I have a used air conditioner with no book--i need some directions. i've been guessing as how to operate the machine and am getting cold air but am unsure that i'm running it right

Hello Daren,

Welcome to the world of modern conveniences!!

Just guessing here...BECAUSE no Make or MODEL
came through with your question...

but

Just as a COLD DRINK... ACCUMULATES water
(Because chilling warm moist air causes frosting)...

All air conditioners should have a water tray...

I have every confidence tat the unit is NOT leaking...
It is NEEDING to have the drain-pan emptied.

Unless you have a large staff of "domestics"...
That TASK would fall to the owner/operator.

I'M just saying...

That means that it is dehumidifying. Is the air coming out still cold? I assume you have tried using the mode button to switch it back? Is the air extremely humid? Perhaps it is humid enough that the machine needs to dry the air before safely operating as an AC. The manual is available here:

http://www.sears.com/kenmore-portable-room-air-conditioner/p-04272012000P

Cleaned the filter this AM and closed the door but now a red
light keeps flashing.

You need to have a Refrigeration man check your freon level.That would be my guess.

The clunk is the valve operating. It is either defrosting itself or it's got a loose connection on the pcb

put it on cooling then see if the copper coil is cold. it might be your fan capacity or pcb board. yes lg for free parts :P

puzzle this one thats for sure ,using the machine you weigh the amount of gas that you take out ,now a vehicle like this should have a sticker under the bonnet telling you how much gas it should hold ,Which remember iam in spain so i have never seen this model but i would assume or guess that it should have about 700/750 grms of gas unless it has two units in the cab ?? Now what could have happened here is that the operator didnt turn the valves on at the gas bottle so it still had gas inside the ac machine valve block and the next person turned the valves on to use the machine and emptied your vehicle but as yours was low and with the gas in the valve block hes read that the vehicle had too much gas.Unless someone along the line has gassed up with one of these weekend mechanic can of gas cannisters

Start the unit and go outside to see if the insulated pipe is sweating or cold, hot air should be discharging from top of outside unit. Since the breaker is not tripping, my best guess is the compressor is not operating. You might have to replace the capacitor.

If you can hear the compressor operating, then most
likely needs refrigerant

1. Power down the air conditioner using the "power" button on the front
panel.
2. Unplug the air conditioner from the wall socket.
3. Hold the front panel "power" button down and plug the air
conditioner in. Continue to hold the power button down as the machine
goes through a brief test sequence (fan & compressor each come on
briefly, etc). There is a "beep" sound at the end of the test sequence,
and the machine will be off. At this point, you can release the power
button.
4. Unplug the air conditioner.
5. Plug the air conditioner back in.
6. Congratulations! You should now be able to operate the air
conditioner normally for another 720 hours, but only if you followed
the instructions above EXACTLY.

If you doubt the veracity of this information, or it does not work as
expected, you can get it directly from the source at:

1-800-237-4277

which is the Sharp customer service line. But, you'll need to call
between 7 AM and 7 PM US Central time, and have your model number and
serial number ready.

Dear Customer,
The likely reasons for a leaking AC are...
1) Improperly installed.
A window air conditioner must be slightly lower at the rear than the front. This allows the water being removed from the room to drain to the back of the machine. A difference of one inch is sufficient. This is always the first thing to check. Many are improperly installed in the haste to get relief from the heat. If installed too low at front the water will flow into the room rather than outside. If installed too low at rear, water can roll out front edges before has chance to exit towards rear drain.

1. Icing up.
   Water being de-humidified can turn to ice if there are problems with the cooling system. There are many reasons for an air conditioner to produce ice. Remove front grille while machine is operating. If ice is present on the cooling coil you will probably need service. For more information see our other article: Why window Air Conditioners Ice up.

1. Air leakage around air conditioner.
   If warm air is able to enter around the air conditioner it will encounter cooler, dryer air. When they meet condensation will occur. If water leaking from front of air conditioner inspect to see if dripping from body of machine, or water droplets clinging to front area. To test, operate machine for 30 minutes and then use flashlight to check under front edge of base. Small water droplets here indicate an air leakage problem. Add foam insulation to stop warm air from infiltrating.

1. Drain hole blocked.
   Rear of air conditioner base has a drain hole or groove to allow water to escape. If becomes blocked water can back up. To test, operate machine for 30 minutes and then inspect if draining properly. If appears blocked use a small piece of wood to open drain hole at rear of metal base. CAUTION: Never be tempted to drill holes into the air conditioner body to relieve water pooling. Severe damage can result.

1. Internal drains blocked.
   There are small passageways that allow water to drain from front of air conditioner to the rear. If they become blocked water will pool at front of machine and overflow onto floor. If this happens the air conditioner will require removal from window and servicing.

1. Outside temperature too cold.
   This occurs at end of cooling season. If outside temperatures drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night the cooling coil may ice up. If no leakage at bedtime but water in front of machine in morning, suspect this problem. If this problem suspected turn off machine before bedtime and restart as day warms. Alternately, operate machine at night with selector switch in ‘fan only’ position. This will circulate room air during night but not allow cooling.
   

Hope u find this useful. I'll be thankful if u could rate this. thank you.