Window Air conditioner question ?

[Randy Rooster]

I have a couple of 5000 btu window a/c units that are about 6 years old - I havent installed them but have run them sitting on a work bench -they seem to be working fine but only put out about 55-60 degree air. do you think they need a charge of freon or someting and if so is it worth putting in? How much are they worth as scrap?

[arabian knight]

That is PLENTY cold for a small unit like that.
Those are only made for Small rooms 10 by 10 like that maybe a little bigger rooms, but heck if the temp is 100 outside and you can cool a room don to the mid 70's that is all you want. They are really ONLY for UP TO 150 Sq. Ft.
Best at around 100 to 120 sq ft rooms
Besides being new and a Sealed Unit for freon I am pretty sure you will not be putting any more in it. THAT IS IF YOU CAN. LOL
That is a sealed unit and will not have a spot to add freon to. A person would have to Cut The line and solder in a fitting etc. Costing plenty from a refrigeration person.

[Raymond James]

They sound like they are working. I have a window unit that sat for over 8 years and it works just fine.

If you do not need them and do not think you will ever use them then I would list for sale. Only take it to recycle when it no longer works.

[dholloway]

Air conditioners are only made to condition a room not refrigerate it. They will bring the temp down 20-30 degrees.

[Harry Chickpea]

A 20 degree drop in temp across the coil is normal. More than that and the coil can be cold enough to freeze the moisture it wrings out of the air. In the southeast - MUCH of the work an AC does is dehumidifying. A cold damp room is miserable - think dank basement.

[TnAndy]

Originally Posted by dholloway

Air conditioners are only made to condition a room not refrigerate it. They will bring the temp down 20-30 degrees.

Unless you use a CoolBot device to fool the thermostat.....then you can bring a room down to 33 degrees....cause that's how I run my home walk in cooler. But normally, a window AC will stop cooling when the room hits around low-mid 60's.

[Fire-Man]

Originally Posted by Randy Rooster

I have a couple of 5000 btu window a/c units that are about 6 years old - I havent installed them but have run them sitting on a work bench -they seem to be working fine but only put out about 55-60 degree air. do you think they need a charge of freon or someting and if so is it worth putting in? How much are they worth as scrap?

What is the tempature of the air before it is cooled? 55 to 60 degree air sounds about right. I bet if your shop air is 60 degrees, the AC will blow colder air.

[Nimrod]

If you think it's not putting out enough cold air or cold enough air then clean it. There is a filter over the air intake. It's usually made of open cell foam and you take piece of plastic off the front of the unit to get at it.

There are 2 "radiators" on the unit. One takes up most of the back. The other is inside and you have to take the cover off to get at it. Blow them both clean with the compressor. They do get plugged up with lint and gunk.

Another problem may be that it needs to run a while to put out max cooling. One unit I have has a pool of water that it splashes onto the evaporative "radiator to help cool it. It gets the water from condensation from the hot moist air. This takes a while to accumulate to useable levels.

[RonM]

I don't want my house down to 60 degrees even on 4th of July weekend...