Why won't my Traiden mini split vents close right away anymore?

That sounds like your niece accidentally activated the **Anti-F** or **X-Fan** function, which is basially an anti-fungus mode common on Traiden and other R32 units. When this is active, the indoor fan continues to run for about three to five minutes after you hit the power button to dry out the evaporator coil. The reason the vent stays wide open is to allow that moisture to escape rather than trapping it inside the chassis. The clicking and ticking you're hearing is just the plastic housing contracting as the temperture changes or the stepper motor for the louvers resetting its position. It’s totally normal, though it can be annoying if you aren't used to it. The musty smell you noticed is actually the reason this mode exists in the first place; the fan is blowing out the stagnant, humid air that was sitting on the cold fins. If it smells bad now, it means there was already some biofilm or mildew starting to grow, and the unit is finally trying to dry it out.

To get it back to the way it was, look for a button labeled 'Anti-F', 'Mould Pro', or 'X-Fan' on your remote. You usually have to press it while the unit is actually running. You might see a small icon of a fan or a droplet disappear from the remote screen once it’s toggled off. Some of these remotes require a long-press of the 'Mode' or 'Fan' button to cycle through these secondary settings if there isn't a dedicated button for it. Honestly, I’d actually recommed leaving it on despite the annoyance. If you shut the unit down instantly while the coil is still ice cold and soaking wet, you’re just begging for mold to take over the blower wheel. That musty smell will only get worse over time if the internals don't get a chance to dry out after a cooling cycle. But if you want that instant shut-off back, just toggle that specific function off and the louvers should snap shut immediatly next time you power down.

Are we sure it's just a setting? Have you ruled out a clogged drain line or a stuck float switch? If the pan isn't emptying properly, the unit might keep the fan going to prevent an overflow, and that would definitely explain why the smell is so hit-or-miss. I've also seen these Traiden units act glitchy if the remote batteries are dying—it can send weird signals that mess with the logic. Might be worth a look before assuming it's just a mode.

Spot on about the Anti-F mode. I had the same thing happen with my Traiden unit after my kid grabbed the remote. One thing the previous poster missed is that on some of these R32 models, the 'Eco' mode can actually trigger a similar logic if it's left on, even if you didn't touch the X-Fan button. Also, if you decide to keep it on to help with that smell, just be aware that the vertical swing flaps usually stay at their last position rather than centering, which can make the ticking noise from the plastic expansion sound way louder than usual.

Oh wow, I just joined and this is exactly why I'm here! I'm getting a mini split installed next week and had no idea they coud even do that. Does anyone know if these Traiden units use much power when they stay on like that? I'm super pumped to finally have AC, but now I'm wondering if I shold be looking for a specific brand of batteries for the remote so it doesn't glitch out like yours did!

Update: I tried toggling the Anti-F setting and it definitely stopped the fan from running over, but now I’m worried about that musty smell. If it’s been damp in there, should I be looking at the drain line like one of you suggested? I’m still hearing those weird ticking noises even when it's off. Is that just the plastic cooling down?