My air conditioner has turned into an box of solid ice. Help?

[ryanghall]

So, yeah, it's central air and it's never done this. One of the pipes had a big block of ice around it and the inside was solid ice. One of the pipes outside was iced, as well. Why would it do this? It hasn't been that warm out - it's survived in much worse conditions before. Is it probably toast?

I currently have the fan on to melt the ice... it's probably just about melted now.

any insight would be wonderful.

Thanks,
Ryan

[siccjay]

Is your intake blocked at all? Check that. You said it has survived worse, is it on a lower temp than normal?

[ryanghall]

No, I had it set to 21C (all last summer it was set to 20C on much hotter days).

The intake outside seems fine. There's a bit of lint on the top half of the fan box outside which I'm going to hose off but I don't think that's what's doing it (I could be wrong though)

Ryan

[G.Stephanopolis]

IT USED TO HAPPEN TO ME I JUST TURNED IT OFF LET IT MELT AND IT EVENTUALLY STOPPED HAPPENING. NOT SURE WHAT THE DEAL IS WITH THAT [censored].

[Klompy]

I'm confused how the inside would have enough ice on it to stop any air flow, this doesn't make any sense at all.

[JuntMonkey]

lol celsius

[ryanghall]

The air flow isn't stopped. When the ice was on it, it just wasn't blowing out very cold air and the temperature in my house was slowly going up.

Ryan

[Klompy]

hey which pipe has ice on it? the vent going into the house or one of the compressor pipes?

[JayTee]

Have you cleaned/replaced your filter lately? Turn the a/c off and let the fan run for a bit to help it thaw. It may also need the coolant recharged.

[ryanghall]

The one outside that had ice on I believe was one of the ones going into the house. Inside, I *think* it's a pipe heading in from outside? I'm not sure to be honest - I don't really know what a compressor pipe is/looks like.

Ryan