exterior AC Condenser cleaning (Page 1/1)
donuteater306 JUL 21, 02:09 AM
Considering using a can of AC condenser, foaming cleaner on the outside of my condenser. 37 years, I doubt it's ever been cleaned. I know that this product is primarily used for household AC units. Anyone have experience with this? I've straightened bent fins but have never cleaned it. Figure it can't hurt.
jelly2m8 JUL 21, 03:53 AM
it won't hurt it.
theogre JUL 21, 10:37 AM
"Home" AC coils are either Al fins on Copper or Al tubes.
Coil Cleaners work but those systems don't get tar, bugs that act as tar, etc, that car AC get big time and may not work as well.
(Side Note: unless you clean "home" coils every season or more... Expect you need 2 or more cans to clean them and need to take covers off many units too to spray cleaner on all the coil inside and outside. Taking covers off of many units is harder then many think.)

Won't hurt the car coil to use it and allow time to work.
May need to clean inside coil too. see https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/141959.html and related resistor fires as how to clean.
Remove the crap then maybe spray the coil but likely need mod'ed spray can w/ tube like carb cleaner.

If crap is really stuck, don't use any tools. Car coils look tough but many tools including some things look soft could punch a tube.
Fin straightener tools can help if have right size for fins. These often are "bent" to reach behind damage or crap and pull out/off the fins.
But often they won't work for cars. Made for big coil like home outside coils.

Try Bathroom foam cleaners and allow time to work.
Make to release "soap scum" oils etc may work better if above fails.

⚠️ Don't let any cleaner to Dry. Often makes the job harder and "stains" the fins anywhere the cleaner dries.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

donuteater306 JUL 21, 02:46 PM
Thanks for the replies. I didn’t think about using something like scrubbing bubbles due to the road grime. I’m gonna hit with that first, then use the standard condenser cleaner. Thanks for the help and suggestions.
donuteater306 JUL 21, 11:24 PM
Well, started with Scrubbing Bubbles. I sprayed on and let sit for 10min., rinsed with a garden hose on spray pattern. LOTS of brown muck washed off. Then I sprayed AC Condenser cleaner and let that sit for 10min. Rinsed off and saw very little muck, but it looked MUCH cleaner. Definitely more airflow and im assuming...heat transfer now.
theogre JUL 22, 07:43 PM
Helps the AC coil and the Rad because that likely gets more air too when coil is full of crap.