Filled A/C with freon and now it won't work

[sab]

CO2 is out there and its properties make it expensive to execute. Pressures are crazy high which can be dangerous in a rupture, components have to be special because it's supercritical at the temperatures required for the condenser to work, and it's a pain to work with because when you evacuate the system to service it, it turns to solid dry ice at like 70psi and then takes forever to absorb enough heat to sublimate.

Maybe this is better suited for the "Bitch and Moan" thread, but I'll leave it here. I'm aware that the problems with CO2 as a refrigerant are many. Unfortunately, the "sky is falling" climate guerrillas have been very convincing within Big Government in ignoring them because there is no spectrum of importance any longer with regards to solving world problems. The climate is the only thing that matters. It's amazing to me how many issues they are willing to overlook, and it leads to engineers doing shoddy work. Balancing potential problems is required, and things are more out of balance than ever, and at an increasing rate.

It's only a matter of time until the same geniuses who've decided that lack of adequate electrical infrastructure is only a minor issue with replacing all ICE-powered cars with electric-powered cars while simultaneously trying to replace wood and gas furnaces with electric furnaces decide that we have no choice. They'll conclude that if we don't switch to CO2 as a refrigerant because it's a 2-for-1 deal (it will take CO2 out of the atmosphere when it is turned into a refrigerant, and then when it leaks out, it's not a net-adder to total greenhouse gases in the world), we're all gonna die! But, I digress...

An HFO, R-1234yf is taking off in automotive, as it's similar pressures to R-134a, has a very low GWP and is only "mildly" flammable. Looks like Chemours calls that one "Opteon". Maybe Freon is the trade name they use for "whatever refrigerant the government doesn't want us using anymore"

Yes, my wife's 2021 Subaru Impreza uses R-1234yf. It's the odd duck (Jeep pun unintended) in my garage, which pisses me off because I'm pretty well-equipped to service R-134a systems correctly, having invested a lot of money in proper service equipment after R-12 disappeared, and not much of it can be used for a different refrigerant (the leak sniffer is about the only thing I can think of). At my age, I'm not about to buy all new equipment, so I'll be stuck paying someone else, who likely doesn't know what they're doing (that's another alarming trend), to service the AC on that car when it eventually needs service. Incidentally, that system in my wife's car, from the factory, seemed to blow noticably warmer air than previous R-134a systems. Is that real, or is that just my anger influencing my observations?

Sheesh, I sound like a grumpy old man more every day!

 

[gatertamer]

What was leaking?

Just had a crack in the 5/8 rubber hose

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Maybe this is better suited for the "Bitch and Moan" thread, but I'll leave it here. I'm aware that the problems with CO2 as a refrigerant are many. Unfortunately, the "sky is falling" climate guerrillas have been very convincing within Big Government in ignoring them because there is no spectrum of importance any longer with regards to solving world problems. The climate is the only thing that matters. It's amazing to me how many issues they are willing to overlook, and it leads to engineers doing shoddy work. Balancing potential problems is required, and things are more out of balance than ever, and at an increasing rate.

It's only a matter of time until the same geniuses who've decided that lack of adequate electrical infrastructure is only a minor issue with replacing all ICE-powered cars with electric-powered cars while simultaneously trying to replace wood and gas furnaces with electric furnaces decide that we have no choice. They'll conclude that if we don't switch to CO2 as a refrigerant because it's a 2-for-1 deal (it will take CO2 out of the atmosphere when it is turned into a refrigerant, and then when it leaks out, it's not a net-adder to total greenhouse gases in the world), we're all gonna die! But, I digress...

we're on the same page here. I comment (complain) often at work about how much technological progress the industry could have made if the engineering resources hadn't been burdened by the EPA's 30 year running game of refrigerant gas whack-a-mole. The big players in HVAC (which, incidentally, have the most influence on the industry groups that work with the EPA to guide these transitions) have the resources to do some R&D for improved efficiency but small-to-medium sized companies have pretty much been consumed with just keeping up. Every time it happens, gases have to be added to modeling software, engineering has to be done to make up for lost efficiency or capacity, or some other property with negative consequences like oil carryover/return or motor cooling.

I also joke that decades from now we'll be forced to switch away from CO2 and let some back out because we'll have pulled so much out of the atmosphere to use as refrigerant that climate change will be going in the other direction...but the line between joke and prophesy might be thinner than I realize.

Yes, my wife's 2021 Subaru Impreza uses R-1234yf. It's the odd duck (Jeep pun unintended) in my garage, which pisses me off because I'm pretty well-equipped to service R-134a systems correctly, having invested a lot of money in proper service equipment after R-12 disappeared, and not much of it can be used for a different refrigerant (the leak sniffer is about the only thing I can think of). At my age, I'm not about to buy all new equipment, so I'll be stuck paying someone else, who likely doesn't know what they're doing (that's another alarming trend), to service the AC on that car when it eventually needs service. Incidentally, that system in my wife's car, from the factory, seemed to blow noticably warmer air than previous R-134a systems. Is that real, or is that just my anger influencing my observations?

Sheesh, I sound like a grumpy old man more every day!

Our newest vehicle is 2010 so I haven't had to deal with it in my personal life. I have coworkers that are dealing with the mandatory leak detection aspect of the flammable gases and at some point they'll send me a functional spec for what I need to put in the control software to do it.

 

[Link]

Just had a crack in the 5/8 rubber hose

Refrigerant or coolant??

 

[gatertamer]

Just a heads up I smacked my stereo bezel a few times. And the nice cold air came rushing out full force...... obviously something loose back there

 

[gatertamer]

Refrigerant or coolant??

Refrigerant..?.thanks for your help

 

[Link]

I'm done. Good luck.

 

[williambmac]

Just a heads up I smacked my stereo bezel a few times. And the nice cold air came rushing out full force...... obviously something loose back there

check the connectors at the back of the hvac controller.

 

[Deputy Dodge]

If you just replace freon with propane all would be right with the world.

 

[MikeE024]

Any ideas why after filling my ac with freon per the specs according to this forum it doesn't come on?....No heat no ac no fan motor... fuse is good...I ran it for a few minutes after filling it and it was nice and cold

You have an AC system, a heating system, and a blower system that moves the air through the vents. They are different systems.

Adding too much 134a refrigerant can cause your AC to not turn on if the high pressure switch is preventing you from over pressurizing the system (the switch can also be bad). Similar thing happens when your system is empty, the low pressure switch prevents the compressor from turning on.

But overcharging your AC system won’t prevent you from turning your heat on or changing the fan speed.

If your blower motor won’t turn on I’d look into the motor and/or resistor (assuming any related fuses and relays are good).

I’d consider checking your HVAC control panel to ensure it’s all hooked up correctly maybe the switch went bad, or the plug is disconnected or needs cleaned and reseated.

 

[gatertamer]

You have an AC system, a heating system, and a blower system that moves the air through the vents. They are different systems.

Adding too much 134a refrigerant can cause your AC to not turn on if the high pressure switch is preventing you from over pressurizing the system (the switch can also be bad). Similar thing happens when your system is empty, the low pressure switch prevents the compressor from turning on.

But overcharging your AC system won’t prevent you from turning your heat on or changing the fan speed.

If your blower motor won’t turn on I’d look into the motor and/or resistor (assuming any related fuses and relays are good).

I’d consider checking your HVAC control panel to ensure it’s all hooked up correctly maybe the switch went bad, or the plug is disconnected or needs cleaned and reseated.

I didn't overfill it I went right to the high side of the green safe space just before the red line.....if you read my later post I banged on the stereo bezel a few times and it came on....it's obviously a wiring issue Ii can look at this weekend

 

[MikeE024]

I didn't overfill it I went right to the high side of the green safe space just before the red line.....if you read my later post I banged on the stereo bezel a few times and it came on....it's obviously a wiring issue Ii can look at this weekend

Good deal glad you found a path to investigate. Let us know what you find.

 

[gatertamer]

Good deal glad you found a path to investigate. Let us know what you find.

Will do

 

[SkylinesSuck]

I didn't overfill it I went right to the high side of the green safe space just before the red line.....if you read my later post I banged on the stereo bezel a few times and it came on....it's obviously a wiring issue Ii can look at this weekend

And just for accuracy sake, using an AutoZone gauge/can which measures the low side only is kinda okay only when the system is in good known shape and just needs a toping off. Even then, don't go by the color coding. Look up the chart with temp and humidity and see what the pressure should be. If you are troubleshooting an issue though, knowing both the low as well as the high side pressures is the only way to get the correct picture.

I'm not saying the AutoZone can gauges are useless. I'm just saying you can't make definitive statements about over or underfilling with FREON when troubleshooting an issue with just a low pressure gauge.

 

[gatertamer]

And yes skylines do suck

 

[TheBoogieman]

Just a heads up I smacked my stereo bezel a few times. And the nice cold air came rushing out full force...... obviously something loose back there

You should stop wiring your stereo to the AC. Does it get colder when you turn up the volume?

 

[gatertamer]

For anyone who cares think I found the problem.

 

[gatertamer]

I can't seem to find that 3 prong spade female connector anywhere.....ideas?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Pulling extra current is one way for your blower motor to go bad. If that pin is in the blower motor circuit I would replace the blower before you run it with a new connector, or you'll just melt another one.

 

[sab]

I was just typing a response similar to freedom_in_4low's. Definitely replace the blower to avoid a repeat.