We Have a 14 year old 7000w heating and cooling A/C which will only start after the remote has been in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
The batteries are removed and then after 20 minutes in the freezer all is well.
Don't ask how we got to the freezer bit.
Batteries are new and in correct position.
The whole unit works perfectly once we have it running. Summer or winter.
The manufacturer has no answer to the issue.
Have fun Haji-Baba
Peter_n_Margaret said
10:35 AM Feb 2, 2016
I suspect that no one else will have an answer either :)
It is possible to buy generic remote controls, for a small cost it may be worth trying.
Or just keep a spot ready in the freezer :)
Cheers,
Peter
Cadpete said
11:29 AM Feb 2, 2016
Purely a guess - either a poor solder joint ar small break in the PCB, the cold would make the break contract and reconnect. Would need to dismantle and then use magnifying glass to try and track down. Can the manufacturer not sell a replacement remote?
03_Troopy said
11:46 AM Feb 2, 2016
Cadpete wrote:
Purely a guess - either a poor solder joint ar small break in the PCB, the cold would make the break contract and reconnect. Would need to dismantle and then use magnifying glass to try and track down. Can the manufacturer not sell a replacement remote?
I agree Pete, sounds like the classic solder joint or track fracture.
Haji-Baba said
12:06 PM Feb 2, 2016
I think you are all right, 1. buy another remote, 2. Pull it apart and look for problems, but the thermal thing seems to be correct.
Tried out in the sun full heat no response.
Tried to pull the remote apart but found that almost impossible to the point of nearly wrecking the thing.
How it got to the freezer solution I have no idea. Son was visiting so may have been his idea. He is a bit of a guru with electrics at times. Today may be the last time we turn it on for another year, maybe !!!!!!!!!!!!
A very strange one indeed.
Have fun Haji-Baba
erad said
04:56 PM Feb 2, 2016
Some electronic components fail and they will respond to freezing, but when they return to room temperature, will fail again. A can of freezer spray is a hand tool for this job. Sadly the only way is to find which component is dud and replace it (not easy); or to get another controller. EBay is a good starting point to find another unit.
wauri said
05:33 PM Feb 2, 2016
There is always the option of installing a smart phone app to control the aircon I have used one of these to play with the TV in the dentists :D
Thanks for the replies and info, I may be a little wiser and more informed now than at 9 am. this morning.
If it is hot tomorrow I may have to go through the same ritual again to keep cool.
Thanks all.
Have fun Haji-Baba
valiant81 said
09:32 PM Feb 2, 2016
Hi Haji-Baba;
First off the problem is not uncommon with a lot of remote controls, that is they fail to work or be come intermitant. What happens is the buttons that are mainly used have a habit of failing first and each time you press a button ( power on, channel, volume up/down etc ). When you press the button what you are doing is bringing to contacts to gether that one make contact and tell the microprocessor in your remote controle what 'code' to send to the receiver in your air con. Some remote controls have a carbon contacts on the main board and under the button is another carbon pad that makes contact with the contacts in the remote control. After a while the carbon wears off and that is when you start to have intermittant problems with the remote control. Some of the better remote controls even have gold flashed contacts and this helps to a certain point even these will fail. Dust and dirt, spilt liquid or even the remote control being dropped can cause problems later on. A good reason why its a good idear to place your remote control in a clear plastic bag or even use glad wrap.
But what to do, well you could try and dismantle the remote, and as you have found out that can be hard to do without distroying the remote, Some remotes have had a very hard life and also have suffered from broken/poor solder joints ( as others have said ), but also can suffer from the cristal and/or the saw filter failing. What these do when they fail is to shift the frequency of the modulated IR light that is sent from your remote ( think of it like trying to lisen to a FM radio on say 104.9 Mhz but you can only tune your radio to 104.0. Close but not close enough ). On the other hand what can also happen is the receiver in your air conditioner may have failed ( gone deaf and has happened more than once ore twice ) or even a spider has built a web or even dust that has covered the 'eye' of the IR receiver.
In some cases I've seen these type of problems caused by fluroesant lights and some brands? of the compact versions have also been a problem.
What is the easyest way out of your delimmer. is to contact the manufacture and see if the remote controle is still available as a spair part, nower days most remote controls ( televisions, DVD's etc ) are quiet cheap. But a remote controle for your air conditioner may be a nother thing all to gether.
-- Edited by valiant81 on Tuesday 2nd of February 2016 09:34:01 PM
Haji-Baba said
05:10 AM Feb 3, 2016
Thanks for that Valiant 81, Most informative. It looks like a case of old age, like me. The joints are wearing out.
Here in Brisbane we have an invasion of "Foreign Ghekkos" and I suspect they may even have had apart to play.
One of my standby Computers suffered death by invasion some years ago with a fried Ghekko lying across a live component.
Thanks for your good information.
Have fun Haji-Baba
03_Troopy said
08:23 AM Feb 3, 2016
Hard to operate buttons are usually caused by dirty button conductive surfaces, and contact foils. They can usually be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol, and the cause is mostly from an oily residue that is exuded by the rubberised button pad and sometimes spills. I have repaired literally 100's of them over the years.
But your problem is a bit different in that it works OK when cold, but not at room temp. I'd still go with the fractured joint or trace or at a very long stretch possible the crystal resonator.
valiant81 said
11:02 PM Feb 3, 2016
Hi 03 troopy and every one else;
Thanks for the reply and that is what I've been talking about, cleaning the contact does help to a point, but excess cleaning or even cleaning for the first time can remove what carbon there is left on the pcb or the rubber membrain and you can only make the problem even worce than before. Some time you are lucky and it will work for a short while, and then maybe fail again. I still say that the best way to fix a remote is to replace the remote control with a new one.
03_Troopy said
07:32 AM Feb 4, 2016
valiant81 wrote:
Hi 03 troopy and every one else;
Thanks for the reply and that is what I've been talking about, cleaning the contact does help to a point, but excess cleaning or even cleaning for the first time can remove what carbon there is left on the pcb or the rubber membrain and you can only make the problem even worce than before. Some time you are lucky and it will work for a short while, and then maybe fail again. I still say that the best way to fix a remote is to replace the remote control with a new one.
If you use the wrong type of solvent, yes you will remove the carbon film. And I have even seen pcbs damaged, by the customer trying to remove it from the remote. I actually used to do the job a bit differently, by washing the remote board and keypad in warm soapy water before cleaning the pads and foils with isopropyl, and have done hundreds of them that way. In a couple of instances I have cleaned complete TV boards in soapy water too, before working on them. But they were TVs from the days when you could smoke inside the local Bowling club.
But, the OP's remote has a problem other than dirty button switches. So a new remote is probably his easiest fix, as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. One TV remote I had in for repair was unrepairable and was over $300.00 for a new one.
Haji-Baba said
12:21 PM Feb 4, 2016
Thanks guys, now you are starting to scare me a little bit, new remote equals a new A/C. etc. etc.
At my age and time left I think I may resort to a more positive cooling system, eg wet blanket and a fan a sit in front of it.
I have just spoken to friend in Sweden, one day just recently minus 20 c. and today 13 c. There is no where to hide.
Thanks for all the advice and opinions, makes you wonder about all the new u beaut
Electronics on our new cars doesn't it.
Have lots of fun Haji-Baba
valiant81 said
04:07 PM Feb 4, 2016
Hi all;
Hali - baba have you tryed to see if a remote control is avalable and if so at what cost, They might even have a idear as to what model remote control would work with your model air con.
troopy Hi, year i hear you i too have spent a few hours repairing/cleaning/reworking remote controls for customers equipment, and in the older days some of the remote controls were up there price wise !!! so it was in there best interest to have a go. Had one customer once bring in a remote and trying to clam warrentee. The remote looked like a dog had tryed to chew it, and had been knocked back because of that abuse.
This is one for the experts.
We Have a 14 year old 7000w heating and cooling A/C which will only start after the remote has been in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
The batteries are removed and then after 20 minutes in the freezer all is well.
Don't ask how we got to the freezer bit.
Batteries are new and in correct position.
The whole unit works perfectly once we have it running. Summer or winter.
The manufacturer has no answer to the issue.
Have fun Haji-Baba
It is possible to buy generic remote controls, for a small cost it may be worth trying.
Or just keep a spot ready in the freezer :)
Cheers,
Peter
Purely a guess - either a poor solder joint ar small break in the PCB, the cold would make the break contract and reconnect. Would need to dismantle and then use magnifying glass to try and track down. Can the manufacturer not sell a replacement remote?
I agree Pete, sounds like the classic solder joint or track fracture.
I think you are all right, 1. buy another remote, 2. Pull it apart and look for problems, but the thermal thing seems to be correct.
Tried out in the sun full heat no response.
Tried to pull the remote apart but found that almost impossible to the point of nearly wrecking the thing.
How it got to the freezer solution I have no idea. Son was visiting so may have been his idea. He is a bit of a guru with electrics at times. Today may be the last time we turn it on for another year, maybe !!!!!!!!!!!!
A very strange one indeed.
Have fun Haji-Baba
Some electronic components fail and they will respond to freezing, but when they return to room temperature, will fail again. A can of freezer spray is a hand tool for this job. Sadly the only way is to find which component is dud and replace it (not easy); or to get another controller. EBay is a good starting point to find another unit.
There is always the option of installing a smart phone app to control the aircon
I have used one of these to play with the TV in the dentists :D
Depending on your phone and air con of course
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.raon.aremotefreegalaxy
Thanks for the replies and info, I may be a little wiser and more informed now than at 9 am. this morning.
If it is hot tomorrow I may have to go through the same ritual again to keep cool.
Thanks all.
Have fun Haji-Baba
Hi Haji-Baba;
First off the problem is not uncommon with a lot of remote controls, that is they fail to work or be come intermitant. What happens is the buttons that are mainly used have a habit of failing first and each time you press a button ( power on, channel, volume up/down etc ). When you press the button what you are doing is bringing to contacts to gether that one make contact and tell the microprocessor in your remote controle what 'code' to send to the receiver in your air con. Some remote controls have a carbon contacts on the main board and under the button is another carbon pad that makes contact with the contacts in the remote control. After a while the carbon wears off and that is when you start to have intermittant problems with the remote control. Some of the better remote controls even have gold flashed contacts and this helps to a certain point even these will fail. Dust and dirt, spilt liquid or even the remote control being dropped can cause problems later on. A good reason why its a good idear to place your remote control in a clear plastic bag or even use glad wrap.
But what to do, well you could try and dismantle the remote, and as you have found out that can be hard to do without distroying the remote, Some remotes have had a very hard life and also have suffered from broken/poor solder joints ( as others have said ), but also can suffer from the cristal and/or the saw filter failing. What these do when they fail is to shift the frequency of the modulated IR light that is sent from your remote ( think of it like trying to lisen to a FM radio on say 104.9 Mhz but you can only tune your radio to 104.0. Close but not close enough ). On the other hand what can also happen is the receiver in your air conditioner may have failed ( gone deaf and has happened more than once ore twice ) or even a spider has built a web or even dust that has covered the 'eye' of the IR receiver.
In some cases I've seen these type of problems caused by fluroesant lights and some brands? of the compact versions have also been a problem.
What is the easyest way out of your delimmer. is to contact the manufacture and see if the remote controle is still available as a spair part, nower days most remote controls ( televisions, DVD's etc ) are quiet cheap. But a remote controle for your air conditioner may be a nother thing all to gether.
-- Edited by valiant81 on Tuesday 2nd of February 2016 09:34:01 PM
Thanks for that Valiant 81, Most informative. It looks like a case of old age, like me. The joints are wearing out.
Here in Brisbane we have an invasion of "Foreign Ghekkos" and I suspect they may even have had apart to play.
One of my standby Computers suffered death by invasion some years ago with a fried Ghekko lying across a live component.
Thanks for your good information.
Have fun Haji-Baba
Hard to operate buttons are usually caused by dirty button conductive surfaces, and contact foils. They can usually be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol, and the cause is mostly from an oily residue that is exuded by the rubberised button pad and sometimes spills. I have repaired literally 100's of them over the years.
But your problem is a bit different in that it works OK when cold, but not at room temp. I'd still go with the fractured joint or trace or at a very long stretch possible the crystal resonator.
Hi 03 troopy and every one else;
Thanks for the reply and that is what I've been talking about, cleaning the contact does help to a point, but excess cleaning or even cleaning for the first time can remove what carbon there is left on the pcb or the rubber membrain and you can only make the problem even worce than before. Some time you are lucky and it will work for a short while, and then maybe fail again. I still say that the best way to fix a remote is to replace the remote control with a new one.
If you use the wrong type of solvent, yes you will remove the carbon film. And I have even seen pcbs damaged, by the customer trying to remove it from the remote. I actually used to do the job a bit differently, by washing the remote board and keypad in warm soapy water before cleaning the pads and foils with isopropyl, and have done hundreds of them that way. In a couple of instances I have cleaned complete TV boards in soapy water too, before working on them. But they were TVs from the days when you could smoke inside the local Bowling club.
But, the OP's remote has a problem other than dirty button switches. So a new remote is probably his easiest fix, as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. One TV remote I had in for repair was unrepairable and was over $300.00 for a new one.
Thanks guys, now you are starting to scare me a little bit, new remote equals a new A/C. etc. etc.
At my age and time left I think I may resort to a more positive cooling system, eg wet blanket and a fan a sit in front of it.
I have just spoken to friend in Sweden, one day just recently minus 20 c. and today 13 c. There is no where to hide.
Thanks for all the advice and opinions, makes you wonder about all the new u beaut
Electronics on our new cars doesn't it.
Have lots of fun Haji-Baba
Hi all;
Hali - baba have you tryed to see if a remote control is avalable and if so at what cost, They might even have a idear as to what model remote control would work with your model air con.
troopy Hi, year i hear you i too have spent a few hours repairing/cleaning/reworking remote controls for customers equipment, and in the older days some of the remote controls were up there price wise !!! so it was in there best interest to have a go. Had one customer once bring in a remote and trying to clam warrentee. The remote looked like a dog had tryed to chew it, and had been knocked back because of that abuse.