Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LateBloomer]

I don't think my air conditioner is working properly but I wanted to check with people who know more about these things than I do before I complain to someone. (There isn't a single English speaking person at my school these days to ask about this and I don't know anyone else in Korea.)

The AC unit is a high on the wall rectangular type with all of the mechanics in a closet that gets really hot. Although I have it set for 18 and have it running most of the time, the temperature indicater on the AC unit always reads between 25 and 29. It does blow cool air...but seems to work more like a fan than an air conditioner. Surely, this can't be how it's supposed to work since I have a small place and the only area that is relatively cool is the space that's within ten feet of the air conditioner.

Thanks ...in advance.

[ttompatz]

[cubanlord]

[LateBloomer]

ttompatz and cubanlord, thanks for the replies. I looked in the closet...no window there. Everything is too hot to check for vents at the moment.

I did open the closet for a few minutes. I thought that doing so might cool everything down. However, the temperature indicator soon shot up to 31 degrees. So, I closed the closet door again and now the temperature is 27. I'll turn off the AC for a few hours overnight and check for vents when it's cooler in there.

There is a service number in the closet. I may have to contact one of the Korean teachers who speaks English and ask him to talk to the service company for me.

[cubanlord]

[LateBloomer]

I managed to take pictures and get them onto my desktop but I can't figure out how to post them on this site. Could send them by email if you want to be bothered....unless there's a simple explanation for how to post them here.

Since my last post, I ventured into the closet again and found that there are vents. They've been open for half an hour but the temperature hasn't dropped. It occurred to me that maybe there's a problem with the way I have the remote control set up (took a picture of that too).

[cubanlord]

[cubanlord]

DUDE!!!!!!!!




That's your problem right there!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have two large units in an enclosed space producing a TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HEAT!!!!!! There is NO WAY you can get your A/C to cool with it like that. I don't care what they say (I was a property manager for 4 years before coming here). Trust me, this is my strong suit.

See the barely visible vents on the right wall in the closet? It's sealed off by a huge pane of glass. You will have to remove both a/c compressors/units and remove the glass. Then, open those vents. That heat has to get out of there or you will never have cold air blowing out.

You'll need to speak to your apt. manager about it. Here is a picture of mine unit:



Notice that I even have an extra fan in the closet for the really hot days. I use it to push the hot air out of there through the vents.

My friend, you have TWO units in an enclosed area. I guarantee that is your problem. Whoever installed those units in there obviously didn't give to flying hoot nannies about anything; they just wanted to hurry up and get the job done instead of doing the job correctly (or they really are ignorant).

Let me know how everything works out. I'm glad we found the problem.

[LateBloomer]

Thanks cubanlord!!!

I knew something had to be wrong--especially after opening the vents didn't seem to make much difference.

[cubanlord]

Dude, who's compressor is that? One is yours, who's is the other?!?!??! Get that crap out of there...or....put a fan (like what you see in my picture) and turn it on to blow the hot air outside.

[jazblanc77]

Get the AC guy to come back and setup a bracket outside the window, on the roof, or somewhere below your apartment. The intake fan is in a confined space with little or no ventilation. Ever notice how everyone else has their fan sticking out a window, or it is completely outside and just tubed into the apartment? There's a reason for that. Get the installation redone.

Now for the bad news. This is going to cost you. Usually AC guys just charge you for the tubing that they put it. The tubing usually costs about 15,000 per metre. That is probably why some cheapo installed the intake fan the way they did, to save money. I recently reinstalled my AC and had the fan installed on the roof of my building. It cost me 90,000 won. Be prepared to spend a similar amount.

I can't see how anything will improve for you if you don't get them to take that monstrousity out of your veranda.

[LateBloomer]

Jazblanc77 wrote:

[cubanlord]

get a small fan at your local E-mart and place it in there. Leave it running. THAT will make all of the difference you need.

In regards to the other A/C, I bet it is a neighbors and they had it installed there before you moved in so that THEIR closet wouldn't heat up like that.

[JongnoGuru]

[cubanlord]