Community Forums

DustyMom · 12-01-2021, 05:48 AM

So I believe I established in an earlier thread that this leaking part was an A/C Condenser (see photo). Three questions:

1. What, exactly, does this do? Kind of confused by location way in the back if this is related to the dash A/C.
2. Is it sharing the coolant fluid with the radiator?
3. Is it a strait forward job to replace it (average knowledge guy with basic tools) or do you need a service tech?

2017 Newmar Dutch Star 4018

outlawten5 · 12-01-2021, 06:42 AM

If your dash air blows cold your condenser is not leaking. A/C systems are pressurized with R-134a refridgerant not coolant. If it works don't fix it.

JNSNWT · 12-01-2021, 08:02 AM

This repair is beyond your ability and tool supply.

Here’s a video of how the dash AC works.

https://youtu.be/18CJ0iEZdyk

YouTube has lots of instructions that will help educate you on how the different rv systems work.

Dutch Star Don · 12-01-2021, 06:18 PM

DustyMom.....Air conditioning systems work by taking a gas (Freon) and converting it back and forth from gas to liquid. The conversion produces both hot and cold. That's how the heat pump works in your coach. When you have the A/C on, it produces cold air inside the coach and hot air outside the coach. When you have the heat pump on, it reverses the process, producing heat inside and cold air outside.

This process requires a "condenser" (the part you took a photo of). It condenses the gas back to a liquid. This produces heat which needs to be cooled, just like your radiator. That's why the unit is mounted where the radiator is at so it will cool down.

As other stated, if the condenser is leaking, it would be leaking Freon and your dash A/C would not get cold.

DustyMom · 12-02-2021, 07:23 AM

Thanks to all who replied.

Just want to add more context to explain my confusion.

After a 300+ mile drive south, noticed our Jeep had been sprayed with something. Point of impact was clearly driver's side bumper and from there splashed back and sideways. After picking up all the grime of the road it was impossible to tell the color. At destination, DH crawled under the back of the MH and could not find any wetness or dripping from underneath. Watched for days and no dripping on the ground. Before next trip, noticed the wetness at bottom of tray in the radiator compartment. It appeared old and sticky. A finger swipe showed it was orangey in color and sure enough, the coolant level was low. Partially unscrewed that tray to get a better look and the bottom right corner of the part in question was wet and sticky. That was the only wetness identified, so we figured there was a leak in that corner somewhere. After googling the part numbers on the side of the part, it came back as an AC Condenser. Confusion sets in. Our next destination was only 50 miles away, so DH added maybe 1/4 gallon of coolant, cleaned up that tray and we took it easy on the drive; didn't use dash AC and the engine never got above 190-195 degrees. At destination, checked that tray location and it was as dry as when we left. No spray on the car.

So I guess we have to take a closer look at that location and try to figure out if it is coming from behind the AC condenser, which it must be, but we didn't see that on first inspection as it looked so obvious.

Anybody have any experience with Cummins in southern Florida?

Fefanatic · 12-02-2021, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustyMom

Thanks to all who replied.

Just want to add more context to explain my confusion.

After a 300+ mile drive south, noticed our Jeep had been sprayed with something. Point of impact was clearly driver's side bumper and from there splashed back and sideways. After picking up all the grime of the road it was impossible to tell the color. At destination, DH crawled under the back of the MH and could not find any wetness or dripping from underneath. Watched for days and no dripping on the ground. Before next trip, noticed the wetness at bottom of tray in the radiator compartment. It appeared old and sticky. A finger swipe showed it was orangey in color and sure enough, the coolant level was low. Partially unscrewed that tray to get a better look and the bottom right corner of the part in question was wet and sticky. That was the only wetness identified, so we figured there was a leak in that corner somewhere. After googling the part numbers on the side of the part, it came back as an AC Condenser. Confusion sets in. Our next destination was only 50 miles away, so DH added maybe 1/4 gallon of coolant, cleaned up that tray and we took it easy on the drive; didn't use dash AC and the engine never got above 190-195 degrees. At destination, checked that tray location and it was as dry as when we left. No spray on the car.

So I guess we have to take a closer look at that location and try to figure out if it is coming from behind the AC condenser, which it must be, but we didn't see that on first inspection as it looked so obvious.

Anybody have any experience with Cummins in southern Florida?

So, if it's orange then look at fluids that are that color. Most likely it's coolant but check to be sure. Transmission fluid can be pink/red or somewhere in between depending on miles and condition of transmission.

If your ac condenser was leaking enough to spray your toad then you would see it all over the condenser itself. I seriously doubt it's freon as most systems are going to have a tan color oil or a green dye in the system and that's the color you see. Unless the hole is massive then there's no way it's freon and if the hole was massive enough to leak onto the toad you would see a fog for about 5 minutes and then it would be empty. You need to look elsewhere.

arcaguy · 12-02-2021, 07:54 AM

Since you have seen an orange fluid, which is likely antifreeze, you need to have your cooling system pressure checked. This is, or maybe I should say was several years ago, a simple process where the system is pressurized and left to sit for a while, preferably over night. If the pressure drops you have a leak, if it doesn't you are fine. If you have a leak you will likely see antifreeze on the ground around where the leak is. Good luck.

P.S. if you have it pressure checked periodically look for a puddle on the ground for the first hour or so you don't want to empty your cooling system over night if you do have a leak.

MRUSA14 · 12-06-2021, 01:58 PM

The fluid may be seen on the condenser but may have come form somewhere else. I suspect a coolant leak. That looks like what came out of my leaking radiator. It seeped out very slowly and was never actually seen leaking. Get the pressure test done on your cooling system as advised above.