Generalizability of machine learning-based fault classification for residential air-conditioners

Residential air-conditioning systems are subject to soft faults, which can reduce their efficiency, capacity, and life expectancy, without being detected by the occupants. Early detection and diagnosis of faults could potentially be done by using machine learning (ML) on measurable features of the air-conditioner, such as refrigerant temperatures and pressures. This paper describes a novel approach to applying ML, which is to train a fault classifier using data from one system, and apply it to different systems. If this is effective, it can significantly reduce the cost of widescale application of ML fault classification. The support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was used. An additional question for practical application is whether the number of sensors required for input feature measurement can be reduced. This work also tests the feature reduction effect, in combination with applying an ML classifier trained on one system, to classify faults in two other systems. The results are disappointing, showing that fault classification is poor when the SVM classifier is trained on a different system than it is applied to. However, with additional work, this method has potential for improvement, possibly to a point where it can be a viable approach for field deployment.