DANBY air conditioners JUNK?

[spock]

Just bought a brand new (DANBY DIPLOMAT) air conditioner model 5040, been
running in highest cooling mode for hours cools very little, only works like
a fan. (LOOKS LIKE I`LL BE RETURNING IT)anyone have experience with this
company and model?

 

[Michael Kennedy]

Do the coils get cool and the condenser get hot on the back? If not sounds
like it leaked all of the refrigerant out.

- Mike

 

[NSM]

Just bought a brand new (DANBY DIPLOMAT) air conditioner model 5040, been
running in highest cooling mode for hours cools very little, only works like
a fan. (LOOKS LIKE I`LL BE RETURNING IT)anyone have experience with this
company and model?

If you turn the thermostat to warm, then after 5 minutes back to cold do you
hear the compressor cut in?

N

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

Just bought a brand new (DANBY DIPLOMAT) air conditioner model 5040, been
running in highest cooling mode for hours cools very little, only works like
a fan. (LOOKS LIKE I`LL BE RETURNING IT)anyone have experience with this
company and model?

If this is one of those "portable" A/Cs, are you running the vent outside?
What is its capacity and how large is your room? Do you hear the compressor
running?

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[Travis Jordan]

Just bought a brand new (DANBY DIPLOMAT) air conditioner model 5040,
been running in highest cooling mode for hours cools very little,
only works like a fan. (LOOKS LIKE I`LL BE RETURNING IT)anyone have
experience with this company and model?

Did you use the window kit to mount the hoses?

 

[Travis Jordan]

Did you use the window kit to mount the hoses?

The Danby DAC5040 has an EER of 9.8, which means it isn't a scam.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/eande/appliances/data/2004/roomac/brand.htm

 

[spock]

All it has is some vents on the top and silver tin back.The silver tin stuff
on the back doesn`t get cold or warm
just in between, no water drips anywhere.

 

[spock]

What hoses? just came with the plastic sides, screws and some black sponge
tape.

 

[spock]

Yes portable, Instructions say turn the vent to the left to circulate the
air in the room, turn right to send the air outside in the fan mode.what
about straight? it`s 5000 BTU.

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

Yes portable, Instructions say turn the vent to the left to circulate the
air in the room, turn right to send the air outside in the fan mode.what
about straight? it`s 5000 BTU.

There is no black hole inside the unit to send the waste heat. If you are
cooling air, the heat coming out of it has to be going somewhere. There
should be a hose or something to run outside if it isn't mounted in a window.
The laws of physics can't be violated.

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[spock]

The air conditioner is mounted in the window.

 

[NSM]

It's a 'normal' window mounted A/C for a double hung window. Can you tell if
the compressor is running?

N

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

It's my guess that your air conditioner is simply not working. Even if it
weren't really big enough to do the job there should still be cool air
coming out of the vents on the unit.

I'd say the most likely bet is that the sealed cooling system is defective
or its contents have leaked out. Was the carton damaged in any way when you
got the unit? Do you hear the compressor in the unit running at all, or is
it just the fan? Does there appear to be damage to the coils on the outside?

I don't know much about the Danby brand, but I get the feeling that they
simply put their name on the smaller appliances that they sell. Depending
upon who made the unit, the products may or may not be any good. At this
point I'd return the one that isn't working and try another of the same
brand. Then, if you have bad luck with it...I would try a different brand.

William

 

[Travis Jordan]

What hoses? just came with the plastic sides, screws and some black
sponge tape.

Some of the larger Danby units are portable and have two hoses that come
out the back (to bring in / exhaust the air that flows through the
condenser part of the unit). I see where your unit is window mounted,
so that doesn't apply to your installation.

I agree with the other posters that this particular unit is defective.
I'd return it.

 

[spock]

The carton wasn`t damaged, but sometimes I can hear the motor changing
speeds. slowing than speeding up. the coils on the back are not damaged. I
guess the coolant leaked out before they put it in the box.(or it was never
put in at all).

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

The air conditioner is mounted in the window.

In that case if the thermostat is turned to maximum cooling and there
is no cool air, it is broken.

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[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

The carton wasn`t damaged, but sometimes I can hear the motor changing
speeds. slowing than speeding up. the coils on the back are not damaged. I
guess the coolant leaked out before they put it in the box.(or it was never
put in at all).

It was probably a simple mistake on the part of the manufacturer then. I'd
just box it up, take it back and try another of the same unit. The fact that
a motor is speeding up and down inside it also doesn't sound like a good
sign.

If you get another and find it to be acting the same way, I would suspect
poor quality control or (more likely) a handful of defective units that were
somehow shipped out. In that case you might want to contact Danby or the
retailer and let them know what you have found.

William

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

Hi!


It was probably a simple mistake on the part of the manufacturer then. I'd
just box it up, take it back and try another of the same unit. The fact that
a motor is speeding up and down inside it also doesn't sound like a good
sign.

If you get another and find it to be acting the same way, I would suspect
poor quality control or (more likely) a handful of defective units that were
somehow shipped out. In that case you might want to contact Danby or the
retailer and let them know what you have found.

You can try it in the store. It only needs to run for a few seconds - that
should be enough time for cold air to come out ther front and hot air out
the back.

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[[email protected]]

Actually, it may need to run for a few minutes. Some window A/C units
I have seen made in the last several years have an initial on delay
timer. This prevents start up of the compressor for a few minutes so
the pressure can equalize after a short power outage. This is to
prevent the compressor motor from burning up trying to start up into a
stuck hard load of high pressure. The few minutes of compressor off
time was all that was needed for the freon pressure to equalize.

I am guessing that if this was one of the ultra-el-cheapo units that it
may not have the compressor timer delay protection. In which case, if
there is a short power outage and the compressor tries to start against
high pressure, the motor might be damaged.

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

Actually, it may need to run for a few minutes. Some window A/C units
I have seen made in the last several years have an initial on delay
timer. This prevents start up of the compressor for a few minutes so
the pressure can equalize after a short power outage. This is to
prevent the compressor motor from burning up trying to start up into a
stuck hard load of high pressure. The few minutes of compressor off
time was all that was needed for the freon pressure to equalize.

I am guessing that if this was one of the ultra-el-cheapo units that it
may not have the compressor timer delay protection. In which case, if
there is a short power outage and the compressor tries to start against
high pressure, the motor might be damaged.

You may be correct about there being some sort of additional delay
on newer units.

But any A/C or fridge or other similar appliance I've seen always has a
thermal overload protector (typically called a "Guardette" on the
schematic) in series with the compressor motor mounted on the
compressor shell to prevent damage to the compressor motor. And, the
unit may be able to cycle on the overload protector for an extended
period without damage. So, if it does try to start with excessive
pressure, it might fail once or twice but will eventually succeed.

But, your mileage may vary.

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