Friedrich Air Conditioner FAQ

Before using your new Friedrich air conditioner, it is a good idea to read the instruction manual, as it might forestall any problems you may have during installation and setup of your new A/C. If you have any other questions, we have listed several Frequently Asked Questions below. To read the full FAQ, visit the Friedrich web site.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.