Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 09:50:56 EDT
Reply-To: kenneth d lewis <kdlewis@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: kenneth d lewis <kdlewis@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: Q: AC modification
Tom;
Sounds like an interesting project. I suggest you look at the A/C
units from the 85 Vanagon era. Our 85's evaporator is housed entirely in
the drivers era, above your head. That way it would be a clean
installation for you.
I would think the expansion valves would regulate flows according
to temperature/fan setting. Many mini-vans have dual systems. It should
not be hard to find parts and assistance.
Drive Safely & Good Luck
Ken Lewis <Kernersville,NC>
86 VW crewcab;60 356B Coupe
--------------------------------------------------
On Tue, 25 Apr 2000 09:42:56 -0700 Tom Moritz
<Thomas.W.Moritz@NWW01.USACE.ARMY.MIL> writes:
>Those of us with AC'd Westies know this system isn't the best in the
>world.
>Due to the large volume of air between the AC discharge and the front
>of the
>vehicle the coolness of the AC often does not reach the front. When
>we
>lived in South Carolina I often considered installing a small roof top
>AC
>unit in the luggage rack just to cool the front cab of our Westy.
>This
>would have required sizing up the alternator which until recently I
>didn't
>think was an option.
>
>As an alternative I thought about building a parallel evaporator coil
>which
>could be mounted on the headliner between the driver and passenger
>seat.
>Basically this would be an air handler unit consisting of a solenoid
>valve,
>expansion valve, evaporator coil, fan, controls, and louvered vents
>all
>contained within a single housing. A liquid line and suction line
>would
>have to be run to the unit as well as power and control wiring. I
>would
>probably also install a solenoid valve before the existing expansion
>valve
>to permit independent control of the rear zone.
>
>My questions for the list are:
>
>1) What is the size of the existing system in BTUs/HR or tons?
>
>2) If I install a parallel expansion loop which has a smaller
>refrigerant
>capacity than the existing expansion loop do I need to include a
>pressure
>relief to avoid over pressurizing the high pressure side? I'm
>thinking if I
>only operate the front zone then the volume of refrigerant required
>will be
>less than the compressor is sized for. This would trip the high
>pressure
>switch and disengage the compressor pulley clutch. When the pressure
>dropped the high pressure switch would close and the compressor clutch
>would
>engage again. If the front zone is very small then the compressor
>pulley
>clutch would cycle frequently possibly leading to premature failure.
>
>Thank you,
>
>Tom Moritz
>'90 Westy
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