2012-01-25T08:31:00.002-08:00

So, How Exactly does My A/C Compressor Work Anyway?While many people believe the compressor puts out cold air, that is incorrect; it actually creates heat. The compressor puts the air conditioning refrigerant under extremely high pressure. Because pressure and temperature are related, you can see how high pressure refrigerant is actually hot. Cooling occurs elsewhere, and I'd like to tell you more about that further into this article. The Air Conditioning Compressor on your vehicle also has an A/C Clutch attached to the front of it. The AC Clutch is the pulley that spins with the Belt. There are two ports on the rear of the Compressor. One is a Suction Port and the other is the Discharge Port. The Suction port is going to be your larger port and the Discharge port is going to be the smaller port. Refrigerant is sucked into the Suction port, compressed and then it exits out the Discharge Port, then entering the A/C Condenser. The compressor clutch is typically a combination of three parts; the hub, pulley, and coil. The hub (sometime referred to as the clutch) is the very front part, a round metal piece. Next is the pulley, which is where the belt rides. Finally, under the pulley is the coil, also called a field coil. The Coil is a copper would wire, that functions like a magnetic coil. When the A/C is turned on, power is sent to the coil, magnetizing it and, in turn, the pulley. The pulley face then engages with the hub. Since the Shaft of the AC Compressor is mated with the A/C Hub, once engaged, it begins to pump refrigerant in the system. Your Compressor Pulley turns all the time, even if the A/C Compressor is turned off. The Pully rotates with the engine. When the Air Conditioning System is actually On, the A/C Compresor will then engage. However, if there are problems with your vehicle's a/c system, there are a few different protectionary devices that will keep the Compressor from turning on. If the refrigerant levels are too low, a low-pressure sensor will stop the Compressor A/C Clutch from engaging. Also, if the pressure is overly high, a high pressure cut-out switch will kill power to the Compressor.Keep in mind, most late model vehicles use the A/C system for Defrost Mode. That's because the air conditioning system is not just for cooling, it's also for dehumidifying.When the power turns on the Compressor, it then sucks the low pressure freon and then cmporesses it to high pressure. The freon then goes into the A/C Condenser. Once there, the freon goes through a set of tubes. Moving air that travels through the AC Condenser keeps the refrigerant temperature down. Once the car or truck is at speed, the air blowing across the A/C Condenser helps to cool the freon. If you're not moving, or at a low speed, cooling fans pull air across the ACCondenser. As the Freon cools a bit, it then goes towards the Evaporator Coil. However, before the refrigerant can go through the Evaporator, it must be processed through the Expansion Device. As the refrigerant travels through the orifice in the expansion device, it is restricted. When moving through the orifice, it quickly expands, turning into a cold liquid.

How does my Car's AC Compressor Work?

2012-01-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

Most consumers, and many mechanics think the AC Compressor makes the A/C in your vehicle cold. That's simply not true. Although this is a common belief, the A/C Compressor actually creates heat as well as high pressure. When the A/C Refrigerant is under high pressure, it is hot. The cool effect is actually created elsewhere, and we will talk about that in just a bit.The Air Conditioning Compressor on your vehicle also has an A/C Clutch attached to the front of it. The AC Clutch is the pulley that spins with the Belt. There are two ports on the rear of the Compressor. One is a Suction Port and the other is the Discharge Port. The Suction port is going to be your larger port and the Discharge port is going to be the smaller port. Refrigerant is sucked into the Suction port, compressed and then it exits out the Discharge Port, then entering the A/C Condenser. Your vehicle's AC Clutch consists of the Hub, the Pulley, and the coil. The front part of the A/C Clutch is the Hub. Next is the pulley, which is where the belt rides. Finally, under the pulley is the coil, also called a field coil. The Coil is a copper would wire, that functions like a magnetic coil. If the AC Compressor is powered up, electricity engages the coil, and when this happens, it also engages the pulley. The large magnet forces the hub to pull against the pulley. Since the Shaft of the AC Compressor is mated with the A/C Hub, once engaged, it begins to pump refrigerant in the system. Turning whenever then engine is cranked, the A/C Compressor Clutch Pulley will spin even if the AC Compressor is off. If the A/C System is turned on, power is sent to your A/C Compressor Clutch and it will then engage. However, if the pressure in the system (or the refrigerant level) is either too low or high, switches will kill power to the Compressor to keep from damaging it.Many later model automobiles your Defroster in the A/C Syustem. Although the A/C System is great for cooling the air going into your vents, it's also a very good dehumidifier, and as such, it really helps to clear off your windshield.As the Air Conditioning System is powered on, the A/C Compressor brings low-pressure freon to the Compressor, becomes compressed, and is discharged to the A/C Condenser. The Condenser allows the refrigerant to flow across, horizontally, through very small tubes that stretch from one end to the other. Note, the AC Condenser is in front of the Radiator. When you are traveling at low speeds, Cooling Fans engage to keep this pressure down. However, once you reach a faster speed (usually around 45 MPH), the fans will cut off, allowing the cooling effect of the air blowing across the Condenser to take over. Once Freon exits the Condenser, it then heads towards the Evaporator. However, before it enters the Evaporator Coil, it must go through an Expansion Device. This Expansion Device allows the Refrigerant to expand and turn into a really cold liquid.