Is expansion valve necessary?
Refrigerant absorbs heat, allowing cool air to be distributed into your home. An AC expansion valve (more typically found in new high-efficiency units) controls the amount of refrigerant flowing through your system based on your cooling needs. Your thermal expansion valve ensures the proper amount is used.
What causes an expansion valve to freeze?
If moisture enters the air conditioning system, it freezes at the system’s metering device. If the drier becomes saturated with moisture, it releases it at the hottest times of the day. This moisture freezes in the expansion valve and deprives the evaporator of refrigerant.
How can you tell if your AC has a bad expansion valve?
Warm Air – The most recognizable symptom of a bad AC expansion valve is when you turn on your air conditioner and warm air starts blowing out of the vents. This would obviously mean that not enough refrigerant is making its way to the core of the evaporator.
What should I do if my expansion valve fails?
Start the engine and set the A/C controls to max A/C, medium blower speed and recirculating air. Allow the system to run for five minutes for pressures to stabilize. Normal gauge readings will be between 30 and 45 psi on the low side, and 200 to 350 psi on the high side. The expansion valve can fail in one of two ways.
Where is the expansion valve on an AC unit?
The AC expansion valve is found within the air conditioning system of a vehicle. The purpose of the valve is to manage how much refrigerant liquid can flow throughout this system. Whenever there is an abundance of refrigerant, the core of the evaporator will get too cold and eventually freeze.
Can a bad or failing expansion valve cause unmetered refrigerant?
Frost on AC evaporator or coming from the vents. Another symptom of a potential problem with the vehicle’s AC expansion valve or orifice tube is frost coming from the vehicle’s vents. If the AC evaporator or orifice tube malfunctions, it can cause refrigerant to flow unmetered through the vehicle’s AC system.