QuestionMy a/c system has been blowing out cool but not real cold air. It takes about twenty minutes of it being on until I can actually feel the cool car getting cooler. I checked the pressure on my system and noticed that the compressor would turn on and off over and over in less than ten second intervals.
Is this normal? If not, is there anything I can do to diagnose and fix the problem? I live in Fl and it's getting to be reeeeal hot =[
AnswerJonathan
What your compressor is doing is what we call "cycling" It is being disengaged because the low pressure switch is sensing your low side pressure dropping below what it deems to be a safe level. When it gets cut off, the pressures between your high and low side bbegin to equalize causing your low side pressure to rise and reconnecting the contacts inside your low pressure switch. Withthe contacts closed, the compressor comes back on and the process begins all over again.
What does this mean for you? Well, it goes without saying that you have a leak somewhere that should be found and repaired. Depending on how long it has been doing this, what year of the car, etc... would help me decide as to whether or not I would pursue this angle at the moment.
Right now, I recommend you just get it recharged. Your low refrigerant charge means there is less refrigerant in the system. Less refrigerant=lower pressure when your compressor engages. After you get it charged, take note of how long it takes to begin doing this again. If it hapens before the end of summer, then I recommend you take it and have the leak found. If it lasts until, say, the end of next summer then it may be that the leak is too small to find.
Ok, I hope this helps you a bit. Thank you for the question and good luck in everything. If you found this at all helpful, please remember to rate this answer.
