Kalos Tech Bert Testerman tries out some SpeedClean products to clean a ductless blower wheel and evaporator. The products featured in this video include the SpeedClean Mini-Split Bib Kit, SpeedyFoam cleaner, and the portable CoilJet with accessories.
As ductless blower wheels get dirty, they tend to smell bad and drop dirt on the surfaces beneath them. The unit in this video requires Bert to pull the blower wheel. He cleans it outside while cleaning the evaporator and the rest of the unit in place.
Before cleaning, locate the system's power source and shut it off. Then, you can begin taking off the air handler. Start by removing the washable filters and then pulling the vanes. In some cases, you can clean the entire unit in place, but the cleaning in this video requires Bert to pull some components. With the vanes and filters removed, you can pull the housing to expose the coil and drain pan; there will be tabs that loosen and allow you to disconnect the housing, but these will vary by model.
With the drain pan exposed, you can disconnect it by pulling it out and letting it hang down. (Make sure there's no leftover condensate in the pan first!) You can then remove the screws to pull the evaporator coil up, and you can remove the blower wheel by loosening the set screw on the blower motor shaft. Removing the blower wheel is best for heavily soiled blower wheels, and it becomes easier to access the back of the evaporator coil.
With the blower unit removed, Bert mounts the SpeedClean Mini-Split Bib Kit to the unit and ensures that the bib drains into a bucket. Outside, he cleans the filters and blower wheel with just a garden hose. Cleaning the blower wheel outside also ensures that Bert can clean all the spots without the wheel spinning and making it harder to reach patches of soil. Once finished, Bert lets the filters and blower wheel dry.
Indoors, Bert uses the SpeedClean CoilJet, which contains water and cleaner in separate compartments, but the water and cleaner come out together. You can control the dilution with a dial on the side, which allows you to adjust the concentration of cleaner to be mixed with the water. Bert likes using the CoilJet to clean mini-splits because of its portability and ideal water pressure for mini-splits. Bert also has several wands for his CoilJet, including a bendable wand for getting into tight spaces.
Before Bert starts cleaning the coil, he makes sure the nozzle is aimed into the bib, not the unit, when he turns on the CoilJet; the pressure is a bit strong upon startup and may splash back if it hits a hard surface (like the coil). Bert uses the cleaner and rinses it off with plain water. Once finished, he removes the bib and reassembles the unit.
If you clean the blower wheel in place, it's a good idea to keep the bib on when you first start the unit. The blower wheel might splash water upon startup, and the bib will protect the customer's property.
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