Simple basic about Automotive A/C - Part 1

This is my first posts for my dedicated blog made just for automotive air conditioner. I mean to share my knowledge, how to diagnose and solves all problem related to air condition in our cars. In Malaysia, all of us that have owned a car is basically not know so much about our cars' a/c system, how to go around problem and how to solve the problem. So i will share my knowing on car a/c so that we can learn how to troubleshoot when problem arise in our cars' a/c system.

So in this blog, i will share a basic about our automotive a/c, which i will make it simple to understand. All of the picture i use in here is taken from Google Picture, so i do not hold copyright to all those pictures, neither do i do any alternation to the picture (unless state otherwise) and all can freely use as it is.



This is a simple diagram showing components which got in our car a/c. And the first i want to explain is Compressor. Compressor is a "heart" of the a/c in all kind of air conditioner found around this globe. If the "heart" fail, the a/c system will stop function, and end of story. But my story will not end here XD.

The function of the compressor is to circulate refrigerant from condenser to evaporator. Its work just like our body heart which pump our blood throughout our body, in air condition, this "heart" is pumping refrigerant throughout the a/c system.


This is a sample of compressor, the left side have a pulley "Multi Groove (can also called PK Groove)" and the right side pulley is "Wedge Groove (can also called V-Belt Groove)". 

For the compressor to work, it required a moving parts to move the rotary shaft using what is know as compressor clutch. This clutch is attach to rotary shaft of the compressor.

Picture shown is Magnet Clutch Set, which consists of Pulley in the middle, a Clutch at bottom left, and a Magnet Coil of bottom right.

The pulley is attach to the body of the compressor, while the magnet coil is located behind the pulley, also attach to the body of the compressor, and the clutch is in front of the pulley. All three of this parts do not make contact to each other. The pulley will move along with car's main pulley driven by either using a V-Belt or a Multi-Groove belt. The magnet coil and the clutch will not move along with the pulley. The magnet coil will need to be magnetize first just then it will "Pull" the clutch to the pulley. When this happen, the clutch will stick to the pulley and it will move along with the pulley. While this happen, the clutch will drive rotary shaft of the compressor and thus make the compressor work.

This is Part 1 of this basic a/c explanation, stay tune for Part 2.