Hey everyone!
Im fairly new here so bear with me...
My AC has been blowing warm hair lately so I decided to put some freon in the system today. Charged it for at least 20 seconds until the compressor clutch engaged and then a VERY loud pop happen?!
Looks like one of the condenser pipes blew off. Any ideas? I am wondering if condenser is clogged and needs to be replaced?

Thanks in advance!

Jon

 

How did you put the freon in? Actual bottle and gauges or one of those "ac fix" bottles?

 

Used one of those ac fix bottles. Read around 30ish psi before the hose popped off.

 

Those "ac fix bottles" with the cheap low-pressure gauge are no good. You need a full gauge set to see what's going on. Harbor Freight sells a set that's fine for light home use for about $50.

Sounds like either your high side pressure skyrocketed way over specification or the part that gave out was bad. Probably the latter since there's an overpressure release valve on the compressor. Really the proper way to charge these systems is to evacuate them and install the correct amount of refrigerant by weight.

Having said that, it is possible to get away with topping up a little at a time while monitoring pressures and outlet temperature. It won't work as well as well as doing it the right way but if you're careful you can get acceptable performance. (I've done it myself even though I know it's not really the right way.)

 

Thank you for the reply! I figured that cheap plastic valve would be an issue!
Ill have to get myself a gauge and hose set! Im just really curious on how such a low psi would blow the sucker off?
Just to clarify it was the high pressure compressor hose that popped off from the condenser.

 

See if the spring is still intact and undamaged in the line on the right. Its inside that wide ring. My Mustang uses those same connections and one of the lines refused to stay on. The spring was broken. I dont know what size your line takes, but if you need a spring, you can buy replacements. Buy a spring lock removal tool if you dont already have one. You will need it to install or remove the line as it stretches the spring over the other line. Make sure the o-ring isnt damaged.

 

What the gauge on the R134 can didn't show you was that the high pressure side could have been around 250-300 psi or more depending on ambient temperature and what's going on in that AC system. That's a connector that popped rather than a blown hose so as fb97xj1 noted it was probably just a weak or broken spring that let loose.

I've had this gauge set from Harbor Freight for a few years and it's worked fine, with a coupon costs about $50:

https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-r13...set-62707.html

 

Awesome! Didn't know there was springs in the wide ring. Will replacing the hose and hoping to pick up those gauge sets! Hopefully I will have some cold air blowing soon!!

Thanks for your help.

 

You'll also need to borrow, make, or buy a vacuum pump to evacuate air and moisture from the system. I made one years ago from an old window air conditioning compressor. Harbor Freight sells one for not too much that works well. Also the drier should really be replaced as well since the system has been open to atmosphere for a while now. (To be really thorough the oil should be flushed and replaced since it is highly hygroscopic and does not release moisture under vacuum. R134a and moisture form acids that eat small holes in the evaporator and other metal parts. That's getting into a fair amount of work though.)


https://www.harborfreight.com/25-cfm...ump-98076.html

 

Update: Vacuumed the system and got me a pair of those gauges. WOW those things are a life saver! And I didn't have a leak! !!

Thanks a lot everyone!

-Jon