A/C out

[Ed Fenwick]

Aloha,

My A/C (life support system) is out. I have two cans of freon but it is so empty that the compressor won't start. Can someone tell me if I jump the switch at the dryer, will that start the compressor? Or, is there an easy way to jump the compressor?

Tks Ed

 

[Kevin Palmer]

For test purposes, you can jump the switches to see if it will engage. If so, then you know all the wiring is good as well as the compressor. So, it is either a defective switch or as you suggest, so low on pressure that they are not making a connection at the plug where you jumped it..



If it is that low, you will need to get a vacuum on the system as there will be a substantial amount of moisture in the system..

 

[scott degroot]

You can jump the low pressure switch at the receiver dryer just to see if the compressor engages but that's all I would do. If you let the compressor run without any refrigerant in the system it will lock. The refrigerant carries the oil into the compressor so no refrigerant=no oil. Typically these systems will run with as little as 1 lb of refrigerant in them, they won't cool worht a dam but they will run.



I don't recommend anyone do their own ac work unless they know exactly what they are doing and have the proper equipment to do so. While ac in itself is an easy concept it doesn't take alot to mess up a system when we take things into our own hands and start adding refrigerant without taking other variables into consideration.

 

[Ed Fenwick]

Yea Joe you are right but I don't have $800 or so to get the thing fixed. I just had my wifes done last month. Over here, mechanics only replace everything. They don't fix. So I will add some freon every now and then.

Tks Ed

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I understand, money is still pretty tight in todays times...