Funtioning test for climate control

[portzy]

Hi.

Does anyone know a test you can do to see if the A/C is working as it should. I never turn it off and every few days I rotate all the controls several times so they dont 'stick' in one position.

In the summer I guess it would be easy as if you select max cold it would only get as cold as the ambient temperature if it WASNT working, if it is OK it would well and truly chill the interior. Right now though, when it is realatively cold, how would you know?. I dont suspect anything however but being a born worrier.......

Portzy.

 

[mark.t]

c/c

do you have a E/C button.....if a problem accures the red light should come on .... but to test switch off the climate and blast through center vent you should feel the temp of the air to be the same as the outside .....then with C/Con on and blast through with the dails at max cold you will feel a differance beleave me you;ll be bloody iced up in no time have fun

 

[pammy]

I agree - even when it's cold and grey like today - with the air con on and controls set to cold you would feel the extra chill.

 

[Shude]

Mine blows with extra chill in winter and it know it doesn't work - the only way to test it without taking it to an aircon specialist is to try it in hot weather.

 

[mark.t]

Mine blows with extra chill in winter and it know it doesn't work - the only way to test it without taking it to an aircon specialist is to try it in hot weather.

Shude when i checked mine before it realy did blow chilled air a noticable differance and if you hold the back of your hand to the vent you can feel it gradually change temp Portzy... also if you move the dails to cold with the engine running you should notice the recirulation button light up as the system shuts the internal vents to the outside off ....it trys to reach the temp you have selected in the maximum time because you have over-ridden the normal climate settings of white bit on the dial in the middle

 

[glojo]

I've been waiting for a technical option before I put finger to plastic, but why not just have a thermometer in the car? Switch on the air conditioning but keep the thermometer away from the actual blast so no one can say it was the chill factor?

Regards,
John

 

[mark.t]

ok ...ok everyone down to the SLR factory into the big carbon fiber oven and lets check out the C/C...

 

[Shude]

Shude when i checked mine before it realy did blow chilled air a noticable differance and if you hold the back of your hand to the vent you can feel it gradually change temp

Yeah mine does that in winter too, but because of a minor leak somewhere during summer it only slightly cools the air and never actually blows cold. Right now it de-mists very effectively and nothing has come back with any errors or faults but I know it doesn't work properly

I am taking it to an aircon specialist near me soon.

more info on this thread: http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2356

 

[mark.t]

iam in the crimble tonight peacock room for a meal if you fancy a pint ill be the one with the icicles on my nose

 

[portzy]

I've been waiting for a technical option before I put finger to plastic, but why not just have a thermometer in the car? Switch on the air conditioning but keep the thermometer away from the actual blast so no one can say it was the chill factor?

Regards,
John

You beat me to it John. I did some experimenting with a didgital one I have for work and even then It wasnt THAT conclusive. Anyways, I have a friend in Skipton with a three car garage which has its own heating system (yes I know!!!) and he keeps it at a steady 21 degrees. So, I rang him to see if I could 'borrow' it for an hour or so, which, he said, was OK.

With the C/C off and just the simple heater/cooler running on cold sure enough it only 'cooled' to ambient, i.e. about 20/21 degrees. With C/C ON and set to maximum cold?, result . Its working OK as I gave up as it as getting too cold for me at 15 degrees .

 

[Will]

If the system is low enough on gas, it will not run.

You can check to see whether the compressor cuts in or not by engaging/disengaging the EC button. This will actuate the electro-magnetic clutch on the compressor.

Shude - does your compressor actually cut in or not?

Glojo is right though, the proper way to test is by using a thermometer. Often the 'chill factor' of the air blowing can be mistaken for air that is genuinely cold. I have seen many, many cars that I have looked at for sale where the owner has described the air con as 'not blowing 100% cold', and when you look at them, the air con is not functioning at all!

Cheers,

Will