What happened to this | Air conditioner

See what's happening behind the vents

It gets so damn hot in the summer in the old Northern State that you can slowly cook a roast chicken on the dashboard. When the outside temperature is in the 80 to 100 degree range, the temperature inside a car parked in direct sunlight can reach about 150 degrees - more than enough to put out a piece of beef. So if you feel like you're roasting when you're driving in a non-air-conditioned car, well, you are.

If you're into that sort of thing, the cult classic Manifold Destiny cookbook will tell you just about everything you want to know about a car as a culinary contraption. However, for those of us who wouldn't like to use our car as a stove, its air conditioning (A/C) system was designed purely to keep us comfortable as we travel down these sun-drenched summer highways. . 

And it works so well that it's easy to take it for granted. So far it doesn't work so well. Let's hope it's not after your car was parked in the middle of a North Carolina parking lot on a summer afternoon. 

In fact, you don't need to hope because your air conditioner is giving you some clues that it needs some attention long before it draws its last cold breath. The even better news is that if you're careful, you don't even have to wait for these clues. When the weather turns warm, a little routine checkup can sometimes save you from sweating through a hot commute and the cost of major repairs. 

Let's take a quick look at this little comfort machine so you can recognize the signs that might be about to fail. 

Conditioner: the basics

Your air conditioning system is made up of six main components: compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator, accumulator, and chemical refrigerant. Every component needs to work properly for you to get the relief you want. If one part performs worse or fails, your body's cooling system takes over. In other words, you're sweating like crazy.

Here's how it works: 

The compressor compresses the refrigerant from gas to liquid and sends it through the refrigerant line to the condenser. 

Inside the condenser, the refrigerant passes through a small mesh. Air passes through this grate, removing heat from the refrigerant, which then passes to the expansion valve.

At the expansion valve, the pressure in the line decreases, and the refrigerant turns back into a gas. This gas goes to the accumulator. 

The accumulator removes moisture from the refrigerant and sends a drier, cooler product to the evaporator. 

The outside air passes through the evaporator core, giving up its heat to the refrigerant and being cooled in return. Because cooler air holds less moisture, it also becomes less humid (which is why you see puddles of water under newly parked cars on hot summer days; just minutes ago, this water made the air sticky). 

Finally, that deliciously cool, dry air passes through the cabin air filter and reaches you in the form of a crisp, cool breeze (or a nice cold blast, if you're in the mood).

Detecting an Air Conditioning Problem

There are two main signs that will let you know that there is a problem with your air conditioning system: smell and noise. If it gives off a damp or musty smell, this is your first clue. Typically, this smell means that microorganisms such as mold, fungus or fungus have settled in your body. Why did they grow there? They love wet surfaces. Thus, the smell is a sign that your air conditioner is not cooling the air enough to reduce its humidity to the desired level. 

Maybe the air smells good, but you can hear the noise coming from your vents. This is tip number two. The whirring sound is usually the result of too much refrigerant going through the compressor, which can leak and damage your car.

Maintenance is better than repair

Bad smells and buzzing usually mean trouble, but don't expect trouble. To keep everything cool, just ask us to quickly check your air conditioner when the weather gets warm. Not only will you avoid bad odors, annoying noises and unwanted burning, but you will also avoid the major repairs or replacements that can follow these signs of trouble. Or, if you're into that sort of thing, you can just pick up a copy of Manifold Destiny and explore your talents as a "cruise ship chef."

Back to resources