Condensation around Air Con - 2001 Defender.

[Cameron_Def]

Looking towards the brain trust here.

I am only just starting to use my Aircon, and it produces a heap of condensation around the air outlets to the point where I think it will start affecting the switches etc.

I have only ever seen it drip out via the drains one side of my car (passenger) and I believe my second one is blocked so I will fix that today, but does this happen with anyone else.

I am talking about allot of condensation, dripping off around the air outlets...

Any one else affected ? Ideas ?

Thanks, Cameron :eek:

[BigJon]

I notice in high humidity areas my Rangie will do the same thing. Any part of the dash that gets cold has condensation forming. I don't think there is anything that can be done about it.

[Tusker]

If air con is functioning properly, I think this will only occur if the air at the vent 0 degrees or less - most unlikely in a L/R system. The little moisture that's there freezes. Hold a thermometer near the vent & see.

Otherwise you've got a problem if its not taking the moisture out - compressor, receiver/drier, something.

Regards
Max P

[ladas]

Looking towards the brain trust here.

I am only just starting to use my Aircon, and it produces a heap of condensation around the air outlets to the point where I think it will start affecting the switches etc.

I have only ever seen it drip out via the drains one side of my car (passenger) and I believe my second one is blocked so I will fix that today, but does this happen with anyone else.

I am talking about allot of condensation, dripping off around the air outlets...

Any one else affected ? Ideas ?

Thanks, Cameron :eek:

This is normally caused by a few things, undercharge of refrigerant, this makes the coil too cold, this is the most common cause, or the coil is dirty/slighly blocked causing restricted airflow and ice will start to form, this will cool the air too much. Or the fan is not pushing enough air, giving the same result as the blocked coil.

Try running the fan on full, and if you have a temp probe check the temp of the air leaving the vent.

[Cameron_Def]

This is normally caused by a few things, undercharge of refrigerant, this makes the coil too cold, this is the most common cause, or the coil is dirty/slighly blocked causing restricted airflow and ice will start to form, this will cool the air too much. Or the fan is not pushing enough air, giving the same result as the blocked coil.

Try running the fan on full, and if you have a temp probe check the temp of the air leaving the vent.

oh it blows heaps of air, but the aircon is COOOLD .. I always have it at max temp (ie the coldest the knob goes) ....

Is there any home remedy / check / thing to clean etc ?z

I do not have a temp prob .. I do have one I use to check the temp on my fridge, will that work ? .. what should it be ?

[waynep]

Listen to Ladas - he da man for aircon :D ;)

[ladas]

oh it blows heaps of air, but the aircon is COOOLD .. I always have it at max temp (ie the coldest the knob goes) ....

Is there any home remedy / check / thing to clean etc ?

First thing would be to turn down the temp controller a bit, but there is another stat under the passenger footwell kickcover, but really you shouldn't need to adjust that.

If you have loads of air, then my suggestion is that the gas charge is too low and unless you have a set of ref gauges it's not something you can check at home.

But I would get it checked, as reduced gas charge can lead to ice forming on the coil, this can actually split the coil.

[Cameron_Def]

ok, when I get a chance I will head to my local aircon guy and ask him to check everything over ..

[ladas]

Another thing you may want to check is to see if the compressor cycles off and on when it gets cold in the cab, best time to check this is at night when it's cooler.

If it doesn't then the thermostat could be buggered.

And depending on which vehicle you have the temp controller on the dash is seldom the thermostat, it's either as I said earlier a seperate stat, on the return air flow between the fan and the cooling coil, or it's controlled by the electronics - and that could be a simple thermistor or alot more complicated.

[ladas]

I do not have a temp prob .. I do have one I use to check the temp on my fridge, will that work ? .. what should it be ?

Your fridge temp probe should be fine, I use them all the time.

It shoul not go below 5 Deg C off of the dash.

[abaddonxi]

Yeah, I get that. My solution is to turn the aircon down to halfway. Of course that only works if you have the aftermarket aircon with the temp control.

I remember in a thread ages ago someone suggested that it was caused by misplacement of a temp sensor in the condenser. This causes the pump to run all the time, then the condenser ices up, then condensation on the outside of the aircon.

Cheers
Simon

[Cameron_Def]

ahhaha I doubt that aircon could cool down a 110 .. it does a ok job at keeping the front two cooler than normal, but I really do not think its up to cooling the full defender!

I will try turning the temp down a little and see how it goes first!!

[Cameron_Def]

Yeah, I get that. My solution is to turn the aircon down to halfway. Of course that only works if you have the aftermarket aircon with the temp control.

I remember in a thread ages ago someone suggested that it was caused by misplacement of a temp sensor in the condenser. This causes the pump to run all the time, then the condenser ices up, then condensation on the outside of the aircon.

Cheers
Simon


Erm I do not know if mine is aftermarket, it has two knobs, (me being the 3rd) one is a fan control speed (3-4 settings) the other is the temp controller

Am I right there should be two drains from it, one on each side of the trans ?

[ladas]

Yeah, I get that. My solution is to turn the aircon down to halfway. Of course that only works if you have the aftermarket aircon with the temp control.

I remember in a thread ages ago someone suggested that it was caused by misplacement of a temp sensor in the condenser. This causes the pump to run all the time, then the condenser ices up, then condensation on the outside of the aircon.

Cheers
Simon

It's actually on the evaporator, not the condenser. and it would be the evaporator that ices up.

[ladas]

Erm I do not know if mine is aftermarket, it has two knobs, (me being the 3rd) one is a fan control speed (3-4 settings) the other is the temp controller

Am I right there should be two drains from it, one on each side of the trans ?

Can you take a photo of the bit's inside the cab - then I'll know if it's a factory fit or after market.

If it's an after market then the thermostat theory is looking good, as they are often 'suspect' or as said above the sensor comes away from where it should be.

When the system is running - and the cab is cold, if you turn the temp controller towards warm - can you feel/hear a click - and does the compressor stop at the same time as the click is felt/heard.

[Cameron_Def]

Can you take a photo of the bit's inside the cab - then I'll know if it's a factory fit or after market.

If it's an after market then the thermostat theory is looking good, as they are often 'suspect' or as said above the sensor comes away from where it should be.

When the system is running - and the cab is cold, if you turn the temp controller towards warm - can you feel/hear a click - and does the compressor stop at the same time as the click is felt/heard.

Here is a image of the cabin knobs and stuff ...

http://www.digitalcritters.com.au/gallery/albums/forum_photos/Image091.jpg

I will try the system on my next drive!

[ladas]

Now you will have to bear with me, I am not an expert on Defenders, but to me that looks like an aftermarket model. Which to a degree could be good news.

I am sure there will be a few Defender owners who can confirm this or not.

Do your temp test, see if the compressor cycles on/off, and check the temp switch for clicking on/off.

and we can take it from there

[Cameron_Def]

Now you will have to bear with me, I am not an expert on Defenders, but to me that looks like an aftermarket model. Which to a degree could be good news.

I am sure there will be a few Defender owners who can confirm this or not.

Do your temp test, see if the compressor cycles on/off, and check the temp switch for clicking on/off.

and we can take it from there

Well how I gathered it, no defender came from factory with Aircon, every Defender I have seen (that has Aircon) has had this type of air on in it, its made in Australia (could be wrong) and takes up some of the foot well in the passenger side.

Does anyone with a defender have something different to this ?

[warmington69]

Hello every one, I am a first timer. but can any one tell me some brand's of after market ac systems for Defender's I have a TDI200