Air conditioning Hack

[JrTwin]

Okay... just bought some fluid line clamps at harbor freight for $8.00. If I see the same results you guys see, I will do the valve next. Stay tuned.

 

[Le_Slacker]

Okay... just bought some fluid line clamps at harbor freight for $8.00. If I see the same results you guys see, I will do the valve next. Stay tuned.

I bought that set as well - used the 2nd largest

 

[z0n3]

Yesterday I decided to buy a digital thermometer to test my AC. It was 75 outside and I was able to get 54 out of the drive side vents, but the passenger vent got down to 46(!!). The 46 felts great, I only wish my other vents would do the same. If I can do the hack and drop them down to 45/40 I’d be happy. Still waiting to see what the new part is the ramcares mentioned they were making.

 

[BeauxXL1200]

Okay... just bought some fluid line clamps at harbor freight for $8.00. If I see the same results you guys see, I will do the valve next. Stay tuned.

That’s the clamps I use. I use two to clamp off the hose. Drove for about 25 minutes yesterday with the outside temp showing 101. I had the AC on Lo, recirculate, and the fan speed all they way up at 7. When I got home, here’s what my old HVAC thermometer showed as the air temp coming out the driver’s side vent.

 

[User_3336]

It was just the way you worded it..... " a way to tap the factory MAX A/C switch"

I just went with the clamp. I enjoyed 40 degree vents all day driving 140+ miles

um... No, you wouldn't. That's the entire point. We're talking about a solenoid controlled valve to close off the flow to the heater coil.

 

[User_3336]

I guess I'm getting lucky. I get chilly sometimes with vent temps of 40.

That’s the clamps I use. I use two to clamp off the hose. Drove for about 25 minutes yesterday with the outside temp showing 101. I had the AC on Lo, recirculate, and the fan speed all they way up at 7. When I got home, here’s what my old HVAC thermometer showed as the air temp coming out the driver’s side vent.

 

[slicktop]

It was just the way you worded it..... " a way to tap the factory MAX A/C switch"

I just went with the clamp. I enjoyed 40 degree vents all day driving 140+ miles

That's what I have going right now. Did the clamp thing within days of buying the truck. I'm just looking for something more "permanent" and long term I guess... So frustrating we have to even design this in a brand new vehicle!

 

[User_3336]

those clamp sets are probably Harbor Freight's BEST SELLER now! LOL

Okay... just bought some fluid line clamps at harbor freight for $8.00. If I see the same results you guys see, I will do the valve next. Stay tuned.

 

[PostPremium]

From Consumer Reports. Check out the air temperature for a "typical" AC. Perhaps we should alert CR to this issue.

5 Tips to Get the Most Cool From Your Car Air Conditioning
Cold, hard facts about A/C and how to make it work for you
By Patrick Olsen
Last updated: July 01, 2020

It’s summer and it's hot, which means your car's air-conditioning system is going to get a workout. But there's an art to cooling your car correctly. The engineers at the CR Auto Testing Center have some handy tips to help you cool your car faster while burning less fuel.
1. Don’t Pre-Cool
Your car air conditioning works much better when you're actually driving, because the faster the engine turns, the faster the A/C compressor runs, which lets the system cool more effectively. Don't waste time and gas by letting your car run before you go.
If the interior is really hot, crank up the fan when you start driving, and open just the rear windows for 10 to 20 seconds. This forces all the hot air out of the cabin. Don’t open the front windows—that only moves the heat out of the front of the car, and it will leave the air in the back of the cabin hot and stagnant.
2. Go Low
Setting to the lowest temp and adjusting the fan makes the car air conditioning more efficient, will dry out the air less, and can actually save some fuel. Why's that? In a typical A/C system, the air is cooled to 38 degrees. If you set the temp higher, you are actually forcing the system to re-heat your air, which takes more effort, burning more fuel.
3. Don't Recirculate
If you have passengers in the back seat, turn off the recirculation mode. This takes air from the front of the cabin and pulls it back through the system, so even though everyone up front stays cool, the air in the back can get stale and hot.
4. Turn Off Stop/Start
If you’ve got a newer car that has an auto start/stop system, turn it off. This feature saves fuel, but it can also keep the car air conditioning compressor from running when it shuts the engine off. In very hot weather, you can begin to notice the lack of cool air very quickly, especially if you're stuck at a lengthy stoplight, or in stop-and-go traffic that's barely moving.
5. Make Sure Your Filter's Clean
Next time you get the chance, check your cabin air filter to make sure it’s clean. A dirty filter prevents optimal airflow. In newer cars, these filters are relatively easy to check on; if you see a lot of dirt accumulated on it, it's time to change it. You can save money if you can replace the filter yourself—in many modern cars the filter is accessible behind the glove compartment. But that's not always the case. In some vehicles, such as the first-generation Honda Pilot, the entire dash must be removed in order to get at the cabin air filter, and that's not a job for the faint of heart.
Bonus: Automatic Climate Control
If you have automatic climate control, lowering the temp doesn't make the car cool off faster. Most systems will do all the fan and temp adjustments automatically, so you can just set it and forget it.

 

[FYRSTIX]

In a typical A/C system, the air is cooled to 38 degrees.

So I guess we're not typical.

 

[User_3336]

Be nice if my HOME A/C would cool to 38 degrees.

In a typical A/C system, the air is cooled to 38 degrees.

So I guess we're not typical.

 

[yellowboy]

any tips for a system that only gets to 58 degrees ?

 

[PostPremium]

any tips for a system that only gets to 58 degrees ?

Hack it and raise hell with Ram.

 

[Rambiss]

Finally broke down yesterday and got the Harbor Freight clamps. I had a trip where there was a HF in the middle. Brand new thermometer, same exact fan speed (middle) and AC setting (Max). Trip out, 85 outside and 58 coming out vent. Got the clamp installed, trip back was 94 outside and 42 coming out vent. Even if it's not that impressive "only" dropping temps by 16 degrees............I gained almost 30% cooling. That I like.

 

[z0n3]

Finally broke down yesterday and got the Harbor Freight clamps. I had a trip where there was a HF in the middle. Brand new thermometer, same exact fan speed (middle) and AC setting (Max). Trip out, 85 outside and 58 coming out vent. Got the clamp installed, trip back was 94 outside and 42 coming out vent. Even if it's not that impressive "only" dropping temps by 16 degrees............I gained almost 30% cooling. That I like.

We have some warmer weather coming up next week. I might have to make a stop at HF this week and pick a set of these up. Those are some good result you got. Did you fully close off the hose or partially?

 

[slicktop]

3. Don't Recirculate
If you have passengers in the back seat, turn off the recirculation mode. This takes air from the front of the cabin and pulls it back through the system, so even though everyone up front stays cool, the air in the back can get stale and hot.

This part is nonsense, at least for our trucks. Recirc simply means you're taking already conditioned air and blowing it back over the coil; not having recirc on means you're trying to condition 100 degree air for the first time, every time. The only thing that changes is the source of the air being cooled; it does not reduce flow to the back seat. In fact, I don't know of any vehicle that I've ever owned or driven in which having recirc on reduced the airflow to any portion of the cabin. Actually, I've found the opposite to be true; you can test this yourself by turning recirc off and back on. You'll notice the system is louder in recirc mode, which is a byproduct of more air moving through the system. Hold the back of your palm up to the vent and you'll likely notice it blowing harder in recirc mode as well.

 

[z0n3]

This part is nonsense, at least for our trucks. Recirc simply means you're taking already conditioned air and blowing it back over the coil; not having recirc on means you're trying to condition 100 degree air for the first time, every time. The only thing that changes is the source of the air being cooled; it does not reduce flow to the back seat. In fact, I don't know of any vehicle that I've ever owned or driven in which having recirc on reduced the airflow to any portion of the cabin. Actually, I've found the opposite to be true; you can test this yourself by turning recirc off and back on. You'll notice the system is louder in recirc mode, which is a byproduct of more air moving through the system. Hold the back of your palm up to the vent and you'll likely notice it blowing harder in recirc mode as well.

Yeah there is a reason "max ac" button in our trucks turns on the recirc function.

 

[JrTwin]

Okay. Installed the HF clamp. I tried to use my infrared temp gun. Pointing it exactly inside the vent I was hitting -6. Clearly I was hitting a piece of metal or something. Either way, the temp in my truck is at least 15° cooler than before. Considerably cooler. So far, huge success.

 

[Rambiss]

We have some warmer weather coming up next week. I might have to make a stop at HF this week and pick a set of these up. Those are some good result you got. Did you fully close off the hose or partially?

Honestly, I clamped it down until I assumed it was 90% or so closed in the beginning. I was trying to just lower temps, but still have heat if I needed. It didn't move my temps at all............so I just clamped it down as far as my 3 fingers could and that's when the temps dropped.

 

[ColoradoCub]

Yeah partial clamping or cracking the valve defeats the purpose, you will still have 200+ deg coolant going to the core and blending with your cold air. That’s what makes it so easy to understand what the flaw is in these trucks AC system..