Have you noticed that blinking red light on your GE Window Air Conditioner? What does it mean? The guide below will tell you.
GE Window Air Conditioner Flashing Red Light – Why?
The flashing red light works with the filter. It appears when the unit wants the consumer to clean the filter.
How can the AC tell that the filter is dirty?
It can’t. In fact, a flashing red LED doesn’t mean the filter is dirty. It appears when the filter goes unchanged for a specific period. If you check the manual, it will tell you how frequently you should change the filter.
If you exceed the recommended threshold, the red LED will flash. But what if you changed the filter, but the red LED persisted? The following factors may explain your situation:
1). Power Problem
A flashing red LED on the thermostat may indicate power problems. For instance, if the outdoor unit shuts down or a breaker trips. Unfortunately, the outdoor unit can fail for various reasons, including:
- Capacitor – People compare capacitors to batteries all the time because they store energy. The fan in an outdoor unit will stop working if the capacitor fails. A defective capacitor can affect the compressor and condenser’s functions.
- Motor – The condenser fan motor can burn out because of a faulty capacitor, insufficient maintenance, factory defects, etc.
- Connections – Loose connections can cause arcing and short circuits.
- Clogging – AC units can overheat because of blockages. If you’re lucky, the unit will shut down before it starts a fire.
2). Normal Operations
Check the manual. Some models have a red LED that flashes when you turn the unit on. But the manual will mention this LED. Some red lights flash permanently so long as the air conditioner remains active. Others will only flash for the first few minutes.
3). Age
Air conditioners can flash incessantly as they age. Sometimes, one random light will blink. In other cases, all the LEDs will flash. You can perform some basic repairs, but those are band-aids. They won’t help.
According to Consumer Reports, air conditioners have a lifespan of ten years. Once yours exceeds that threshold, don’t hesitate to replace it. Otherwise, you might as well grow accustomed to the flashing lights. They won’t stop unless you disable them. But that is dangerous because an AC’s LEDs matter.
They keep you apprised of important developments regarding the unit’s operations. Disabling them puts you at risk.
How To Fix GE Window Air Conditioner Blinking Red Light?
Most flashing red LEDs are not a cause for concern because they appear when you fail to change the filter within a specific period. The easiest way to banish these lights is to clean the filter, a process that involves the following:
- Unplug the AC. If you hard-wired the unit, use the breaker to cut the power. You don’t want to tamper with an air conditioner attached to an energized circuit. If it has a power cord, pull it out of the wall outlet.
- Find the filter. The manual will guide you. Check the front section. Remove the air intake grill and pull the filter out.
- Use a vacuum to remove debris. The type doesn’t matter. But many experts use hand vacuums or models with brush attachments.
- Pay attention to the corners. Debris typically accumulates in these areas. Remove it before moving on.
- If the vacuum is insufficient, probably because you waited too long to wash the filter, add baking soda to some water in a bucket and soak the filter. Technically, you can stick to water if you don’t have baking soda. But if strange smells routinely emerge from the AC, water won’t help. You need half a cup of baking soda in a gallon of water to resolve this issue.
- Soaking is merely the first step. It removes debris and foul odors. The final stage involves scrubbing the filter with a brush and mild detergent. Make sure the brush’s thistles are soft.
- Avoid brushes with metal wires for thistles. They will harm the filter.
- If the filter looks clean, use cool water to rinse it. Some people use a sprayer to remove stubborn debris.
- Don’t reinsert the filter until the component is completely dry.
- If you don’t have the time to clean the filter, stop running the AC. A dirty filter will lower your home’s air quality. But removing the filter endangers the air conditioner.
Watch this video to know more in detail!
If the flashing red light continues to annoy you even though you cleaned the filter, try the following solutions:
1). Check the power source. Make sure the power cord and plug are in tip-top shape. Wiggle the plug gently. Is it firm in the outlet?
2). Loose connections can interfere with the power supply. Before you replace your compressor, capacitor, and condenser motor, try tightening the connections. This may solve the problem.
3). This goes without saying. You can’t clean every filter. Sometimes, you are better off replacing the component. Where possible, get a new filter every four to eight weeks. The U.S. Department of Energy believes that replacing the filter routinely conserves energy.
You should apply this solution if cleaning the filter fails to eliminate the flashing red LED.
4). The red LED on a GE window air conditioner flashes whenever the fan runs for 250 hours. But what if you clean or replace the filter routinely, and you don’t need the reminder?
You can disable the flashing light. This involves going to the auxiliary controls, finding the switch associated with the filter reminder, and disabling the mechanism. Use the manual to find the auxiliary controls.
Experts discourage this practice. What if you forget to clean the filter after 250 hours? You won’t have the flashing red light to remind you.
5). Troubleshoot the AC unit to find and repair the faulty components, including the compressor, condenser, fans, motors, and capacitors. Look for the error codes. They will show you the culprits responsible for the unit’s defects.
Pay attention to the control board. An air conditioner’s lights can flash for no reason because the control board has a glitch or malfunction. Naturally, you need an expert to tell you whether or not these parts require repairs or a replacement.
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