Steam from AC?

[Wayne]

While driving on the highway in my 97 Legacy wagon with the air conditioning
on, I noticed a steam-like substance coming out of the vents. I could
actually see the airflow. It wasn't hot, and when I put my eyeglass in
front of the vent, no fog condensed on it. There was no odor either. When I
turned off the AC, the "steam" disappeared. My girlfriend says it's just
steam. Why would steam be coming out of the vents? Has anyone encountered
this?

Thanks,
Wayne

 

[schema]

Read your manuel, It is not steam. It is water vapor. You can stop it
by just adding enough warm air from the heater.
Not a lot, just enough to stop the condensing water vapor from comming out
of the vents.

 

[wayne]

Read your manuel, It is not steam. It is water vapor. You can stop it
by just adding enough warm air from the heater.
Not a lot, just enough to stop the condensing water vapor from comming out
of the vents.

Thanks,

I thought it was some kind of odorless poison gas leaking from who knows
where inside the engine compartment.

Wayne

 

[Alan]

It's not steam. Steam can only occur above 212 degrees Farenheit. What you
have there is actually man-made rain. Cold air hits humid air causing
condensation.

 

[Kurt C. Hack]

If you fly a lot, you will often see it when they first turn on the AC
packs when they first start them upon the plane. It goes away in a few
minutes if you turn on the recirc since the air being cooled is not as
hot and humid as that from outside.

-Kurt

 

[Hallan Blaggit]

It is steam. But it depends on how technical you want to be. Steam
is water vapor. This substance is water vapor. Steam can form at all
kinds of temperatures, depends on the pressure.

From M-W dictionary:
Steam:
2 a : the invisible vapor into which water is converted when heated to
the boiling point b : the mist formed by the condensation on cooling
of water vapor

 

[Simon T Thompson]

While driving on the highway in my 97 Legacy wagon with the air conditioning
on, I noticed a steam-like substance coming out of the vents. I could
actually see the airflow. It wasn't hot, and when I put my eyeglass in
front of the vent, no fog condensed on it. There was no odor either. When I
turned off the AC, the "steam" disappeared. My girlfriend says it's just
steam. Why would steam be coming out of the vents? Has anyone encountered
this?

Thanks,
Wayne

i had this just once about 5000 miles ago, it hasnt happened since...at
the same time, where the rainwater vents are, at the bottom of the
windshield, became blocked , mainly cos i park underneath trees a lot, and
the water drains out of a rubber tube, by the front diff, i cleared this
tube and it hasnt happened since !!!