Boiling water sound? AC on.

[adamtc4]

Hey all,

So I can say that since I bought my car in November (CPO 2014 P85) I have just now started using the AC. I first noticed this sound when I was waiting for my wife to get out of an appt and I have the "keep climate on" setting. I started to hear what sounded like a small pot of water boiling from behind the dash (think of a small amount of water with thousands of bubbles). It is the weirdest sound and it is not consistent. Or maybe it sounds like fluid moving through lines with lots of bubbles. I have heard of a lot of complaints about the AC motor sound but this is definitely not a motor. Anyone have any ideas or heard this before? It is kind of loud, I can hear it with the sound audio on a 3-4.

Thanks,

 

[Ketchups]

Is it accompanied by high-pitched whistling?

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Could your condensate drain be plugged up trapping the water (Condensate) within the AC system? I have had that happen to me on my ICE car. I don't have my S yet so I don't know if the car leaves the water puddles under the car, but would assume it does.

 

[Lloyd]

Clogged AC condensation drain?

 

[Buddyroe]

My Dec 14 S85 is doing the same thing. And, I am getting puddles of water in my garage every day. I wasn't sure if it was coming from my car or the fridge in the garage. How can I check it or do I need to take it in for service (the closest SC is 150 miles away!).

 

[iffatall]

I have had this noise for over a year now. At the very beginning, I thought may be there was a bug stuck in there fluttering its wings. . At first it used to come and go, but now is pretty consistent.
Reported it at service in December, they said they fixed it, but they didn't. I didn't want to go back just for this issue. Will hold it for my next visit.

 

[Transcend]

I am having the same issue on a 2013 S85. Noise is more noticeable when it is cold outside. Brought it to the SC to have it looked at and was told all is normal. They couldn't duplicate the sound. Oh well. As long it has been documented. I'll have it looked at again next time the car is in for service.

 

[mobe]

I have had this noise for over a year now. At the very beginning, I thought may be there was a bug stuck in there fluttering its wings. . At first it used to come and go, but now is pretty consistent.
Reported it at service in December, they said they fixed it

Hey all,

So I can say that since I bought my car in November (CPO 2014 P85) I have just now started using the AC. I first noticed this sound when I was waiting for my wife to get out of an appt and I have the "keep climate on" setting. I started to hear what sounded like a small pot of water boiling from behind the dash (think of a small amount of water with thousands of bubbles). It is the weirdest sound and it is not consistent. Or maybe it sounds like fluid moving through lines with lots of bubbles. I have heard of a lot of complaints about the AC motor sound but this is definitely not a motor. Anyone have any ideas or heard this before? It is kind of loud, I can hear it with the sound audio on a 3-4.

Thanks,[/QUOTE

It is common, I notice it most when parked with the ac on. It's coolant circulating. Not to worry.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Again I don't have my car again but the drain should be a small drain tube. follow it back to the AC box. You would probably have to remove a cover and clean it out and snake the drain tube. Sun roof drains clog up also, except then you get the water on your head.

I would think warrantee would cover it.

Another though is, the AC after a while can go into a defrost mode and you'll hear a more running water sound with the boiling which is normal. Same sound your fridge makes in the house in defrost mode.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Sleeping on this I wanted to rewrite part of the post to clarify it.

First if your running your AC you want to see water on the ground if your sitting there for any length of time to see that the drain is open. if it doesn't drop the condensate water your could have a clogged line.

The mechanical side of the AC is the boiling off of the Freon gas to create the cold air reaction. the compressor boils off the Freon liquid converting it to gas (evaporator) becoming super cold, in the car. it then condenses back to a liquid (Condenser) outside the car generating the heat.

I believe your hearing the gas boiling off. You may try to record it and play it to the SC. I believe nothing is wrong, with these super quiet cars your now able to hear the process. with an ice, the engine running masks the process eliminating the noise. you only can hear the compressor clicking on and off, but not the gas conversion.

Now if the car actually a heat pump you maybe hearing a valve dump when the A/C shuts off. The gas (Freon) makes a lot of noise.

 

[mongo]

I've noticed that sort of noise on ICE cars when waiting for the driver to return, in that case it is caused by the AC system equalizing. If the HVAC is turning the compressor on and off due to being close to the cabin set point, it may cause the same noise.

Same thing @Reddy Kilowatt is saying regarding refrigerant (FWIW, Teslas don't currently have a heat pump)

 

[adamtc4]

hmm ok. I wasn't worried about it being anything major but I will just add it to the list of things I bring up when I go to service eventually.