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AC condenser cleaning...

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Boink

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Feeling virtuous this morning. Cleaned, all by myself, our AC condenser unit. I've seen tech do it in the past, but thought I'd give it a shot. Was easy (though, obviously, I didn't check Freon and all that). Still, it must be much more efficient with all that dust/dirt out of the fins.

VERY hot here in Portland (in the 90s for days)... and now that the temp is back in the 80s, the humidity has climbed to levels that we hardly ever seen (40-55%). Yeah, you guys in the mid-west, south and east experience horrendous humidity, whereas when our temp goes high the humidity drops to 10-15%. Dreadful today (for us wimps) as it is current 80F and 55% humidity.

I'm sitting inside. :wink-new:

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Congrats on the cleaning. What exactly did you do? Remove case and blow out unit with compressed air?

(and 80 with 55% humidity ... that's a pleasant spring day!)
 
Basically, I did what the technician did (and I also saw on YouTube). Just a few steps:
a) used a shop vac with a gentle brush attachment to vacuum most of the surface stuff off the exterior, then
b) loosened the top fan assembly and a access panel so-as to get to the interior (of course, all power is turned off), then
c) used a hose to blast from the inside out... with gobs of gunk coming off.

They do make a spray that you can apply to the grill and hose off from the exterior.

Made a big difference as one can now see more light through the double-layer of fins. MUST be more efficient now.
The next time I do it, I'll likely let the techs do it as they will also check Freon and clean the interior exchanger (which is hard to get to).
 
Here in New Mexico, many people (probably most) have "swamp coolers." Getting these beasts ready for summer is an annual ritual involving replacing water lines, float valves, pads and (usually) installing a new pump. I have concluded that most Swamp Cooler components are designed for annual obsolescence.
 
And in the Pacific Northwest, many don't even have A/C (as it used to be the case that you really only needed it a couple of weeks per year).

I take it a "swamp cooler" is an evaporative thing?
 
Boink said:
And in the Pacific Northwest, many don't even have A/C (as it used to be the case that you really only needed it a couple of weeks per year).

I take it a "swamp cooler" is an evaporative thing?
Click to expand...

An Evaporative Cooler is it's "real" name, but they are affectionately called Swamp Coolers around here. Most people have small units up on the roof (loads of fun when they leak). We used to have a fairly small unit on a concrete pad at the back of the house, but when it finally gave up the ghost, I installed one of these beasts: Master Cool.
 
I've heard these units, though potentially able to grow mold and such, are pretty effective (but don't normally cool like using a refrigerant?). Simple concept, and one that shouldn't require a compressor. Don't think they'd be good in the Pacific Northwest.

Here's a home-made one from a Home Depot bucket:
 
Boink said:
I've heard these units, though potentially able to grow mold and such, are pretty effective (but don't normally cool like using a refrigerant?). Simple concept, and one that shouldn't require a compressor. Don't think they'd be good in the Pacific Northwest.
Click to expand...

Definitely not suitable for very humid climes. They work great in the high desert where relative humidity is usually on the low side. Sometimes when we get a bunch of moisture, usually from the gulf, the swamp cooler just doesn't cut it. Fortunately they work well here more often than not.
 
Ah yes - the swamp cooler. Air moving through the water pad is cooled by evaporation.

Remember these for cars back in the 1940s and 50s?

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Worked well as long as the outside humidity was low - altho' this driver might wonder what he saw reflected in the side mirror.
 
NutmegCT said:
Ah yes - the swamp cooler. Air moving through the water pad is cooled by evaporation.

Remember these for cars back in the 1940s and 50s?

8857416378_c3e3888310_z.jpg


Worked well as long as the outside humidity was low - altho' this driver might wonder what he saw reflected in the side mirror.
Click to expand...
Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear!
 
Wow... never seen one before!
 
Saw one of those on an old Beetle at the VW car show last weekend.
 
Just did a bit of mowing. Bit warm, tho. No A/C in th' hovel.

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Gonna be a sauna around 1600 hrs. :cool-new:
 

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And Florida sure knows how to do humidity. When we get that hot (as we are now), the humidity drops to under 35% (sometimes down to 20%). Seems odd what with all the other influences of being close to the Pacific ocean.

Might be 95 here today.
 
Cooler than normal so far here in CT. It usually gets sticky around here for at least a few days in July and August. September in new England is the best month.
 
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