Daikin fault code E5
OL activated (compressor overload).
What E5 actually means
Compressor overload protection has activated. The compressor drew more current than it should and the unit stopped it before something let go.
What causes it
- Refrigerant charge wrong, high or low
- Outdoor coil blocked so head pressure climbs
- Outdoor fan not running
- Failing run capacitor
- Compressor windings degrading
Most likely first. That order is from what we actually find on site, not from the manual.
Safe to check yourself
No tools, no covers off, nothing to do with gas, refrigerant or wiring.
- Turn the unit off
- Check the outdoor unit has clear air around it and the coil is not caked
What we check on site
So you know what you’re paying for.
- Compressor current draw against nameplate
- Capacitor test
- Refrigerant pressures and charge weight
- Winding resistance and insulation resistance
- Outdoor fan operation
Can you keep using it?
No. Overload trips are the compressor telling you it is under strain, and repeated restarts under strain are how compressors die.
What the fix usually involves
Often a capacitor or an airflow problem, both of which are straightforward. Where the windings have gone, we price the compressor and a new system side by side, because at that point they are usually close.
Is it worth fixing?
That depends almost entirely on how old the unit is. Past about ten years on hot water and gas heating, and twelve on aircon, a significant repair usually costs more per remaining year than a replacement does — and it’s the same point at which the VEU rebate is worth the most, because old inefficient appliances are exactly what the scheme pays to remove. If yours is young and the fault is a component, we’ll fix it and say so.
Repair or replace? The 10-year rule, and what the rebate is worth →