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by darken 1252 days ago
I'll try recording something next time I clean one of the units (one needs a deep clean this spring); no promises though. In the meantime, here are some quick notes/resources.

This video shows a similar process using water pressure to clean the unit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcIVAv8YbPQ

Some more tips and modifications:

- I cover the electronics in a garage bag held with tape. No need to unscrew the black cover over the power wires to disassemble (I unnecessarily removed this a few times heh).

- I ended up really liking this cleaning shrowd after trying a few; the hard pieces on the sides are key for making it easy to secure nicely, which many others lack: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B083S85X97

- I spend more time (like 30min+) spraying the blower wheel so it spins. I alternate spraying with fresh water with spraying diluted "Lemocide" (@10% dilution) from a spray bottle a bunch of times depending how dirty it is. I use this <https://snowjoe.com/products/sun-joe-wa24c-lte-24v-150-psi-m...> which at 100 PSI is 10x stronger than a hand pump sprayer, but 10x weaker than a real pressure washer. I.e. the sweet spot IMO.

- I use foaming coil clean from a can to clean the fins if they're particularly dirty. (WARNING: I have not used in the same cleaning as the Lemocide since I haven't confirmed if they're compatible, so be careful of any reactions if you use both in the same cleaning.)

- I take the outer casings outside for a quick rinse with the hose and dish soap if they're really dusty.

- I tape cheap plastic mirrors at 45 degree angle above the unit so I can see it from above and carefully vacuum the back coil (there are 3 folded over in a U, and you can only see 2 from the front). Otherwise this just accumulates junk and is hard to see. This also really helps with finding the 3x clips at the top of the case that secure it to the back housing.

I may have a few more notes worth sharing at some point; feel free to ping me if you have any specific questions.

Edit: See also this quick video on unclogging the drain line on a Daikin (though I used the sprayer against the tube instead of my mouth...): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GDrHe-rli98