Portable air conditioner died, worth trying to fix?

[DaveyWaveyGravy]

(Apologies if this is the from forum section -- I couldn't find an alternative section that looked more suitable.)

I have a portable 'single unit' air conditioner, which I think is basically an unbranded version of this: https://www.aircondirect.co.uk/p/10...itioner-with-heat-pump-for-rooms-up-to-40-sqm

It's probably 6 or 7 years old. I've used it most summers, on full whack for about 5-6 hours a day, without any problems.

Yesterday I turned it on for the first time this year, and it started working fine as usual. But after a couple of hours, it died. No fan spinning, no compressor sound, no lights on the display, unresponsive control panel, just dead (as if it wasn't receiving power). I have been unable to get it to turn on since.

Obviously the first thing I did was to check the (13A) fuse in the plug. The fuse is fine. (I even replaced it with a new fuse, which made no difference.)

So my question is: is it worth the time/hassle/cost of trying to get it repaired? On one side, I'm loathe to chuck it away and spend £500 on a new one if a repair would be cheaper (and less wasteful). On the other side, I have no idea what might have failed, or whether or not the failed part is even replaceable, and I don't want to waste time and money locating and calling out a suitably knowledgeable repair person if it's likely a lost cause anyway.

 

[Mottie]

Can you check the feed from the cable to inside and see where the power stops? Might be a simple failed connection.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

So my question is: is it worth the time/hassle/cost of trying to get it repaired? On one side, I'm loathe to chuck it away and spend £500 on a new one if a repair would be cheaper (and less wasteful). On the other side, I have no idea what might have failed, or whether or not the failed part is even replaceable, and I don't want to waste time and money locating and calling out a suitably knowledgeable repair person if it's likely a lost cause anyway.

It is one of those items, I would attempt some DIY diagnostics on - the fault is fairly obviously an electrical one.

If as you suggest, the plug fuse is OK, open the unit up, and see if there might be an internal fuse, but isolate it from the mains first.

 

[jj4091]

If you have been using a 4.4Kw appliance. plugged into a 13 A socket for the sort of lengths of time you mention I would check the socket for signs of overheating and that it is actually got an output ( Live and Neutral ) to the air conditioner.

 

[RandomGrinch]

If you have been using a 4.4Kw appliance. plugged into a 13 A socket for the sort of lengths of time you mention I would check the socket for signs of overheating and that it is actually got an output ( Live and Neutral ) to the air conditioner.

4.4kW is the cooling capacity of the AC unit.
The electrical power consumption will be below 2kWh; there shouldn't be an overheating issue with plug, or socket.

 

[jj4091]

4.4kW is the cooling capacity of the AC unit.
The electrical power consumption will be below 2kWh; there shouldn't be an overheating issue with plug, or socket.

Yes not knowing anything about air-con I was just alarmed by the description I should have read on to the technical info. Still needs to check it has an out put though . Perhaps trying an extension lead plugged into a different socket might be the easiest thing to try if he has no meter.

 

[DaveyWaveyGravy]

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

I finally managed to get the thing open (only 20 screws in a variety of obscure locations).

The power feeds into a circuit board, which is busy with lots of connected wires, and components that looks like capacitors and resistors. (My electronics knowledge is close to non-existent, but I recognise those things from science lessons at school many decades ago.)

There is nothing visibly awry. All the connections look good. I can't see an obvious internal fuse (although I guess one of the components on the circuit board could be one).

I checked the live feed to the circuit board using a multimeter, and it looks good (about 240V AC, as expected).

I'm going to try to disconnect everything from the circuit board and take it out for a closer look. I don't expect many insights though.