Visor for the conditioner: options of protection of the external block + arrangement of a canopy

The outdoor unit and compressor are the most expensive part of the air conditioner. They are located in the area most susceptible to mechanical damage. In order to protect the external module and inter-unit communications from falling icicles, shedding of old plaster, and other troubles, reliable protection is necessary.

We will talk about what constitutes and how to install a visor for the air conditioner. In the article we proposed, the specifics of the design are examined in detail, a guide for its installation is given. Recommendations on operation are given, compliance with which will help to extend the working life of the equipment and the canopy itself.

Briefly about the device air conditioner

Household air conditioning consists of two units - indoor and outdoor. Between them, the functions of the condenser and evaporator are clearly distributed. The condenser is the outdoor unit, and the evaporator is the indoor unit. These two parts are combined with each other via a line including control wires and tubes for refrigerant circulation.

TO internal module condensate drain pipe connected. According to the instructions, it must be connected to the sewage system. There are designs that have several indoor units, then they are called multisplit systems, but they are arranged on the same principle.

The outdoor module has a rectangular shape and includes in its design: a fan that blows the condenser (1); a condenser that provides cooling of the refrigerant and its condensation (2); a compressor serving to ensure the movement of the cooled refrigerant along the circuit (3); control board (4); 4-way valve, which is included in the design of split systems working both for cooling and heating (5); nipple mounts (6), filter (7), cover (8)

Mount the outdoor unit in compliance with the horizontal in all planes. It is necessary that the wind blows over it - when protecting the device, this moment must be taken into account.The ideal case is when the outside of the appliance is on a balcony or under a weight.

If the apartment is located on the top floor, the outdoor module is sometimes installed on the roof. This option is possible when the highway does not exceed 1-15 m in length.

When installing condensing unit the minimum distance of 100 mm is observed on the wall of the house, otherwise, in hot weather, the compressor may fail due to poor airflow. Be protected from all kinds of negative influences not only the part of the air conditioner itself, but also the main line that combines both parts of the device.

Arguments and guidelines for choosing an air conditioner for arranging an apartment given here. We recommend reading useful material.

Air conditioner canopy design

The design of the visor is simple: a steel sheet with a minimum thickness of 2 mm is welded or screwed onto the support unit made of corners. All this is anchored to the wall.

In addition to galvanized steel, a corrugated board, polycarbonate, triplex glass and other materials are used to make the visor. The metal is painted in bright colors. If you choose polycarbonate, the noise level from falling drops will be much reduced, but it will not be able to withstand heavy loads.

Visor dimensions are selected depending on the individual size of the external module of the split system. The optimal dimensions are 100 x 55 cm. The height of the support is 25 cm, the slope is about 70⁰. A popular material for the manufacture of protection is galvanized steel.

Can you do without a visor?

On the need for a canopy for a split system, there are mixed opinions. Often, even from experts, you can hear that its installation is not necessary. Really, assembly instructionattached to the air conditioner does not require the presence of such a protective device.

The very design of the external module of the device took into account that it will constantly experience atmospheric effects. The moment was taken into account that the heat exchanger and fan blades will be cleaned of dust settled on them during rain. This is essential to maintain an efficient heat exchange.

The visor prevents washing of the heat exchanger and dirt gradually settles on it, and sometimes birds settle. On the other hand, pieces of ice falling from the roof actually damage the outdoor unit.

In old houses, both the collapsing brick parapets and the trim elements are a threat to the outdoor module. Therefore, those who believe that having installed an air conditioner need to take care of protecting its outdoor unit.

Although the metal case of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is designed for installation from the side of the street, but if an ice growth falls on it from a great height of impressive size, it is unlikely to withstand such an attack

The external module itself may not suffer damage from exposure to ice or fallen off heavy fragments of the finish, and communication tubes are likely to be damaged.

Repairing and refueling with a refrigerant requires considerable investments, so it is better to install protection for the external unit of your air conditioner and periodically clean the case - this will cost less. The specifics of self servicing split systems The article we recommend reading is devoted to.

How to arrange noise protection?

Opponents of installing visors above air conditioners often give the argument that when it gets raindrops, noise is created that causes discomfort for both the owner of the equipment and its neighbors.

This problem has a solution - you can stick rubber to the surface. She is an excellent noise absorber.

Some craftsmen arrange vibration isolation by gluing roofing felt or noise insulation tape. For this, silicate glue is used. The surface, before the procedure, degrease.

What is anti-vandal protection?

If the apartment is on the first or last floor, then the issue of protecting the external module from the attacks of vandals becomes relevant. Theft of it often just does not make sense - it is not universal, that is, it is not suitable for any split systems.

Therefore, more often just spoiling for fun. But there are cases when, having destroyed the outdoor module, tubes that are made of copper are removed.

In order not to purchase new parts instead of damaged ones, it’s best to immediately install the anti-vandal protection when installing the air conditioner, which is a metal box with lattice walls. It protects the external unit and makes it inaccessible to outsiders from the street or from the roof.

A grid is made of steel wire with a diameter of 6 to 8 mm. There is no strict requirement for cell size, but it is better to make them no more than 30 mm. The ideal solution is to build a galvanized wire frame that does not corrode and retains an aesthetic appearance for a long time.

Some firms make vandal proof facades from perforated sheets. This design allows good air permeability, does not interfere with its circulation and makes the outdoor unit almost invisible

Thanks to the reliable fastening, unauthorized persons will not be able to dismantle both the canopy for the air conditioner and the anti-vandal protection. You can order such a design according to individual sketches, cover it with polymer paint.

If the outdoor module is placed on the facade of the building and needs to be hidden, a good solution is a decorative panel that does not have fasteners.

Step-by-step installation of a canopy over the air conditioner

Making a visor is quite simple. The installation process looks much more complicated. It is better to entrust this work to specialists, but if this is the first floor, then you can do everything yourself by applying a stepladder and taking someone as your assistant.

The crucial moment is the marking of the points of attachment with chalk, there must be at least six of them. Perform this operation using tape measure and level.

After performing the markup, the following steps are taken:

1. They take a puncher and drill bits for concrete and metal of the required diameter and drill rather deep holes both in the supporting structure of the visor and in the wall.
2. Insert chopped into the holes.
3. Clamp anchor bolts with a diameter of 0.8-1 cm.
4. Put the holes of the visor on the threaded part of the anchor so that about 1 cm remains to screw on the nut.
5. Tighten the nut.

For the manufacture and installation of the visor, an average of 5 m of angular steel products 25x25x4 mm, 1 m² of sheet steel, 4-6 pcs of anchor bolts will be required.

In order for the protective canopy to serve for a long time, for its construction you need to purchase high-quality material, and paint the finished product in a light tone. For normal heat transfer, a gap of at least 100 mm is left.

Install only a visor, and the unit itself at a height can only professionals. It is best to do this in parallel with the installation of the split system itself

It is better not to install the visor above the air conditioner located above the second floor. This applies to high-altitude work for which special clearance is required. They are usually possessed by industrial climbers.

There are times when, after mounting the outdoor module, they forget to remove the transportation net from its back wall. Gradually, fluff, dust penetrates into its cells - they remain there, creating a strong layer. When installing the visor, all this must be removed.

If the unit is located high enough on the building, birds can sit on its outdoor module. To avoid this, sharp spikes are mounted

Some companies make soft covers from a mosquito net to protect the outdoor unit. They protect against dust and poplar fluff, but not from mechanical damage. In addition to them, installation of a canopy is required.

Features of the device for heating

Modern split systems are highly efficient.In some models, one kilowatt spent generates cold or heat in a volume 4 or more times larger.

You can use air conditioning for heating only up to -5 degrees. At lower temperatures, its heat output decreases and can drop to zero, although the units manufactured by the Japanese companies Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric work for heating at -25 degrees.

Introduces the rules for switching the air conditioning system to heat generation next article, which we highly recommend reading.

The outdoor unit of the heating air conditioner must be protected by a canopy from icing and strong wind, otherwise it will not be able to function

In any case, the air conditioner will not function without effective snow-wind protection of the outdoor unit. Therefore, a durable canopy is mounted above it. To prevent the snow falling into the gap between the wall and the rear panel of the module with a strong side wind, the sides are also sewn up.

Outdoor unit care

The external part of the split system needs periodic cleaning at least 2 times a year. Air conditioners located between the fourth and eighth floors are almost inaccessible to dust and small organic debris. They can be cleaned with a period of several years.

The easiest way to use a powerful vacuum cleaner for this procedure. It removes dust from external filters and heat exchanger tubes. Since access to the air conditioner is required to perform maintenance, the protective grille is not made continuous, but with a door in the front or side of the structure. It is locked, and the key is kept only by the owner.

For cleaning, open the door of the anti-vandal protection box, and then open the module case. If there is large debris, it is removed with a brush, and even larger - with a vacuum cleaner. Use a soft-bristle brush to clean the filter grate.

When the external module is located at a low height, cleaning is performed from an ordinary ladder. In the case when a simple device does not provide convenient access to the outdoor unit of the climate system, dismantle the grill, treat the internal contents with a vacuum cleaner and a cloth.

If a considerable height does not allow you to clean the outdoor module yourself, you will have to call specialists.

There is another way, but for this you need a compressor or a cylinder filled with compressed air. Cleaning is performed as follows: a hose is pushed into the body, and then the compressor is turned on or the valve is turned off. Thus, both debris and dust will be outside the condensate box body.

The outdoor module of the split system, located up to the fourth floor, is most prone to contamination, therefore it needs to be cleaned every three months

The fact that the external unit needs urgent cleaning is indicated by the appearance of a characteristic tapping. This may indicate that the fan blades are difficult to rotate due to clogging or the ingress of a foreign object that they cling to during rotation. Condensation leakage may also occur from the outside of the unit.

Especially often, the radiator of the external module is clogged with poplar fluff, which reduces the cooling efficiency up to the complete failure of the unit. Cleaning in this case is performed by a water stream. She washes garbage from all inaccessible places. Immediately after this procedure, the unit can be turned on.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The process of assembling a protective canopy:

Snow and windproof visor for outdoor unit:

After weighing all the advantages and disadvantages of installing a protective canopy, the owner himself must decide on the feasibility of its construction. As practice has shown, when installing a split system, such an element should not be neglected. If you intend to use the unit for heating, you will also need snow and wind protection on the sides of the module.

And what visor did you prefer to protect the external unit of your own air conditioner? It is possible that your option was not described in our article. Please leave comments in the block below, share useful information and photos on the topic, ask questions.