How an A/C Compressor Works

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Here's what's inside of an automotive air condition compressor and how it works to cool the interior of your car.

The A/C compressor is powered by the crank pulley on a car's engine. The A/C compressor is responsible for compressing gaseous refrigerant that exists the evaporator.

The compressed refrigerant stays in a gaseous state since liquids cannot be compressed. The refrigerant moves through the condenser where its turned into a liquid, run through a drier and then back to the evaporator core. The compressor is the heart of the system that keeps the refrigerant changing its state by adding energy to the system. This energy is then used to cool the cabin.

For more background on a car's HVAC system, see my HVAC system teardown video here:


The inside of an A/C compressor consists of 10 chambers that house 5 pistons (each are horizontally opposed). The pistons move back and forth by means of a slanted plate (called a swash plate) that moves eccentric to the axis of the A/C compressor. The movement of the pistons are what compress the refrigerant and keep the flow moving through the system.

The flow is controlled by reed valves, which are gasket like materials with valves on them that move when pressure is applied. This regulates flow and direction of gaseous refrigerant.

An A/C compressor can use a lot of the engine's energy, hence it does not always activate while the engine is running. To disconnect the A/C, an electromagnetic clutch is used to pull the clutch pulley inward, toward the idler pull that the vehicle's accessory belt has wound around. The free spinning idler now latches onto the armature, which turns the internals inside the A/C compressor.

Typical failure points on an A/C compressor include a worn clutch, too large of an air gap between the friction material on the clutch and idler, a worn idler pulley, leaking gaskets and O-rings, a defective electromagnet or relay, or a seized clutch.

Learn how to recharge your vehicle's A/C system here:




The A/C Recharge kit is available from Amazon here:
(Canada)
(US)
Purchase tools used in this video to dissect your own car parts:
Angle Grinder (aka snap ring pliers):
(US)
(Canada)
3/8" Ratchet set:
(US)
(Canada)
Screwdriver set:
(US)
(Canada)


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