Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: omega2018 on 19 July 2016, 19:02:40

Title: air con struggling
Post by: omega2018 on 19 July 2016, 19:02:40
it was struggling to keep the car cool today (http://www.emofaces.com/png/200/emoticons/sweating.png).  32C outside so maybe that was why but i wonder.  my a/c definitely works but could it work better?

i sort of assumed that it is digital - if there is enough refrigerant in it the pump works, if there isn't enough it doesn't.  nothing in between. 

has anyone found that a working a/c system works noticeably better when topped up?
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: steve6367 on 19 July 2016, 19:06:31
it was struggling to keep the car cool today (http://www.emofaces.com/png/200/emoticons/sweating.png).  32C outside so maybe that was why but i wonder.  my a/c definitely works but could it work better?

i sort of assumed that it is digital - if there is enough refrigerant in it the pump works, if there isn't enough it doesn't.  nothing in between. 

has anyone found that a working a/c system works noticeably better when topped up?

The cooling ability will diminish if you lose any coolant - best thing to do it measure the temperature of the air coming out of vents - something around 6C its on top form.

In my experience the Omega system is not the best, but mine had the car down to 19C today with 30C outside.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: pauls on 19 July 2016, 19:51:48
Mine gave up today. I felt like a cooked chicken by the time i got to work >:(
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Mr.OmegaMan on 19 July 2016, 20:17:22
My A/C compressor was on its last legs as it is but today it was acting weird. The passenger side fan would cut out along with the compressor then they both click back on after a few seconds then go off again after a few seconds... This goes on continually. Only seems to happen when it's over 24c outside. Blows ice cold normally.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: omega2018 on 19 July 2016, 20:34:32
does that 6C test apply no matter what the outside temperature?  6C seems a bit low to me, I'm not sure it ever was that cold but i will try it.. 
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Bigron on 19 July 2016, 20:43:56
This isn't going to be as helpful as I would wish, but I hope it's a pointer in the right direction.
Assuming that you have a working amount of refrigerant, I read somewhere (sorry, don't know where) that it is possible to fool the aircon system into providing Arctic temperatures by means of a simple modification - maybe just a single component?
I wish my memory were better, but if you Google you may find it. They also commented on the lower efficiency of today's refrigerant, which was changed from the ideal one because of the Safety Elf.

Ron.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: amba on 19 July 2016, 21:31:33
Strange as mine brought about the same questioning its efficiency earlier today.

Outside temperature was 32.5c but air comimg through vents wasnt that cold.As carry a digital thermometer in glove box did a test.When stationary vents were registering minimum of 14.8c but when driving at steady 40mph temp would drop to 12.7c.

Rang my AC guy who confirmed that isnt a bad system as its also effected by pressure and he then went all technical about bar pressure etc.He did say that ac does loose a small volume of refrigerant each year so a full recharge each year isnt a bad call although not totally necessary .He did comment that Omegas dont have the greatest ac systems but anywhere between 6-8c at vents in sesnsible 25/28 c daytime temperatures is good.Today was the extreme although not the highest we have had.

Did also advise that to get the very best from the system the ac should be switched to recirculation as that way air is cooled twice so will always give slightly lower temp.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Steve B on 19 July 2016, 22:57:44
Strange as mine brought about the same questioning its efficiency earlier today.

Outside temperature was 32.5c but air comimg through vents wasnt that cold.As carry a digital thermometer in glove box did a test.When stationary vents were registering minimum of 14.8c but when driving at steady 40mph temp would drop to 12.7c.

Rang my AC guy who confirmed that isnt a bad system as its also effected by pressure and he then went all technical about bar pressure etc.He did say that ac does loose a small volume of refrigerant each year so a full recharge each year isnt a bad call although not totally necessary .He did comment that Omegas dont have the greatest ac systems but anywhere between 6-8c at vents in sesnsible 25/28 c daytime temperatures is good.Today was the extreme although not the highest we have had.

Did also advise that to get the very best from the system the ac should be switched to recirculation as that way air is cooled twice so will always give slightly lower temp.
:-\
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: neil74 on 19 July 2016, 22:58:25
My aircon has given up completely despite the previous owner saying it worked. and driving down the motorway with the windows open just made the intense heat inside even worse  >:(.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: steve6367 on 19 July 2016, 23:01:54
Strange as mine brought about the same questioning its efficiency earlier today.

Outside temperature was 32.5c but air comimg through vents wasnt that cold.As carry a digital thermometer in glove box did a test.When stationary vents were registering minimum of 14.8c but when driving at steady 40mph temp would drop to 12.7c.

Rang my AC guy who confirmed that isnt a bad system as its also effected by pressure and he then went all technical about bar pressure etc.He did say that ac does loose a small volume of refrigerant each year so a full recharge each year isnt a bad call although not totally necessary .He did comment that Omegas dont have the greatest ac systems but anywhere between 6-8c at vents in sesnsible 25/28 c daytime temperatures is good.Today was the extreme although not the highest we have had.

Did also advise that to get the very best from the system the ac should be switched to recirculation as that way air is cooled twice so will always give slightly lower temp.
:-\

In Auto it will select recirc automaticly during the cooldown phase and cancel it once no longer beneficial.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Kevin Wood on 20 July 2016, 09:37:54
In Auto it will select recirc automaticly during the cooldown phase and cancel it once no longer beneficial.

Yep, no need to mess with it, really.  :y
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Steve B on 20 July 2016, 12:07:36
Mine stopped working on sunday after 18mth.. (i have it on all the time) just had it sorted..she said £35 on the phone..then when i collected it she said its £45 now owing to it needing 980g where most cars take 500g  :-\ is that right ..Omega has a bigger aircon setup than most standard cars  :-\
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: biggriffin on 20 July 2016, 12:42:55
Mine stopped working on sunday after 18mth.. (i have it on all the time) just had it sorted..she said £35 on the phone..then when i collected it she said its £45 now owing to it needing 980g where most cars take 500g  :-\ is that right ..Omega has a bigger aircon setup than most standard cars  :-\
 

Correct. But shouldn't make the price go up, some cars take 400g bet they don't pay less.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Webby the Bear on 20 July 2016, 18:35:36
Lol that's a touch bizarre. Our AC recharge cost is £35. Irrespective of capacity
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: omega2018 on 09 August 2016, 17:53:12
tested it today with a digital temperature probe in the air intake.  very best was 5.9C with ambient 21.9C so 16C below ambient.  that was with re-circ off of course but also all other vents closed. otherwise with normal set up was about 10C below outside temp.
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 10 August 2016, 08:12:35
My A/C compressor was on its last legs as it is but today it was acting weird. The passenger side fan would cut out along with the compressor then they both click back on after a few seconds then go off again after a few seconds... This goes on continually. Only seems to happen when it's over 24c outside. Blows ice cold normally.

Possibly to much gas in it causing an over pressure with the higher temps
Title: Re: air con struggling
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 10 August 2016, 08:19:56
This isn't going to be as helpful as I would wish, but I hope it's a pointer in the right direction.
Assuming that you have a working amount of refrigerant, I read somewhere (sorry, don't know where) that it is possible to fool the aircon system into providing Arctic temperatures by means of a simple modification - maybe just a single component?
I wish my memory were better, but if you Google you may find it. They also commented on the lower efficiency of today's refrigerant, which was changed from the ideal one because of the Safety Elf.

Ron.

To lower the temp you need to change the expansion valve, not an easy job and you risk the evaporator freezing.

Basic facts are that the expansion valve trys to maintain a temp at the evaporator of circa 6-7 deg C, if the air coming in is hotter (e.g. its hotter outside and hence the heating effect on the evaporator is higher) then it lets more refrigerant through to try to maintain that temp.

If your refrigerant is low then clearly the consequence is that the high side pressure will probably drop off and the cooling effect is less than ideal.

The Omega setup is very good when in good nick, it can get vent temps of 8 degrees C or so quite easily.

Similarly if you get to much refrigerant in the setup (it should be weighed in) then you can get over pressure conditions which get worse the hotter it is outside (the gas expands).