How to Charge an Air Conditioning Compressor
The compressor on your home air conditioning system pumps refrigerant through the system to cool air, which is transferred through ductwork into your home. If your air conditioning system seems to be warming up over time, it could be that the refrigerant is low. By following a simple step by step process, any do it yourselfer can charge their home central air system. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Refrigerant gauges
- 30 lb. cylinder of refrigerant
- Refrigerant vacuum pump
- Bathroom scale
Instructions
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1
Connect the gauges to the fittings on the side of the condensing unit (red hose on the small line and the blue on the large line). Connect the middle or yellow hose from the gauges to the vacuum pump. Turn the vacuum pump on and evacuate any left over refrigerant.
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2
Remove the vacuum pump from the yellow or middle line connection and connect the refrigerant cylinder in its stead. Place the cylinder on the set of bathroom scales and record its weight. Open the refrigerant cylinder valve all the way and open the small line valve. Watch the gauges to determine weight of refrigerant entering the system.
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3
Start the unit and set the home thermostat so the unit will run all the time when the gauges read 45-50 pounds. Check the weight of the cylinder on the scale to determine the refrigerant charge. Set your system pressure to no more than 70 psi for the low side and 250 psi on the high side.
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4
Shut the refrigerant cylinder valve and open the blue hose. Shut off the small side valve at the condenser unit and open the high-pressure valve on the gauge set to equalize pressure.
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5
Remove the high side hose (red) followed by the low side hose (blue) with the crescent wrenches.The system is filled and ready to go.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not remove any components of the system until it has been discharged by a failure or by a certified mechanic.
