Frigidaire FAA065P7A 6,000 BTU MSII Air Conditioner with Electronic Controls
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Frigidaire FAA065P7A 6,000 BTU MSII Air Conditioner with Electronic Controls
Customer Review: Decent
Summary: 3 Stars
It works fairly well and I like having the remote. It certainly saved me on those 100 degree days, that's for sure. The filter light comes on more often than I would expect it to, but I suppose living in NY, the air quality isn't as great as other places. I put it in a small room, but it still doesn't seem to get it as cold as it could. Best when you can be right in front of it, otherwise plan to still be a little hot.Customer Review: Decent efficient AC, but very loud without modifications
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought one of these to replace an oversized 8000 btu/hr window unit that was almost a decade old.
What worked:
1. Much lighter and easier to install than most window ACs I've used.
2. Good cooling for the energy used.
What didn't:
1. This is not a quiet unit by any stretch.
2. As the other reviewers have mentioned, there's no drainage to the drip pan. This would probably be okay, but in mine the fan is mounted such that the tips of the fan can actually make contact with the water if the drip pan is full (and the unit is installed properly and level). This results in a constant "sloshing" sound when run on high humidity days. As a result, I ended up (carefully, you don't want to hit the coils!) drilling a small drainhole in the drip pan, carefully coating the hole edge with silicone to keep the exposed metal from rusting. The unit now runs with just fan noise.
Customer Review: Delighted (and a little amazed): 6,000 BTU FAA067P7A
Summary: 5 Stars
THE PROBLEM
I'm in Salt Lake City, in an unshaded 10th floor apartment with an L-shaped 366 square foot living room. The short side of the L and the adjacent kitchen face west. Until yesterday I relied on a 12,000 BTU Sharp window unit ("The Beast") facing down the long side of the L, and whose compressor sounded like a down-shifting tractor-trailer, isn't energy star compliant, and has no energy-saving features. To cool the short side of the L and the kitchen I had to run one fan to blow the cool air across the room and a second to blow from there into the kitchen. Even with that plus reflective film on the west windows that area didn't really get cool in the afternoons.
INSTALLATION
After a lot of research and with some trepidation I bought this unit (the 6,000 BTU--reviews for the 8,000 BTU DON"T APPLY to this unit!!) to cool just the western part of the living area. I didn't expect it to be quiet, just quieter than the Beast, and hoped it'd save me from running the Beast earlier in the day and in the evening. I got it from a big regional furniture and housewares store for $139, $30 off the list price.
After letting the unit sit upright for 24 hours I did my usual customization of my window sills; they've got thin metal frames and are too narrow to use the accordion wings, so I need to lay a piece of wood on the bottom to keep the unit from resting directly on the window sill and support the top of the A/C with another piece of wood. Aside from that, the installation is the same as a regular wooden-framed sash window. I upgrade the stick-on foam tape, though. The first time you install one of these it'll take some fiddling to get it cushioned, positioned & adjusted, but once you get it right it'll be easier to remove and reinstall it.
RESULTS--THE BIG SURPRISE!
So, I turn the thing on. A few minutes later the air is cold, but wait a minute, where's the compressor noise? I turned it to fan-only and the sound didn't appear to change. I turned it back to cool and finally, by listening very carefully next to the window, I noticed a very slight hum added to the fan, which is the quietest A/C fan I've ever heard. It quickly cooled that corner of the apartment, and even on low the air reaches 15 feet into the kitchen, which chills nicely too. On high, there's very normal sounding but unobtrusive fan noise; on low, it's amazingly quiet. I can talk on the phone right next to it, don't have to turn the TV up, and can hardly hear it from across the room.
The fins don't do a great job of directing the air left and right, but I've yet to meet a window A/C that does better. However they do a good job of directing air upwards when you tilt the fin assemblies. The unit doesn't project air very strongly. It's enough to reach the very hot kitchen 15 feet away but not enough to circulate air well in the room on its own. My ceiling fan does that for me; a small fan directed straight at the ceiling of your bedroom will do the same for you. Because this is a desert I don't get sloshing noises, though it can feel a little humid if the compressor cycles off for a long time and the fan is running.
I'm going to get another of these to replace the Sharp unit; that'll give me a total of 12,000 BTU's for a tiny fraction of the noise. Now that I know how incredibly quiet this thing is I'll also get one for the bedroom to replace the 8,000 BTU FAA084P7A, which is way too loud.
TIPS (YOU KNOW YOU WANT THEM!)
WAIT 24 HOURS!! Noone at the store will tell you this, and I don't even think it's in the user manual, but start off by making sure the compressor lubricant is in the bottom. Otherwise you're likely to permanently damage the compressor the minute you turn it on, which means it'll be louder and less effective. If you're absolutely, positively sure that the unit was stored and transported right side up, go ahead and put it in. If not, DON'T TURN IT ON until it's been sitting right side up for at least 24 hours.
Reduce Vibration:
All window A/C units have compressors and fans, and all compressors and fans vibrate. The trick is to minimize how much vibration is transmitted from the metal A/C housing to the window and wall, both of which can vibrate like a drum.
The unit comes with stick-on strips of open-cell foam to 1) reduce vibration and 2) seal off drafts. I always upgrade this to stick-on closed-cell foam tape like M-D Building Products Sponge Rubber Tape, 3/8-by-1/2-Inch-by-10 feet, Closed Cell, Black #06619 (you can find this stuff at any hardware store). I put it at the bottom and top of the metal A/C housing and anywhere else the housing contacts the window or wall. You'll be amazed at the difference this little improvement makes.
The Right Angle:
Make sure the unit is installed at the correct angle. Use the slots in the housing that the accordion thingies fit into; they should be exactly perpendicular. The top of the housing may tilt down a little even when the angle is right, and the plastic front is rarely vertical; that's OK, they're designed to be that way. NOT doing this can make the fan and compressor louder or cause the sloshing problem people have if the thing is tilted so that water hits the fan. I've never had a problem with this in a normal wooden sash window, but if it doesn't automatically level itself, use shims at the top or bottom to even it up.
Customer Review: Does the job very well
Summary: 5 Stars
Easy to maneuver and place; not growling loud either. I'd absolutely buy this for another room, for someone I know and recommend it to anyone.
Remember though - it's not for big rooms. A medium size living room is about the biggest it should go, but ideal for any bedroom, spare room, etc..
Customer Review: Doesn't work at all
Summary: 1 Stars
I received this a/c, installed it according to all the directions step by step and waited for the moment of cold air when I turned it on. And waited. And waited. And waited. The book said the a/c would run for 3 minutes before cold air blew in, but after 15 minutes all the thing did was hum. Then it stopped and nothing. I am returning this for a full refund; I found a window unit locally that cost less and is energy star rated. Works better, too. Circut city, $135.