Winter: Blowing cold air / Ice or water at outdoor unit – Defrost

by Admin | Mar 18, 2026

Why Is My Air Conditioner Blowing Cold Air or Making Strange Noises in Winter?

All reverse cycle ducted, split system, and room air conditioning systems are affected by the outdoor temperature — the colder it is outside, the harder it is to generate warm air inside. When temperatures drop, most systems will form ice or frost on the outdoor unit. To deal with this, they automatically enter a defrost cycle. This is completely normal and includes the following:

Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit Icing Up

What to Expect During Defrost

• Steam or Smoke Appearance: As the system melts ice, it creates steam — sometimes mistaken for smoke. You may also notice large amounts of water around the outdoor unit. This is normal.
• Loud Noises: You may hear a loud whooshing sound or other noises such as buzzing, cracking, or gas flowing through the system. These sounds are also normal, especially for inverter systems as the compressor speeds up or slows down.
• Outdoor Fan May Stop: Some systems stop the fan motor during defrost while the compressor continues to run. This behaviour is expected.
• Cold Drafts Indoors: During defrost, the indoor unit may blow a brief cold draft through the outlets.
• Split and Room Systems: You may also hear cracking or gas ‘whooshing’ noises from the indoor unit. This is typical operation.

Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit Condensating

Important Notes

• Leave the System Running: Let the defrost cycle complete fully. If the unit is switched off mid-cycle, it may remain stuck in defrost mode after being turned back on.
• Defrost Duration: The process should last no longer than 5 minutes. If it runs longer, a service call may be required.
• Don’t Hose Down the Unit: Never spray or pour water on an iced-up outdoor unit — this can damage electrical components.

   

If you’re still unsure or think something isn’t right, a technician can inspect the unit on-site.

Struggling to cool on hot days

by Admin | Mar 18, 2026

If your air conditioner is struggling to cool on a hot day here is some things to check:

• Zones – If you have zones (sectioned areas), limit the areas that are on.
• Filters – Ensure your filters are clean, Clean Your Air Conditioning Filter Help Article & Video
• On early – Air Conditioning removes heat from your home, if you wait for the heat to rise outside before turning the air conditioning on, your system will struggle.
• Outdoor unit – Ensure there is plenty of airflow around the outdoor unit, ensure bins or rubbish are not blocking the airflow. The more flow around the unit the better.
• Home Shading – Internal & external shading of your home is very important, as is insulation. The more the better!

Filters, Spare Parts, Supply Only, Trade & DIY Products

by Admin | Mar 18, 2026

Our Online Store Ample Air Warehouse is now open. Aimed at Trade & DIY, the Warehouse is full of Heating & Cooling Products, as well as filters, spare parts & accessories.

Ranging from Remote Controls, Fireplaces to Air Conditioning Systems, the store is open 24/7 and backed up by our dedicated Customer Service Team.

Start shopping now on our secure website: https://warehouse.ampleair.com.au

My Rinnai Ducted Temperatures are fluctuating or inaccurate – Follow Me

by Admin | Mar 18, 2026

SOLUTION – FOLLOW ME

Ensure Accurate Temperature Control with the “Follow Me” Feature

If you’re experiencing inconsistent temperatures or your Rinnai Ducted Inverter system doesn’t start when expected, the issue may be related to the location of the temperature sensor. In all installations, the system reads the temperature from a sensor inside the indoor unit as default, which is typically mounted in the roof space. Since hot air rises, this can lead to inaccurate readings, especially after extended use, warmers days and so on — sometimes even preventing the unit from turning on.

To ensure accurate temperature control, we recommend enabling the “Follow Me” feature at all times.

When activated, the controller will use the built-in temperature sensor at the wall-mounted thermostat instead of the sensor in the roof. This provides a much more accurate reading of the actual room temperature.

• To enable “Follow Me”, simply press the Follow Me button on your controller.

• Once active, the controller will display the actual room temperature rather than the set point.

• The set point will still appear briefly when you adjust the temperature.

For R32 models using the controller shown above, please refer to page 26 of the Owner’s Manualfor detailed instructions: Rinnai Ducted R32 Owners Manual