A/C mold??
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,508
Likes: 2
From: The boonies by Dallas OR
I notice some smell in mine.
I turn the A/C off a few miles from home and drive the last few miles in vent to dry things out and that really helps.
If someone knows a good way to wipe out the mold in the A/C, I'd sure like to know.
I turn the A/C off a few miles from home and drive the last few miles in vent to dry things out and that really helps.
If someone knows a good way to wipe out the mold in the A/C, I'd sure like to know.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,729
Likes: 2
AFAIK their is no way to get rid mold on the evap or in the duct w/out tearing it apart...If you have a small portable home purifier you can try running it in the truck with the fan on, but it's hard to say if it would do any good.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 1
From: Texas Coast
Buy this product its about the only thing that I know of that works other than pulling everything out.
http://www.autogeek.net/clean-air-fogger.html
Make sure that the condesation drain point is not fouled. You can blow a little air backwards through it.
Then run the truck until it get hot switch to outside air, crack the windows and turn the heat on full blast. Let it run that way for a good while to dry everything out. Follow the instruction on the can. After wards start using more fresh air than recirculated. Beofre killing the truck run the heater like mention before. Do this a few times after the spraying and then respray. If you have been having to add freon then you may have a evap leak that discharges when the ac is off and the pressure equalizes. If thats the case theres not much to be done on about the smell, but to tear it out. Or live with it. :?)
Rocky
http://www.autogeek.net/clean-air-fogger.html
Make sure that the condesation drain point is not fouled. You can blow a little air backwards through it.
Then run the truck until it get hot switch to outside air, crack the windows and turn the heat on full blast. Let it run that way for a good while to dry everything out. Follow the instruction on the can. After wards start using more fresh air than recirculated. Beofre killing the truck run the heater like mention before. Do this a few times after the spraying and then respray. If you have been having to add freon then you may have a evap leak that discharges when the ac is off and the pressure equalizes. If thats the case theres not much to be done on about the smell, but to tear it out. Or live with it. :?)
Rocky
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,259
Likes: 17
From: Gambrills
I have some experience on A/C and HVAC systems. I would not recommend blowing air in to the cond. drain. I would let the A/C run (get some cond. in the pan then put a wet vac on it for a second or two That will unclog any stopage. If you blow air in to it it will blow shtuff all over the place inside ie., coils. On indoor HVAC pans I use bleach in the pan or a bleach block. You may be able to spray/pour a little bleach in the vents to get it in the pan. If you do this I would wait a while before using the vent for the obvious reasons. I don't know how easy it is to get to the pan but if you can get in there easily drop a bleach block in, this will eat mold and keep you pan debris free.
P.S. I don't know much about vehicle HVAC systems I am just applying BLDG systems to vehicle systems.
P.S. I don't know much about vehicle HVAC systems I am just applying BLDG systems to vehicle systems.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,773
Likes: 1
From: Texas Coast
Bleach on Auto Evap=NO NO
I have some experience on A/C and HVAC systems. I would not recommend blowing air in to the cond. drain. I would let the A/C run (get some cond. in the pan then put a wet vac on it for a second or two That will unclog any stopage. If you blow air in to it it will blow shtuff all over the place inside ie., coils. On indoor HVAC pans I use bleach in the pan or a bleach block. You may be able to spray/pour a little bleach in the vents to get it in the pan. If you do this I would wait a while before using the vent for the obvious reasons. I don't know how easy it is to get to the pan but if you can get in there easily drop a bleach block in, this will eat mold and keep you pan debris free.
P.S. I don't know much about vehicle HVAC systems I am just applying BLDG systems to vehicle systems.
P.S. I don't know much about vehicle HVAC systems I am just applying BLDG systems to vehicle systems.
Guess we have something in common, I too have experience with HVAC systems.
Using NaOCL on AL or Bleach on Aluminum (evap) will result in galvanic corrosion especially where dissimular metals meet. Using bleach in pvc drain lines is a entirely different mater.
Blowing upward in to the drip pipe should only be done with low pressure air or use a small teflon hose to dislog any material.
Additional references http://www.docs.hvacpartners.com/idc...217-090199.pdf
Rocky
Here is some more thread helps
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...highlight=mold
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...highlight=mold
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...highlight=mold
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...highlight=mold
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...highlight=mold
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...highlight=mold
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,259
Likes: 17
From: Gambrills
I know about the corossion but I forgot to factor that in. I would imagine the pan is plastic as well as the drain line or rubber. A by product of bleach and water is acid (the bad type, hehe). I hold a water operators/superintendent (sp) lisence and I add sodiumhypochlorate to well water to kill and prevent bacteria and one of the down sides is hydrochloric acid that corrodes pipes, valves etc. Its good to know that you are familiar with HVAC b/c I get stumped alot with them from the DDC (Johnsons and Automated logic) to simple recovery and instalation to chillers and boilers. I will save your name and consult you when I get stumped, if that is OK w/you. As a side note: I am a jack of all trades and master of none. I will hit you up soon DRRXR.
Thanks
Copedawg
Thanks
Copedawg
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 0
From: West Texas
In my experience the ac systems that smell bad are either in a smokers car or they are undercharged and or not draining properly.
I hate it when people smoke in a car and can't crack a window.
If yours is undercharged just a tiny bit then it's probably not going to condense much water in there. Not enough to flush out the dust and other junk that gets on the evaporator. You will not have mold without dust or other trash on a car evaporator. If it's properly charged then it will keep itself clean. Even here in dusty west Texas where I live.
I agree about not putting bleach in there on a car. Don't do it. Also do NOT blow back up the drain tube. Just use something soft like a piece of weed eater line to poke in it and unblock it.
I hate it when people smoke in a car and can't crack a window.
If yours is undercharged just a tiny bit then it's probably not going to condense much water in there. Not enough to flush out the dust and other junk that gets on the evaporator. You will not have mold without dust or other trash on a car evaporator. If it's properly charged then it will keep itself clean. Even here in dusty west Texas where I live.
I agree about not putting bleach in there on a car. Don't do it. Also do NOT blow back up the drain tube. Just use something soft like a piece of weed eater line to poke in it and unblock it.
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Thread Starter
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,418
Likes: 196
From: AZ
OK, Thanks. Mine is not undercharged, you can hang a side of beef in there. We are non smokers and when we stop there is a big puddle of water under the front. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to read some more on the links provided. I thought about spraying bleach or something in there, I won't now. I did see a 'friendly' product somewhere on the search I did, says to spray in the intake. Where is the intake? I'll make sure its OK before doing though. I did run across the suggestion a lot of times about running the fan without a/c a while before shut down to dry things up.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,903
Likes: 1
From: MICHIGAN
The HVAC air intake is the cowl in front of the windshield....the one with all the little holes in it. It's removalble.
Do you park your truck under/near a tree?
This can cause debris to collect in the under cowl giving the mold a place to grow. Also, if you remove the blower motor and reach your hand in there you may be surprised what you find.
Do you park your truck under/near a tree?
This can cause debris to collect in the under cowl giving the mold a place to grow. Also, if you remove the blower motor and reach your hand in there you may be surprised what you find.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,418
Likes: 196
From: AZ
Thanks Jim, I don't park under trees but I live Nebraska where it is windy all the time. Nebraska blows and Kansas sucks, or is it the other way around, I forget lol. Thanks for that info and I have to tell you, I've have had a lot of laughs over the years about your Horsepower vs Torque.
Senior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Canton, Georgia
When I worked at Ford, we used an evaporator cleaning foam from MOC that worked very well. http://www.mocproducts.com/
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
One other general thing about mold (or whatever) and A/C that is _supposed_ to prevent it - if you can remember to do so, a few minutes before the end of your trip, turn OFF the A/C, but keep the fan running (in our case, you'd turn the mode selector to VENT). This supposedly keeps moisture from forming in the HVAC module. The later Saturns where the HVAC fan was controlled by the computer actually had a dealer-programmable option called (get this) "afterblow", which would intentionally run the fan, even with the key out, for 5-ish minutes after shutting down the A/C, just for this reason.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,418
Likes: 196
From: AZ
Yes, vinegar is a great fungicide. Worked in the A/C on my Saturn, plus I had a massive black mold outbreak on the carpet when it rained thru the busted windshield after a deer crash. Couple rounds of pump-spray vinegar killed it all.
Depends on who you ask....
One other general thing about mold (or whatever) and A/C that is _supposed_ to prevent it - if you can remember to do so, a few minutes before the end of your trip, turn OFF the A/C, but keep the fan running (in our case, you'd turn the mode selector to VENT). This supposedly keeps moisture from forming in the HVAC module. The later Saturns where the HVAC fan was controlled by the computer actually had a dealer-programmable option called (get this) "afterblow", which would intentionally run the fan, even with the key out, for 5-ish minutes after shutting down the A/C, just for this reason.
Depends on who you ask....
One other general thing about mold (or whatever) and A/C that is _supposed_ to prevent it - if you can remember to do so, a few minutes before the end of your trip, turn OFF the A/C, but keep the fan running (in our case, you'd turn the mode selector to VENT). This supposedly keeps moisture from forming in the HVAC module. The later Saturns where the HVAC fan was controlled by the computer actually had a dealer-programmable option called (get this) "afterblow", which would intentionally run the fan, even with the key out, for 5-ish minutes after shutting down the A/C, just for this reason.