Hyundai Repair: 2003 santa fe a/c problem, compressor clutch, personal guidance

Question
With the A/C on, the blower is blowing hot air, turn the A/C off and it blows warm. It's difficult to tell it the compressor is kicking in because there is very little RPM drop. I attempted to service the system, but it wouldn't accept any refrigerant and the gauge on the fill hose was showing less than 5 lbs on the system. Why will the system not accept refrigerant and how can I check for a locked up compressor? Thank you.

Answer
Hi, Chris.  The easiest way to tell if the compressor turns on is to simply watch the compressor clutch to see if it's turning.  You'll need a flashlight to do this.  If you start the engine with the a/c off, you'll see the outside portion of the pulley spinning, but the center portion will remain still.  If you turn the a/c on (and it is operating properly) the center portion should spin (along with the outer portion) whenever the a/c compressor is commanded on.

As to why the system will not accept refrigerant, it could be any of the following:
-- Empty or nearly empty can
-- Too much pressure in a/c system to add refrigerant
-- Can not properly attached to a/c line.

As a matter of policy, I do not advise people on how to charge their a/c systems.  This is because if done incorrectly, it is easy to be injured or killed.  If you're having problems charging your a/c, you should either take the car to a qualified professional or be under the personal guidance of someone similar.