How Hot Should The Ac Condensor Get?

[FUELER]

I noticed that my engine runs hotter with the AC on so I did a quick test.

 

 

I placed my hand on my AC condensor while the AC was on, and it was very hot, I can only hold it for a few seconds.

 

Then, I turned the AC off and INSTANTLY the condensor cooled down greatly, within a few seconds.

 

I turned the AC back on and the condensor went immediately back to HOT HOT HOT. Within a few seconds, it was already HOT to the touch again.

 

 

Is this normal?? A few years ago, I punctured the condensor in Baja and all the freon leaked out. I had the condensor replaced with a new one, and AC recharged, ever since then, it's had a small leak. My mechanic just adds a can of freon to my system whenever it stops cooling (once a year or so, last did it a month ago)

[XPLORx4]

Yes, it should be very hot to the touch. See my reply to your other post on the 4x4parts forum.

Edited August 14, 2007 by XPLORx4

[94extreme]

lol.. smoke up bro.. lmao

[Marooncobra]

Yes the condensor should be hot to touch whilst the AC is working.

 

Air conditioning works by thermodynamics. Two things to understand about AC before I walk you through the process of how an AC sytem works.

 

1. The liquid refrigerant used in vehicles will boil off at atmpsheric pressure at around -10 to -15 degrees.

2. The AC system is a sealed sytem.

 

The freon gas is compressed by the ac compressor and then passes through the condensor (looks like a radiator fitted in front of the engine radiator). Here the compressed gas gives up its heat but not its pressure and through this process the gas turns to liquid. The liquid is then regulated through the evaporator (located in the vehicle cabin) by a temperature Control Valve (TCV) which in reality is a very small hole with an on/off valve which is controlled by a temperature sensor. As the liquid enters the evaporater the liquid releases its pressure which causes the liquid to change back to a gas. During this change of state heat is absorbed from the surrounding area. Hence you get a cooling effect.

 

May I suggest that you have your system checked again for the leak. Not only is it costing you money but slolwy you will get problems with seals and potentially compressor failure as moisture will eventually get into the system. There is also the enviromental issues and in some countries it is illegal to vent refrigerant into the atmosphere. Your Refrig mech should have access to electronic probes that sniff for refrigerant and this will identify where the leak is coming from.

[FUELER]

Wow, thanks for the detailed reply, Marooncobra.

 

I know the principles of heat exhange, and I always thought the consensor should get warm, but I think my condensor might be getting hotter than it's supposed to.

 

It gets so hot that you can't even hold your hand on it (the face of it, with the fins) for longer than 5 seconds.

 

I can even see a difference in the engine temperature gauge with AC on vs. AC off. Engine temp usually lies at about 40%-45% (of the gauge) with AC off and goes up to 50%-60% with the AC on, on a hot day.

 

 

If I leave it idling on a hot day for 15 minutes with the AC on, it will start messing with my exterior temp display too. It could be 85 degrees F outside but when I leave it idling with the AC engaged, the compass/temp reading will go up to 110 - 115 F

 

My main concern is that my condensor might be getting TOO hot.

 

Although I probably shouldn't let me car idle for 15 minutes when its 85* F outside. But I know there are a lot of places that see 100+ temps in the summer.

 

Any of you guys ever notice anything like this?

Edited August 15, 2007 by FUELER

[mws]

All of that sounds perfectly normal... You are extracting a lot of heat from the inside of the vehicle, and it has to go somewhere! And once the condenser gets hot, it heats up all the air flowing through it and around it.

 

Hint: Lay off the herb for a few weeks and the ability to logically think through the process and all of its ramifications should return.

[FUELER]

All of that sounds perfectly normal... You are extracting a lot of heat from the inside of the vehicle, and it has to go somewhere! And once the condenser gets hot, it heats up all the air flowing through it and around it.

 

Hint: Lay off the herb for a few weeks and the ability to logically think through the process and all of its ramifications should return.

 

MWS,

 

Did you even read my last reply or are you just trying to be a comedian?

 

Don't reply unless you know what you are talking about.

[94extreme]

lol.. mws doesn't make any sense to you?

[GhostPath]

MWS,

 

Did you even read my last reply or are you just trying to be a comedian?

 

Don't reply unless you know what you are talking about.

 

 

You can burn your hand on a condensor in a car set to max cool on a 85 degree day, so he's right. There's a lot more heat than you might think in a vehicle.

 

That said, have you replaced your fan clutch in a while? That might be slipping, and that will reduce the cooling airflow through the nose of the car.

[FUELER]

Thanks for the reassurance. I am used to my refrigerator condensor being warm to the touch but I guess it is working a lot less than a car AC condensor. I am not an AC tech.

 

I was starting to think there might be air in my system, or bad pressures, something causing problems. I need to fix the leak and have it vacuumed / recharged anyways.

 

 

And my fan clutch is brand new, made in USA "TORQFLO" with lifetime warranty. My original was slipping all the time and causing overheating.

 

When I use my AC, the fan clutch engages almost 100% of the time (except for freeway) but I guess thats normal.

[mws]

Yes, I read your reply. And yes, I am saying all of what you described is normal.

 

I have worked on A/C systems for many years after learning while working with my father in his HVAC service business. I also studied thermodynamics and heat transfer in college. So, yeah, I do feel I know a bit about the topic. Not an expert by any stretch, but enough.

[kg03]

I too have the same situation as fueler and I am wondering how I can get the temperture out of the vents around 40 degrees. Running down the interstate I still get about 50 degrees out of the vents.

 

Does anyone know if we can convert our systems to r-12 if one could get his hands on it. I know it ran at colder temps ( I had a 76 cutlass that would blow frost) just to get colder air out the vents. I know our vehicles are not the strongest in the industry as far as ac is concerned but I would like to be able to ride in the car for an hour straight without sweating.

[FUELER]

"Forget about R134a to R12; a PROPERLY functioning R134a system works just fine in a system that's designed for it, and converting to R12 would be a LARGE undertaking with no useful purpose."

 

But with the right amount of $$, i'd say it's definitely possible. Whats all involved? Probably compressor, something about mineral oil, probably dryer reciever, who knows. I'm just guessing.

 

It's also probably illegal in USA, and R12 prices are sky high and still rising.

 

When it comes to the mighty dollar, it's probably not worth the cost and headache for the 10-15 degree difference.

Edited August 17, 2007 by FUELER

[FUELER]

I'm back to this question -

 

 

When it's hot outside (90+), and I leave my pathfinder idling with the AC on, is it normal for the engine to start overheating after maybe 15 minutes of idling? It goes back down once I get some speed/airflow.

 

By overheating, i mean the temp needle goes to about 75%

 

 

 

It does not overheat idling with the AC off.

 

 

With the AC on, the condensor is hot enough to burn your hand if you hold it for longer than 5 seconds

Edited September 5, 2007 by FUELER

[GhostPath]

I'm back to this question -

 

 

When it's hot outside (90+), and I leave my pathfinder idling with the AC on, is it normal for the engine to start overheating after maybe 15 minutes of idling? It goes back down once I get some speed/airflow.

 

By overheating, i mean the temp needle goes to about 75%

 

 

 

It does not overheat idling with the AC off.

 

 

With the AC on, the condensor is hot enough to burn your hand if you hold it for longer than 5 seconds

 

 

It is normal for it to get very hot, but you shouldn't have an overheating issue. Checked your fan clutch lately? It might be new, but that doesn't mean it's not defective. Also, Torqflo isn't exactly the best brand to be using - lots of bad reports about them all over the place.

 

Here's a hint - the BOX is made in the US, but the fan clutch is made in China, and unlike just about everyone else in the market, Torqflo doesn't put contact information on their boxes or anywhere you can find it. This should tell you something.

Edited September 5, 2007 by GhostPath