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Charging my Air Conditioner
Jeep and Willys Vehicles Discussions on Jeep and Willys vehicles. (rec.autos.makers.jeep+willys)
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#11
 
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Re: Re: Charging my Air Conditioner -
05-09-2007
, 07:13 AM
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Try charging gas first, (hold can upright) you can tell it's moving if the can gets cold near the top. If it takes a while, like more than 15 minutes or so, flip the can upside down and hold for a few seconds at a time, charging with liquid, back and forth until the can is empty. You can feel the liquid inside sloshing, and you can tell when it's empty. |
Sometime too if the hose is long enough you can put R134a can in a pan
of hot water while trying to draw vapor from it because as liquid
boils to gas in can it cools it a lot and when this happens the
pressure in can drops and slows things down a lot on charging. The
idea of flipping can as above is not a bad idea as I do it but limit
is to a few seconds or so at a time so you do not get a slug of liquid
in compressor.
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TheSnoMan.com
#12
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I can't measure the high side, so I have to go on faith that if the low side is right, the high side will follow along properly. |
The problem is though that you cannot really tell the rue state of
charge without seeing both sides at once. Using low side only is a
guesstimate at best.
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TheSnoMan.com
#13
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"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote in message news:xlb0i.8410$Q96.4526 (AT) trnddc04 (DOT) .. "Spdloader" <askforit (AT) nospam (DOT) triad.rr.com> wrote in message news:46413491$0$18845$4c368faf (AT) roadrunner (DOT) com... "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote in message news:1i90i.8227$HR1.3924 (AT) trnddc01 (DOT) .. The AC compressor clutch cycles on for about 2 seconds then off for about 3 seconds then repeats. It never blows cold. It worked fine a few days ago, so this is a sudden onset of symptoms. I have R134a. I also have a guage that plugs onto the Low Pressure Port. The sad thing is that I've not used it for a few years and I forgot how. I have to connect either the guage or the fitting that connects to the can of stuff, but I can not connect both at the same time. I think I have to take a pressure reading to make sure it is low. My guage has GRN, BLU, YEL, and RED sections. Green is 0 to 25psi, blue is 25 to 45, yellow is 45 to 46, and red is anything above 65, the guage limit is 200. I need to re-understand the directions. I _think_ I want the needle to be in the blue area or yellow area, but by no means in the red or green areas. I have not checked yet, but I suspect it currently is in the green area. Once I ensure that the pressure is indeed low, then I can add a can of R134. One can should bring the pressure to 45ish psi. I _think_ what is happening now is that my pressure is right on the line, and when the compressor kicks in, the result is pressure drop below the threshold of the Low Pressure Switch, so the compressor kicks out. This causes the pressure to rise and satisfy the Low Pressure Switch, so the compressor kicks on again. The problem repeats from there, and the compressor clutch kicks on and off due to activity of the Low Pressure Switch. I've owned the vehicle for a year, and have done virtually nothing to it. It has worked perfectly until today, when the AC elected to go offline. I have no reason to suspect a leak at this time, but if the can of r134 does not do the trick, then I'll need to take it somewhere for service. All I can do to the AC system is put the stuff in, and I have to ask to be sure I have the process right. The short answer is; it's low on refrigerant Jeff. What vehicle is it? It's my '95 Bronco. Does it have a sight glass? I don't know the answer to that one right now. I'll have to look when the sun comes up ... Can it be low enough that the Low Pressure Switch kicks in and out, causing the clutch to also kick in and out? I'd suppose that such a condition can only last for a very narrow range of low pressure before the clutch kicks out for the last time and refuses to kick in again until more juice is added. I am not myself familiar with Ford systems but according to the Mastercool manual there are Ford systems (FFOT, no idea what this means) that are supposed to cycle the clutch, but not as fast as you are reporting. This does appear to be a case of low refrigerant. Basically, these systems run until a reservoir is full of liquid refrigerant, and then rest until it is exhausted. Typical cycle times are 2-3 times per minute at low ambient temperatures up to continuous running at high ambient temperatures. Yours is cycling much faster than this and probably low on refrigerant. These Ford systems appear to be a little "different" in operation so maybe a Ford news group might be a good source. Although I recommend a full manifold gauge set, there are setups intermediate between what you have now and hi-low gauges. A few years back I got a low side coupler, hose, gauge, valve and can tap from J. C. Whitney pretty cheap. I have seen similar rigs at Autozone. This lets you view the low side while filling at the same time. It doesn't show the high side, but it is a lot better than filling "blind". Earle |
What I'm using now is a hose that has a coupling that one can either thread
in the guage or a can of juice. I've only used it once, and I had the book
close by. It was a pain in the ass to switch back and forth from the guage
to the can. I've not used my charging equipment for several years, so I have
trouble spending even more money. I would enjoy seeing the pressure and
emptying that can at the same time though ...
#14
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| Sometime too if the hose is long enough you can put R134a can in a pan of hot water while trying to draw vapor from it because as liquid boils to gas in can it cools it a lot and when this happens the pressure in can drops and slows things down a lot on charging. The idea of flipping can as above is not a bad idea as I do it but limit is to a few seconds or so at a time so you do not get a slug of liquid in compressor. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com |
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
#15
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In a class, we were allowed to shake it upright. |
--
"Jeeps can get up, and jeeps can also go down. Why can't Bill do either?"
-- Nancy Hughes III
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
#16
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The AC compressor clutch cycles on for about 2 seconds then off for about 3 seconds then repeats. It never blows cold. It worked fine a few days ago, so this is a sudden onset of symptoms. I have R134a. I also have a guage that plugs onto the Low Pressure Port. The sad thing is that I've not used it for a few years and I forgot how. I have to connect either the guage or the fitting that connects to the can of stuff, but I can not connect both at the same time. I think I have to take a pressure reading to make sure it is low. My guage has GRN, BLU, YEL, and RED sections. Green is 0 to 25psi, blue is 25 to 45, yellow is 45 to 46, and red is anything above 65, the guage limit is 200. I need to re-understand the directions. I _think_ I want the needle to be in the blue area or yellow area, but by no means in the red or green areas. I have not checked yet, but I suspect it currently is in the green area. Once I ensure that the pressure is indeed low, then I can add a can of R134. One can should bring the pressure to 45ish psi. I _think_ what is happening now is that my pressure is right on the line, and when the compressor kicks in, the result is pressure drop below the threshold of the Low Pressure Switch, so the compressor kicks out. This causes the pressure to rise and satisfy the Low Pressure Switch, so the compressor kicks on again. The problem repeats from there, and the compressor clutch kicks on and off due to activity of the Low Pressure Switch. I've owned the vehicle for a year, and have done virtually nothing to it. It has worked perfectly until today, when the AC elected to go offline. I have no reason to suspect a leak at this time, but if the can of r134 does not do the trick, then I'll need to take it somewhere for service. All I can do to the AC system is put the stuff in, and I have to ask to be sure I have the process right. |
#17
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On Wed, 09 May 2007 15:43:24 -0700, L.W. (Bill) Hughes III wrote: In a class, we were allowed to shake it upright. That is illegal in 37 states, including California. -- "Jeeps can get up, and jeeps can also go down. Why can't Bill do either?" -- Nancy Hughes III Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com |
#18
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On Tue, 8 May 2007 23:56:30 -0400, "Spdloader" askforit (AT) nospam (DOT) triad.rr.com> wrote: Try charging gas first, (hold can upright) you can tell it's moving if the can gets cold near the top. If it takes a while, like more than 15 minutes or so, flip the can upside down and hold for a few seconds at a time, charging with liquid, back and forth until the can is empty. You can feel the liquid inside sloshing, and you can tell when it's empty. Sometime too if the hose is long enough you can put R134a can in a pan of hot water while trying to draw vapor from it because as liquid boils to gas in can it cools it a lot and when this happens the pressure in can drops and slows things down a lot on charging. The idea of flipping can as above is not a bad idea as I do it but limit is to a few seconds or so at a time so you do not get a slug of liquid in compressor. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com |
Spdloader
#19
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I bought a double size can of juice that included a hose and guage. The directions were printed on the can, and they said to juice the system up to about 50 psi for the current temp at my house. Completely counter to the luck that runs in my family, the can was empty just as the spec was met. As soon as the pressure came back, the compressor clutch kicked on and remained on, and the cabin air temp hovered at about 50°F. |
especially where the metal ends are made onto the hoses, and the front of
the compressor clutch for any oily leaks.
Be cool, (pun intended)
Spdloader
#20
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Another trick is to lay it on the engine valve cover. |
warm it up a bit as it tries to chill.
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TheSnoMan.com
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