/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>1639652
>I read this can be caused by mold festering in the coils
Yes
> it can also be from a leak in the system.
No. Freon (R410a) smells sweet, and smell is very slight.
>Could I spray some coil cleaner on it and hope it will go away?
I think you're better disassembing it, and giving evaporator (cold) coil a bleach bath. Be sure to remove all electronics (boards and such).

Also, it can be plastic degassing. I had this on my TCL (bth, they make DeLonghi ACs as far as I know), and shit was smelling piss first three month, without any mold or anything.

>>1639652
Also, check stupid question thread

>>1639652

once i quit pissing in mine the smell went away

>>1639652
Take it apart and clean it. Mine has a second little drip pan at the very bottom which doesn’t get emptied much.

If you have cats, get rid of the cats.

you don't mention age of unit, did smell start after unit aged? how much use does it get? as indicated start with thorough clean of coils with right product, scrub drain pan w/heavy vinegar water mix and see what smell does.. likely just a maintenance issue.

>>1639652
It's probably mold growing in your drip pan

>>1639887
It has been sitting for a few years. Not old at all I think 2013. I read putting bleach in the drain would help but I don't want to breath that shit it.
>>1639866
That's what mine looks like on the inside basically. The sideways coil had dirt clogging most of it and I had sprayed some water/vinegar mix on the coils to try to kill the mold but I guess it didn't work.

>>1640123
Don't use vinegar. It will ruin aluminium fins.
Use bleach (you may dilute if you want), just wash it off real good.
May also use alcohol, but shit is expensive compared to bleach, and evaporates too fast to kill mold.

>>1640215
And yeah, you can disassemble and pressure wash it. Just make sure to remove electronics like PCB board, or capacitor.

>>1640220
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3-ndtDUyZM
Something like this.

>>1640123
it's probably dirty as fuck then.

just pop it apart, should be a few screws to split the case.

clean out all the dust in the coil, can use like a thin piece of plastic or cardboard. Just don't crush the fins.

Your tray at the bottom is probably moldy from sitting. Wash it with bleach diluted with warm water.

Is it an autodraining unit? Some of them have drain plugs on the back and bottom, to get out any water sitting in it.

>>1640228
>can use like a thin piece of plastic or cardboard. Just don't crush the fins.
Better clean coils with some soap or bleach and hose. Or special cleaning foam thingy

>>1640234
This is an indoor unit, not an outdoor one. Usually the coils are dusty at worse unless it's in an old basement or something.

>>1640263
Doesn't matter. Indoor part can get pretty dirty too.
Here is an example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DswSrqOHXsw
Keep in mind, that AC is cool and damp place, exactly what mold and mildew loves.

Pic related is indoor unit of mini-split. Yuck.
So, you better clean it with water, just be sure to cover/remove all electronics.

>>1639667
>bleach bath
metal and bleach don't mix.
use an acid or alcohol.

>>1640301
>metal and bleach don't mix.
Who told you that shit?
>use an acid
Acid (in useful concentrations) and metals don't mix 100%.
But bleach (typical diluted stuff they sell, not concentrated) will wash shit better, without ruining aluminium immediately.
>alcohol.
Expensive. But better than all above, since it evaporates fast.

>>1640304
Bleach is an oxidizing agent, that is why you use it.
It also oxidizes many metals.
i.e. rust, corrosion, pitting.
Don't use bleach on metals.

>>1640304
>Acid (in useful concentrations) and metals don't mix 100%.
Don't use nitric acid or hydrochloric acid.
Any other acid in any concentration is fine.
FAR from 100%
you must be a tradesmen because anyone who passed hs chem would know this.

>>1640304
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFkv0vwRsGg
I hope you are young because to be old and this retarded would be devastating.

>>1640327
>>1640322
>>1640317
>you must be a tradesmen because anyone who passed hs chem would know this.
IT niggers don't need to pass chem tests.

Ok, fagets, I will test shit out.
I remember I ruined CPU heat sink with vinegar (don't remember if it was concentrated, or 4% though), but I don't remember ruining aluminium anything with bleach (6%).
What metals should I test, besides aluminium? Copper? Steel?

>>1640317
i use it on my chrome fixtures all the time

>>1640331
Anyway.
>Al+vinegar
2Al + 6CH3COOH = 2Al(CH3COO)3 + 3H2
But for NaClO and Al I can't find any equations in the internet, which means that reaction doesn't exist. At least this is how I passed my chem exam is school, because chemists are retards, who can't explain shit.

>>1640331
>>1640342
either case just use diluted shit
I've personally witnessed (internet corroborates this) aluminum turning darker slowly in a bleach solution

>>1640340
Wait. I just read that bleach indeed attacks chrome.
But I definitely use bleach on my "chrome" fixtures and they're still smooth and shiny, not pitted or corroded looking, so what gives?

>>1640353
Concentration maybe?
>>1640347
In any case, bleach smells nicer than vinegar.
But what about hydrogen peroxide?

>>1640521
>concentration maybe?
I'm assuming straight from the bottle concentration which is what.. 2% or so? It's that chlorox foaming spray stuff
Even then I would have expected some pitting having used it many times over the years

>>1640691
>I'm assuming straight from the bottle concentration which is what.. 2% or so?
Bleach for cleaning toilets and shit is 5-6%
Don't know about foaming stuff.

>>1640700
The key point here is its straight from the bottle level of concentration
So either its not affected by bleach unless its highly concentrated bleach, or it's not actually chrome?
These fixtures are old - decades, and they're mirror shiny whenever i actually clean them with bleach to get the soap scum / whatever that dull film that builds up on them over time when you don't clean your fixtures regularly
No scratches, no pitting
I'm bringing this shit up because I'm now lead to believe I should have fucked up my fixtures, but they're not... so what is even going on now

>>1639652
>mold growth
Yup. Here's the fix: soak the coils and fins (but not the motor or electronics) with water. Apply Simple Green brand cleaner. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Flush with more water. Let dry for 24 hours before powering it back up. https://fibercare.com/hotel-cleaning-services/air-conditioner-cleaning-ptac/ If it works for hotel PTAC units, it'll work for a dinky home unit.

How do you clean mini-splits.
I have cleaned the coils, it was easy, just plain water and dust does into the drain.
But how do you clean the fan?

>>1639810
my parents still think it was these exchange students we had for a weekend, i never told them it was always me who was pissing in it

>>1639810
Underrated