Successful Installation of Faikin board on FTXS60BVMB (2004 unit)

[ruimarinho]

Hi,

Yesterday, I successfully installed the Faikin board on a relative’s FTXS60BVMB wall-mounted AC unit from 2004. It’s remarkable to see how this reliable unit has operated flawlessly for 20 years, and now, with the Faikin board, it’s ready for its next chapter.

I opted for the latest Faikin board design featuring a Tag-Connect-compatible header and compatible with 5V TX lines, which this unit has. Also, since the IoT network lacks internet access, I set up a basic OTA server on a NAS to install the latest beta firmware (as I don’t yet own a Tag-Connect flasher).

Initially, I used DuPont-to-DuPont cables for testing. However, I ran into a minor challenge: the plastic mounts on the jumpers seemed to have slight tolerance variations. This caused five adjacent wires to exceed the expected 2.5mm pitch. By adjusting the orientation of the connectors (rotating the “window” side to face the terminal), I managed to proceed with the test.

Later, I replaced the DuPont cables with a 20cm female-to-female JST EH cable, sourced from AliExpress. This wire length was perfect for installing the Faikin board on the side of the unit.

Tips for Installation:

1. Wiring Direction: Be cautious with the wiring orientation. Even when selecting “same direction,” some cables may arrive reversed.
2. Plastic Case: To route wires through the shielded plastic case, gently lift the lever on the crimped connector. This allows the wire to pass through before reconnecting each wire to the connector to restore functionality.
3. Power Wires: I rewired the black and red wires to match pin 4 (14V) and pin 5 (GND). This makes future visual inspections much easier. The following scheme allows for a perfect connection between the two boards (Daikin and Faikin).
   
4. Shielded Cover: The shielded metal cover isn’t screwed in; it simply slides off the plastic enclosure with care. A single screw secures the enclosure. Removing it allows taking the enclosure off the unit and provide enough movement to install the S21 connector without disconnecting mains or other Daikin controller cables.
   

As usual, always disconnect the unit on the circuit breaker before making any changes on the unit.

This installation not only rejuvenated a reliable unit but also proved the flexibility of modern IoT integration in older hardware. I can't thank @revk enough for this project. Let me know if you have any questions or need further details!

Best regards,