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Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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trmcph01
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Jun 17, 2014, 11:07 AM
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Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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My wife and I just moved from Louisville, Ky to Gainesville, FL. She has a 2009 Kia Spectra with 110,000 miles. I noticed toward the end of last summer the AC wasn't as cold as it was from the factory. Given that we moved to Florida and it is really hot here I decided it might be time to add some 134a or at least check it. I have a low pressure side gauge from Walmart and put it on and it was low in the green area 30-35 psi so I put 8-10 oz of 134a in and it blows really cold and the low side is now 45ish. I was driving it in town today after it sat for two weeks and there would be times at red lights where the compressor cycled very frequently like every 2-3 seconds. I checked it again when I got home and it was still around 45 on the low side. When we lived in KY it was all interstate driving and maybe I just never noticed this but is it normal? Did I over fill it? The ambient temp was 85F when I added it and about the same today when I checked it. There was a slight amount of condensation on the low side line and the high was hot and of course a lot of condensation on the concrete below it after I checked it.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 17, 2014, 11:21 AM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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That is probably the best way I know to destroy and entire AC system using one of those "Death kits". Not only have you dumped "who knows what" in the way of sealers but you have no clue what the high pressure reading is. It is probably shutting down due to high pressure now due to severe overcharge which is going to kill the compressor real quick if it hasn't done so already.
You need to get that to a qualified AC specialist to evacuate the system and charge it with the exact weight of charge that it calls for and then analyze the condition of the system.
PS, you're in Gainesville........... We don't even consider that really Florida.............LOL
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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.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jun 17, 2014, 11:23 AM)
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trmcph01
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Jun 17, 2014, 11:23 AM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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I used 134a only with no leak sealers. I will call a shop tomorrow because I don't have a gauge for the high side. Thanks for the advice, I have never had trouble with this in my cavalier.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Jun 17, 2014, 3:04 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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That can with a gauge for low pressure only! No sealer - read again. Gauge notoriously wrong and has stuff you don't want. Never saw one with pure product - yet,
T
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nickwarner
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Jun 17, 2014, 8:29 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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He could've gotten pure stuff in a small can. My local O'Reilly carries small cans of DuPont pure 134a. But you have to look on the bottom shelf as everything else there is a death kit.
Still a terrible idea to add refrigerant without knowing the state of charge and not being able to see high side pressures, but if it was pure stuff at least he isn't going to wreck the machine of the shop that has to vac it down.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Jun 17, 2014, 10:50 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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You can and I do run (been a while) small cans thru real S/O gauges. So true Nick - the real stuff doesn't sell well and is on bottom shelf but has cool pics of ice and things on the cans.................. T
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Discretesignals
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:48 AM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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System only holds 1 lbs 1 ounce. Would be really easy to overshoot it using the gauge method.
Had a Explorer come in yesterday that the customer decided they service it themselves. The system was overshot 3 lbs. It actually activated the blow off valve on the back of the compressor.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 18, 2014, 3:06 AM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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Especially since he added 10 ounces. Probably severely overloaded.
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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.
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trmcph01
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Jun 18, 2014, 6:30 AM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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Just left the shop. They said the charge was good and that it was cooling normally and working fine. They said it could have been a relay acting up.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 18, 2014, 7:56 AM
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Sounds like you took it to the wrong guy because if he said 45PSI on the low side with an expansion valve system was good, he has no idea what he is doing.
That is not a cycling system and it shouldn't be doing that. It's shutting down for high pressure.
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Discretesignals
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:15 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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The compressor will also turn off if the evaporator gets too cold, but it shouldn't be cycling every 2-3 seconds.
When they pulled the refrigerant out of the system, how much was in it?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:17 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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At 45 PSI, that evaporator is not freezing, not even close.
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Discretesignals
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:25 PM
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We don't even know if that is the correct reading. He was using a cheapy Walmart death kit gauge.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:28 PM
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He had a normal 30 to 35PSI and added 10 more ounces to a 17 ounce system. That compressor is pushing with everything it has left and that's probably not much at this point.
PERFORMANCE TEST DIAGNOSIS USING MANIFOLD GAUGE
STANDARD VALUE
If cooling cycle is operating normally, the manifold gauge reading will be approx. 21-28psi (1.5-2.0kg/cm2) for the low pressure side and approx. 206-213psi (14.5-15kg/cm2) for the high pressure side. Inlet temperature should be 30-35°C(80-95°F), with the engine at 2,000 rpm, maximum cooling selected, and the blower on highest level.
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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.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jun 18, 2014, 12:30 PM)
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Discretesignals
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:32 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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This thread is so vague. We have no high and low system pressures. We don't know what the pressures are when the problem shows up. We don't know exactly how much refrigerant is in the system.
All we have is some refrigerant was shot into it and that it was sent to a shop and they said it was ok and it might be a relay causing it to quick cycle. Ain't much to go on here...LOL.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 18, 2014, 12:35 PM
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Re: Is a compressor supposed to cycle frequently at idle?
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I thinks it's pretty clear what happened here............
He decided to self medicate a system was was working normally and now he has severely overcharged it and then compunded the problem by bringing it to Goobers Auto repair.
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Discretesignals
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Jun 18, 2014, 1:11 PM
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You know what is funny? I just googled Goober's Auto Repair and there is one in KY...LMAO
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Hammer Time
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Jun 18, 2014, 1:13 PM
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And another one in Mayberry.............LOL
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