The air conditioner fuse is a consumable item that can be easily replaced with a new one. However, before installing a serviceable part, you should find out the reason for the critical increase in current in the circuit. Otherwise, the new fuse for the air conditioner will blow immediately after turning on the unit. It is worth figuring out where the protective part is and how to replace it at home.
Fuse assignment
A distinctive feature of fuses is that they cannot guarantee full protection of the split-system radio components from damage. This is due to the fact that they are inertial elements. These parts are designed to prevent fire and more serious accidents caused by excessively high currents.
The internal elements are housed in a ceramic or glass capsule. It contains a metal wire through which only a current of a certain magnitude can flow. If the current exceeds the permissible value, the wire melts and the electrical circuit is opened. Thanks uh
This protects the wires and the air conditioner board.
A sudden rise in amperage can be caused by a short circuit or other reasons.
Burnout reasons
Often an element fails after replacing the refrigerant in a split system. One of the symptoms is that the split system does not respond to the control panel. When the air conditioner is turned on, it emits a characteristic sound signal - a click. If it is not, then you should check the serviceability of the plug and the integrity of the fuse.
There are several reasons why the fuse blows when the air conditioner is turned on:
- Burnt varistor. It is a protective element of the circuit that changes resistance when the voltage changes. The varistor burns during voltage surges, lightning strikes, overvoltage of 380 V instead of 220 V. The increased voltage may come when the neutral burns out or is disconnected. To replace the varistor, you will need a soldering iron and soldering skills.
- Short circuit. May occur in compressor windings, built-in drain pump, or fan motor.
- Breakdown of the elements of a switching power supply: diodes and diode bridges, a power switch, microcircuits.
- Incorrect wire connection. With the correct position of the wiring, measure the compressor current.
It is important to consider the above reasons for the combustion of the protective element when diagnosing the circuit, first of all.
Location
The air conditioner fuse is located on the power supply board. It is best to be guided by the place where the main power cable is installed. Before that, you need to remove the case and find the control board. There is a transformer next to it. This is where you need to look for a detail. The protective element can be located in the indoor and outdoor units.
You can find the fuse according to the diagram found in each block. The part is marked with two empty circles, between which a wavy line is drawn.
Where to buy a protective element
You can purchase a protective element at the radio market, at an electrical point of sale or at a hardware store. There are several types of protective elements:
- Placed in clamping jaws and protected from above by a plastic cover that prevents the scattering of debris during actuation.
- Sometimes parts are used that have soldering leads - they are more scarce, but they are easier to replace with conventional ones - by soldering.
When buying a fuse, take into account the size of the part. The allowable voltage should be the same as that of the old part.
A bug instead of a fuse
You can find the rating of the protective element on its base or on the board - at the installation site. Often, after the second blown fuse, repairmen install a "bug" - a jumper from the wire that replaces the safety element.
A bug can be crafted from a single copper core. Even thin versions have a tripping current of several tens of amperes. In this case, the standard fuse in the air conditioner is designed for 3-6 A. For this reason, the boards of split systems often burn out after installing a bug. Such situations are characterized by the following malfunctions:
- burning of board tracks;
- breakage of transformer windings;
- failure of the remaining winding elements;
- sticking of relay contacts;
- burnout of diode bridges;
- burnout of the relay.
These malfunctions turn out to be quite costly. It is necessary to rewind the transformer, change the relay, buy new radio parts, etc. For this reason, when replacing the fuse, you must choose a part with the current indicated on the old element or on the board itself.
How to replace a fuse
Inside the burned-out element, you can see an open jumper in the holder. Replacing a broken fuse is quite simple, knowing where the part is.
The procedure for replacing a blown fuse in a split system is carried out in several stages. First, the old protective elements are removed from the installation. They are checked for serviceability. Having identified a faulty fuse, it is replaced with a new one.
Sequencing:
- De-energize the defective device before replacing the protective element. To do this, turn off the machine in the switchboard, which passes electricity to the split system.
- Carefully remove the door on the power supply to find the location of the safety elements.
- After removing the fuse, inspect it. It is important to determine if it is damaged. If outwardly they are invisible, the part is checked with a multimeter or voltmeter.
- If all the data indicate that the split system does not work due to defective fuses, it is recommended to remove the defective elements and determine their characteristics. Replace parts only with components with the same specifications. Depending on the model of the air conditioner, fuses designed for amperage 3.15-45 A.
- Installation of new fuses is done with tweezers. After installation, all components of the split system are assembled.
After installing a new fuse, the air conditioner is connected to the mains for a test run. If the split system works in a routine mode, then the replacement of the part was carried out correctly.
The old element can only be replaced with a part with the same characteristics. This is important because different types of devices may have protective components designed for different amperage. When installing a new protective element, it is unacceptable to choose its value "at random", according to approximate characteristics.
The fuse is primarily intended to protect the elements of the device from fire. It may not prevent damage to board elements. If, after installing a new protective element, the split system begins to work with certain complaints, breakdowns of some nodes or welding of terminals are possible. In this case, it is better to contact the service center.
