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AC Condensers

In this blog entry, the Houston air duct cleaning and Houston ductwork repair experts here at ProAttic Houston will detail the essentials that you need to know about air conditioning condensers.

What are condensers?

Condensers are the large box on your central air conditioning systems that sit outside of your home. Central air conditioning systems have an evaporator that removes heat from the air and moves it to a refrigerant, and a condenser that removes heat from the refrigerant and moves that heat outdoors. Condensers can be considered to be heat exchangers that cause condensation on a pressurized refrigerant, transforming it from a gas to a liquid. The main part of the condenser is a condenser coil, which the refrigerant flows through.

Condenser Types

Air cooled condensers remove heat by blowing air over the condenser coil. This is the most common form of condenser in residential applications by far. Water cooled condensers remove heat by pushing water over condenser coils. Evaporative condensers don’t usually use refrigerants. They remove heat by allowing water to directly evaporate into the air.

Condenser Parts

Split air conditioner and heat pump condensers usually have the same parts. Condenser cabinets have the condenser coil, a fan, a compressor, and a range of controls. Condenser coils are usually made of copper tubing with aluminum fins, or all aluminum tubing that allows for rapid heat transfer. These parts should be kept as clean as possible. Condenser ants are essential to circulate air across AC coils for heat transfer. The efficiency of the condenser fan is impacted or broken when airflow is blocked. Make sure to keep all areas around the compressor col or fan free of dirt to allow for maximum airflow. The compressor that’s the main part of the AC system compresses refrigerant and pumps it to the coil as a hot gas. Air conditioner compressors cool the condenser into a warm liquid and then move through a pipe into the evaporator coil where it expands and cools down. With heat pumps, hot gas is pumped straight to the evaporator coil to provide heat.