My new evaporator coil did not have a cap on the suction side when i un-boxed it today. looking down in the suction side tube i can see some trash/dust particles on the sides of the tubing. It almost looks like tiny cardboard particles clinging to the walls. As you go farther down into the tube it gets less and less till at the very bottom, as far as you can see shining a light inside, there is very very little by the time you get to the bend where you can no longer see.

I hate to spend $50 bucks for a flush kit if i don't have to.. Do you guys think maybe turning the coil to an angle where the alcohol will not go into the coil itself, but rather just the suction tube, and rinsing it a few times might work?

I used my little finger as far as i could and the dust/dirt came right out..
the liquid line side that had a cap on it looked spotless..
the plan is to get it back together tomorrow..

I have a air compressor but there is no dryer on the line so it would probably put allot of moisture in the coil if i used it...

what's your thoughts.. It came from RA so there is no easy fast exchange..

Thanks
Anna

Also the evaporator is aluminum. don't know if alcohol will bother it

 

A flush will be better. You don't need the kit necessarily just the chemical. Dump some in one side of the evaporator and have it pour out tyhe other side.

Alcohol may be OK I just don't know that for sure.

None of the chemicals will harm the aluminum. It is traces of what is left that may cause an issue with the AC system.

Good luck installing the evaporator. It isn't fun in that tight space.

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Blow air through it, Anna, you are going to pull a vacuum on the system before adding refrigerant to remove the unavoidable moisture. Don't rush the vacuum step, all day with a vacuum in temperatures above 79°F will remove the moisture.

Get a plastic bristle brush for rifle barrels, blow 5 PSI of air into the other tube to blow debris out, and brush it.

 

I read somewhere that people will lightly wad up some paper towel and shoot it through the tubes with air pressure. And it cleans it out nicely.

I cant actually vouch for it though.

 

Do NOT put anything inside the evaporator or condeser. Pieces may be left behind or a paper towel can get stuck inside rendering the part useless.

Only liquid or gas (vapor). Anything else and there is a risk of debris getting stuck or plugged.

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Aren't they just smooth tubes inside? What's the problem with blowing something through as long as it comes out?

 

Putting anything inside that is not a liquid or a gas runs the risk of either that thing getting stuck or parts being left in the system to get stuck in other places in the system.

An extremely high risk this to do unless you do not care for AC. There is such better ways to clean the system why would one take that risk?

Blowing something through the system is what AC flush chemical was designed to do.

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Thanks for all the suggestions, I combined them.. I bought a quart of flush but didn't do a standard flush as the problem was only on the suction side and very little as you got to the bottom of the tube where it bends.

I was going to use the (don't know the proper name) shotgun cleaning kit but all the tips had oil in them and I didn't know what that would do. Then I saw a piece of 1/4" nylon rope on the bench with a knot in it just about the right size to easily fit in the tube. I set the compressor regulator to 5 to 8 lbs, poured some of the flush liquid in the suction side, pushed the knot end of the rope in the tube and gave it the air.. The knot was small enough to let the air pass by without blowing it out. I twisted the rope round and round and when finished it looked like new inside the tube. I finished blowing out the flush with no air applied, learned the rope soaked with cleaner, would push down around the bend and into the end of the evaporator so I cleaned it out a couple more times..

I didn't want to get the flush all through the evaporator and have trouble getting it dry before I installed it..

 

The AC flush is compatible with the referigerant or it will boil out when you evacuate the system.

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