Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-13-2015, 07:52 AM   #1
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
AC spitting out white "sand"

One of my AC units constantly blows out some white "sand" looking stuff. The fins on the condenser/evaporator seem to be corroding and I think some of this corrosion is being sucked up by the fan and it's blowing out of the vents, looking like sand.

Is there a procedure for cleaning off this corrosion? Some magical chemical? It looks pretty bad.

Also, I wonder why this unit has so much corrosion. It's not that old-- 7 years.
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 08:07 AM   #2
Guru
 
O C Diver's Avatar
 
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
Yes, there is a fin cleaning solution you spray on the fins and it cleans them very nicely. Think you can find it on Amazon. Google air conditioner evaporator cleaner.

Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
O C Diver is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 08:29 AM   #3
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
I googled cleaners and came up with a huge list. Didn't know if there was a specific one most folks used.

I assume the fins are disintegrating because of moisture trapped in the dirt between the fins. Wonder if there is a solution that would stop the corrosion ?
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 08:58 AM   #4
Guru
 
healhustler's Avatar
 
City: Longboat Key, FL
Vessel Name: Bucky
Vessel Model: Krogen Manatee 36 North Sea
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,196
I think regular use of the cleaner goes a long way toward prevention also, but make sure that the way you A/C is connected that it is not being utilized as a sacraficial metal in your bonding system.
__________________
Larry

"When life gets hard, eat marshmallows”.
healhustler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 09:56 AM   #5
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
Quote:
Originally Posted by healhustler View Post
I think regular use of the cleaner goes a long way toward prevention also, but make sure that the way you A/C is connected that it is not being utilized as a sacraficial metal in your bonding system.

I don't know enough about bonding systems to check this. How do I check?
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 05:07 PM   #6
Guru
 
Pgitug's Avatar
 
City: Punta Gorda, fl
Vessel Name: Escapade
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37 2002
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,231
Cobra AC Cleaner.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/Quest-Cobra-Ev...545?nav=SEARCH
Pgitug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 05:35 PM   #7
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
Thanks
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 06:11 PM   #8
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
You can pick up coul cleaner at Home Depot. The cap on the coil cleaner is a brush that not only cleans the coils very well but also makes a good fin straightener.

It sounds like your fins may be corroding away. At some point salt air can destroy the fins completely.
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 06:21 PM   #9
Enigma
 
RT Firefly's Avatar
 
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,565
PENGUINS!!!!

__________________
RTF
RT Firefly is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 07:33 PM   #10
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
AC spitting out white "sand"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt.Bill11 View Post
You can pick up coul cleaner at Home Depot. The cap on the coil cleaner is a brush that not only cleans the coils very well but also makes a good fin straightener.

It sounds like your fins may be corroding away. At some point salt air can destroy the fins completely.
Ok. Cool. I'll check at HD. Thanks.

Yeah. It looks like the fins are going away.

I wonder if there is a corrosive inhibitor I could spray on them to slow that down? Something not sticky.
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 07:33 PM   #11
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
Quote:
Originally Posted by RT Firefly View Post
PENGUINS!!!!


Yes. It looks like that. When I'm drinking.
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 09:33 PM   #12
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
Quote:
Originally Posted by cardude01 View Post
Ok. Cool. I'll check at HD. Thanks.

Yeah. It looks like the fins are going away.

I wonder if there is a corrosive inhibitor I could spray on them to slow that down? Something not sticky.
Anything you spray on them is going into the air you breath. As well as flowing on and around the rooms and the things in them. Plus if it's even remotely sticky the fins will end up a dirty mess in a fairly short time I would think.
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2015, 10:29 PM   #13
Guru
 
Northern Spy's Avatar
 
City: Powell River, BC
Vessel Name: Northern Spy
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 26
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,075
My guess would be the white stuff is actually aluminum oxide. This is likely the evaporator coil fins corroding. Moist chloride laden air may be the culprit.
Northern Spy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 11:20 AM   #14
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
Hmmmm. I did clean the bilge after replacing a macerator pump with bleach. Maybe that's it.
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 12:36 PM   #15
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
Chloride = salt
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 02:44 PM   #16
Guru
 
cardude01's Avatar
 
City: Victoria TX
Vessel Name: Bijou
Vessel Model: 2008 Island Packet PY/SP
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 5,290
Quote:
Originally Posted by Northern Spy View Post
My guess would be the white stuff is actually aluminum oxide. This is likely the evaporator coil fins corroding. Moist chloride laden air may be the culprit.

At the boat today. The lower corner of the Evap fins are definitely corroding away. Sheesh.
cardude01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 03:17 PM   #17
Guru
 
SCOTTEDAVIS's Avatar
 
City: Vero Beach, FL.
Vessel Name: FIREFLY
Vessel Model: Pilgrim 40
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 918
Clean and rinse, light spray with CR-56 or any other light oil. Yep will get dirty in time just clean again when it does. Mine look like new and are several years old.

The bleach you used may be the cause. I know of someone who used pool acid (muriatic) to clean his garage floor and nearly ruined several bikes, two sets of pasture pool clubs (golf) along with most of his tools with the fumes.
SCOTTEDAVIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 03:37 PM   #18
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
I don't believe bleach is the issue. He cleaned his bilge with it not the coils.

Salt air is most likely the issue. Lots of people run their A/Cs with the doors or windows open. Even if it's just in the fan mode to move air around the units pull salt air through the coils and the coils rarely get washed off. So the fins corrode away.
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 04:15 PM   #19
Guru
 
SCOTTEDAVIS's Avatar
 
City: Vero Beach, FL.
Vessel Name: FIREFLY
Vessel Model: Pilgrim 40
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 918
I was thinking about the fumes as he said it just seemed to get worse, I know that in closed spaces bleach fumes are quite corrosive as it produces chlorine gas, a salt.

My fins are wet with water/condensation (flowing into the pan) and I would think that would do a fairly good job of rinsing the evaporator coil while in use and keep salt accumulation in check.


While corrosion has been identified as his problem, you are also correct, my goal is to delay it somewhat with a spray coating long enough for the unit to die from some other cause.
SCOTTEDAVIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2015, 05:19 PM   #20
Guru
 
Pgitug's Avatar
 
City: Punta Gorda, fl
Vessel Name: Escapade
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37 2002
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,231
Use the Cobra AC Cleaner. It goes on as a foam. Then you use a hose with light spray and rinse the dirt away. Usually takes a couple of applications.
Pgitug is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012