are wrapped with insulating tape so that dirt does not get through them.
Disconnect the outlet and drain pipes.
The wiring is unscrewed, which is located under the cover of a special compartment.
Having unscrewed all communications, the upper block is removed from the mounting plate.
The plate itself is held on dowels, which are also unscrewed.

So that the tubes and wires do not hang out, they are assembled and attached with adhesive tape. A mounting plate is attached to the block.