I’ll probably sound stupid, but after 6 years in Japan, I still can’t figure out how these machines are working.
I’ve always had pretty standard models, like the Panasonic CS221DFL, with the 3 modes (warm, dry, fresh) and the same interface as probably 90% of the units on the market. For example, if I press on the fresh air button, 24ºC, blow power 2/4, direction automatic: why does the unit stop at some point? Is it because it reached the desired temperature (so it’s not blowing air at 24, it’s blowing fresh air until it reaches 24)? In that case, after it stops, why does it take so long to start blowing again? My poorly insulated apartment makes it impossible to keep a comfortable temperature more than 5 minutes, yet the air con unit often stops for 10-15 minutes.
Is there a way to 100% manually control it? And what is the 自動 mode for, if it sometimes stop automatically in the other modes?
Thank you.
by broboblob
13 comments
Usually aircon have three settings. Heating, air conditioning, and dehumidifier. Depending on the age of the unit, it could be breaking and no longer reading the temperature correctly. Although, if the unit detects the temperature to be low enough, it should turn off for a bit of time until it’s warm enough to turn on a again.
>it’s blowing fresh air until it reaches 24)?
Pretty much.
AFAIK most (all?) ACs keep their coils at maximum coldness, and regulate the cooling provided to the room by changing the blower speed. Higher blower speed -> more cold air -> more cooling.
>And what is the 自動 mode for
Probably automatic blower speed control.
Personally I had the best results with just leaving the AC on fully automatic, but mine is a slightly fancier model.
You mentioned you have blow power (I am assuming this is 風量?) at 2/4? If you have it at a certain setting, I think the air being blown in shouldn’t change. If it’s on 自動 then it’ll re-adjust the wind speed depending on the detected temperature. If you’re in a rented apartment, consider asking the management to check.
~~How old is the AC? The 5 year mark is around when they need to be replaced~~
The part where it’s blowing room temp air reminds me of when the AC in my old unit needed to be replaced. If you’re renting, it’ll come out of the landlord’s pocket, but you still gotta go through the agita of scheduling. Best to inquire with the real estate company
The reason my AC broke is because the refrigerant or whatever was leaking.
Older units tend to be inaccurate in my experience. I lived in a lot of old apartments with old units and they always had to be tweaked a lot to be comfortable.
But yes, like you said, the unit heats or cools the room to the temperature setting you specify and then goes into a lower power mode until it detects that the temperature changes.
But there is a cycling time between power modes. If you get the room cooled down to the temp you specified and then suddenly open all the doors changing the temp again, it will still take a little while for the unit to kick in again and start cooling. I don’t know if it’s a mechanical or power limition, but I would guess it’s a heuristics thing set by the manufacturer. You don’t want your machine to be ramping up and down constantly if the temperature is constantly fluctuating. So there’s always a delay in between cycles.
Typically aircons have 5 operation modes: Auto(自動), Cooler(冷房), Dry/Defumidify(除湿orドライ), Fan(送風 just wind, no compressor used), and Heater(暖房).
Regarding Auto for operation mode, its onboard MCU read ambient temp and determine what to do. Kind of same as recent car ac, but for home ac I dont think many people use that mode.
Typically there is yet another 自動 (auto) , and that’s for wind/fan speed/strength level.
There must be buttons dedicated for each.
If you want to make room cooler, choose Cooler mode 冷房, not auto, and set the temp to however low you want, typically lowest max is 18C or around.
Typically aircondioners in Japan repeat on and off (fan stops or go very slow, compressor load adjusted as well) for keeping temp in designated zone, but if you go to South Asia for example, those airconditioners tend to keep running, at least keep sending air nonstop, seems they adjust temp by compressor load adjustment.
just read the 64 pages instruction manual
It probably just can’t detect the temp well. maybe try a recirculator fan ?
The only way I know to keep the A/C working continuously is to set it to the lowest possible temperature. It will keep trying to hit that temperature so it will keep working.
But that might also not be the best idea in terms of power consumption/ living in a meat locker.
Alternatively you could set it 2 degrees lower than your ideal, so it would alternate between “slightly too cold” and “ideal” rather than “ideal” and “slightly too warm.”
I want to tell an A/C what temperature the room is should be be, I’ll leave how it works achieves that to its own imagination.
But no, I have to tell it cold 25 degrees or warm 25 degrees.
I’ve been keeping my AC on dehumidificatipn but I dont know how to set it. If I set a certain temperature, my table clock will show that the AC will go lower than the set temp. Also it will always pause working when humidity is at 60%. I don’t know how to manually set the humidity I want.
If you have a manual, take a picture of each page after it has been translated by Google translate. Then you can refer back to that when you have issues
> 3 modes (warm, dry, fresh)
I think you’re talking about 冷房? Cooling mode. There’s no “fresh” mode.
> it’s blowing fresh air
To clarify what seems like a common misconception: There is no new air coming in from outside via your Aircon system. Aircons are recirculators – sucking in room air from the front, cooling it through the cold fins, and blowing back out in to the room. In summer it’s the same, except the fins become warm and heat the air.
What about that piping that goes outside to the compressor? There’s no external air going through it. The only things going to that outside box are refrigerant pipes, and a drainage tube.