Resident Air Conditioning expert.....
 

I'm building an older Datsun truck for the wife.It has a/c but it needs attention.I have a few posers about dryers,condensors etc.

ask away..

Oke-doke........
Dryer(s)Are they system specific?Or will any one do?As long as they have the proper switch hook-ups etc.
Condensers.Are condensers condensers?Meaning, if it fits- it'll work?As this is a 78 datsun 620,i am limited to a condenser that is the size(H X W)of the present one.But i should be able to fit a thicker one in there.Any advantage?Also,the condensor has the fittings on the drivers side where the compressor is mounted down low.Do they make condensers with fittings bottom left & top right?Or are they always top & bottom same side?

I'm sure your reply will bring up more posers.

Thanks.

All driers are limited by line size and cubic inch of capacity. Generally speaking, pretty much any auto hi-side drier can be used as long as it can be hooked up effectively (line size connections etc.), you can make the connections and it has any required switches.

The larger the condensor (thicker too) the more surface area/tube linear footage you have, meaning you have the capability of cooling more refrigerant hot gas.. As with the drier, you can generally use it as long as it can be hooked up. This is all without knowing exactly what compressor you're using and what vehicle it was originally intended for. Compressor's have a variety of pumping capacities, although somewhat minute. There are many different configured condensors (line location). You'll have to do some research as to which ones have the right line locations.

..next up to bat.

Dave

The Compressor is a Sanden SD-507.

So if i'm reading you right,oversize away and as long as it fits and connects up,i'm good to go?

Sounds like a good plan to me. If it gets too cold, you can always turn it down.

On the other hand you could always replace it with the model 2-55 air conditioner. I have one on my daily driver (97 Merc - nickname is toilet). Two windows down at fifty five miles an hour. The AC gave up the ghost about a year ago (leaks) and the compressor decided it wanted to fry itself. :LOL:

I upgraded to the model 2-60. It doesn't get any colder, but flow more air!**):p:3DSMILE:

I just shortened (and straightened) a condenser for a Deuce nose. If you can get the components to hook up they should work without any huge variations in system component sizes.

All the dryer does is absorb any moisture in the system, basically nothing but an empty can with dessicant in it. If your unsure about the one your using pop it in a 250 deg oven for about an hour to re-activate the dessicant.

Make sure none of the system has any mineral oil from using R12 as R134 uses PAG oil and they will gel if mixed.

Another important item is your expansion valve, this is located between the condenser and evaporator. (opposite side of system from the pump) It's primary purpose is to regulate "flow" of refrigerant through the system. The trick of course is knowing which size to use as this is the item you "tune" to your condenser / evaporator size.

Try to use as many stock components as you can as the system components do need to be somewhat balanced to each other.

It's risky to "cook off" The dessicant. A by-product of that is the desicant pellets can break down, turning into a wide powder. It can contaminate an entire system necessitating a system flush.

There are two basic means of metering the refrigerant. The expansion valve, as you'd mentioned, and a fixed orifice (typically referred to as a "orifice tube"). The expansion does it's job by sensing the evaporator's tail coil temperature via a thermal bulb and regulating refrigerant flow via a variable orifice based on the coil's outlet temperature. The fixed orifice is "designed" for a given flow with certain assumptions and design characteristics in mind. The technical mission of the expansion valve (TXV = Thermal Expansion Valve) is to maintain evaporator superheat. (7 to 14 degrees, typically) I would suggest, with the many variables, that you use an expansion valve. The TXV (expansion valve) allows for a small amount of mis-match where the fixed orifice will not.. You should be able to find a valve to match the compressor with a little research. Some evaporator coils come with the expansion valve too.

I agree with Ronbo, ensure your oil matches the system/compressor manufacturer's recommendations. Always drain and refill oil prior to installing the compressor in the system. Get the system "sealed up" ASAP too.

I could go on, and on, and on......:rolleyes:

Dave

Warren-summers here get to 115 degrees.I can't let the wife drive around with no A/C.At least fall is coming and i can deal with the issue at a "slower" pace then"god damn it hot in that truck".:rolleyes:%/

Good info,i appreciate it.This is where i sit:

System is open right now.Engine compartment is being painted,so everything is apart.Compressor is NFG,so that is going to be new.I'll oversize the dryer and then see about sizing a condenser.There is no valve under the hood-so if there is one-it's under the dash?

Orifice tubes are typically in one of the lines (look for crimp marks on the tubing), expansion valves are mounted to the evaporator and may not be visable.

Used to maintain driers for waveguide pressurizers and re-activated lots of dessicant. Dessicant in A/C systems is contained in cloth/paper sacks inside the dryer, not loose.

Yep, ex-Navy Machinist Mate myself. Used to take care of the twin dessicant towers for the radar wave guides. One was filtering while the other tower was regenerating.There's several different types of dessicant, including the re-gen stuff. On the auto stuff there's just a metal screen between the drier shell and the rest of the system. The powder gets right through the screen.

If the evaporator's already in the car then the TXV's probably attached to it. The orifice tube will probably be near the condensor outlet.. but.. ya ain't got no condensor.. If already there, I'd inspect the liquid line from the condensor's outlet all the way to the evap. If there's an orifice tube there, that's where it would be.

Dave