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Sun 30 Jul, 2017 11:58 pm
So -- the AC unit on the 2nd floor in the den stopped working early this summer. The unit on first floor in the dojo guest room hadn't worked in years. Since we keep 4 FLV-positive cats in the den, and we have summer guests coming this year, we wanted everyone to be comfortable in the unusually hot and humid 95-degree Okinawan weather. This year we decided to spring for AC repair, and get both units fixed (the others in the house work fine).
Well, the AC guy came today, sweating but cheerful, a short young man with a friendly round face and a bit of nervousness in his voice (no English). He hadn't been inside a karate dojo before.
He first looked at the unit on the 2nd floor (our home floor, level with the road and our driveway). He quickly discovered that the 10-y/o unit was salt-rusted and in need of repair (we live a few hundred meters from the ocean, and typhoons regularly bathe the house in salt water spray). He called my wife and told her.
He then went to the guest room on the 1st floor (below road level -- we built on a hill with the 1st floor a level lower than the road adjacent to the building). He tried to turn on the unit, no response. He opened the front panel and pressed a small button I didn't even know was there, and the AC came on quietly. He then went outside and checked the cooler and fan. All seemed to be in order. When he came back in, the AC was gushing cold air and room was cooler and drier already. He then picked up the remote, took off the cover, and replaced the batteries. Smilingly, he handed it back to me, saying "Denki change" (battery change).
Still smiling, he walked out into the blasting Okinawan heat, got into his truck, and left. I smiled back (sheepishly) and waved my thanks.
This thing didn't work for about 8 years. Took a professional AC repairman to find out all it needed was 2 new AAA batteries...
Actually, the unit on the 2nd floor needs replacement, not repair. Wife and I will go shopping for a new AC this weekend...
@roger,
The AC guy pushed the button on the 2nd floor unit, it didn't work. The unit inside the house seemed to be OK, it is the outdoor fan/coolant box that's rusted out and needs replacing. Unfortunately, it's 10 years old and that unit is no longer made, so we'll have to buy the whole inside-outside thing.
It doesn't have to be a big AC, just a small one for a very small room. We know where to go, and it'll have a 9-yr insured repair policy.
But I feel a bit dumb -- not because I didn't know about the switch but because I let the one downstairs go so long with out checking to see if it was just a question of changing batteries in the remote... Duh...
@Seizan,
I knew that. I was just trying to be cute
Reminds me of a lady at the apartments I worked for. After about six years there, she told me her dryer had not worked since she moved in. She had some story about why she never did report it. Turned out it was not plugged in.
Well, now I don't feel so dumb... We turned on the AC in the guest room last night. It began with a rush of cooler air, then stopped. No air, no fan, nothing. Turned off, unplugged to reset, turned on again, no air at all. Tried all settings on the remote (with NEW batteries, thank you) and no results.
The AC guy is coming back soon as we coordinate...
Fortunately, this one is under warranty.
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