Frigidaire FAA065P7A 6,000 BTU MSII Air Conditioner with Electronic Controls
by Frigidaire
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Frigidaire FAA065P7A 6,000 BTU MSII Air Conditioner with Electronic Controls
Customer Review: It's not perfect but it's cheap and efficient.
Summary: 4 Stars
A large brick and mortar store sells these exclusively at very low prices, and Consumer Reports had many nice things to say about them, so I bought three of them. Oh yes, three.
I remember when air conditioners weighed, minimally, sixty pounds. These weigh about forty pounds, and that makes them much easier to carry, place on a window sill, and move while positioning for the season.
They also draw slightly less than 15 amps, and have a fuse breaker built into the plug, which may or may not slightly mitigate tripped circuits or blown fuses in your home. It also starts with the compressor off for the first three minutes, so the amperage draw isn't high enough to trip a circuit. This is particularly consumer-friendly engineering.
The remote control is very nice and actually quite helpful for the kids' rooms; I can change settings without trying to creep past them at night, in case the rooms gets too cold or hot.
The units are quiet and do a very good job of colling down a room, even a 16x10 south-facing second-floor room with three windows. There are two or three issues you need to accept.
One, the energy efficient mode is probably very efficient, but somewhat intrusive. It will cycle the fan off and be perfectly quiet, then kick back on with air or cooled air as it needs it. In theory this is not a bad idea, but if it cycles every two minutes, it might keep you awake at night with noise/quiet/noise/quiet.
Two, the condensation pan does not have outlet holes, so you will be retaining a half-inch or so of water for the summer season. I do not like this at all, and removing a unit from a window means understanding this and attempting to drain it in some clever way before bringing it indoors. There should be outlet holes, period.
Three, the screw-type air deflectors are sort of hit and miss with directional quality. In general, no air conditioner manufacturer really does this right. The directional vents should be modeled after automobile air vents, with focused airflow and very generous coverage arcs.
The units are very efficient (10.7) and inexpensive, and Frigidaire will stand behind them for five years. I liked them enough to buy three, and would probably buy them again. A final note, the 8,000 BTU version is too loud for a bedroom. I had to return it and get a 6,000 BTU unit, which was fine.
-Fred
Customer Review: Nice unit - Works well
Summary: 4 Stars
Decided to put a window unit into the bedroom so I could have snow without freezing out my daughters. Room is approximately 600 square feet and I already have central air - so this is just for topping off (cooling) the temperature. Works very well in keeping the room extra cool. Room stays about 80 degrees without unit; I keep room at 74 degrees with the unit.
Unit is nice looking and I like the layout. Easy to figure out and straight forward to use. Despite some reviews, my unit is quiet - almost too quiet. I was looking forward to a little "white noise" but this unit is actually more quiet than my 12 year old fan. No problems with the inside fan hitting water in the unit as reported in another review - maybe because it is recirculating already air conditioned air - or maybe I have the angle set correctly so that water drains.
Room stays very comfortable now and the central air is set upwards by 4 degrees so this is saving me a fortune.
Remote: Thought this would be a waste of plastic when I bought the unit but it turns out I use the remote a lot. I keep the room warmer in the day and when I am about to go to sleep I lower the temperature some more using the remote. I suffer from insomnia so being able to adjust temperature without getting up (i.e. waking up) has been extremely useful in helping me to sleep more.
Issues: Putting the unit in was more trouble than I expected. My windows were not designed for a window unit and the unit didn't make things any easier - its designed for a wooden window (or so I would surmise). I did not use a mounting bracket because the window is low - but would recommend you use a bracket for a higher window (bought separately). I ended up drilling a few holes through an aluminum window frame to get the unit in solid and stable. I also used rigid insulation to cover the lower area of the window making for a perfect seal. The side screens that come with the unit leak a lot of outside air into the house without adding extra insulation. Only other observation is the outside condensor fins are incredibly delicate and not protected at all... You so much as look at them in anger and they will bend. Be very careful not to let anything close to them or expect a lot of fin damage and reduced efficiency.
Overall I like the unit - it is exceeding expectations. Now if it will just last me 10 years I'll be happy!
Customer Review: Nice window A/C, but ...
Summary: 4 Stars
I was torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars.
I just finished installing this in my first floor bedroom window. It appears to be a very nice window A/C ... neither the fan nor compressor are too loud and the remote is going to be VERY handy.
The 2 issues that I have with this product involve its packaging and security.
The packaging appears to be adequate for a world where everyone involved in the transportation of the product will pay attention to the THIS END UP arrows. Unfortunately, that does not describe the world in which we live. It was left by UPS lying on its left side. I found that somewhwere during its travels, it was, apparently, dropped on its left-upper-rear corner ... this dented and warped the metal case, but not badly enough to warrant a return. Some strategically located styrofoam "armor" would have prevented the damage.
My second problem has to do with Frigidaire's somewhat cavalier nod toward security in its design of the unit. Installed as directed, this unit could be pulled up and out of the window in order to gain access to the home. Had Frigidaire's R&D folks simply focused for a moment on the security of the unit & home in which it is installed, they would have created that bottom rail as a deeper unit with a "rail" for both the front & rear of the sill so that a crook could not simply defenestrate the unit by grabbing it at the rear and lifting up ... the rail attachment screws would also not be readily accessible from the outside.
Customer Review: Great A/C with one problem
Summary: 4 Stars
After reading all the recommendations here and elsewhere I went ahead and ordered this air conditioner to replace a monstrous 35-year old unit that could no longer cool for more than 15 minutes without freezing up.
It is much lighter and easier to install, energy efficient and blows cold air forever without turning into a block of ice, but....
The directional louvers to adjust where the cold air blows to are worthless. They consist of one set of horizontal slats that have enough space around them that air still blows straight out. The adjustment up and down therefore only adjusts 50-60% of the air flow. To adjust side-to-side there is a set of small disks that supposedly deflect the air flow but really only deflect about 40% of it.
The window in the bedroom where it is installed lines up with the bed. My old A/C actually deflected all the air so one could sleep without being blasted by cold air. This one blasts enough cold air straight out that the first night I used it I woke up with a cold and raw throat.
I solved the problem by moving the TV in front of it to block the air but it seems odd that an otherwise well designed A/C has such a fundamental flaw.
Customer Review: Very nice
Summary: 4 Stars
I am very satisfied with this product. It would have received 5 stars if it didn't cost me over $200. I had seen it on other sites, but after reading all the reviews here, when I went back they were all gone. Oh well.
It's very quiet, very efficient, and very nicely made. My only issue is with UPS, as the driver dropped the box at my door and the top bracket got bent. The way it was packed, the bracket was underneath the air conditioner, and the weight/force from being dropped caused the dent. It makes it a bit difficult to insert the side panel, but it's livable. It took me a couple weeks to get someone to help me install it; it's a two-person job if you're a short woman :) I didn't realize it was damaged until I went to install it. Thank goodness it was packaged very well, or who knows what would have transpired. Lesson learned - open and inspect packages right away.
As far as the vendor, I ordered it on Saturday and received it on Monday! Very impressive. I would definitely purchase from them again, and I highly recommend this unit. It has come in handy during the unbearable heat here in the Northeast.