You press the remote and nothing happens. No beep, no indicator light, no airflow. Before assuming the worst and calling a technician, know that in the vast majority of cases it is something simple you can fix in five minutes. Here are the checks to run through, in the right order.
Start with the remote control
It sounds obvious, but dead batteries are the single most common cause. A remote with flat batteries sends no signal, and the unit appears broken. Change the batteries and try again. There is a quick way to check: point the remote at your phone camera and press any button. If you see the infrared light on the screen, the remote is working fine. If you see nothing, the batteries are the problem.
Check the power supply
- Look at the circuit breaker panel. A tripped RCD or circuit breaker leaves the unit without power. Look for a switch that has flipped down and reset it.
- Check the unit's dedicated wall switch. Many air conditioners have their own isolator switch on the wall. Make sure it is on. It happens more often than you would think that someone has switched it off without realising.
- Test the socket with another device. If you have a portable unit plugged into a socket, check the socket is live by plugging something else in.
Remote control settings
This causes more confusion than most people expect. The remote can be configured in a way that stops the unit from doing what you want.
- Check the mode. If it is set to heating when you want cooling, or vice versa, the unit either will not start or will seem to do nothing. Look for the sun or snowflake symbol.
- Look at the set temperature. If you have set 30 degrees in cooling mode with the room at 28 degrees, the unit has no reason to start. Lower the target temperature.
- Disable any active timer. An accidentally set timer can keep the unit off. Check there is no clock or schedule running in the background.
When the problem is more serious
If power is reaching the unit, the remote works, and the settings are correct but the unit stays silent, the fault is internal. A burned-out control board, a failed capacitor, or a motor problem are not DIY repairs. The same goes for a unit that hums but the fan does not spin, or for indicator lights blinking an error code. Write down the code if you see one. It will help the technician identify the fault immediately when they arrive.
How to avoid the same situation next time
Keep spare batteries for the remote and note where the unit's dedicated isolator switch is. A routine service at the start of the season, including filter cleaning and a check of the electrical connections, prevents most of these shutdowns. If the unit is old and keeps letting you down, it may be time to replace it. Among our air conditioners you will find current models with self-diagnostic systems that tell you exactly what is wrong.