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Cold water dripping from clamped end of evaporator exit tube and low pressure hose (drain hose clear)

Patrick on Sat May 02, 2015 1:20 AM User is offline

Refrigerant Type: r134a
Ambient Temp: 89-93 F
Country of Origin: Philippines

Hello All!
Firstly, please bear with me as i`m a novice with a/c. This question is for a cheap old school aftermarket a/c system (expansion valve type with mechanical thermostatic switch) that i had installed maybe 10-15 yrs ago.

My problem is a cold water leak (maybe a drop every 2 seconds) from the exit tube of my evaporator ( right where the low pressure hose is just clamped on) everytime i turn on the a/c. The first thing i thought of was that there was a leak at the clamped connection of the low pressure hose, but if that were so, then freon and oil would have leaked out as well right (and my a/c would stop cooling, which it hasnt)? Also fyi my drainage hose from the evaporator is clear. Or could it be that the deterioration of the metal evaporator case could be leading some water out of the case, and just happened to leak out to the area i mentioned? I tend to lean more towards my second idea. May i have your advice please? Thank You!
patrick

mk378 on Sat May 02, 2015 9:31 AM User is offline

You are probably right that there is a hole rusted through the case and the water is leaking out before it can reach the hose. It's either that or the hose is blocked and the case is overflowing, but you already checked that. Another thing that can happen is a buildup of dirt and leaves in the case blocks the outlet from the inside.

The drain system collects the water that condenses out of humid air on the outside of the evaporator coil and directs it to fall on the road under the car. It is completely separate from the refrigeration system. Some water may also condense directly on the low pressure pipes and hoses because they are cold. It usually isn't enough to cause a dripping problem though. Foam insulation tape can be applied to reduce it.

Edited: Sat May 02, 2015 at 9:39 AM by mk378

GM Tech on Sat May 02, 2015 9:48 AM User is offline

must be fairly humid where you are-- usually considered normal for humid conditions.

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

mk378 on Sat May 02, 2015 11:42 AM User is offline

Philippines.

If this just started it's probably a new hole in the case. If it has always done that, insulating the metal case might help, though it could also accelerate rusting.

Patrick on Sat May 02, 2015 10:00 PM User is offline

Patrick on Sat May 02, 2015 11:38 PM User is offline

Yes it IS very humid at my part of the world (15 degrees north of the equator).

" Another thing that can happen is a buildup of dirt and leaves in the case blocks the outlet from the inside". I will check if water in fact drains out the hose to confirm this. Otherwise i will go with the foam insulation tape. Thanks All!

wptski on Sun May 03, 2015 8:39 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: Patrick
Yes it IS very humid at my part of the world (15 degrees north of the equator).
I agree with that as the ship I was on was home ported in Subic Bay in 1964/1965. Super starch whites were the name of the game!

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