air con.. service tech recs?

[bluebottle]

Well after driving down from scotland on the hottest day of the year and feeling like a rotisserie chicken, I finally got round to trying to 'fix' (regas) my aircon.

It seems like this has allowed the pressure switches to kick something off, but it doesn't seem to start up the compressor - just get some clicks, the pressure changes from half way into the green to about 10%, and nothing else happens..

(it hasn't been working for a good while, I hardly used it through covidtimes and not that much since then, so it's not surprising if something's seized)

I guess this could be fans? Not sure, can't really see what's going on.

Unless anyone thinks it's worth pursuing, I'm going to be in cornwall for a month on a job, does anyone have an aircon tech recommendation anywhere between say falmouth and exeter?

ps when I put the gas on my OH's car, it went to about a quarter into the green when running, and when the aircon was off, the pressure went into the red. Is this normal? Should this be what mine is at? Is this why mine isn't working?? Was a bit scared to overgas it. Probably should have gone to a tech in the first place....

[Altransit]

It's worth checking the fan, 'cos if it doesn't start, nothing else will. Fan could be seized, or the fan controller could be fubar.
I've had compressors go faulty, one on each of my Transits, and currently, on my Focus, I have a rubbed through pipe

[marcrbarker]

ps when I put the gas on my OH's car, it went to about a quarter into the green when running, and when the aircon was off, the pressure went into the red. Is this normal? Should this be what mine is at? Is this why mine isn't working?? Was a bit scared to overgas it. Probably should have gone to a tech in the first place....

Is that the Lowside gauge (blue pipe)? If so (with R134a) it's supposed to drop whil pump running roughly 1 degree F absolute = to 1 PSI. When pump stops the PSI climbs back up to round about 60-90 depending on ambient temp.
The highside gauge if that goes up skyhigh the HP switch will turn off the pump clutch. Look for poor airflow. If the lowside is going vacuum might be icing up at the EV water had got in.

[bluebottle]

marcrbarker

. Yes it's the low side (there's no colours on my pipes), on his it goes right up into the red when it's not on (VW Passat), on my transit it doesn't move much, stays in the green (will check tonight what PSI it's actually reporting). Oh wait, are you saying when it's off it's 60-90PSI and 1PSI when running? Because temperature! ok. Maybe it _does_ need more gas? I don't have a gauge for the high side and I can't seem to get a readout on it from the OBDII reader.

It's worth checking the fan, 'cos if it doesn't start, nothing else will. Fan could be seized, or the fan controller could be fubar.
I've had compressors go faulty, one on each of my Transits, and currently, on my Focus, I have a rubbed through pipe

yeah I've had the fun with the rubbed through pipe on this transit, where the turbo passed over a bolt on the alternator...

I tested all the fuses marked 'air con clutch', is there one specifically for the fan(s) do you know?


ALSO why do I keep the shitty fuse selection in my van that doesn't _quite_ fit and in which the extractor tool is appalling.

[marcrbarker]

on his goes right up into the red when not on

I'm not sure what you mean by red/green, I go by the PSI and the angle the dialgauge needle points.

on my transit it doesn't move much, stays in the green (will check tonight what PSI it's actually reporting)

That might be no gas. No gas at all lowside needle can only swing by 15 PSI. Think about it (clue: a can of freezing spray is pressurised isn't it?)

Oh wait, are you saying when it's off it's 60-90PSI and 1PSI when running?

Well kindof. But if it really was 1 PSI with gas in, that would be 1 degF blowing snow flakes. It's from the old R12 days roughly 1 degC per PSI.

If there's really warmed up gas there condensing inside the front radiator put your hand over it and just under where your hand is you'll 'feel' the gas condensing as it heats up.

[bluebottle]

on his goes right up into the red when not on

I'm not sure what you mean by red/green, I go by the PSI and the angle the dialgauge needle points.

on my transit it doesn't move much, stays in the green (will check tonight what PSI it's actually reporting)

That might be no gas. No gas at all lowside needle can only swing by 15 PSI. Think about it (clue: a can of freezing spray is pressurised isn't it?)

Oh wait, are you saying when it's off it's 60-90PSI and 1PSI when running?

Well kindof. But if it really was 1 PSI with gas in, that would be 1 degF blowing snow flakes. It's from the old R12 days roughly 1 degC per PSI.

If there's really warmed up gas there condensing inside the front radiator put your hand over it and just under where your hand is you'll 'feel' the gas condensing as it heats up.

Yes! all better now. There's a squealy fan somewhere that needs some grease, but Things Are Occurring. Now I can drive to cornwall without becoming a sad crispy hayfevered mess. Hurrah!

Thanks Marc

[marcrbarker]

You must had gassed it up too?

[bluebottle]

Yeah I just hadn't gassed it up enough the first time, hardly put any in tbh... It went into the green just about while on and An Internet Person on the youtubes said to stop there.. I was being paranoid about checking for leaks etc

anyway I put more in and the compressor started up, so I put more in until it got to 15c

[marcrbarker]

Yeah I thought it a bit strange how just greasing a squeaky spindle could fix it. From what I think was your lowside reading there was almost no gas at all.
The HP pressure switch I think on these have is the one that also acts as a low pressure cutout too.
Don't forget these modern expansion valve ones suddenly start working when there's just enough gas and then suddenly stop working when too much gas.