Author Topic: Too much condensation  (Read 2224 times)

Offline dieselman123

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Too much condensation
« on: June 28, 2019, 11:06:20 PM »
Hey guys i have a 83 c10 with factory a/c except i switched to a modern serpentine setup from a 90s model c1500 with compressor on passenger side at top. My question is what is too much condensation on evaporator??? I literally have water dripping from my evaporator like its a leaking faucet as i look inside my heater box. My lowside pressure was 50psi at 75 degrees outside and it was cooling but not well unless you drove it. Highside was bout 250. Air dryer was cold and dripping alot as well. After being told it was overcharged  i then i let some freon out to the pressure was 35 psi on lowside..now the air is not as cod but the evaporator still drips water like its a leaking faucet. Can someone please point me in the right direction
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Online bd

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2019, 11:18:11 PM »
Condensation just means the ambient air is humid.  Make sure the evaporator housing drain is open.  Did you flush the system, replace the orifice tube and accumulator, and then evacuate it before charging?  How did you determine the amount of refrigerant to use?  How much oil?
Rich
It's difficult to know just how much you don't know until you know it.
In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
87 R10 Silverado Fleetside 355 MPFI 700R4 3.42 Locker (aka Rusty, aka Mater)

Offline dieselman123

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2019, 11:22:16 PM »
New accumulator and orifice tube new compressor...everything is new except the condensor and i flushed it. I used 8 oz of pag oil and charged system unti it started to blow cold. I had a 30 pound tank so dnt kno exactly how much freon i put in
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Online bd

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2019, 01:19:32 AM »
Did you evacuate it before charging?
Rich
It's difficult to know just how much you don't know until you know it.
In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
87 R10 Silverado Fleetside 355 MPFI 700R4 3.42 Locker (aka Rusty, aka Mater)

Offline dieselman123

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2019, 07:38:42 AM »
Yes sir had one of those harbr freight air vacuums dnt kno how gd it did.work the heck out of my compressor but i gt it down to 24 inches of mercury and held for 45 mins an i recharged
Gotta clean my back windshield cause I'm too busy kicking up dust

Online bd

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2019, 12:37:11 PM »
Since you used PAG oil, I surmise that you converted to R134a refrigerant and did not substitute a blended refrigerant.  Pressures suggest that residual air remains in the system, as well as being overcharged with refrigerant.  Thorough evacuation should result in at least 29" Hg, which will boil off all traces of moisture not absorbed and permanently trapped by the accumulator.  At 75° F ambient, high-side pressure should approximate 145 PSI while low-side pressure should drop to ~28 PSI; easily low enough to cycle the A/C compressor @ 2,000 engine RPM.  Outlet air temperature measured at the center nozzle in MAX A/C position should stabilize at +43° F, at best, depending on relative humidity.

R12 A/C systems converted to R134a seem to perform best when recharged using ~85% of the R12 refrigerant specification.  For example, a system that specifies 3 lbs 12 oz (3.75 lbs) of R12 will perform admirably when recharged using only 85% of the R12 recommendation, or 3 lbs 3 oz (3.2 lbs) of R134a. 

I recommend that you perform a proper evacuation and recharge with a known amount of unblended R134a refrigerant (in the neighborhood of 3.2 lbs, assuming you don't have a crew cab or Suburban with a supplemental rear mounted evaporator). 

In addition, too much oil can flood a system and hinder heat exchange.  Of course, not enough oil will starve the compressor for vital lubrication resulting in catastrophic compressor damage.  As a general rule of thumb, the oil content of the system should be ~4.0 oz IN ADDITION TO the oil level recommendation for the compressor you used.  That equates to 1 oz for the condenser, 1 oz for the evaporator, and 2 oz for the accumulator, IN ADDITION TO the oil content recommendation for the compressor.  When you added 8 oz of PAG oil to the system, did you know how much oil was already in the compressor?
Rich
It's difficult to know just how much you don't know until you know it.
In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
87 R10 Silverado Fleetside 355 MPFI 700R4 3.42 Locker (aka Rusty, aka Mater)

Offline dieselman123

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2019, 10:27:35 PM »
Not really just poured some in compressor and the rest in the components of the system..total of 8 ounces. Coud it be my evaporator is clogged because the bottom tube after the orifice tube is cold but its warm at top tube going into the accumulator..and its a singe cab
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Online bd

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2019, 09:46:49 AM »
Not to be discouraging, but the problem with adding fluids and refrigerant arbitrarily to an A/C system is that it produces arbitrary results.  Refrigeration technology is based on precise chemical and physical relationships.  You can't approach it like a home cook and expect any kind of reliable outcome - little bit of this, little bit of that... little more wine generally doesn't work out well. 

My best recommendation is to start over beginning with a thorough flush, using flushing solvent approved for A/C systems.  This will remove the unknown quantity of oil plus any residual debris from the system.  DO NOT flush the compressor or the accumulator!  Drain the oil from the compressor suction and discharge ports and crankcase into a measuring cup so that you know how much oil was in it.  Cover the cup and set it aside.  Research the quantity and viscosity of oil specified for the particular compressor you are using.  Pour that amount of fresh PAG oil back into the compressor crankcase.  Pour 4 additional ounces of fresh PAG oil directly into the accumulator.  Use A/C mineral oil, not PAG oil, to lubricate new HNBR o-rings during reassembly. 

Evacuate to 29" Hg for >45 minutes.  Recharge with the exact amount of refrigerant as previously discussed.  Use an appropriate thermometer to measure the temperature of the air discharged from the center outlet on MAX A/C setting, high blower, doors/windows closed with the engine running at 1,500 - 2,000 RPM, allowing adequate time for the temperature to stabilize.
Rich
It's difficult to know just how much you don't know until you know it.
In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
87 R10 Silverado Fleetside 355 MPFI 700R4 3.42 Locker (aka Rusty, aka Mater)

Offline dieselman123

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2019, 12:30:59 PM »
Ok thanks...will do. Will let you know how it all turns out. Thanks a bunch not discouraging at all. Soaking in all this knowledge
Gotta clean my back windshield cause I'm too busy kicking up dust

Online bd

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Re: Too much condensation
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2019, 03:24:11 PM »
The only wild card in all of this is the amount of oil trapped inside the accumulator.  You can try to drain it but I think the result will be limited.  Since you can't effectively remove the oil, it creates an unknown variable.  Nevertheless, I think the gamble is small and justifiable since the accumulator is essentially new and a small overage of oil won't impede function.
Rich
It's difficult to know just how much you don't know until you know it.
In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
87 R10 Silverado Fleetside 355 MPFI 700R4 3.42 Locker (aka Rusty, aka Mater)