How to solve a portable AC cooling problem? In this article, we’ll examine the six most typical causes of portable air conditioner failure as well as how to test your unit for each one and fix it.
One of the most typical reasons why portable air conditioners don’t produce enough cooling is leaky exhaust hoses. In air conditioning, airflow is crucial for the refrigerant to evaporate.
Let’s get your air conditioner to start blowing cool air once more.
Potential Causes Why a Portable AC Does Not Cool
Temperature Setting is Higher Than the Room Temperature
In the summer, a cooling/heating system’s middle-temperature setting is largely determined by the temperature of the room.
As a result, setting the temperature of a reverse cycle portable air conditioner higher than room temperature instructs the device to heat while setting it lower instructs the device to cool.
Therefore, if your portable AC is not blowing cold air, it’s possible that you set the thermostat (even slightly) higher than the room’s temperature, instructing your cooling system to heat rather than cool.
Poor Heat Ventilation
The purpose of an air conditioner is to circulate cooled air inside a room while removing heat from the space and transferring it outside.
Here’s how this works:
- The air conditioner is cooled by drawing hot, humid air from the room.
- Through the condensing function that the coils perform, the air is cooled down.
- The chilly air is returned to your room.
- The byproduct moisture is collected in a drain bucket.
- Through a vent hose, the heat generated during the process is released outside.
The air will warm up and your portable air conditioner won’t be blowing cold air if this final step is not carried out properly and the heat from the cooling process is being retained in and around the device.
Compressor Hasn’t Turned on Yet
After turning on, the compressor of many air conditioners takes up to five minutes to begin operating. This is done to shield the system from the temperature swings that occur when going from a hot or warm state to a cool state.
Additionally, the compressor is shielded by this five-minute delay from the pressure that the refrigerant flow at the reverse valve creates.
Dirty Filters
Almost every issue with an air conditioner can be brought on by dirty AC filters. Why? Because proper airflow is necessary for the operation of air conditioners.
The airflow into your HVAC system is restricted by dirty portable AC filters, which can prevent cool air from escaping from the system.
Additionally, clogged portable AC filters force the cooling system to work harder than necessary to maintain your comfort. In addition to facilitating the accumulation of dirt and/or mold in other AC components, the dirt on the filters also makes it easier for those components to malfunction, which raises the cost of repairs.
The Fan Power is Set to LOW
Cool air is dispersed throughout the room by a portable AC fan. The fan’s speed setting (LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH) controls how quickly it performs that.
It might appear that your portable AC isn’t blowing cold air if the volume of air being distributed is insufficient to cool the room.
Frozen Cooling Coils
Frost can cause the cooling coils (evaporator coils) of a portable air conditioner to freeze if there is insufficient airflow and poor condensate draining.
If the moisture condenses at the coils’ low temperatures, this will take place. As a result of the compromised airflow, your portable AC won’t blow cold air.
If you suspect that the cooling coils in your portable AC are frozen and causing the portable AC not to cool, you have two choices to correct the issue:
- To have your cooling system checked, contact a qualified HVAC. Your AC may rattle occasionally due to frozen evaporator coils, much like a frozen refrigerator’s cooling coils would rattle. Your AC likely needs repair as a result of that noise.
If you fill out the form at the end of the article and allow us to put you in touch with a dependable HVAC specialist nearby, we can speed up the repair process for you.
- Check to confirm that your portable AC cooling coils are indeed frozen and troubleshoot following these steps:
- Power off your unit.
- Take off the grill that is covering the filter on the back of your portable air conditioner.
- Take the air filter off.
- If there is any ice buildup, look at the compartment’s top.
- Keep your portable air conditioner off if the cooling coils are frozen and wait for the frost to melt. This might require a full day.
The Portable AC Has a Low Refrigerant Charge
In air conditioners, the fluid that circulates through the cooling system to absorb and release heat from the cooling chamber is known as the refrigerant.
It is passed through the compressor and condenser, going from liquid to gas to liquid again.
Your portable AC won’t successfully finish the cooling process if it was undercharged with refrigerant during the manufacturing process or if it has a leak.
Your portable air conditioner won’t be blowing cold air because more heat is being trapped in the cooling chamber, which is one of the four signs that it needs more refrigerant. Longer cooling cycles, high energy costs, and frozen refrigerant lines are the other 3 issues.
Your AC is Presenting An Error Code
Error codes can also stop a portable air conditioner from blowing cold air. The user manual that is included with your cooling unit’s user interface can help you interpret error codes, which is one thing about them.
Error codes for portable air conditioners that prevent your device from cooling down frequently have to do with the way the fan operates, the outside temperature, problems with condensate drainage, and refrigerant problems, among other things.
How to Fix
If your portable AC is not blowing cold air because it has a setting higher than the room temperature, perform these troubleshooting steps:
- Verify that COOL mode is selected on the thermostat.
- Check the room’s temperature right now.
- Achieve the level of cooling that is comfortable for you by reducing the AC temperature setting by one degree at a time. The more you save on cooling costs, keep in mind, the closer the setting is to the room temperature mark.
If your portable AC is not blowing cold air due to improper venting, you should check your vent hose for these faults:
- Check to see that the vent hose is sitting straight and has no bends preventing the hot air from being sent to outdoors.
- Ensure that the vent hose is no longer than 5 feet as longer vents delay the elimination of the hot air, making it stay longer around the portable cooling unit.
- Check the vent hose for blockages that could be sending the hot air back to the cooling unit.
- Check the vent hose for leaks at the joints (both at Installing the AC and the windows) or check the hose for cracks or holes. These might be letting hot air out while warming the cooled air again.
Before concluding that your portable compressor isn’t blowing cold air if it hasn’t started blowing cold air after the usual 5-minute delay, make sure you are not inside that window. After the 5-minute wait, your compressor should begin to operate.
After this period, if your compressor still won’t start, you might be dealing with more serious issues than just a kick-on delay. In general, an experienced HVAC technician should handle issues with a portable AC compressor.
As a general rule, you should change or clean your portable AC’s filters every three months if they are the cause of the unit’s inability to blow cold air.
Here’s how you can clean your portable AC filter:
- Your portable air conditioner should not be running.
- Get rid of the filter’s protective grid. While you’re at it, clean the grid as well.
- air filter out of the way.
- After cleaning the filter, rinse it with fresh water after rinsing it with a solution of warm water and a little dish soap. If you regularly clean your filter once a month, you might only need to give them a light dusting with a soft cloth or blow the dust away with a vacuum attachment.
- Keep the filter outside to finish drying.
- The grid and filter should be changed.
- Check to see if your portable AC starts to blow cold air.
Change the setting on your portable AC fan to HIGH and check to see if that fixes the problem if it is currently on LOW and not blowing cold air.
Check out some of the other potential issues listed in this article if your fan seems to be having issues that go beyond the LOW setting.
It will be difficult for you to inspect the issue because you will need to disassemble the portable AC if it is not blowing cold air due to a low refrigerant charge. Doing this yourself is not something I advise. Instead, make the repairs yourself by calling a qualified HVAC technician.
Simply complete the following form to find a local HVAC repair expert. The top HVAC companies in your area will be connected to you and will contact you with quotes. Without lifting a finger, you can fix your AC by selecting the most affordable option.
Check the error code in the user manual if your portable AC is not blowing cold air because it is displaying one. Then, based on the explanation, decide whether it is possible to resolve the problem yourself or whether you need to contact a HVAC professional.
Remember that the best course of action for a portable AC that is not producing cold air is always to contact a professional HVAC repair technician.
Your Portable AC is Still Not Cooling?
If you completed every step in this manual and your portable air conditioner still won’t cool, there’s a good chance that there is a more complicated issue at hand.
It might be a problem with the portable AC’s electronic circuitry or a leaking duct system.
You should either get a pro to look at it in this situation, or you could just buy a new portable AC.
Fixing portable air conditioners might not even be worthwhile because of how inexpensive they are.
In general, I try to fix broken things whenever I can, but sometimes it just isn’t possible. See if you can find more information about your problem in forums and videos.
If you have the ability to repair it, do so. Purchase a new AC if not.
Conclusion
Make sure you follow every instruction in this guide to fix your portable AC if it isn’t blowing cold air.
They are all routine maintenance procedures that you ought to perform frequently. This guarantees longevity and raises the performance of your portable AC.
FAQs
How Do You Fix a Portable Air Conditioner That is Not Cooling?
Review the electrical plug for the air conditioner. There should be a test and reset button for a built-in breaker: press the “test” button to trip the breaker, then push firmly on the reset button and try to turn the air conditioner on again.
Why is My AC Running But Not Getting Cooler?
A blocked or clogged condenser coil may be the cause of your air conditioner running but failing to reduce the temperature inside. In order to remove heat energy from your home, the condenser fan draws air into the outdoor unit through the condenser coil.
Why is My Portable AC Blowing Warm Air?
Low freon levels are the most frequent cause of air conditioners blowing warm air. The freon expansion (which converts it from a liquid to a gas) is insufficient there because there isn’t enough freon. Therefore, the cooling coil won’t be sufficiently cooled; in fact, the longer the AC is running, the possibility of the cooling coil warming up exists.