LG Multisplit ongoing issue... slowly getting there I think!

[Ross]

Richard,

As with LG spare parts the service software is relative cheap to purchase. Here in Oz it is approximatley AU$200. Not bad considering it connects across LG's whole product range from Single Split, ducted, Multi to VRF. Maybe you can enquire through your LG rep. If the Engineer you are refer to attending site is from LG then I am surprised he has no Laptop and the service software. I would be questioning on why not. These systems have a number of thermistors and it takes only one to be out of calibration for the system to go into a saftey control parameter. If I remember correctly the FM25AH has 2 compressors and with one faulty thermistor this may result in the 2nd compressor not operating. Let me know how you get on?

[back2space]

Richard,

As with LG spare parts the service software is relative cheap to purchase. Here in Oz it is approximatley AU$200. Not bad considering it connects across LG's whole product range from Single Split, ducted, Multi to VRF. Maybe you can enquire through your LG rep. If the Engineer you are refer to attending site is from LG then I am surprised he has no Laptop and the service software. I would be questioning on why not. These systems have a number of thermistors and it takes only one to be out of calibration for the system to go into a saftey control parameter. If I remember correctly the FM25AH has 2 compressors and with one faulty thermistor this may result in the 2nd compressor not operating. Let me know how you get on?

The FM25AH UE1 has only one compressor, it is the year before this model was produced where they had two compressors, a fixed speed and inverter.

I have sent LG an email this morning, pretty much pleading with them that they now resolve this I simply cannot afford to keep throwing money at it and I need a reliable heat source this winter since its forecast to be a cold one.

Hopefully I may get somewhere, my engineer says that it could be something like the eev that is faulty and not closing but then we could end up replacing it and it still doesnt correct the issue meaning more time and money wasted.

I think its high time someone came out and connected a laptop to it to check exactly what it is playing at.

I think its a control issue personally but having had the main pcb replaced 8 months after it being installed and exactly the same issues immediatly after suggests that it is not a malfunction of the pcb or other parts but a control issue.

Here is a copy of the email I have sent to LG Air Con technical, straight from the heart:

Good Morning,

I am emailing you & pleading with you to help me get this resolved, this is all starting to make me very ill. It has been going on nearlly 3yrs and should have been resolved a long time ago.. I know in between there has been some dodgy engineers who havent wanted to resolve this but there has also been a good handful that have wanted to resolve it. It is becoming even more of an issue as we approach winter again... this should never have gone on this long and responses from LG in the past have been most unhelpful up until dealing with yourself who seems interested and wants to help. It is now time I feel that LG deal with this as a proffesional company and rectify once and for all.

System is not working well at all again and im another £250 short.... engineer feels that all the EEVS cant be faulty so its either forking out more getting them all replaced and then finding that its still the same or pretty much pleading with LG that this is a control issue, as all the factors and engineers that have attended have said we seem to be going round in circles and there is more to it. Yes one of the valves has been sticking and that has now been rectified but even that unit is poor on heating. The system behaves 100% in cooling and all valves close down when units are at thermo off and does exactly as it should so we know its the heating control strategy. Engineer is happy to work with the LG engineer but I am told on the forum that someone can connect a laptop with service software on to the outdoor unit to see operating perameters. Please please can we go down this route so that engineer can check the software and correct if need be and diagnose this system properly. EVerytime my engineer is spending a lot of time stripping the system down and he says it is very awkward to get to the parts so time and ££ is spent doing this as well. It makes sense that it is a control issue as with all 3 indoors running the outdoor unit is undersized but actually with all 3 units calling for heat it performs better (higher air off) than if 1 or 2 units were running.

In total I have spent near to £2000 in engineer visits and not one has resolved it. I am pretty much pleading with you that LG at least do something to help me. The heating is needed I have a poorly member of family who lives here with health issues and needs reliable heating. You know I was warned off LG by people on the forum, however I am a very loyal LG customer owning 2 LCD tvs, microwaves and other appliances they have been spot on... the air con leaves something to be desired.

The fact that one of the valve heads was corroded because of a design issue is also not very good on LG's part. THe header pipe that carries cold refrigerant runs directly over one of the EEV heads and in cooling this pipe sweats and water has been dripping down onto the head and corroded it. It would have made sense for this pipe to have been insulated or not running directly over the heads and corroding one of them that is directly underneath.

Given that this unit is still in warranty till next year (installer gone bankrupt) I think it would be a good gesture of goodwill to send one of their engineers to investigate. Given this has gone on for nearlly 3 yrs and still not resolved despite endless call outs.

My engineer has checked voltages and all seem to be ok there and swapping the valve heads about makes no difference. This leaves one thing, the control strategy which is something nearlly all the engineers have suggested who have been out.

I have even had personal emails from Graham Hendra when he was dealing with this and telephone calls. I have had Ken from LG technical on previous occasions tell me there is nothing wrong with the system and that its not close control and that I should rip it out and install storage heaters... not very proffesional really. Especially when engineers have stated there is issues with it. Even p_p from this forum visited and he said that it was not working right.

Just to bring you upto date on the long drawn out process... The ammount of posts I have had to put on forums about the issues are endless... Here are a few... I can even forward you the masses of emails between me and the installer him claiming there is nothing wrong but then my independant engineers who have attended all say something wrong.

I have had lies upon lies from the installing engineer even at one stage after I demanded that he attend and rectify or I was going to take legal action he agreed it was faulty and then said that LG were going to send a new board with different perameters as was a control issue.

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.co...ad.php?t=27723 - Latest forum discussion.

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.co...ad.php?t=17171 - The start of a discussion online from 2009.

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.co...6&postcount=50 - p_p's diagnosis after visiting...

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.co...9&postcount=54 - This poster even suggests that the software control is bad as my version of the multisplit was quite a new model when it was released. This is believable as the system is certainly not controlling right and never has.

Email from Graham Hendra promising some resolution will be found 21/03/09:

"Today I spoke with the installing contractor

He will be in contact about your machine together some resolution will be found

regards

Graham Hendra
General Manager Airconditioning LGEUK"


Please Andrew will you give this some steam now to get this resolved I dont think I can take this much further, I have had to sell things to pay for the call outs because of lack of heating performance and I cant have another winter of having to use electric heaters to assist the system, last winter was very expensive when we invested in a system that should have worked properly from day one. Surely newer models have different control software.

Kind regards
Richard.