Steam from vents

I just had my A/C serviced and there is now steam or a mist coming out of
the vents... Any idea what this is??? I find that the windows steam up
quite often now I have no idea why.

--








" The road of life can only reveal itself as it is traveled; each turn in
the road reveals a surprise. Man's future is hidden."

 

Basic AC theory here. Air has moisture in it, i.e. humidity. You didn't
say, but I will bet you don't live in the desert!.

Before the air can be cooled, the humidity is lowered . That is where all
of the water comes from under your car while the AC is running, (same thing
in your house)

What happens in some systems is a bit of ice forms on the expansion coil.
When you turn the system off the ice melts but doesn't necessarily drain
away. It can get trapped in the air cooling box. When you AC is turned on
again the cool air blows across the warm water and it enters the cabin as
fog. It should only last a few seconds. If it lasts longer than that you
have clogged/pinched drain line on the evaporator.

This was a common phenomonem in early Honda Accords. Don't know if current
models still have this feature. I have also seen this on some GM cars with
climate control systems that run the AC all the time and add heat to
maintain a specified temperature. I don't have any idea what the air
box/evaporator configuration is on either example. Never really checked it
out since I didn't own those cars.

hope this helps,

chuck petterson
73ES

 

I had a terrible scare when a plane I was on landed in Washington National
Airport on a summer day. Just after we touched down, what looked like smoke
poured out of the air vents. I settled down in a mment, when I realized
there was no smoke smell, and I decided the "smoke" was moisture from the
outside air that condensed into fog when it came into the cool air in the
plane.

 

It could also be a leaking heater coil, better get that checked.

 

The car is a 850 turbo I haven't done anything different and after taking
the car in for a/c service and it is cold but the steam is annoying!! The
vent is on recirculate and it still the glass fogs up. Ill take it in
again but the last time I brought it in they told me it steams because it is
operating at its best possible..

 

Your drain may be clogged, causing excess condensate to accumulate in
the unit. If you start noticing small water droplets coming out the
vents, it's time to clear the drain. A piece of #14 copper wire works,
just round off the end a bit.


Gary