weeping AC?

[Kejtar]

OK, so my ac was short on gas so I filled it up. The level is in the middle of the "good" position as indicated by the el cheapo gauge that came with the refil kit (I dumped in one small can, can't remember size, after 5.5 years of usage).

ANyways now what I Saw is what I Have never seen before: my AC condenser (the black bottle like thing) is all wet! Is it normal? Is it good? Bad?

Kejtar

 

[Backdraft]

Could it be sweat (condensation) from the A/C system?? Just a shot in the dark.

Mike

 

[RichP]

Actually you will find that the whole AC system sweats, at leat the low pressure side anyway and that includes the aluminum lines, they should sweat like bill clinton at the second monica lewinsky question from the press . You should also be getting water out of the short rubber hose that protrudes from the firewall right above the frame rail on the passenger side.
I think it's funny you never noticed it before ever notice we are more or less oblivious to things till we have a problem with them...

 

[Kejtar]

I always had water coming out of that little rubber hose, but now that whole can/container is wet and I had moisture going all over the place and dripping out of all sorts of holes in the frame. I need to figure out something so it doesn't leak everywhere and end up starting to rust...
SO if it's normal for it to sweat like that (I like the political angle ther Rich) I won't worry too much.
Kejtar

 

[RichP]

I don't think it's anything to worry about, the heat of the engine compartment gets rid of most of it as does the hot air flowing thru from the fans.
The only reason you notice it is because you shut the engine off and open the hood. I did re-aim my bulkhead drain to discharge off to the side a bit and used a small piece of aluminum tube about 3" long that goes OVER the drain hose. I didn't like the fact that there was a hole in the frame right under where that hose drained to.

 

[xxxj-va]

Don't mean to hijak the thread here but is your condenser (the little black bottle) is it wet all the time or only when you run the a/c? Mine is wet all them time....with or without a/c running. I wonder if I have a problem.

P

 

[AZ Jeff]

The "little black bottle" is not the condenser, it's the receiver/dryer. The condenser is the radiator type thing located behind the grille.

 

[xxxj-va]

Thanks....I didn't know what to call it. Should it always be wet/covered in condensation?

 

[HossHoffer]

Sweat like a hog?

It is quite normal for your reciever dryer to sweat. Move to the midwest or east coast and you'll get so much condensation that puddles form underneath your car. I was toolin' along in Kansas once when it was 98 degrees and 95% humidity (thank heavens for AC). There was so much water coming off the system that I could see it in my rear view mirror. I actually stopped to check it cause I thought it was gas coming from a hole in the tank!

 

[Kejtar]

wow... talk about a blast from the past... when I saw it pop up I did a double take as I thought that the site broke down or something LOL

Kejtar

 

[red87cherokee]

Don't mean to hijak the thread here but is your condenser (the little black bottle) is it wet all the time or only when you run the a/c? Mine is wet all them time....with or without a/c running. I wonder if I have a problem.

P

FYI - the a/c also runs intermittently when you have the defroster on (to dehumidify the air hitting the windshield). So, if you're in the habit (like me) of leaving the defroster on most of the time for the air circulation, yes, it could be wet all the time.

 

[xxxj-va]

Thanks a million....I am a complete idoit, that makes perfect sense.

P

 

[red87cherokee]

Thanks a million....I am a complete idoit, that makes perfect sense.

P

No problem. You can't learn if you don't ask questions.