Air conditioner evaporator - do-it-yourself cleaning
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In the summer heat, one of the main devices for a comfortable ride is, of course, air conditioning. The air conditioner in the process of operation needs periodic cleaning and refueling. If refueling can be done as the temperature of the cold air stream decreases, then cleaning is done without fail at least 2 times a season.
Evaporator - an element of an air conditioner
The evaporator is one of the main elements of the car air conditioner, which uses freon inside its system and constantly maintains its temperature within 0–5 degrees. The operation of the evaporator is designed in such a way that when the compressor is pumped, the air passes through the device and cools down to 6-12 degrees.
As the air cools, condensation occurs in the evaporator. Condensed moisture flows onto the fins of the evaporator grille into a special tray, from where it gets out. In the process of forcing air into the system, along with it, dust enters the evaporator of the air conditioner.
The smell from the air conditioner is the first sign of dust accumulated inside the car, which is used to clean the evaporator.
Another sure way to find out if an air conditioner needs to get rid of dust is to measure the amount of condensate. As practice shows, during normal operation of the evaporator, condensation and the release of 1–1 liters of moisture occur in 1.5 hour. Place a container under the condensate outlet and after 15 minutes see how much water has accumulated. During this time, there should be at least 250 ml. If less, cleaning is needed.
Cleaning the evaporator - preparatory stage
Cleaning is included in the list of services in every car service, and even at home it is not so difficult to carry it out. It will not take you much time and effort, but be patient, especially if you are doing this for the first time. To clean it yourself, you need the usual set of tools, as well as washing liquid for air conditioners, which can be bought at any auto store. It is not worth saving on liquid and it is better to buy an anti-fungal one.
Before performing work, it is worth drying the evaporator a little from the moisture that has already accumulated on it.. To do this, turn on the air conditioner to supply hot air, shut off the air supply from the outside, turn on the circular circulation of air inside the cabin and open the windows in the car. Set the maximum air flow rate on the regulator. This procedure should be performed within 10-20 minutes.
Cleaning is carried out both with the removal of the evaporator, and without it. We will consider the second case, since it is still not recommended to remove the evaporator yourself. In most cars, it is located near the stove fan, which in turn is located behind the glove box on the passenger side of the car. Using a screwdriver, carefully remove the glove box, then the noise insulation and proceed to the cleaning process.
Dust removal - we work with chemistry
We take a previously purchased can of chemical liquid, shake it several times, connect a small extension cord to the outlet valve and get to work. The process is to spray from a can between all the "ribs" of the evaporator. Cleaning should be done in two stages, with an interval of 20-30 minutes. The first time spraying from a can aims to moisten all the dust, and the second time - to blow out what has not fallen off by itself.
In order for the chemical agent to have the maximum effect on your evaporator and kill all microbes and fungi, we advise you to start reassembling the car panel only after an hour. This time is enough for the system to dry out, and the remnants of chemistry have evaporated. After cleaning the air conditioner from dust, it is recommended to replace the cabin filter, if your car has one, and clean the air channels in the dashboard.
