Replacement Condensers
Charge Level Adjustment May be
Necessary
Replacement Condensers
Most Vehicles Use Flat Macro or Micro Tube, Multi-pass, Condensers
Virtually Impossible to Flush After Compressor Failure Will Need to be Replaced.
Sub-Cooling Condenser
Multiple Passages In Header
Tanks
Multiple Passages In Header
Tanks
2
Replacing the Condenser?
Condenser Technology Has Advanced Replacement Condenser May be More Efficient (or Less)
than the Original Unit Replacement (Including OE) May not be an Exact
Match for the Original Unit Tube & Fin May be Replaced by Flat Tube Multi-
pass Micro Tube Unit Flat Tube Multi-pass Macro-Tube Might be
Replaced with Thinner Micro-Tube Unit. System Capacity May be Affected
3
Flat Micro-Tube
Flat Macro-Tube
Condenser Tube Comparisons 4
16 x 1 mm, 15 Passages, .4 x .8 mm
16 x 1.75 mm, 16 Passages, .7 x 1 mm
18 x 2 mm, 10 Passages, 1.24 x 1.35 mm
22 x 2 mm, 10 Passages, 1.24 x 1.75 mm
22 x 2 mm, 13 Passages, 1 x 1 mm
22 x 1 mm, 18 Passages, .4 x .9 mm
26 x 2 mm, 10 Passages, 2.15 x 1.26 mm
Actual Size!
5F150 - Condenser 1
Replacement Condenser 1 - Muti-pass Tube & Fin (Piccolo) Design – Older Technology
Pp
6F150 - Condenser 2
Replacement Condenser 2 - Very Large Flat Tube, Single Pass, Serpentine Flow – Older Technology
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7F150 - Condenser 3
Replacement Condenser 3 - Flat Micro-Tube, Multi-pass Flow – New Technology – Very Efficient
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Compare 8
1. Tube & Fin
“Piccolo”
3. Flat Micro-Tube,
Multi-pass Flow
2. Very Large Flat
Tube, Serpentine FlowPp
Condenser Capacity
We Evacuated Each Condenser & Charged it with Liquid Refrigerant
They Held: 1. Piccolo = 47 oz. (Matches O.E.) 2. Serpentine = 43 oz. 3. Micro-Tube = 26 oz.
We Need to AdjustOriginal ChargeAmount
9
“Piccolo’ Condenser Held 47 oz.
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10How to Handle?
Compare Original and Replacement Unit Dimensions Basic Design – Flat (Micro or Macro) Tube,
Serpentine or Multi-pass, Tube & Fin? Compare # of Tubes Size of Header Tanks Connection Line Diameter # of Cooling Fins/Inch Condenser
ThicknessPp
Confirm Charge Level
Perform Temperature Test to Validate Charge Level
Start at 80% of Original Charge Add 1-2 oz. Increments Monitor the Three “Dees” Condenser Drop 20-50 Deg F Ambient to Duct More that 30 Deg. Difference Final Charge May be More or Less than
Original When Evaporator Inlet/Outlet Difference = 0
Deg. F Charge Level Correct
11
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