Old AC - Repair or Replace?

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launderess

launderess

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Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage
Woke up today and at once knew something wasn't right.

Despite having turned on the AC before going to bed the room had the clamy feeling and non-fresh air scent of when an AC is running too long on fan only.

Sure enough went over to our Friedrich Wallmaster, and sure enough it was not running. Also noticed that everything else on the same circut were not powered on either. Ok, fair enough just replace a fuse and .....

No such luck.

Soon as the AC kicked on the compressor made a funny noise and yet another fuse blew. So called Freidrich in Texas to seek advice.

Based upon what I told the man he said while a unit of our vintage (it was built in the 1990), could be repaired if indeed the compressor and or fan motors have gone, it would be cheaper to purchase new.

We really only use AC during the two or three months of hot NYC weather, and quite honestly from what other owners of modern "electronic" controlled units have reported aren't that interested in something "new".

So am wondering is it really worth it to put about $300 (or more) of funds into the old girl, or just let the roaming metal salvagemen have at it?
 
I hit the wall end of last month

One of the $89 LG window units, the one in the living room with the HD TV had taken to ROARING. I couldn't hear the TV anymore! So said SELF get  a quiet unit if there is such a thing!  Thats when I found Freidrich. I remember the name but never experienced one. Off to the local dealer, welllllllllllll. I was interested in their US MADE unit , quiet guaranteed and US made. BUT it was $600 smackers. I was willing to pay to hear my big expensive HD TV. BUT the dealer told me I didn't want that unit, Friedrich made a comparable unit in Korea for half the price and it was just as quiet so he said.

Deal was---- you order it, you open it up and you turn it on for me , if I don't like it I walk away!

In the end I got a great AC with a side vent which I like even better and its QUIET. I hate that its not made here but that is my only complaint and now I am a Freidrich customer. 

So I guess you are looking at $300 either way, it just rests with sentiment.
 
Tough call. I know what a Friedrich is but I don't know what a 'wallmaster' is. 2-part indoor/outdoor? Like windowmaster but not in a window?

Can tell you that in this apartment when the outdoor unit fails it is discarded and replaced with another non-electronic unit. Being an apartment they are going to do what is most practical. If you change refrigerants the whole thing has to go. They still sell outside units (condensers) and they contain a relay and two capacitors, NOT electronic which I agree you probably don't want.
 
Did they

give you a name and a number for a technician? I suppose it might be more possible to find a technician for a non-central air conditioner in New York City than elsewhere......here, window/wall air conditioners are considered to be more disposable than repairable.

I'm always more inclined to repair than replace.

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
Repair it

Sounds like you might have a bad capacitor. I hope you can get it repaired. Why subject yourself to some crappy replacement that comes from China.
 
Repair It

The older air conditioners are soooo much better. I cool my house with 2 ancient GE window units, a 12000 Btu from 1980 in the living room and a 6000 Btu from 1986 in the bedroom. The only repair I've ever had to do is replace the thermostat on the large unit in the living room. The repairman wanted me to upgrade to a new one, so I ordered the part and fixed it myself. They may not be as energy efficient, but everyone I know with the newer models ends up having to replace theirs every 3 or 4 years, so I'm keeping my old ones.
 
Thanks Guys

Yes, Friedrich did recommend a local appliance repair service in our area. Call out charge is about $100 but the amount is credited towards any work required.

Thankfully this happened at the end of summer/early fall so aside from the odd very warm day it shouldn't be that much of a worry, not having a working AC that is.

Am also scouting around CL for used but decent units at price equal to or less than repairs.

By the way "Wall Master" is the name given to a series of AC units made by Friedrich that fit Fedder's thru the wall sleeves. Here in NYC most large apartment buildings and some private homes have a wall cut-out for the AC instead of putting it through a window.
 
would be cooler to fix the old one if it isn't too bad-if compressor had a
mechanical failure it may have sent particles throughout the system that would
need mucked out...
Ihave an'09 small friedrich"x-star series"that bought slightly damaged and fixed
up-really like it,but it is not quite all the way"made in usa"-marked
"assembled in mexico"the compressor is korean LG while the fan motor,cord/GFCI,
electronic control,aren't marked to origin but look asian.The rest of the parts,
including the evap and condenser coils do look to be U.S.origin
 
In 1955 we had window units while our neighbor had central. Their house was a year newer. I consider that the cusp. Since then, EVERYthing here is central. It runs 6 months, late April through early October.

So "Wallmaster" is a one-piece unit. Certainly replace the capacitors before giving up on it. Do it yourself, as the capacitors themselves are relatively cheap but if you PAY someone to replace them they will gouge you 4:1 for the part alone. My central condenser is a year old and has already needed the capacitors replaced.
 
I'd wait....

Launderess whether you repair or replace, id let that bad boy sit just like it is  till right after the holidays. You could probably find a demo model cheap foreign machine, to get by with till cold weather.  Then you would have a spare.  An extra, cheap, a/c purchased after Labor day, is a good thing for everyone to have in the attic.  Seems like our main units always need attention on a Friday evening.  More than once i have had to drag mine out and camp in the bedroom,  at least you can stay in your home until help arrives. alr 

 
Friedrich

I too had heard about how quiet the Friedrich units are. So I bought an 8,000 BTU last summer. Looking at their Web Site, I was thinking "Thank God... something made here in the states. Went to the dealer bought one, and didn't notice until I took the unit out of the truck... there it was."Made in China".
I actually went through 2 units as the first 2 were loaded with rattles and vibration noises. I believe I paid just about $300.00. The last unit I bought was off a pallet at BJs was a Sharp for $169.00. On high or Low it sounded like a Lear Jet in the Bedroom winding up for Take Off. I ended up giving it away, and the person that took it for free, gave it away too. The warrenty card for the Sharp asked if you purchased this unit for it's "Library" Quiet operation.
 
I'd check out some used appliance stores. Sleeve units always cost a high premium over standard window units, double in many cases. Our Habitat Restore has had a few go through this past summer in fact there was one there last week and still may be there since now the "heat wave" is gone people aren't crazy. The Restore sells any a/c quite cheap.. usually around $50, the sleeve units they were asking around $75-85. Not bad considering new they're around $500-600 or more.
 
We always called the units like your's "Thru The Wall" units. In mid century apt buildings they are usually under the large window in the living room. We had a small apt where the unit cooled the whole apt and was located centrally in a hall.
 
Fix it if you liked it.

Earlier this summer my central air went out. Since I am moving, I went and bought a window unit. I got an 8000 btu Frigidaire for $210. The darn thing works well, but it's as loud as hell.

Later in the summer, a friend asked me about installing a late 1950's RCA window unit in another room to help the other one cool the space. I had never used the old one, but figured why not. Of course, it weighed a ton. It doesn't blow as much air as the new one, but it's QUIET!

Now that the weather has cooled off, the new ac is off. My ancient RCA is quietly doing it's job. I hate loud ac units as much as I hate loud forced air heating. I am baffled that they obviously could build a quiet ac unit in 1960, but somehow forgot the formula by 2011.

I guess the new Frigidaire is really energy efficient since it's off.
 
Those Kühl units look very nice! I'm sure that it would last you a lifetime! But they are a pretty penny!

I didn't know it but it seems that Friedrich is also very big with split system air conditioning and heat pumps too.

How many BTU's do you need?

Here is a link to new wallmaster units by Friedrich....

WallMaster AC from Friedrich with QuietMaster Technology | Friedrich

WallMaster AC with QuiteMaster tech, 24-hour money-saver settings,& energy star models? All with durability, quality, even for thicker wall installations.
www.friedrich.com www.friedrich.com
 
I am wondering if the older units were quieter because they:

1.  Were made of metal instead of lighter plastic.

2.  Had insulation around the entire unit's inside workings

3.  Used a squirelcage blower instead of a fan.

 

I have central air, but I have the upstairs room closed off as it isn't used that often.  There was a Frigidaire plastic model in the window when I bought the house.  The little Frigidaire (Made in China) does a decent job of cooling when needed but it is louder than it should be in the room.  Also the sound of the compressor drones down the wall boards and can be heard in the basement when it's running.

 

Luckily it is only used if we have company, or if someone is working up there.  I think it's only been turned on about four or five times in the last four years.

 
 

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