A/C vent temps (group request)
#1
06-14-2017, 10:42 AM
A/C vent temps (group request)
Hey all,
I am wondering if any of you that have the 2003-2007 H2 could tell me what your vent temps are and then what the temps are outside along with the humidity
To get the vent temp you can take a laser temp probe, a wired temp probe, or just one of those turkey thermometer looking things and measure the temp after the truck has been running for a while at the left center vent. Let it sit in there long enough to show a constant.
If you could let me know what those values are, I would greatly appreciate this
I am wondering if any of you that have the 2003-2007 H2 could tell me what your vent temps are and then what the temps are outside along with the humidity
To get the vent temp you can take a laser temp probe, a wired temp probe, or just one of those turkey thermometer looking things and measure the temp after the truck has been running for a while at the left center vent. Let it sit in there long enough to show a constant.
If you could let me know what those values are, I would greatly appreciate this
#2
06-14-2017, 11:51 AM
I'll try to get to that this weekend. Good to see you are asking for the ambient temp and humidity as the results are not valid without knowing those as well.
One other thing to keep in mind. While sitting still there is very little air moving across the condenser to help cool things unless its blistering hot enough to fully lock the thermal fan clutch. Thats why the ac never works as well when sitting at stoplights.
One future project I'm going to be doing in the next couple of months will be converting my 2003 to dual electric fans from a newer 2011 GM HD pickup and the relay pack from a 2007 GM pickup. Its a bit complicated to gather everything you need to do it this way but the way I'm doing it keeps things all GM, the relay packs directly mounts to the under hood fuse box, and the last thing is adding a couple of pins the the ECM and setting up a custom tune to control them exactly as they are when stock on GM trucks.
Nice little gain in horsepower and fuel economy, less wear on the water pump, and at stoplights when the high side pressure in the AC system hits a certain level the fans kick in and the ac keep cooling nicely.
Once I get going on that I'll do a full writeup on here with the part numbers and pics. The custom tune for the ECM is mandatory to enable the fans this way.
You ECM actually already has all the coding and software for it, its just not enabled since its not an option on the H2. But it can be....
One other thing to keep in mind. While sitting still there is very little air moving across the condenser to help cool things unless its blistering hot enough to fully lock the thermal fan clutch. Thats why the ac never works as well when sitting at stoplights.
One future project I'm going to be doing in the next couple of months will be converting my 2003 to dual electric fans from a newer 2011 GM HD pickup and the relay pack from a 2007 GM pickup. Its a bit complicated to gather everything you need to do it this way but the way I'm doing it keeps things all GM, the relay packs directly mounts to the under hood fuse box, and the last thing is adding a couple of pins the the ECM and setting up a custom tune to control them exactly as they are when stock on GM trucks.
Nice little gain in horsepower and fuel economy, less wear on the water pump, and at stoplights when the high side pressure in the AC system hits a certain level the fans kick in and the ac keep cooling nicely.
Once I get going on that I'll do a full writeup on here with the part numbers and pics. The custom tune for the ECM is mandatory to enable the fans this way.
You ECM actually already has all the coding and software for it, its just not enabled since its not an option on the H2. But it can be....
#4
06-30-2017, 04:27 PM
The conditions that the temps are taken are critical also, to be able to compare apples to apples.
Fan on Max and high speed, doors closed, engine idling,
You'll see lowest temps with fan on low, what exactly are you looking for?
Neal
Fan on Max and high speed, doors closed, engine idling,
You'll see lowest temps with fan on low, what exactly are you looking for?
Neal
#6
07-02-2017, 09:10 PM
Normally I got somewhere in the 42 degree range (my turkey type thermometer that i put in the drivers side center vent opening).
On hot humidity (90-100+ degrees and 80% humidity) days like we get in the south, it still ran very close to that... maybe going to 46-50....maybe....but never 60
Well I had a new condenser replaced and the freon was filled up because it was low. I went into the dealership with the turkey thermometer showing the vents blowing maybe 60 degrees with puffs of warm air being felt on a 78 degree day and at least 50% humidity.... I get my truck back after being fixed and its 75 degrees out and less or the same humidity and my truck is blowing 60 degrees with puffs of warm air.
The same as it was when it went in.
I try to tell the dealership that they didnt fix the truck, or at best they just refilled the freon and replaced a part (but didnt actually fix it).
They attempted to look at it but didnt do anything (they checked to see if the actuator door was working properly.... WTF?!?!?) and then argued with me saying it is fixed...
so now I am trying to prove to them they are wrong, because they are standing firm that they are right.
#8
07-03-2017, 10:07 PM
There are few things you can check and then report back,
On the outlet of the accumulator (large line going from the accumulator to the compressor) the line should be cold to the touch and sweating. This will give you an idea if the charge is close.
Does your truck have the auto air where it adjust temps based on a temp setting that you set, if so then the dealer is correct in making sure to check the mix doors. If one door gets stuck or is not working correctly then it will allow hot air to mix with the cold air and cause the vent temps to be elevated.
The cycling of the air temp could be caused by the compressor cycling, due to possible low charge but this is very hard to say without knowing the pressures.
GM says vent temps are not based on a given temp but rather on a temp differential, air inlet vs air outlet.
I've been able to get vent temps in the upper 30's with the fan on low and recirculate on 90* days working in the shade, and with the fan on high and recirculate usually see temps in the mid 40's with the system working correctly. This is after around 15 to 20 minutes of letting the vehicle idle with a fan blowing into the radiator, the doors closed and settings set as mentioned above. This is not specifically on a H2 but different years of vehicles.
as mentioned this is with a system that is working correctly but without knowing the system pressure and ambient conditions its very hard to say if its working and what the problem may be.
Neal
On the outlet of the accumulator (large line going from the accumulator to the compressor) the line should be cold to the touch and sweating. This will give you an idea if the charge is close.
Does your truck have the auto air where it adjust temps based on a temp setting that you set, if so then the dealer is correct in making sure to check the mix doors. If one door gets stuck or is not working correctly then it will allow hot air to mix with the cold air and cause the vent temps to be elevated.
The cycling of the air temp could be caused by the compressor cycling, due to possible low charge but this is very hard to say without knowing the pressures.
GM says vent temps are not based on a given temp but rather on a temp differential, air inlet vs air outlet.
I've been able to get vent temps in the upper 30's with the fan on low and recirculate on 90* days working in the shade, and with the fan on high and recirculate usually see temps in the mid 40's with the system working correctly. This is after around 15 to 20 minutes of letting the vehicle idle with a fan blowing into the radiator, the doors closed and settings set as mentioned above. This is not specifically on a H2 but different years of vehicles.
as mentioned this is with a system that is working correctly but without knowing the system pressure and ambient conditions its very hard to say if its working and what the problem may be.
Neal
#9
07-10-2017, 03:39 PM
legerwn and MixMan,
I wanted to thank you for your help. It turns out that the idiots at the stealership that swore up and down they fixed it right, there was no leaks, everything was working correctly, and their mechanics are experts were fully embarrassed last week when I had another shop (a non-dealer AC only specialty shop) look at the AC and within 10 minute had already had half the issue fixed.
It turned out that the stealership just replaced a condenser and a seal, saying that was the only issues wrong with the AC. The real experts pulled the AC orifice tube and it was completely clogged up. Since they didnt have the accumulator, they couldnt repair it. So they put a new orifice tube in and charged me up and away I went with now colder air... And what was even nicer was they didnt charge me for the service that day. Of course i was coming back the next day to have the system fixed completely... and it was the whole system (with new compressor since I figured that same stealership put one in 2 years ago and it was starting to go bad) which was less in parts and labor then the stealership wanted to charge me for just putting in the condenser. I even showed the stealership the receipt and they couldnt believe it, they thought it was a parts only invoice. I told them "no, thats because this place doesnt rape you n parts and labor like you guys do". and then they thought they were cheap chinese parts, and again I told them they were AC Delco and Denso Parts only. Oh yeah, and there was an obvious leak that the stealership missed even though i took it back to them twice and not one time did they see the leak.
So, now I am blowing nice and cold at 42 degrees or colder.
So the final fix was:
- orifice tube
- accumulator
- fix leak
- new compressor
(and a condenser from the stealership)
And because of their incompetence, I am fighting the stealership on the charge for servicesince basically they didnt do squat for me. Sure they put a new part in, but they put it in poorly and missed all the other issues... and then charged me more than what the whole system cost me from the specialist.
Also, If the stealership would have fixed the ac right the first time 2 years ago when they replaced everything... I wouldnt be having it fixed again and be out another buttload of cash again.
Thanks again guys
I wanted to thank you for your help. It turns out that the idiots at the stealership that swore up and down they fixed it right, there was no leaks, everything was working correctly, and their mechanics are experts were fully embarrassed last week when I had another shop (a non-dealer AC only specialty shop) look at the AC and within 10 minute had already had half the issue fixed.
It turned out that the stealership just replaced a condenser and a seal, saying that was the only issues wrong with the AC. The real experts pulled the AC orifice tube and it was completely clogged up. Since they didnt have the accumulator, they couldnt repair it. So they put a new orifice tube in and charged me up and away I went with now colder air... And what was even nicer was they didnt charge me for the service that day. Of course i was coming back the next day to have the system fixed completely... and it was the whole system (with new compressor since I figured that same stealership put one in 2 years ago and it was starting to go bad) which was less in parts and labor then the stealership wanted to charge me for just putting in the condenser. I even showed the stealership the receipt and they couldnt believe it, they thought it was a parts only invoice. I told them "no, thats because this place doesnt rape you n parts and labor like you guys do". and then they thought they were cheap chinese parts, and again I told them they were AC Delco and Denso Parts only. Oh yeah, and there was an obvious leak that the stealership missed even though i took it back to them twice and not one time did they see the leak.
So, now I am blowing nice and cold at 42 degrees or colder.
So the final fix was:
- orifice tube
- accumulator
- fix leak
- new compressor
(and a condenser from the stealership)
And because of their incompetence, I am fighting the stealership on the charge for servicesince basically they didnt do squat for me. Sure they put a new part in, but they put it in poorly and missed all the other issues... and then charged me more than what the whole system cost me from the specialist.
Also, If the stealership would have fixed the ac right the first time 2 years ago when they replaced everything... I wouldnt be having it fixed again and be out another buttload of cash again.
Thanks again guys
Last edited by jsbihn; 07-10-2017 at 03:55 PM.
#10
07-10-2017, 04:32 PM
Damn! Well at least its fixed and you are chilling again. Especially with this crazy hot weather we are already getting....
My H2 is working great but my GMC pickup is now starting to struggle with the AC so I'm about to have to do the same to it.
I think its just developing a slow leak from age though - its a 99 and the orings are likely about as hard as a rock and dried out by now. I put some refrigerant in and its blowing cold again for now. Its never once given any problems before so I'm hoping my guess on age wear is correct and I can fix it with a new set of orings. I'll probably evacuate it and replace them all and recharge it and see how it does as my first plan.
My H2 is working great but my GMC pickup is now starting to struggle with the AC so I'm about to have to do the same to it.
I think its just developing a slow leak from age though - its a 99 and the orings are likely about as hard as a rock and dried out by now. I put some refrigerant in and its blowing cold again for now. Its never once given any problems before so I'm hoping my guess on age wear is correct and I can fix it with a new set of orings. I'll probably evacuate it and replace them all and recharge it and see how it does as my first plan.