Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1i90i.8227$HR1.3924@trnddc01...
> 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?
Does it have a sight glass?

Spdloader

Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1i90i.8227$HR1.3924@trnddc01...
> 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?
Does it have a sight glass?

Spdloader

Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1i90i.8227$HR1.3924@trnddc01...
> 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?
Does it have a sight glass?

Spdloader

Re: Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

On Tue, 8 May 2007 19:18:11 -0700, "L.W. \(Bill\) ------ III"
<----------@cox.net> wrote:

> A good rule
>of thumb would be 35 psi on low and not over 275 psi on high side:

This depends tempature, humidity and A/C fan speed. It will likely be
around 50 low to 250 or more high when first started on ahot day and
may drop down to 25 to 30 low and 150 to 175 high when it is cooled
out and blower speed is reduced. The higher the outside temps, the
higher the pressure and 300 PSI or a bit higher is not rare on a R134
system on a hot startup
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

On Tue, 8 May 2007 19:18:11 -0700, "L.W. \(Bill\) ------ III"
<----------@cox.net> wrote:

> A good rule
>of thumb would be 35 psi on low and not over 275 psi on high side:

This depends tempature, humidity and A/C fan speed. It will likely be
around 50 low to 250 or more high when first started on ahot day and
may drop down to 25 to 30 low and 150 to 175 high when it is cooled
out and blower speed is reduced. The higher the outside temps, the
higher the pressure and 300 PSI or a bit higher is not rare on a R134
system on a hot startup
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

On Tue, 8 May 2007 19:18:11 -0700, "L.W. \(Bill\) ------ III"
<----------@cox.net> wrote:

> A good rule
>of thumb would be 35 psi on low and not over 275 psi on high side:

This depends tempature, humidity and A/C fan speed. It will likely be
around 50 low to 250 or more high when first started on ahot day and
may drop down to 25 to 30 low and 150 to 175 high when it is cooled
out and blower speed is reduced. The higher the outside temps, the
higher the pressure and 300 PSI or a bit higher is not rare on a R134
system on a hot startup
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

On Tue, 8 May 2007 19:18:11 -0700, "L.W. \(Bill\) ------ III"
<----------@cox.net> wrote:

> A good rule
>of thumb would be 35 psi on low and not over 275 psi on high side:

This depends tempature, humidity and A/C fan speed. It will likely be
around 50 low to 250 or more high when first started on ahot day and
may drop down to 25 to 30 low and 150 to 175 high when it is cooled
out and blower speed is reduced. The higher the outside temps, the
higher the pressure and 300 PSI or a bit higher is not rare on a R134
system on a hot startup
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

"L.W. (Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in message
news:464123bf$0$16267$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
> Hi Jeff,
> If you have over filled it in the past, as I have and wasted some
> through the pop off valve, then you may have also have ruined the low
> pressure switch that sits on the dyer that is bypassed on the cycles you
> describe.


I've never filled it before. It worked last week, albeit, it was warmer than
I remember from last year. In any case, it has blown cold and now it doesn't
and I've never serviced it, so I doubt the switch is bad.

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.

Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

"L.W. (Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in message
news:464123bf$0$16267$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
> Hi Jeff,
> If you have over filled it in the past, as I have and wasted some
> through the pop off valve, then you may have also have ruined the low
> pressure switch that sits on the dyer that is bypassed on the cycles you
> describe.


I've never filled it before. It worked last week, albeit, it was warmer than
I remember from last year. In any case, it has blown cold and now it doesn't
and I've never serviced it, so I doubt the switch is bad.

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.

Re: Charging my Air Conditioner
 

"L.W. (Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in message
news:464123bf$0$16267$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
> Hi Jeff,
> If you have over filled it in the past, as I have and wasted some
> through the pop off valve, then you may have also have ruined the low
> pressure switch that sits on the dyer that is bypassed on the cycles you
> describe.


I've never filled it before. It worked last week, albeit, it was warmer than
I remember from last year. In any case, it has blown cold and now it doesn't
and I've never serviced it, so I doubt the switch is bad.

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.