A conventional split system is used at outdoor temperatures ranging from -5 ° to + 43 ° C. To cool the room in the frosty season, when the outside thermometer marks down to -30 ° C, a low-temperature kit or a winter package is installed in its outdoor unit, which includes several separate components. It solves a number of important technical problems, which will be discussed below.
Without such equipment, it is impossible to start the air conditioner in winter, as this provokes a breakdown of the device in a very short time.
This article will consider the most frequently asked questions regarding this equipment: what is its purpose, how it is arranged, how to install it, is it possible to operate the air conditioner in winter not only for cold, but also for heating with such protection.
Air conditioner operation in winter
Before starting to study the main topic, you should immediately stipulate that the use of a protective complex makes it possible only to cool the room in frosts, while heating is excluded. Do not believe the reviews of users who installed a winter kit for an air conditioner and claim that it is not the first winter that they are successfully warming up. Even if the equipment does not break down immediately, then frequent repairs are provided in any case.
The device that ensures the operation of the air conditioning system for heat at low temperatures simply does not exist, since it is impossible to organize purely technically.
The fact is that the working substance in the air conditioner - freon - when circulating along the circuit, absorbs heat and gives off cold, due to which the air is cooled. If this process occurs in cold weather, then the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit becomes too large or oversized. To eliminate the problem, a rational solution has been found - to reduce its size by slowing down the fan rotation, which provides a rotation retarder or the so-called variator. It is included in the winter package for the air conditioner and maintains the necessary fan blowing of the heat exchanger.
When the air conditioner is operating for heating, the heat exchanger, on the contrary, becomes too small or undersized. The solution to this problem has not yet been found, since this node cannot be increased purely physically. From this we can conclude that the low-temperature package does not affect the quality of heating in any way and is not able to provide it.
What generally happens when the air conditioner starts up in cold / heat in winter, when the thermometer shows below 0 ° C? For normal heat transfer, the phase transition temperature must be 10-15 ° C lower than the ambient temperature. If outside the thermometer shows less than 0 ° C, then the evaporation temperature will be below zero. This is the reason for the freezing of the heat exchanger and the drop in performance, since there is a direct dependence on the evaporation pressure.
There is simply a lack of power for normal evaporation, and freon begins to flow to the compressor suction.
Those who allow the operation of the air conditioner in the winter without additional equipment run the risk of spoiling the equipment, since most often if the temperature limits set by the manufacturer are violated, a water hammer occurs, the compressor overheats due to the ingress of freon and its final breakdown.
Since it is impossible to increase the performance of the air conditioner when working for heating in cold weather with any winter set, it is recommended to use heat pumps with an enlarged heat exchanger to generate heat.
The device and purpose of the winter package
What is included in the standard winter package for an air conditioner? It:
- fan retarder;
- heating the compressor crankcase;
- drainage heating.
The first component has several more names that can be found in the instructions for installing the winter kit on an air conditioner or in professional literature: a fan speed variator, a condensing temperature controller and a fan speed retarder.
Its purpose is to change the performance of the outdoor unit fan based on the freon pressure and optimize the operation of the air conditioner in a wide range of outdoor temperatures. In this case, the fan can slow down or accelerate depending on the electrical power going to its electric motor. The variator consists of:
- boards;
- connecting cable;
- temperature sensor.
The board is compact and is mounted on self-tapping screws in the electronics compartment, where access to dirt, dust and moisture is excluded. Special mounting holes are provided for installation. It has silicone protection and intelligent control. A temperature sensor is required to control the condensing temperature. With respect to its measurements, either the device is turned off or turned on. The colder, the more intense the work. When it gets warmer, as a rule, most modern winter kits have an automatic shutdown.
Heating the compressor crankcase ensures a warm start of the air conditioner. It heats the oil in the crankcase to normalize its physical properties, thereby ensuring the correct operation of the compressor. If a cold start occurs, the oil foams and fills the cavity of the compressor, after which it breaks down.
In split systems, moisture is removed from the indoor unit through a drain hose, which is most often pulled outside. In winter, condensation freezes very quickly. Heated drain eliminates this problem by heating the outlet tube. Ice does not form on the outlet, and condensation does not flood the room.
Most often, this element cannot self-regulate its operation, therefore, when installing the winter kit on the air conditioner, a separate switch is provided at the facility so that the user can turn it off when the temperature rises.
Installation and connection of the winter kit
Before proceeding to consider the issue of installing and connecting a winter kit to an air conditioner, it should be noted that it was originally provided for on / off models. In inverter systems, there is no need for a control board, since the variability of changing the fan speed is already included in the control module of the external unit. They only require heating of the drain and the compressor crankcase, that is, the installation is assumed in a truncated version. Any installation and commissioning work begins with studying the schematic diagram of connecting a winter kit to an air conditioner, which can be found in several places. For most devices, it is printed on the variator board or placed in the installation instructions for the winter package, which is included in the kit with the device itself.
Features of the
The schematic diagram cannot be the same for everyone, therefore, in each individual case, the option recommended for a particular model is used.
Why is that? There are many nuances here. The fact is that split systems operating only for cold do not have a four-way valve, so the process is simplified. In devices operating in the heat pump mode, this element is present, which somewhat complicates the installation and connection of the kit to the air conditioner. Depending on the number of fan speed modes, the installation can occur either in a phase gap or in a neutral gap.For some fans, the minimum speed mode corresponds to the minimum possible speed, so the installation of a fan rotation regulator may be impractical.
Compressor crankcase heater and rotation control
So, the installation of the winter kit on the air conditioner begins with the disassembly of the outdoor unit case. First, the module is dismantled, then the protective and top covers are removed from the service ports and the front panel is removed.
First of all, the compressor crankcase heating is attached. It is put on the lower part of the crankcase to heat the oil more efficiently. A constant voltage must be provided. This will eliminate the possibility of cold starting and oil foaming. After that, the rotation regulator is connected to the fan circuit break. For start-stop models, this usually requires an individual power supply. It is taken from a separately laid wire.
Also, when the winter kit is connected, it is envisaged to simultaneously turn on the variator with the start of the air conditioner compressor, while it should remain possible to restore the previous split-system scheme in case of elimination of the modification equipment.
The fan retarder has a temperature sensor. It is installed on the condenser roll, located in the middle of 1/3 of the upper part of the heat exchanger in the direction of the freon movement. This is where their optimal contact takes place, ensuring an accurate determination of the condensing temperature. The variator itself is installed and powered, focusing on the schematic diagram of connecting the low-temperature kit to the air conditioner, while it is better to fasten its wires with plastic clamps - this will reduce the load on the terminals.
After connecting the power, the external unit is assembled, ensuring that all elements are securely fastened to their original places. Clamps connect the wires into one node, trying to fix them so that they do not come into contact with the body of the device and connecting the lines of the two blocks. Be sure to check the efficiency of the regulator by first running the air conditioner in cooling mode, and then in heating mode. Readings are taken with a manometer or thermometer.
Drainage heating
Then the drainage heating is installed, fixing it with plastic clamps to the drainage hose, and supplying power to it. As a rule, if the external unit of the air conditioner does not have a supply terminal, then an additional supply cable is laid along with the interconnect cable. In the presence of a supply terminal, drainage heating, as well as compressor crankcase heating, is powered from it.
At the end of the article, an approximate wiring diagram for a winter kit will be given, which is suitable for on / off models. For inverter split systems, the equipment is diagnosed first and only then the installation is carried out according to a suitable scheme. Some manufacturers produce air conditioners that can be combined with winter sets of the same brand.
After all the stages of installation are completed, you can start the air conditioner in operation, but for reliable operation in winter, external protection of the outdoor unit is also required. In a private house, it can be placed in the under-balcony space, and in an apartment building, the device is hidden under a special canopy that blocks direct access to precipitation.
Before installation, it is necessary to study the product passport with a schematic diagram.
Reviews and cost
You can buy a winter package either separately or together with the installation. It is possible to purchase each item by the piece. The advantage of buying equipment with a package of services is that the company gives guarantees for the work carried out and the equipment installed.
Depending on the configuration of additional equipment and the capacity of the split system, the cost of a winter kit for an air conditioner and its installation varies on average from 6,000 to 10,000 rubles.
The most popular manufacturers of these options are the following brands:
- BALLU;
- DAIKIN;
- FREONIX;
- GENERAL CLIMATE;
- MIDEA;
- MITSUBISHI.
Judging by the reviews of buyers and professional installers, winter kits for air conditioners of the BALLU and GENERAL CLIMATE brands are in the greatest demand, since the ratio of their cost and quality is quite satisfied with the majority of users.
Separate components for a truncated installation, such as heating of the drain and the compressor crankcase, temperature sensors, are mainly produced by Russian and Italian companies:
- NORTH-5;
- RDK-8.4;
- GPC-25X;
- FASEC-33.
The final cost of a package for an air conditioner for winter start-up also depends on the modification of the regulator, the range of temperatures it supports and the maximum load current. But to obtain an accurate figure, it is necessary to inspect the device by a master.
conclusions
For a household split system, there is no need to install a low-temperature package, since it is unlikely that an air conditioner will need to be started for cooling in an apartment in winter, and electric heaters provide efficient and energy-efficient heating.
