FI Interchiller Install w/Aftermarket front bumper

[217TRX]

I had the truck running during the entire filling process. Did you have the a/c on max with windows open?

I believe I ended up with around 900g of R134

Not sure how the air in the lines will effect the system but I’d personally drain and refill. Thats why I bought the 12 pack lol

 

[916Ghost]

So run the fan on highest setting and ac on, that will put the most load on the system. Also might wanna unplug the radiator fan as it will build pressure better and simulate a hotter day. Putting water on it is only gonna make it way worse by it having even less of a load on the ac. The little of air in the line shouldn’t affect anything tbh. The dryer should absorb it or it will just take a small capacity out of the cooling system.

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

I had the truck running during the entire filling process. Did you have the a/c on max with windows open?

I believe I ended up with around 900g of R134

Not sure how the air in the lines will effect the system but I’d personally drain and refill. Thats why I bought the 12 pack lol

Yes max ac with 6 or 7 fan (max) despite the fact that the instructions call for medium fan settings.

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

So run the fan on highest setting and ac on, that will put the most load on the system. Also might wanna unplug the radiator fan as it will build pressure better and simulate a hotter day. Putting water on it is only gonna make it way worse by it having even less of a load on the ac. The little of air in the line shouldn’t affect anything tbh. The dryer should absorb it or it will just take a small capacity out of the cooling system.

So that’s interesting. I wonder if there is any chance I could get closer to 900 g in the system at any point during the winter since the high temperature is like usually hi 70s or low 80s.

I did have the secondary condenser fan going the whole time in addition to spraying it with some water so obviously that must have lightened the load.

 

[916Ghost]

You should be able to get it close especially if it was in a good vacuum of close to 500 microns. You can even run the heater for a while to get the ambient temperature higher and then like I said turn the fan to high and it should definitely take more. If the temperature of the refrigerant doesn’t get high enough it won’t take it. You can also heat the can of r134 and that can help push it in also

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

VAcuum was at 30hg solid.

RE running the heater - do you mean the truck heat?

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

These are all great tips so far, thanks guys!

 

[916Ghost]

VAcuum was at 30hg solid.

RE running the heater - do you mean the truck heat?

Yes run truck heater to get the return air nice and hot like a hotter day! And like I said heat the refrigerant can and that will help a lot also

 

[HVACog]

I’m an hvac guy, though resi HVAC. These guys are giving you great tips. The bubbles in sight glass doesn’t mean it’s air, that just means you don’t have a full liquid column hence low on charge.

Increase the load (run heat for awhile to get the cabin nice and toasty) it will increase the load on the evaporator coil which in turn allow more refrigerant in the system.

Heating the can up a bit in warm water can help, don’t use a torch lol.

Lastly, the condensing fan shut off is a good idea too because that will simulate a hotter day.

You got this almost there !!!

 

[ParadigmDawg]

It somehow took you longer to install your bumpers...lol...

That is a crazy amount of detailed work. Now I see why you don't seem super impressed when I show you pictures like me successfully crimping a wite after 4 trys.

Yes run truck heater to get the return air nice and hot like a hotter day! And like I said heat the refrigerant can and that will help a lot also

I was just asking myself, why does Ghost sound like he knows what he is talking about and then I remembered that he owns an HVAC business .

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

Realized we mounted Bill’s behind grill light bracket on the front instead of rear. Not a big deal EXCEPT we made brackets for drier and solenoid off of it’s location in front. Shoot me.

We were about to put the grill on and be done (except adding refrigerant lol). Ahhh!!

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

I’m an hvac guy, though resi HVAC. These guys are giving you great tips. The bubbles in sight glass doesn’t mean it’s air, that just means you don’t have a full liquid column hence low on charge.

Increase the load (run heat for awhile to get the cabin nice and toasty) it will increase the load on the evaporator coil which in turn allow more refrigerant in the system.

Heating the can up a bit in warm water can help, don’t use a torch lol.

Lastly, the condensing fan shut off is a good idea too because that will simulate a hotter day.

You got this almost there !!!

I Wired the condensing fan to come on with ignition. Glad i can pull heatshrink and disconnect plug harness on that lol!

How about a heat gun on low?

Great tips btw

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

Yes run truck heater to get the return air nice and hot like a hotter day! And like I said heat the refrigerant can and that will help a lot also

Heat gun ok? On low?

 

[HVACog]

Heat gun ok? On low?

I don’t see why not. As long as you don’t melt the can, you’re good to go.

 

[HVACog]

Just monitor the head pressure (high side) so it doesn’t get too high with the fan off. If it’s getting high like 400 ish maybe plug the fan back in. I’m not sure if cars have a pressure switch or any safeties to keep the compressor from overheating and going out in thermal overload.

 

[916Ghost]

Heat gun ok? On low?

Hot water in a bucket

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

DONE!! (MINUS ADDING SOME EXTRA REFRIGERANT)!!

 

[FULLTHROTTLERICK]

So run the fan on highest setting and ac on, that will put the most load on the system. Also might wanna unplug the radiator fan as it will build pressure better and simulate a hotter day. Putting water on it is only gonna make it way worse by it having even less of a load on the ac. The little of air in the line shouldn’t affect anything tbh. The dryer should absorb it or it will just take a small capacity out of the cooling system.

@916Ghost @217TRX @HVACog

Is it possible that we needed to have the switch/solenoid open when we pulled the initial vacuum before charging the system with refrigerant? It would make sense that we would need to have the entire system open to be vacuumed; otherwise, a portion of the system could have been filled with trapped air. This was not in the installation instructions, however

 

[916Ghost]

Yes. If it’s not open then that side never was evacuated and that is actually probably the problem tbh. Because if the system was in a good vacuum it should take almost the full charge tbh

 

[916Ghost]

You can even just use a magnet to open it tbh