Elite air-con

[Pete Boole]

The air-con evaporator "element" on my 1974 Elite (Delanair-based system) has factory-fitted expanded aluminium mesh on it - at the point where the air comes out. Why is it there? What is it for? Any ideas folks?

Pete

[Bluie]

No one else has answered yet so I will give a suggestion. Maybe it is for heat dissipation. for the following reason copied from Google search

Refrigerant flows through the compressor, which raises the pressure of the refrigerant. Next the refrigerant flows through the condenser, where it condenses from vapor form to liquid form, giving off heat in the process. ... Finally, the refrigerant goes to the evaporator.

[Pete Boole]

Thanks Bluie. The mesh is on the air outlet though - it's not associated with the refrigerant. This is what it looks like with the internal baffle removed from the HVAC housing:



The whole mesh is doubled over and sits over the evaporator outlet. It may be a heat-dissipation thing but I cannot think of a reason for it being there.

Pete

[bash]

Perhaps its to slow down the air speed through the assembly ?

Bash

[Pete Boole]

I think I may have an idea . I was just un-riveting the little steel condensate drain on the bottom of the air-con housing (to de-rust and repaint) and it occurred to me that the aluminium mesh may be there to act like a spider's web in the mist - to enhance the rate of condensation fall-out from the cold air.

What do you think??

Pete

[Phantasm]

Or perhaps to regulate/slow down the condensate so the drain doesn't get flooded/overflow. I see an opportunity to add lightness personally.

[Pete Boole]

I see an opportunity to add lightness personally.

Yes - I'm undecided as to whether to replace it or not. I'm going to get the opinion of the local specialist when I ask about using the R12 the expansion valve.

Pete