Weak A/C

FJRacer · 07-09-2012, 08:11 PM

Anyone else have "issue" with weak A/C? I know it's been triple digits here but 2011 does NOT cool down like HHR(company). Took xB to dealer 3 weeks ago and they supposedly added some refrigerant. Still weak. Car sits in shade till 3 PM in 100+ weather and I have a 30 mile commute home on some modestly shady backroads. I recirculate air to help but still not putting out COLD air. FYI, have 07 Tundra that does quite well in the cooling dept.
Oh, yeah; car has dark purple paint job. I know that doesn't help. Tundra is white.

Striker905 · 07-09-2012, 08:15 PM

It's been around 100 Fahrenheit here too all last week, but I didn't have any issues with mine. It would sit outside my office all day in the sun, and I would nice and cool before I could leave the parking lot.

FJRacer · 07-09-2012, 08:22 PM

Yeah, I'm seriously questioning whether the dealership did anything to the car. Really can't tell without pressure gauges.

PCH · 07-10-2012, 12:48 AM

You can get a simple temp gauge to stick into the vent to see how cool it can get. Don't know about Gen2, but Gen1 A/C output is def on the economy end.

FJRacer · 07-10-2012, 08:45 AM

[QUOTE=PCH;927761]You can get a simple temp gauge to stick into the vent to see how cool it can get. Don't know about Gen2, but Gen1 A/C output is def on the economy end.

Yep, I USED to have that very gauge. Haven't seen the darn thing in 2-3 years.
Things have a way of walking off from my garage.

FJRacer · 07-15-2012, 05:02 PM

OK; stuck the simple temp gauge in the middle outlet. 7 mins. later I holding steady at 52* on a 78* morning. Any guesses as to what it should be?

BestmpgxB · 07-15-2012, 08:19 PM

It's not that simple, since the AC cooling drop depends on ambient temperature and relative humidity. The 16 degree F drop is only 9 degrees C, which puts it at the low end, regardless. See these charts for xB1s.

FJRacer · 07-16-2012, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BestmpgxB

It's not that simple, since the AC cooling drop depends on ambient temperature and relative humidity. The 16 degree F drop is only 9 degrees C, which puts it at the low end, regardless.

Yes, I'm finding nothing is "very simple" any more. But it's actually a 26*F drop in Temp and I would guess Relative Humidity to be at or near 90% that morning since there was off and on Rain. It will be simpler for me to drop that thermometer in the outlet of my Tundra and get a comparison that to try to convert and comprehend that chart. I appreciate your efforts.
Surely someone else has checked the outlet temp with a Fahrenheit Gauge.

BestmpgxB · 07-16-2012, 07:59 PM

My bad on my faulty math. 26 degrees F is ~14.5 degrees C. A 14.5 degree C difference between inlet and outlet temperature at 70% RH is normal, per the graph at the top of page 55-6. Your 78 degree F starting temperature is within the 25-30 degree C testing parameters. If your xB2 was an xB1, its AC is operating normally.

ketchup_xb · 07-17-2012, 08:08 AM

or check this out about recharging your a/c. i hope it helps. http://milkyourmoney.com/2009/05/27/...r-conditioner/

FJRacer · 07-17-2012, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ketchup_xb

or check this out about recharging your a/c. i hope it helps. http://milkyourmoney.com/2009/05/27/...r-conditioner/

Thanks for the Link. It was a helpful refresher. Years(30+) ago I use to have access to professional gauges. And kept a large supply of R-12(?). Sold the last of it on E-Bay about 10 years ago.
It seems that 52* is about normal for the current cooling systems. My home A/C is only putting out 58* air at the plenum.

Just hoping to survive this Summer!

FJRacer · 07-23-2012, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FJRacer

Thanks for the Link. It was a helpful refresher. It seems that 52* is about normal for the current cooling systems. My home A/C is only putting out 58* air at the plenum.

Well I'm gonna havta disagree with my own statement. I observed a 48* reading in the Scion on a 25 min. trip with the Recirculate Button on. And my Tundra puts out 44* in 90* Heat. And the darn 09 HHR got down to 42* in 92* heat.

BestmpgxB · 07-24-2012, 02:26 AM

The manufacturer's specifications for air conditioning are different for larger engined vehicles , since they have more engine power to drive ac compressors . You also may have driven the different vehicles under different humidity conditions, which would affect your air conditioner's ability to draw the temperatures down.

Sent from my Nexus 7 &/or my 49.5 mpg Scion xB