Daikin FTXE258VMA with U4 fault code

[snowdownunder]

Hi all and apologies for the long post.
snow here and I'm new to this forum as a member, but I have been here before to gain information. I have 3 Daikin split units. The one in Question is about 10 years old.
This unit stopped working last year. I had the Daikin technician here and they changed the indoor PCB board. The unit still didn't work and the tech said he would have to come back with some more parts (boards). After about 5 minutes he said the unit was working. This unit worked well but had noticeable dimmer indicator lights.
This unit worked for 13 months and then the same problem, that is the unit won't work. When the unit is switched on the Indoor LED flashes about once a second, until switched off. Code U4, the same as last time.
I did ring Daikin Australia only to be told that parts only have 12 months warranty and I was up for their call out fee and labour again. I wasn't convinced that the tech knew what he was doing and that is was more guess-nostics than diagnostics. So I rang the people that installed it and they came out to have a look. This tech said that it was the indoor board. I told him this board was only 13 months old (bearing in mind that the previous lasted 9 years). He also said that for the $500 it cost to replace this board, there were no guaranties that this would solve the problem.
This unit looks good, it's clean and gets little use in a small bedroom. The pipes also go underground, it's a pain to change.
So I thought I'd have a bit of a look and check ever connection. i started with the indoor unit and for the record I'm no air-con tech, just an average Joe.
The indoor unit has an internal green LED that flashes at the same rate that the indicator LED flash at, but this LED flashes all the time (Even when the unit is switch off). I also discovered why the indicator LED were not as bright, the Daikin Tech did not install the small board with the LED's correctly and these LED's were bent over instead of being located in there correct location. So after removing and re-installing this internal board, no difference.
I then checked the continuity of the communication wire, this was good.
I then had a look at the outdoor unit. It also has a green LED. This LED flashes about 10 times a second, (so 10 times faster than the indoor PCB LED and I have no idea if this is normal). I also noticed that there is a matching sound from the outdoor PCB board that is in sync with the flashing LED. This sound is only very faint, but I hear it OK. This sound appears to be coming from above a transformer on the PCB board. Once again I have no idea if this is normal.
I can only see the one fuse in the outdoor unit and this appears to be soldered in. I don't know if there is any other fuses to check
I thinking of buying both PCB boards from Daikin and installing them myself as I have had both boards out already and there don't seem to be that hard to change. . I'm not sure if this is the Right thing to do or weather I should be renewing the whole unit.
I've used Daikin because of their Automotive clutch kits. These kits are of very high quality. I do believe in the brand, but not in Daikin Australia. I find Daikin Australia arrogant, and they do not give a dam about a small fish like myself. Two installers have also steered me away from the brand with statements like "other companies are not as difficult to deal with.".
Can anybody on here give me any advise on this problem or should I just replace this unit and if so, what brand apart from Daikin would you recommend?
Cheers,
snow.

[snowdownunder]

FTXE25BVMA is the correct Model No.

[The Viking]

Are all 3 units the same model?
If so, try swapping the boards with one of the other systems.

Also worth using a volt meter to check the voltages to the boards.

:cool:

[r.bartlett]

Change the system and bad mouth Daikin at every available opportunity!

Use Mitsubishi or Toshiba.
I was on a problem site this week with 60 Daikin fcu's and DUK said sorry we're not interested. Get your local installer to assist. It's so ingrained it's in their DNA. They are the BMW car salesmen of the air conditioning world..

Got another site with 5 x 10kw splits, 3 have failed condensers of which two took out the compressor. Haven't had the heart to tell the factory manager that he's looking at a 6k bill for 5 year old kit which is apparently "the best in the world"

[install monkey]

had a u4 on a 5kw wall mount that i installed 4 yr ago- swapped indoor pcb as signal off outdoor pcb on terminal 3 was 150v ac pulsed signal- as per diagnostic flow chart- replacd indoor pcb- still u4- tested the interconnecting wiring to ensure it aint grounding anywhere-ok
disconnected the condensate pump -still no worky- replaced outdoor pcb been workin for 8 mth- a pig to change as pcb is upside down and u have to wrestle with it to unplug short cables- make sure u get some heat sink paste for the rectifier and clean the old stuff off first with wire wool or emery cloth-green flashing led's on pcb indicate communication between pcbs:)

[snowdownunder]

Are all 3 units the same model?
If so, try swapping the boards with one of the other systems.

Also worth using a volt meter to check the voltages to the boards.

:cool:

All different units. Mains voltage is OK. Terminal 3 is in between -50 to -55 volts DC on both terminals.
Any ideas about the sound coming from the outdoor PCB board (The large board).


Change the system and bad mouth Daikin at every available opportunity!

Use Mitsubishi or Toshiba.
I was on a problem site this week with 60 Daikin fcu's and DUK said sorry we're not interested. Get your local installer to assist. It's so ingrained it's in their DNA. They are the BMW car salesmen of the air conditioning world..

Got another site with 5 x 10kw splits, 3 have failed condensers of which two took out the compressor. Haven't had the heart to tell the factory manager that he's looking at a 6k bill for 5 year old kit which is apparently "the best in the world"

I was thinking similar but things are tough for me at the moment.
Just looking for the most economical way out for now.
They tell me there is no warranty on a new units against geckos.



had a u4 on a 5kw wall mount that i installed 4 yr ago- swapped indoor pcb as signal off outdoor pcb on terminal 3 was 150v ac pulsed signal- as per diagnostic flow chart- replacd indoor pcb- still u4- tested the interconnecting wiring to ensure it aint grounding anywhere-ok
disconnected the condensate pump -still no worky- replaced outdoor pcb been workin for 8 mth- a pig to change as pcb is upside down and u have to wrestle with it to unplug short cables- make sure u get some heat sink paste for the rectifier and clean the old stuff off first with wire wool or emery cloth-green flashing led's on pcb indicate communication between pcbs:)

Terminal 3, I do get in between -50 to -55 volts. I don't know why it's a negative voltage.
On the cover for the boards on the outdoor unit it does say that flashing is normal, no mention of the rate though. On the inside of the cover of the indoor unit, no mention of the internal LED at all? Just fault codes. Does the flashing internal LED, of the indoor unit means that there is a communication issue.

[snowdownunder]

Ok the system is up and running.
The external board was the problem; I changed this with the filter.
I found it easy to change, just removed the mains wiring and 4 plugs and removed the PCB’s and the housing and renewed the boards on the work bench. The fast flashing LED (10 flashes per second) of the external board also indicated a faulty board, I say this because after the boards were renewed the LED flashed at the rate of one flash per second, the same as the internal PCB. The new board also doesn’t emit any sound at all.
I’ve had two technicians tell me that the internal board needed renewing because it was a U4 code, in my case this is incorrect. When this unit first failed and I rang Daikin Australia they got me to extract the code and they arrived here with a new internal board and fitted it. The unit still didn’t work and the Daikin technician told me that he would have to return with more parts, and then he said it was working but wrote that it has an intermediate fault with the external board on the receipt.
Now understand this, I had no intermediate fault, the unit stopped and would not work. I rang Daikin because I though they would be the best. They got in an internal board drove down here and replaced it and the unit still did not work, but after some fiddling with the external board the unit worked.
They charged me $530 to do this. Now I’ve bought the same part Number of this board and it cost me $80 to buy. Daikin charged me $275.00 plus $16.50 freight and this is for something I didn’t need. I now know why Daikin don’t leave the old boards, because if I had the Board I paid $530.00 to have replaced, I would have re-fitted it back into this unit to prove that there was nothing wrong with it in the first place.
When this unit failed 13 months after having the internal board renewed by Daikin Australia they were only concerned about their call out fee and labour charges and that payment was due on the day. This is their main focus, not customer relations. I rang them because I though they were the best to diagnose and repair this unit, but as it turns out they are the best at making money for themselves.
I bought all three boards for under $400 including the $16.50 for shipping.
You’d think Daikin would have done this. That is buy all boards before driving 100Km’s to get here and charge me $215.00 for the call, no they just purchased the one board although the freight is the same for all three. What is it, are they scared to return an item. I’ll see if I can return the unopened internal board latter.
The other Daikin dealer I got here to look at this unit also told me it was the internal board. What hope has the public got with these guys?
After removing the external board and spending a few hours with an eye glass inspecting it, I realised that these boards are very well made and the problems I am having are no fault of the brand, only the poor service of Daikin Australia, totally focused on their bottom line and no concern about customer relations. This unit is 10 years old but still looks new and with thanks to Daikin Australia Spare parts section; I’ve managed to get this unit up and running for hopefully another 10 years.
I’ll never use Daikin Australia service section again and when I rang the Head Office in regards to my problem the only thing I got was arrogance.
Nothing but praise for the spare parts department, but the 20 years of recommending this brand is over. I spent the time and risk repairing this unit myself, but most people would need to rely on the service department and the only thing Daikin Australia service department is concerned about is their bottom line.

Thanks for all the advise and I'll be back when the next unit fails.

snow.

[install monkey]

glad u got it going- told ya outdoor pcb! :D