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Air conditioning Hack

_StangPGH said:
Got the valve in. My engine out hose was unmarked for whatever reason and it would not budge no matter the amount of twisting, pulling or cursing involved. I had to cut a 1/2" slit at the end, work it off and then cut it flush. I doubt anyone will notice if I go back to stock.

It was an immediate success! I got the following results after testing. I was interested in how much heat we could also get out of the system with the valve in different positions for some reasons ppl mentioned above so tested that as well.

Conditions - 84F ambient, 85% humidity, truck in the garage, garage doors open, engine at 1000 RPM, Max AC, recirc on

Temp readings below taken from left to right. Heat testing done in drivers center vent only.

Stock Max AC
51 53 45 46

Valve full closed Max AC
45 44 44 46

Valve full closed Max heat
Ambient

Valve one turn open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve one turn open Max Heat
Ambient +5F

Valve two turns open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve two turns open Max Heat
Ambient +20F

I repeated the above test at two turns open twice with the same result and stopped there leaving the valve at that position.

I thought it was pretty interesting I could get from 45F to 104F in about 5 minutes and then back down in another 5.





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Excellent data! Thanks for great documentation. A 9 degree drop in driver center vent is significant! Should make a big improvement on cooling ability on hot day. (y)
 
_StangPGH said:
Got the valve in. My engine out hose was unmarked for whatever reason and it would not budge no matter the amount of twisting, pulling or cursing involved. I had to cut a 1/2" slit at the end, work it off and then cut it flush. I doubt anyone will notice if I go back to stock.

It was an immediate success! I got the following results after testing. I was interested in how much heat we could also get out of the system with the valve in different positions for some reasons ppl mentioned above so tested that as well.

Conditions - 84F ambient, 85% humidity, truck in the garage, garage doors open, engine at 1000 RPM, Max AC, recirc on

Temp readings below taken from left to right. Heat testing done in drivers center vent only.

Stock Max AC
51 53 45 46

Valve full closed Max AC
45 44 44 46

Valve full closed Max heat
Ambient

Valve one turn open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve one turn open Max Heat
Ambient +5F

Valve two turns open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve two turns open Max Heat
Ambient +20F

I repeated the above test at two turns open twice with the same result and stopped there leaving the valve at that position.

I thought it was pretty interesting I could get from 45F to 104F in about 5 minutes and then back down in another 5.





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Mine was stuck too, had to cut. There were remnants of the hose stuck to the barb. I swear it was glued.
 
f35023df3831f9b200f5cfed5a7822d7.jpg


This is my stock passenger side, 97 at the time, in Florida. I think I will be doing this mod as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Whiskey_tango said:
Mine was stuck too, had to cut. There were remnants of the hose stuck to the barb. I swear it was glued.
Click to expand...
Same here! Some kind of residue on the barb. I swear I would have broke the hard pipe off before that hose let go so I just cut it.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
BeauxXL1200 said:
When I first put the clamp on, I didn’t completely close off the hose and the temps really didn’t come down. I then tightened the clamp all the way down, and the driver’s side front vent now blows about 44 to 45. Before clamping, it blew about 52 to 53 degrees.
Click to expand...
Clamping the hose could cause it to prematurely fail. It's not designed for that.
 
Brisoup1 said:
Clamping the hose could cause it to prematurely fail. It's not designed for that.
Click to expand...
Many on here have done so and there are posts voicing the opposite opinion. I.e. that clamping the hose shut will not harm the system.
 
If I do this hack, who'll I sil have the ability to adjust temp/ use the heater?
 
_StangPGH said:
Got the valve in. My engine out hose was unmarked for whatever reason and it would not budge no matter the amount of twisting, pulling or cursing involved. I had to cut a 1/2" slit at the end, work it off and then cut it flush. I doubt anyone will notice if I go back to stock.

It was an immediate success! I got the following results after testing. I was interested in how much heat we could also get out of the system with the valve in different positions for some reasons ppl mentioned above so tested that as well.

Conditions - 84F ambient, 85% humidity, truck in the garage, garage doors open, engine at 1000 RPM, Max AC, recirc on

Temp readings below taken from left to right. Heat testing done in drivers center vent only.

Stock Max AC
51 53 45 46

Valve full closed Max AC
45 44 44 46

Valve full closed Max heat
Ambient

Valve one turn open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve one turn open Max Heat
Ambient +5F

Valve two turns open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve two turns open Max Heat
Ambient +20F

I repeated the above test at two turns open twice with the same result and stopped there leaving the valve at that position.

I thought it was pretty interesting I could get from 45F to 104F in about 5 minutes and then back down in another 5.





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Nice! So two turns and you have functional a/c and heat! Which valve did you use?
 
bighorn bandit said:
If I do this hack, who'll I sil have the ability to adjust temp/ use the heater?
Click to expand...
I don’t think so, Bandit. Doesn’t matter for those of us in states where we want need the heater until late October or so. :)
 
why would you want to adjust the temp of the heater when the objective is to get colder a/c.

I don't plan on keeping my "clamp" on when I start needing heat..... Those with the turn valve will just open it fully in the winter.

bighorn bandit said:
If I do this hack, who'll I sil have the ability to adjust temp/ use the heater?
Click to expand...
 
bighorn bandit said:
If I do this hack, who'll I sil have the ability to adjust temp/ use the heater?
Click to expand...
This Morning it was kind of chilly, My heater couldn't warm up, it was trying until i figured out and just lowered my Auto setting so the truck would stop trying to warm up to 72 degrees. So no your heater won't work and I have the valve. I am alright with it until september when it cools down. We are looking foward to 110-114 degree weather here.
 
_StangPGH said:
Got the valve in. My engine out hose was unmarked for whatever reason and it would not budge no matter the amount of twisting, pulling or cursing involved. I had to cut a 1/2" slit at the end, work it off and then cut it flush. I doubt anyone will notice if I go back to stock.

It was an immediate success! I got the following results after testing. I was interested in how much heat we could also get out of the system with the valve in different positions for some reasons ppl mentioned above so tested that as well.

Conditions - 84F ambient, 85% humidity, truck in the garage, garage doors open, engine at 1000 RPM, Max AC, recirc on

Temp readings below taken from left to right. Heat testing done in drivers center vent only.

Stock Max AC
51 53 45 46

Valve full closed Max AC
45 44 44 46

Valve full closed Max heat
Ambient

Valve one turn open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve one turn open Max Heat
Ambient +5F

Valve two turns open Max AC
46 45 44 46

Valve two turns open Max Heat
Ambient +20F

I repeated the above test at two turns open twice with the same result and stopped there leaving the valve at that position.

I thought it was pretty interesting I could get from 45F to 104F in about 5 minutes and then back down in another 5.





Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Couple of questions about this for anyone who can opine:

1. Why is the valve only affecting the temps on the driver’s side? Airflow-wise, isn’t the heater core after the evaporator but before the piping splits left/right? I would have thought the effect of the valve would be observed across all vents, not just the drivers side.

2. Why is the effect on the drivers side the same irrespective of whether the valve is open or closed? If we have the valve open then wouldn’t we expect the vent temps to return close to the stock temperature reading?
 
If you have the valve, then dont completely close it. I just have mine sort of clamped that stills coolant flow, and I still get 40 degree vent temps AND hear.

Caballonegro said:
This Morning it was kind of chilly, My heater couldn't warm up, it was trying until i figured out and just lowered my Auto setting so the truck would stop trying to warm up to 72 degrees. So no your heater won't work and I have the valve. I am alright with it until september when it cools down. We are looking foward to 110-114 degree weather here.
Click to expand...
 
only down to 54 degrees. were you driving or sitting still. Was that on regular a/c or MAX?

I still get a little over 40 consistent driving.
vent.jpg

DonsRam19 said:
Made a video of this a/c hack with the harbor freight hose clamps. Got mine down about 10 more degrees.
Click to expand...
 
So funny reading this thread, the wife rode in my new 1500 today for the first time and even though it was only 85 degrees after it had been parked at a grocery store for an hour in the sun, when we got in it to come home my wife was messing with the AC. She said is that as cold as it gets, and I hadn’t even noticed but it was on low max AC and it didn’t feel all that cold. Thankfully we don’t live in Texas but I may doctor something up for really hot days. Hope they figure out a permanent fix for this.
 
GregHBNA said:
only down to 54 degrees. were you driving or sitting still. Was that on regular a/c or MAX?

I still get a little over 40 consistent driving.
View attachment 30147
Click to expand...
That’s a great number. With mine clamped, I get about 44 degrees out the center, driver’s side vent. That works fine here in Central Texas, although we haven’t yet hit 100 degree days. Before the clamp, it was about 52 degrees.
 
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