Improving air conditioning B2650/B3350 Kubota

[bumperm]

Out mowing a meadow and the cab started getting a lot warmer. Come to find out that even though I'd been cleaning the radiators with compressed air and water hose, the AC radiator was mostly clogged with fine chafe that looked for all the world like the aluminum fins. I'll be making a spray nozzle to better clean them. Don't want to chance using pressure washer as there's no way to go straight on so there's a likelyhood the thin fins will be bent.

This episode got me thinking though, I'd like to add an electric fan to improve heat dissipation but there's no room for even a small 7" fan, 2.5" thick. I have at most 1.75". Battery blocks the bottom half of the AC radiator and the engine compartment is more than tight (B3350 with DPF). The engine fan is shrouded and so pulls well through the main radiator, but then there's no further shroud going forward, so air is not efficiently pulled through the hydraulic fluid coils or the AC radiator.

Thought about adding shroud between the radiators, but then if the AC one get's clogged, it'll for sure affect engine cooling in a negative way. Has anyone approached this issue? Maybe install a smaller battery (LiFePO4?) to make room for a fan?

 

[jenkinsph]

I think you would be better off with more frequent cleaning. I learned to live with it, with routine cleaning my cab stays cool and comfortable.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I can't help you with the fan but I use a varsol gun to clean radiators. The varsol gun is usually used with varsol but it works quite fine with water too. The water and air do a real nice job without bending fins.

 

[100 td]

Go to a rubber/foam supply and get some heat resistant foam and cut strips to go between the edges of the radiator and the condenser. Spray some glue on one side and attach to whichever one has the easiest surface to glue to. Now the air will be pulled thru the condenser, not around it and thru the gap. Ensure yo place a mesh in front of the condenser to catch the rubbish before it enters the fins.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I'm assuming that there are also cabin filters; did you clean those as well?

 

[bumperm]

Thank you for the responses so far . . . some good ideas.

I've settled on making a thin right angle nozzle that will go down in the gap between the battery and AC condenser (1.5" or so). I have a "varsol gun" already (an air nozzle with with valve regulated suction tube for applying soap, solvents etc), though to be effective, it too would need a right angle wand attachment.

As to adding a rubber shroud, unfortunately the AC condenser is smaller than the engine radiator, so adding an effective shroud or rubber baffling between the two while forcing most of the air through the AC condenser to enhance cooling there presents two problems - overall engine and hydraulic oil cooling would be reduced due to now reduced air intake area. Also the AC condenser would more quickly clog and choking everything. Further, unless the baffle were easily removed, it would make cleaning more difficult.

Both the AC condenser and engine radiator have removable screens that are easily cleaned - what's happening is the fine "chafe" or dust is passing through those screens to clog the radiator fins.

If there were room for an AC condenser fan, it would surely improve AC efficiency, but I can't see a way unless the battery is either relocated, or a smaller non-Pb battery, such as a LiFePO4, is used.

For now I'm taking the sage advice to clean often and effectively now that I'm aware of the issue.

 

[bumperm]

I made two tools to clean the radiator and AC condenser.

One started out as a Harbor Freight long air blow gun. I cut off the bent nozzle tip, then cut a slot in the tube about 1/2" from the cut off end using a hack saw. Then use a drill bit to clean the burrs from the inside of the tube at the slot. Finally I turned a Delrin rod on the lathe to fit tightly in the end, cross drilled the end and inserted an aluminum wire, then tapped the ends of the wire to "rivet" it in place. This air nozzle fits even the back side of the condenser from either side to clean it out better than access by removing the battery - quicker and easier too.

Second tool is made similarly, but using an aluminum tube press fit into a 1/2" brass rod drilled and reamed to accept it, and then that brass rod press fit into a brass hose quick connect. Haven't tried it on the tractor yet, but it should work better than just a hose nozzle.

 

[ns_in_tex]

Not sure how room compares on your B versus our L4610, but here is what we did.
7" fan, hangs at about 45 degree angle, pointing down, so it will blow air into the crack between battery and condenser coil, behind the battery.
Actually the bottom of the fan just rest on top of the battery and is hanging from 2 existing 90 degree pegs at the top.
Fan can be lifted off and layed aside to service the battery.
We mowed our lawn for 2 or 3 hours this afternoon and this is the first time we have had to direct the air away from our head because it was to cold.
Fan cost was 22.75. I wish we had done this 10 years ago.

 

[Hill Farmer]

I just got a brake line, screwed one end into trigger air nozzle, and bent a 90 on the other end after cutting off the threaded coupler.

 

[yanmars]

I have a Mahindra 4510. I had to relocate the battery lower and added an electric fan in front of the radiator. It helped some but the biggest thing for me is to blow out the radiator with compressed air at the end of each mowing session. That has helped the most.