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AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge


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Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 6:06 PM

Post #1 of 14 (1711 views)
AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

Bought a can of AC Pro (with the gauge on it), but had two of the small refill cans (they fit the same gauge/hose), 12 oz cans i think, so helped my dad out (his AC was dead). Fired up the AC on high and gauge read nothing, put in the first can got it close to where it needed to be, put on a second can and got about half way through it and the needle wouldn't go any higher, cold air was blasting out, i knew my car needed some, called it good, happy happy, i left to home. I hoked it up to my car, gauge read it was a bit low (not dead like my dad's), I started adding and the same thing, it got to the same point on the gauge and stopped, wasn't much left in the can, so screw in, dumped the rest in. I've got a fancy non-contact digital thermometer, drove down the road, and checked the output, its 80 out tonight and i was getting as low as 25 Fahrenheit from the center vent.
First, i'm thinking the gauge was stuck and not reading right.
Second, i've no clue, should i just be happy its so cold, or might something actually freeze?
Third, i think i should check the output temp. on my dad next :/

Thanks
Gidds


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Jul 14, 2013, 6:13 PM

Post #2 of 14 (1707 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

(1) Take the can and throw it into the trash
(2) Take your vehicle to a shop that specializes in ac to recover what is in the system. Then have it charged to the correct weight.
(3) Take Dad's car to the same shop and have the ac system recovered. Then recharged to the correct weight and a dye added to figure out what is leaking.
(4) If you don't know what your doing, don't do it.





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Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 6:24 PM

Post #3 of 14 (1699 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

Its not that i don't know what i'm doing, i've done plenty of work on cars, a/c's not so much, mostly because i don't have the manifold gauge that shops have, which is why that A/C Pro can was sooo... attractive. Neither my dad or myself are going to a shop with our 12 and 13 year old cars/truck, heck he sweat through the last two summers rather than get it checked out.
Any one else have any thoughts ?


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jul 14, 2013, 6:41 PM

Post #4 of 14 (1695 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In


Quote
Any one else have any thoughts ?


I guess you don't like my answer even though I do professional ac work on vehicles for a living. I been to schools, been through training, and have lots of experience working with different systems.

AC is a luxury, therefore it is expensive. You can short cut procedures hoping to save money, but I have seen what happens so many times when people go down that road.

I wish you luck.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jul 14, 2013, 6:42 PM)


Hammer Time
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Jul 14, 2013, 6:48 PM

Post #5 of 14 (1688 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

DS is right. You have no clue what you are doing and you are going to end up destroying the whole system. You cannot charge a system by pressure.

You need to get it to a shop that specializes in AC work. It's a lot more complicated to repair AC than you think.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 6:54 PM

Post #6 of 14 (1682 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

You're right, AC is a luxury! ..and perhaps that's why neither my dad or myself would pay to get it fixed.
Let me ask this, is the the below freezing temperature I'm getting from my cars center console, a possible indication that I've overfilled the system a bit?

Or is it more likely that is simply some other part of my AC system that isn't doing its job, ie a temperature/cycling switch that i don't care about?


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jul 14, 2013, 6:57 PM

Post #7 of 14 (1683 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

Your measuring outlet temperature with an infrared thermometer?





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jul 14, 2013, 6:58 PM)


Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 7:07 PM

Post #8 of 14 (1676 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

yes it is
and its proven pretty darn spot on everywhere/time i've used it

edit
I used it on my wifes new truck, and it bounced between 39 and 43, kind of more where i thought it should be
I used it on my ac at the house and it was up around 50's .. and i always thought that AC wasnt blowing where it should


(This post was edited by Gidds on Jul 14, 2013, 7:12 PM)


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jul 14, 2013, 7:11 PM

Post #9 of 14 (1676 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

Understand that those infrared t-momaters don't measure air temperature because air doesn't emit infrared radiation. They also get confused when you try to measure the temperature of something shiny, like an aluminum ac pipe. If you want to measure something shiny, put a piece of electrical tape on it to get an accurate measurement.

If you want to measure air temperature, you need a thermistor or one of those dial thermometers stuck in the center duct.

You never stated what vehicles your playing with.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jul 14, 2013, 7:13 PM)


Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 7:27 PM

Post #10 of 14 (1666 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

that's a really good point, i was comparing it to the readings i was getting in my wife's car at the vert, to my car at the vert, to the AC in the house at the vent. Not the aluminum pipe at all. But still, i didnt try a "regular thermometer", i guess i didn't trust their readings like i do the infrared one. I'll try it again with the wife's cooking thermometer, it seems accurate, dinner comes out cook like it should :)

Mine, 2000 passat v6
Dad, 1999 toyota v6 i think? Tacoma? First trip away from an F150 since, i was born, lol


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jul 14, 2013, 7:32 PM

Post #11 of 14 (1665 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In


Quote
You're right, AC is a luxury! ..and perhaps that's why neither my dad or myself would pay to get it fixed.


What kind of logic is that? Just because it's a luxury you think you are qualified to repair it yourself and it's not necessary to take it to a shop?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Jul 14, 2013, 7:45 PM

Post #12 of 14 (1662 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

Passat is a CCOT system. The compressor clutch is turned on and off by the engine computer based on readings it get from a pressure switch and request from the ac control head.

System holds around 23 oz of refrigerant. Since you don't know how much refrigerant was in the system when you put the can on it or knew how much you putting in it, the charge is probably off. If you overcharge it, you'll burn the compressor up. If the charge is low, the compressor can burn up from lack of lubrication. Anything higher or lower than the recommended charge will cause all kinds of performance issues.

You really need to get the car into the shop to have the refrigerant recovered and weighed.

As for Dad's there is a leak in the system. When you shot your can into it, the system was probably empty. When the system is empty that means it is full of air. Now you have air mixed in with your refrigerant. Air in the system will raise the head pressure on the compressor making it run hot. His system is a TXV system that uses a evaporator temperature sensor and high pressure sensor to control the compressor. That system hold around 20.8 oz. The leak on his system has to be found because it will tear the compressor up when it is running on a low charge as the refrigerant leaks out of it.

When either compressor runs hot and comes apart is when the cost of repair hits big time. Check this out and see what happens when a compressor is run on low or high charges long enough.

http://autoforums.carjunky.com/...SOR_FAILURE_P116082/





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jul 14, 2013, 7:48 PM)


Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 7:47 PM

Post #13 of 14 (1657 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In

its simple logic

dad couldn't fix his, so no AC, oh well, open the window
if couldn't get cold out of mine, oh well, open the window
...the car goes on, with or without it, its a simple luxury, so no, i wouldn't take it a shop for that
<shrug>


Gidds
Novice

Jul 14, 2013, 8:59 PM

Post #14 of 14 (1647 views)
Re: AC Possilbley added too much durring recharge Sign In


In Reply To
Passat is a CCOT system. The compressor clutch is turned on and off by the engine computer based on readings it get from a pressure switch and request from the ac control head.

System holds around 23 oz of refrigerant. Since you don't know how much refrigerant was in the system when you put the can on it or knew how much you putting in it, the charge is probably off. If you overcharge it, you'll burn the compressor up. If the charge is low, the compressor can burn up from lack of lubrication. Anything higher or lower than the recommended charge will cause all kinds of performance issues.

You really need to get the car into the shop to have the refrigerant recovered and weighed.

As for Dad's there is a leak in the system. When you shot your can into it, the system was probably empty. When the system is empty that means it is full of air. Now you have air mixed in with your refrigerant. Air in the system will raise the head pressure on the compressor making it run hot. His system is a TXV system that uses a evaporator temperature sensor and high pressure sensor to control the compressor. That system hold around 20.8 oz. The leak on his system has to be found because it will tear the compressor up when it is running on a low charge as the refrigerant leaks out of it.

When either compressor runs hot and comes apart is when the cost of repair hits big time. Check this out and see what happens when a compressor is run on low or high charges long enough.

http://autoforums.carjunky.com/...SOR_FAILURE_P116082/


Well that is a clear picture! Thank you, especially for the amounts each system holds!
For me, I added about 6oz max, which makes me feel good, it wasn't a Crazzzzy amount!

For my dad, I'll let him know he's for sure got air in his system that is going to work the compressor hard
and that if/when it blows warm again, he's going to pushing the compressor to the limit!
He can enjoy it while it lasts, or go get it look at... his call

Again
Thanks for the specific info







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