Refrigerant enters as superheated gas, sheds that superheat, condenses at saturation and leaves slightly subcooled. Air-cooled condensers typically condense 15 to 30 degrees F above outdoor air, while water-cooled condensers reject heat to tower or well water. A dirty coil, failed fan or recirculating hot air raise condensing temperature, head pressure and power draw.
Condenser coil is matted with cottonwood fluff, head pressure's through the roof, wash it from the inside out.
Wash a condenser coil from the inside out, so dirt is pushed back the way it came instead of deeper into the fins.
Also heard as
- condenser coil
- outdoor coil
Related terms
Head pressure
The compressor discharge or condensing pressure of a refrigeration system.
Subcooling
How many degrees liquid refrigerant is below its condensing temperature at the same pressure.
High side
The high-pressure half of a refrigeration system, from compressor discharge through condenser to the metering device.
Approach
The temperature gap between a fluid leaving a heat exchanger and the fluid or condition it is being brought toward.