Do Portable Air Conditioners Need R22 Frigerant After Heavy Usage? Do They Need Maintenance?
I'm looking at Amcor portable a/c and they use r22 frigerant i 'm not sure if that's freon, anyways do need freon added every once in a while?
Answer:
It is not usually due to heavy usage. The refrigerant system is a closed system if you need rerigerant it is usually due to non use and seals can dry out causing seepage. But it should not require regular recharging. If that's the case you have a leak. Adding freon or coolant to a sealed system is for the most part a big myth--it is not used up, the only way your unit would need coolant is if it had a leak in the system. If that is the case, just adding more coolant will only be a temporary fix, the leak needs to be found and soldered shut. As long as your unit is working fine and putting out cold air, it should be fine. It is possible to put too much coolant in a system, which can damage it. I had an old fredrich A/C that must have been made in the 1940s or so--probably one of the earliest window A/Cs. It drank electricity like water, but because the system was sealed intact, it put out frigid air in the 1980's just fine. Good example that freon is not "used up". My central unit I have used over 18 years, it has never needed any either. It's a closed system. The only way it needs refrigerant added is if there's a leak. All air conditioners need routine maintenance. The coils will be more efficient if they are professionally cleaned at least once per year. If it has a fan motor that requires oil (some don't require oil) this should also be done annually.