Room & Thru-the-wall Air Conditioners FAQs

What is the Auto Swing feature and how does it work?

The Auto Swing feature on Friedrich Room Air conditioners is a feature developed to help better circulate air throughout an area. To use the feature, select Auto swing either from the unit itself or on your remote. Once selected the fans louvers will begin to swing from side to side to help ensure that cool air is being furnished in a more equal manner.

Why are there Black Particles blowing out of my air conditioner and how can I fix it?

If your units are only a couple of years old, then what you are seeing is mold and/or mildew that have built up in your unit. The only way to alleviate this situation is to have the unit professionally cleaned. Any of our authorized servicers can do this for you (but you are not limited to these servicers as this is not a warranty issue). You can locate authorized warranty servicers by going to the Dealer Locator on our web site, www.friedrich.com. From the Dealer Locator page click on Service & Repair and then enter your zip code. This will bring up a listing of servicers in your area.

I live in Canada. Where may I find a Friedrich Dealer?

You can locate Authorized Dealers on our website. by selecting sales and service from our top menu bar and then selecting Canadian Distributors.

I can't find an Authorized Dealer in my area. What now?

We may have a commercial HVAC Distributor. These distributors normally only sell to contractors but will sometimes sell to the public in those areas where we have no dealers. Just go to the Sales and Service in the top menu bar, and select Dealer Locator on the pull down menu. Select HVAC Distributor and provide your zip code.

What is a Chassis Seal Gasket?

The Chassis Seal is a piece of foam approximately five feet long by two inches wide by one inch thick. It is placed up one side, across the top, and down the other side of the chassis just before sliding it completely into the sleeve. The Chassis Seal will not only make the chassis fit tightly into the sleeve, it also acts as a sound barrier for the fan motor and the compressor and prevents outside air from mixing with the cold air coming out of the unit. You can check for this seal by removing the front cover of the unit as if you were going to replace the filter. Once removed, look down the side of the unit between the chassis and the sleeve. If you see daylight then the Chassis Seal is missing. In this case simply send us your postal mailing address so that a seal can be sent out to you at no charge.

What is the difference between Commercial Grade and Residential Grade products?

All Friedrich air conditioners are designed to be the best in their category. We currently offer two lines on many of our air conditioners so that you can select the one that is the best solution for your needs. Our Commercial Grade products have been thoughtfully engineered with the highest quality materials for added durability and unexpected features not found on our competitor's products. Our Residential Grade lines offer many but not all of the features found on our commercial grade lines and are less expensive.

There is water in the base pan. What is it and why is it there?

Condensation water collects in the base-pan or bottom of an air conditioner. It is a by-product of the air conditioning process. Friedrich room air conditioners rid this water through the designed "Slinger Ring" located on the condenser fan blade. The slinger ring is the circular piece that is attached to the outer edges of the condenser fan blade. It picks up the condensate water on the ring and throws it against the hot condenser coil where it evaporates. This method helps cool the condenser coil providing better BTU cooling capacity and efficiency of the air conditioner. With the use of the "Slinger Ring" method there is no need for a drain plug.

How do I reset my QuietMaster Programmable Controls?

To reboot the control panel on QME units: with the unit on, simultaneously hold down the 'Money Saver" and the 'Filter Alert' buttons for approximately 10 seconds. If the panel will reboot, you will hear the fan come on and the temperature window will read 60 degrees. If this happens, all you need do is turn the unit off for about 10 seconds and then turn it back on to finish the reboot cycle. If the panel does not reboot, you will need to have the panel replaced.

What is the Money Saver Mode on my CP unit?

The Money Saver mode on the CP14, CP18 and CP24 reduces the fan speed to a lower setting when the compressor cycles off. It does not turn it off completely as in the smaller CP units. When the compressor cycles back on, the fan will resume at the previous setting. This aids in the energy savings by not having two large components cycling back on at the same time thus reducing the amperage pull.

Can I install my CP unit through the wall?

The CP units were originally intended for window installations only. Many consumers wanted to put them in a thru-wall application so we came up with the depth dimensions. The CP08N10 can be installed in a thru-wall application as long as the wall is no thicker than 8 inches. You will want to take the unit out of the sleeve and then install the sleeve into the wall first. You will need to drill holes in the sleeve so that you can firmly attach it to the wall studs. Make sure that you have the proper drop from front to back of approximately 3/8 inches. You will then want to caulk around the sleeve from both inside and outside if possible to prevent any air from leaking through. Once this is done, you will slide the chassis back into the sleeve.

How do I work the timer on my CP unit controls?

The most important thing to remember is that this unit does not have a "clock." To set the time for the unit to come on, with the unit in the OFF position, you will push the TIMER button once for each hour from the current time to the time you want the unit to start. For example, if it is 8:00 in the morning and you want the unit to turn on at 4:00 in the afternoon before you get home from work. You will turn the unit OFF (if not already off)and then push the TIMER button 8 times, once for each hour from 8:00 am to 4:00pm. Then to set it to turn off, with the unit ON, you will simply do the same thing. Push the TIMER button once for each hour from what it is currently until the time you want the unit to turn off. For example, if it is 9:00pm and you want the unit to turn off at 5:00am, you will push the TIMER button 8 times, once for each hour from 9:00pm to 5:00am. On the attachment I am sending you, the control panel will look different from what you have, but the instructions are the same.

How do I Install the Unit Upper Guide on my CP unit?

The Upper Frame Guide needs to be attached to the top of the sleeve before installing the chassis. There are 3 self-tapping screws to be used in attaching the guide. Before attempting to install from the inside of the sleeve, turn the guide over and insert the screws into each of the 3 inside holes in the center of the guide. This will open the holes for easier installation. The 2 outside holes are not used. Remove the screws from the frame guide and then position the frame guide over the holes on the top of the sleeve. Working from inside the sleeve, insert 1 of the self-tapping screws into each of the 3 holes to attach the guide. You now can continue with the rest of the unit installation as illustrated and stated in the installation book.

Where can I find an Authorized Dealer or Distributor?

The Friedrich website, www.friedrich.com, features an interactive Dealer Locator. Select Sales and Service on the top menu bar, and select Dealer Locator on the pull down menu. You may now search by zip code for the dealer, distributor or servicer newest you.

What are the sound ratings on Friedrich room air conditioners?

AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) sets the standards for the industry and we follow their guidelines. They do not require decibel ratings on home appliances so there is no independent agency to verify any such ratings. Therefore, we do not have information on decibel ratings. What we can tell you is that our current line up of commercial grade room air conditioners is the quietest we have ever produced because we test them in our sound lab during the product development process.

How do I clean my Discharge Plenum?

The discharge plenum is not a consumer friendly part of the unit. You will need to pull the chassis out of the sleeve before it can be removed and then you would need to disconnect and then reconnect the cable that controls the Fresh Air/Exhaust lever. I normally suggest that consumers use long cotton swabs to clean inside the louvers or have the unit steam cleaned by a professional.

What is Dry Mode?

The "dry mode" would be used on high humidity days to take out a little extra humidity from your room. The unit is still in the cooling mode when dry is used.

How do I attach Frame Guides to my air conditioner sleeve?

To attach the frame guides you will want to turn the empty sleeve up side down. You will see the metal bar that goes left to right and then there are "runners" that go front to back. On each of these runners you will see a small groove. The frame guides will snap into place on each runner just behind the front metal bar. You will see a hole on each side of the groove. Each of the small "pointy" feet will snap into the holes and the rounded section will fit into the groove. You want the flat side of the guide to be up so that when you turn the sleeve back over, the opening will be facing towards you.

What causes an air conditioner to ice up?

Icing can be caused by various reasons. It could be that the unit has not been cleaned in a long time and just needs a good cleaning; the filter could be dirty; if you are running it on a very cold temperature but at a low fan speed; or there could be a problem within the sealed system. If you feel that the unit and filter are clean, then I can only suggest you have a servicer come to check the unit. You can locate authorized warranty servicers by going to the Dealer Locator on our web site, www.friedrich.com. From the Dealer Locator click on Service & Repair and then enter your zip code. This will bring up a listing of servicers in your area.

Why does my room air conditioner have a larger LCDI Cord?

All Room Air Conditioner manufacturers are obligated by the National Electric Code (NEC - Article 440.65) and UL 484 Standard to produce with the new supply cord (either LCDI or AFCI) effective August 01, 2004. This device senses leakage currents flowing between or from the conductors of the cord set and interrupts the circuit. Under certain conditions, if this leakage current were allowed to continue flowing from the conductors, risk of ignition of surrounding combustible materials may result. When leakage current above a predefined limit is detected, the device removes the supply source from the cord either electronically or via "air break" contacts. The cord remains de-energized until the condition causing the excessive leakage current has cleared, or the device has been manually reset.

Water is leaking into my room from my air conditioner. What is causing this and how do I correct this problem?

Water leaking into the room is generally caused by either the unit sitting level in the window or the unit needing to be cleaned. Water collects in the front of the unit and then travels to the back where the slinger ring will toss it against the coils in the back and then the water evaporates. If the unit does not have the proper slope from front to back, then the water will leak out the front. There is a mosquito trap approximately 1/3 of the way down the side of the unit. This is to prevent insects from getting into your room. If this has become clogged, then again the water cannot get to the back and will leak out the front. Having your unit cleaned will solve this problem. If you feel that neither of these conditions exist then you need to make sure that there is no air leaking in from the outside around the unit anywhere. Leaking air will cause condensation to form on the outside of the unit which will leak into your room. If there are any air leaks you will need to reseal these areas.

Can I make modifications to my Friedrich air conditioner?

As the manufacturer, we design, build, certify and warrant a product to operate within specific designs. Therefore, we cannot provide any information regarding the modification of our design. While it can probably be done, Friedrich cannot provide the information that you are asking.

New York Building Code

The New York Local Law 11 of 1998 mandates the periodic inspection of the exterior walls and appurtenances of buildings greater than six stories in height. LL 11/98 and 1 RCNY 32-03 concerns the conditions including "significant deterioration, and movement observed as well as a statement concerning the apparent water-tightness of the exterior surfaces, and the deleterious effect of exterior appurtenances, including exterior fixtures, flagpoles, signs, parapets, copings, guard rails, window frames, window guards, window air conditioners, flower boxes, etc."

What we are reading this to mean is that the window air conditioner must be water tight so as not to allow exterior water into the building and must be installed in such a manner so that it does not cause movement. The XQ units do not come with window brackets as the installation, if supplied instructions are followed, meet these requirements. You can, however, purchase a window installation kit that will supply you with the exterior window brackets. This would be the WIKQ installation kit. This can be purchased from our Northeast Regional Parts Depot but you would then need to hire someone to install the brackets for you. The information for the Parts Depot is as follows:

Johnstone Supply
27-01 Brooklyn Queens Expway
Woodside, New York 11377
718-545-5464
800-431-1143

How do I reset X-Star Control Boards?

To reboot the control panel on a XStar unit: with the unit on, simultaneously hold down the "Mode" button and the temperature arrow down button for approximately 10 seconds. If the panel will reboot, you will hear the fan come on and the temperature window will read 60 degrees. If this happens, all you need do is turn the unit off for about 10 seconds and then turn it back on to finish the reboot cycle. If the panel does not reboot, you will most likely need to have the panel replaced.

Will buying a higher BTU/h air conditioner cool my room down faster?

While capacity, measured in BTU/h, does determine how much cold air comes out of the unit, serious problems can occur when an air conditioner is oversized for a space. The more cold air that comes out of the unit, the more area it needs to circulate to avoid giving a false reading to the thermostat. If your unit is oversized for the area being cooled, what happens is that the air comes out of the unit, bounces off the wall back onto itself giving the thermostat a false reading. The t-stat reads that the room air has reached the set temperature and shuts the compressor off. While the compressor is off, the "real" room air enters the intake grille and the t-stat reads that the room is no longer at the set temperature so it turns the compressor back on. So your unit cycles off and on approximately every two to three minutes and, while the air coming out of the unit is cold, it doesn't remain in the room long enough for the room to get cold or to effectively remove uncomfortable humidity from the air. So, the more btu's you have the larger the area you need for the air to circulate.

My new WallMaster Weather Panel is made of a new material. Why?

In an effort to improve the thermal barrier provided by the Friedrich WSC sleeve the new Inner and outer panels are now being constructed using new materials, which have a better insulating value. The previous steel inner & outer panels are known to radiate cold during the winter. Steel being a poor insulator. By changing to a snug fitting (now seals against the rubber weather seal) wax coated, double walled, heavy Kraft corrugated inner-wall, heat loss due to cold radiation will be reduced. The corrugated inner panel has been carefully tested to ensure that it maintains the structural integrity of the sleeve during shipping and warehouse storage. New Outer Panel design will be of Polypropylene (further improving insulation) specifically designed for harsh outdoor environments with added UV inhibitor to prohibit sunlight degradation. The outer panel will ship installed in front of a sturdy 22 gauge steel grille. Friedrich has built a rich history as a manufacturer of quality; energy efficient products and we remain committed to continuous product improvement and innovation.

It's cool outside, will my air conditioner still work?

Your air conditioner is designed to cool in warm weather when the outside temperature is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and below 115 degrees Fahrenheit, so it won't cool a room if it is already cool outside. If you want to cool a room in the winter and your unit is so equipped, set to FAN ONLY and put the FRESH AIR/EXHAUST control to FRESH AIR. This will bring in a supply of outside air.

Should I put a cover over my window unit during the winter?

Please do not cover the outside of your air conditioner unless you first remove the unit from the sleeve, clean it and dry the base pan. Friedrich Air Conditioners are designed to hold water in the base pan. If the air conditioner is covered, the water can not evaporate and mold and mildew will form. If the air conditioner is installed per the instructions, you should not have problems with air coming in or around the unit. Everything in the rear of the air conditioner is sealed so snow and rain cannot harm the air conditioner. Friedrich Air Conditioning does not make covers for air conditioners because of the mold and mildew problem.