Corrosion on condenser
 

All,
I purchased an Old Air AC unit for my 55.1 last May and it has been sitting in my house until a few months ago when we installed in on the radiator.

I just noticed corrosion all over the condenser, see attached photo's.

The guy at Old Air say that is just environmental corrosion, not to be of concern

You can see my radiator in the background and it looks fine and so does my transmission for that matter!

What do you guys say?

Re: Corrosion on condenser
 

oxidation is a natural process for aluminum and once formed it is much harder than aluminum itself, melts at a higher temperature and generally protects the material underneath. Some alloys are more susceptible than others. Your rad might be a better material in this sense or it might have been anodized or otherwise coated with something.

you could try washing it with 50/50 vinegar and water to see if it stops the more objectionable white stuff while a more uniform dull oxide layer forms.

Or paint it black

I've taken to clear coating some new aluminum components like water pumps or alternators before installing so they stay new looking. Clear coating a radiator might cost you some efficiency, adding insulation to the fins? Black color would offset that, many OEM rads are painted black.

Re: Corrosion on condenser
 

So if I understand you correctly Lee my AC unit's condenser will not be my weak point of the system.

Good thing I am not building a show truck!!!!!

So irritating to throw down money on a new system and have it turn out that way.
Bobby at first offered me a 10% discount on a replacement, then after seeing the pictures upped it to 20% discount.

ARRRRRG

Re: Corrosion on condenser
 

I'd want to see the formation of the heavier white oxidation stopped, particularly on the fins. It is not uncommon to find aluminum condensers, rads oil coolers around here that have seen punishing use on salted highways in winter get to the point that the fins are basically gone, leaving just the tubes.

The fins you show look to be quite light weight so they don't have a lot of material to give up and I doubt your environment is so corrosive as to eat the fins right off, but the white stuff is insulating

Re: Corrosion on condenser
 

It seems odd for it to get to that level without being exposed to winter road conditions that Leegreen mentioned. I've got an aluminum radiator out of one of my OT cars that has been laying out exposed to weather and the wheel line sprinkler for the alfalfa and it doesn't look that bad.

I didn't take a photo but parts of the aluminum rub rail on my sailboat are corroded like that condenser.