Importance of Air Conditioning Pre Filter/Cabin filter

[Anveshak 1]

In our home, the air conditioner(Air con.) has a air filter which we get it cleaned regularly so that the cooling coil(evaporator) remain clean, efficient cooling and remains germ free. In our cars it takes only 30 days for the car's cooling coil(evaporator) to get dirty.

As soon as you buy a new car or in your present car, get a air con.cabin/pollen filter to increase the cooling efficiency. Clean cooling coils will eventually bring down the petrol/diesel oil consumption.

[LeoRahi 31]

30 days!!!

thanks for the Information. BTW how to clean cooling coils in cars??

[Hersch 4]

Are these available in the aftermarkets? Detailed information along with pics if possible, would be highly appreciated.

[Sstar 77]

@Anveshak: Could you share some picture of what you have installed in your car and where is it available, price etc.?

[rssh 59]

I always vaccum clean the air filter and AC filter before starting the detailed cleaning session of the interior and exterior of my car. Most manufacturers and people forget about this AC/pollen filter. Imo if you park car under a tree then you must clean the filter every month . Its generally under dashboard of passenger side/ behind glove box etc.

[LeoRahi 31]

I always vaccum clean the air filter and AC filter before starting the detailed cleaning session of the interior and exterior of my car. Most manufacturers and people forget about this AC/pollen filter. Imo if you park car under a tree then you must clean the filter every month . Its generally under dashboard of passenger side/ behind glove box etc.

I too use vaccum cleaner. But which is better a air con.cabin/pollen filter or a Vaccum cleaner

[Sstar 77]

I always vaccum clean the air filter and AC filter before starting the detailed cleaning session of the interior and exterior of my car. Most manufacturers and people forget about this AC/pollen filter. Imo if you park car under a tree then you must clean the filter every month . Its generally under dashboard of passenger side/ behind glove box etc.

Is it easy to operate self? Or you take help of some specialised person / tools?

[rssh 59]

All filter are must for Indian conditions but the AC filter is a bit delicate and need to be cleaned gently. Anyways if it gets too dirty then replace it @ 400 bucks.

[Anveshak 1]

@ Leo Rahi, It is not possible for you to clean the evaporator coil/Cooling coils but in order to avoid further restricting the air passage a filter needs to be placed in the slot dedicated for this purpose. The location of the filter slot can be located by just going through your car's "owner's manual". The filter may cost anything from 400Rs(Maruti) to 2000Rs.

[dr_nishu 198]

@Anveshak & rssh;

Do post the pics of these discussed air filters of car ACs, as i haven't seen it earlier yet not even at service centres.

All i knew about this is it's necessary to get car AC serviced after every 2-3 years. However condenser coil next to car radiator can be pressure cleaned every time during the car wash time.

[Anveshak 1]

Dear dr_nishu, its been a long time. See I tried posting my profile picture and pictures of the A.C filter but the autocar gives some error, even I tried liking a post but again error. Do you know the solution to get past these errors?

[Anveshak 1]

Finally, I assembled/modified maruti A-star cabin filter to accommodate in the Honda Amaze cabin filter space with the aid of araldite and Hot glue gun. Now I can breathe clean air and the evaporator won't get dirty.

[dr_nishu 198]

Dear dr_nishu, its been a long time. See I tried posting my profile picture and pictures of the A.C filter but the autocar gives some error, even I tried liking a post but again error. Do you know the solution to get past these errors?

There're no such errors on forum function but still if you're facing any bugs, then you can message this issue to moderation team.

They'll definitely try to resolve this issue.

[vikky1971 5]

Few days back I found my A/C not working for the wagon r, showed to the dealer he said need to change the compressor would cost you 32000Rs. I thought what is the use of car enthusiast if you can't take care of it. So removed the front bumper and saw the A/C belt was broken and the A/C coil plastic melted and seized the pulley. Tried to turn the pulley but too hard. I thought may be something broke in the compressor. So I took the car to the A/C specialised shop, there collected the gas by A/C vacuum pump(as R134A) as the gas may harm the environment. As my wagon r does not have the cabin filter but I had cut the plastic grill of air suction and put a air filter(made of interwoven fibre) available in the auto store. As this is not a fine filter so the evaporator was dirty. So I bargained the cost with the shop owner to clean the evaporator and recharge the gas and renew the oil. This was the time I found that unlike the evaporator in household car evaporators are very very delicate. These guys soaked the evaporator in soap solution and then washed the fins in running water, all the muck came out. After assembling with new coil, A/c was started, too good!!

[rssh 59]

Thats a good one servicing outside dealership ;I recently serviced my car AC through a good petrol pump. Since removing the sunfilm the heat was unbearable and the AC fan speed was inconsistent (and family was showing displeasure).

The AC guy first removed the filter and it was full of leaves (I cleaned it 1 month back myself). He ran the AC then w/o filter and the fan speed was faster but cooling was lacking. Next he removed the front bumper and the radiator was almost black.

Afterwards he put caustic soda to clean the AC/radiator and intercooler.

He then started the AC and there was a definite improvement in cooling but he said it can be improved further and topped but with R134a gas (MRP of bottle was 799) and he ran the AC and said if he said if I was not happy with the cooling he will remove the dashboard and clean the cooling coils. But I think the work done was more than enough and now the AC cools nicely at 22C setting.

Also now I am not using the AC filter (paper one) and have ordered mesh type filter which doesn't hinder airflow and run in AC in recirculation mode only.

Cost - 1500 inclusive of 700 as labour and 100 as chemical cleaning (caustic soda).

Place - Ballard estate HP petrol pump

Edited May 1, 2014 by rssh

[vikky1971 5]

Dear rssh, nice to know about the repairs. Make sure to wash(large amount of water, high pressure is not required) the intercooler and radiators which were cleaned by the caustic soda thoroughly otherwise fins will corrode with the traces of caustic soda left. Also not a good idea to put mesh filter if facility of paper filter exists. Put the paper filter as it purifies the air to 25microns and keeps the A/C evaporator(responsible for the cooling) fins clean. Thanks for posting pictures and mentioning the cost involved too.

[vikky1971 5]

Yesterday I inspected the modified cabin filter of my Honda Amaze, it is retrofitted with

Maruti A-star cabin filter. Due this filter my car remains clean. The cooling coils looks very clean due to filter.

[vikky1971 5]

In all the zest variants the TATAs have provided with mesh type filter to prevent the clogging of the air conditioning cooling coils.

[sreeraj 1]

not within 30 days

[vikky1971 5]

sreeraj, I have worked with the filters and evaporator so I know it by experience