Daikin Aircon. FTXD60JVEA

[sjbrewy]

After having it on heating mode for about an hour on 21 deg C and put it up to 24 deg C not long after it made a noise and stopped and keeps flashing the grean light, the error code is U4 that says on the code list on the inside unit- Incorrect interunit wiring (interunit) so what does it mean. I also turned the power off at the mains power switch board and does nothing to reset it. No life in either unit except the green flashing light!

[monkey spanners]

Sounds like a fault with the comunication signal between the indoor and outdoor unit, could be the cable, a switch if fitted, poor connection at either end, bugs or small animals or damp shorting the circuit board.
This is the sort of things i'd look at first, based on your info.
Might be best to call out a tech to look at it.

[sjbrewy]

Thanks for your reply MS,Those Led mode lights on the outside unit arent working at all so I turned all power off and unscrewed all wire connections and rescrewed to make shore it was good connection on the inside unit and pulled/reconnected all plugs on the main connection on the outside unit and on top of the boards to make shore there wasnt a bad connection and still nothing, and also looks dry/no corrosion and no bug activity, so the problem looks like between were the power comes into the outside unit to the Led lights board, so do you know what part of the fault that would be? Thanks

[Crash Pilot]

sjbrewy

I would first test your fan motor. This can drain the power from your pcb.

Turn power off then disconnect outdoor fan motor and then turn power on. If Led's come back on then fan motor is faulty.

Be carefull changing one PCB at a time. These units were designed to have PCB's changes as a set. You can change individual pcb's however you need to test components on each board first. If once pcb is faulty and you change the wrong one it will destroy the new pcb.

[Crash Pilot]

Better to call out a tech if you are not sure or don't have electrical qualifications. These are a bit tricky to diagnose individual PCB's . Have fixed a few however usual advise customers to contact Daikin. Don't need the headache.

[sjbrewy]

Thanks CP for your info, ill have to get the techs out as ive checked the wires contacts, but ill disconnect the fan motor like you said, do you know how much are these PCB, does this stand for -power control board. !

[Crash Pilot]

Printed Circuit Board (PCB). There are 3 PCB's in your outdoor unit. Not sure on prices as I have not purchased for a while.

[Brian_UK]

Do you power to the unit?

[Bones]

damn the old ftxd!!! have you replaced the indoor fan motor due to dry squealing bearings yet? man i've done a few of them... dont do to many domestics where i'm at atm...

boards are quite expensive though, would be better off putting dollars into a new unit.

no signs of mice in the indoor unit?

[sjbrewy]

Yes Brian have power to the unit

[sjbrewy]

No mice or critures at all Bones, where the power first goes into the outside unit to power it must have **** itself there somewhere, havnt had anyother problems with it or bearings.

[paul_h]

I still look at a few of these, Temprite on these forums helps me out a lot.
But everyone I've looked at seems to have a faulty outdoor control PCB.
So before you even start, be aware that you are at least looking at $380 for that board alone. That's the minimum parts cost. Of course add for labour of a daikin reapair guy who knows how to diagnose right and just repair the faulty part and keep the parts cost at a minimum.

Add $350 for the power PCB instead if you just want to replace both outdoor PCBs, and even more if the fan motor or compressor turns out faulty.
You have to be very attached to the unit emotionally or be exceptional in diagnostics to keep the repair bill under $600 to even bother repairing them.

[Bones]

Has anyone got access to the Daikin gsdb website here in aus? I used to but not work for Daikin agent anymore... Reason I ask I have complete outdoor boards set and fan motor from a 71jvea I replaced, outdoor gear should be sweet, as indoor was a mouse nest... If the boards and fan motor are compatible I might be able to help...?

[sjbrewy]

Thanks Paul for your info!

[sjbrewy]

Thanks Bones, so you worked on these aircons. with Daikin, how do we find out if these boards are compatable. The powers still going to the inside unit to light up the blinking green light that means code U4, and when ya turn the power on the outside unit makes a quick low buzz noise, those Outside Led lights dont work at all to say what fault it is!

[Bones]

How did you get the code u4? From blinking lights (LEDs) or from using the remote to get error code from the unit?

[sjbrewy]

I got the codes from the romote control, i didnt know how, but i found how to do it on this site,, press temp up/down and mode at same time and the first letter comes up and then mode for the number.
It was on- Troubleshooting for Diakin Aircon CTK25FVEN from user astiquer

[Bones]

personally i havent had much trouble with indoor boards in 'jvea' units unless mice were involved in either chewing a wire or relieveing themselves on an electrical part at the wrong time...

without looking at the unit first hand it is hard to say exactly what is wrong with it, it sounds like the outdoor boards are most likely stuffed. when doing work on these units daikin always advised to replace all boards and fan motor in that particular model, as the fan is also an inverter type fan.

one fault from one board daisy chains into the fault and death of the next and a crook outdoor fan motor can cook them all (only had this a few times). so you could be up for 3 boards and a fan motor. with the cost of this plus labour to fit etc you would be better cutting your losses on the unit and spending on a new inverter model.

find out who the daikin guys are in your area and get them to have look at the unit for you and quote repairs/replacement.

sorry i cant be much more help, but i dont really think it is something you can fix over the net.

[Crash Pilot]

sjbrewy

Did you check the fan motor. Majority of U4 faults caused on these units are due to fan motor. These are an electronic motor and when they seize up they short the pcb inside and then they drain the power from the outdoor PCB. When this happens the indoor cannot communicate with outdoor and will show a U4. Good chance this is all that may be wrong with it. If motor is ok then it will be PCB.

As for PCB's

50 60 71 size units share the same filter pcb and active module pcb. Control PCB is different. 50 and 60 the same 71 is different

[Crash Pilot]

One other thing to check is the 30amp fuse on the filter PCB. If this is blown then chances are you are up for 3 PCB's and a compressor.
If the compressor has shorted then it will toast all 3 PCB's . If the transistors short on the control PCB then you are up for the 3 PCB's.
Power comes into filter PCB then fuse(Noise filters) out of filter PCB then into Control PCB(Diode bridge) then out of control PCB into Active module then out of active module back into filter PCB (Smoothing capacitors)and out then into control PCB (Transistor) then compressor.

The complete inverter circuit (Current carrying) loops throught the 2 main PCB's twice and once through the active module. A shorted compressor will cause cause destruction to everything in it path taking out the 30amp fuse.

[sjbrewy]

Thanks Bones, i email a nearby Daikin dealer for there fees and they want $110 for the call out and for first half hour of work then $49 for half hour after, i might become a Aircond fitter.
What a rip off.

[sjbrewy]

HI CP, both fan motors inside/outside units are not siezed it still moves around when i spin them, what PCB would it be inside or outside, as we heard a bang noise like it came from the inside unit, but i dont know if that noise was from being shutdown all of a sudden.
And i checked the fuses on top of the o/s unit and they arent blown at all, no power getting to those o/s unit Led lites and those PCB boards look clean and not fried anywhere on them,but the green lite flashes on the i/s unit though. I might pull the inside unit apart and check in there, ive just pulled the wire connecting cover off to see if the wires are on OK, what else is in there behind that that might be worth checking. Thanks

[Crash Pilot]

sjbrewy

Leave the indoor unit. The problem will be in the outdoor unit. You can't tell by spinning the outdoor fan with the blade on it. You have too much leverage. You need to disconnect from the PCB and then see if the LED's come on when you switch the power back on. To check if the motor is seized you need to take the blade off and spin the shaft with your fingers. Should get 1.5 turns out of the motor.
Motor has to be disconnected from the PCB.

[sjbrewy]

Thanks CP, Ill try that tomorrow and let ya know tomorrow night.

[Temprite]

sjbrewy

Leave the indoor unit. The problem will be in the outdoor unit. You can't tell by spinning the outdoor fan with the blade on it. You have too much leverage. You need to disconnect from the PCB and then see if the LED's come on when you switch the power back on. To check if the motor is seized you need to take the blade off and spin the shaft with your fingers. Should get 1.5 turns out of the motor.
Motor has to be disconnected from the PCB.

What he said....:)

[monkey spanners]

Thanks Bones, i email a nearby Daikin dealer for there fees and they want $110 for the call out and for first half hour of work then $49 for half hour after, i might become a Aircond fitter.
What a rip off.

I'm always interested in customers opinions of pricing, just to satisfy my curiosity, what do you think is a reasonable call out charge and hourly rate?

Cheers Jon :)

[Crash Pilot]

Problem in Aust is shortage of Techs.
If you can even find a bad Tech then they want lots of $$$. So the good ones are even more. Then you look at the high fuel prices and all the training and safety gear that is needed for OH&S. Then you find there is not much left over for profit. Also need to factor in down time.

Have seen a few service companies close shop over the last few years.

Aircon companies used to make a killing but things are changing.

Interesting how things are in other countries.

[Crash Pilot]

Feel sorry for the customers that have had outdoor units installed on the side of 2 storey buildings years ago and now need them fixed. Aust legislation states that you cannot use ladder if a safer means of doing the job is available. This means scaffolding which the customer ends up paying for. So a $300 job can turn into a $1300 job. Hugh fine for the Tech if he gets caught taking unsafe short cuts.

[Bones]

Sorry you feel we all are rip off's. How much do you think it costs to employ a tech?

Vehicle, petrol, servicing and wear tear for starters... Workers comp insurance, superannuation, liability insurance, tech's wages... To name a few, all before we jump in the van and speed off to your place to find a dude that's had no training think they know more about our job then we do even after a 4 year apprenticeship + years on job thereafter

Those rates are reasonable, wait until you get the parts an labour repairs quote!

[sjbrewy]

MC. I was a bit shocked, i thought it would of been around $70 hr, as i got a lecky about a year ago that had to fix a insurance job on the washing machine and it was $65. So is that what it is in your area eg.$110.

[sjbrewy]

Thats a bummer CP bout 2 storey a/c on side of wall, not using ladder, they probably brought that in because some people fell off, did they, thats usually how all these laws/regulations come in.

[sjbrewy]

CP. I did what ya said, fans turning around easierly, does it matter if it turns more than the 1.5 turns as you stated, fan disconnected and turned power on and still no Led lights, damn those led's, its probably something thats very unusual. Time to burn it.

[Crash Pilot]

Worth a try. Sometimes things can be easy. Really need a tech from here on.

[paul_h]

I'm always interested in customers opinions of pricing, just to satisfy my curiosity, what do you think is a reasonable call out charge and hourly rate?

Cheers Jon :)
That's just a whinge, the prices quoted are cheap.
Remove GST (10% tax), halve the hourly rate for lost time in travel, paperwork, researching and ordering parts.
Then add fuel, vehicle, licenses, super, phone/fax, advertising, insurance, book keeping and bank fees.
Anyone charging those prices (similar to mine) aren't making as much money as just being an employee somewhere.
When I left my employer, they were charging $99 callout and $94 p/hr, and that was years ago.
I charge $66 callout and $88p/hr, so to get me for 1/2hr would be the same $110, and after all costs, I earn way under what I would as an employee.
I'm just doing it for freedom and life experience, so I can move and have the knowledge to start up shop if I move to a regional area out of the city.
edit: The OP mentioned a sparkie before, all the ones I know charge $110 p/hr.
Though from how he described it, it was a whitegoods applaince tech. Yeah they're cheaper, has something to do with not crawling through roof cavities or up 2 storey building I think ;)
But as he should see here, fixing this stuff isn't easy, it takes experience and developed troubleshooting techniques. It's not rocket surgery, but getting the right person who knows their stuff will save money in the end even if they charge a high hourly rate, because it will be repaired fast and with the minimum in parts costs as they won't just go and replace everything.

[monkey spanners]

MC. I was a bit shocked, i thought it would of been around $70 hr, as i got a lecky about a year ago that had to fix a insurance job on the washing machine and it was $65. So is that what it is in your area eg.$110.


I'm in the UK and charge £30 per hour travel to and from site and 50p a mile there and back also, and £30 per hour while on site which i round up to the nearest 5 minutes.

This is $52.2 an hour and $0.85 per mile.

I still get moaned at for being too expensive, i think this would still be the case if i worked for free :D

Jon

[sjbrewy]

CP- Thanks anyway

[sjbrewy]

HI PH- I know where your coming from as i run a home business as a Musical instrument service/repairer for woodwind and brass eg saxophones/trumpets etc. a couple of years ago, we do only a little bit of running around, to pick up/return instrumnets from schools, as most work comes to us (private customers), but i had to buy a new dual cab ute, took advantage of the 50% tax break. As theres only about 6 businesses that do this type of work in Queensland, you would think that this type of trade being very rare, you would think it would be a gold mine, but its not, on average our hourly rate would work out to be about $40. Thats just what the go is.
Before this i use to be a Plant operator for 20 yrs in the coal mines /Gold coast Motorway road rebuilding project, operating large excavaters,dozers,loaders,graders,trucks etc that took about 10 yrs be able to operate all these machines properly and that hourly rate in the mines was about $45.