Exactly how much refrigerant is in there?

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A concern that comes up regularly when troubleshooting A/C problems is whether an A/C system has too little (hello leaks) or too much refrigerant (hello overcharging).



The traditional way to do this involves drawing out all the refrigerant (often with expensive, specialist equipment), which adds considerable overhead to a DIY-er like me as I then have to worry about sourcing compressor oil or recycling the existing refrigerant.



So, is there an environmentally-conscious way to determine the amount of refrigerant present inside an A/C system that does not rely on complete evacuation?










share|improve this question

























    up vote
    3
    down vote

    favorite












    A concern that comes up regularly when troubleshooting A/C problems is whether an A/C system has too little (hello leaks) or too much refrigerant (hello overcharging).



    The traditional way to do this involves drawing out all the refrigerant (often with expensive, specialist equipment), which adds considerable overhead to a DIY-er like me as I then have to worry about sourcing compressor oil or recycling the existing refrigerant.



    So, is there an environmentally-conscious way to determine the amount of refrigerant present inside an A/C system that does not rely on complete evacuation?










    share|improve this question























      up vote
      3
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      3
      down vote

      favorite











      A concern that comes up regularly when troubleshooting A/C problems is whether an A/C system has too little (hello leaks) or too much refrigerant (hello overcharging).



      The traditional way to do this involves drawing out all the refrigerant (often with expensive, specialist equipment), which adds considerable overhead to a DIY-er like me as I then have to worry about sourcing compressor oil or recycling the existing refrigerant.



      So, is there an environmentally-conscious way to determine the amount of refrigerant present inside an A/C system that does not rely on complete evacuation?










      share|improve this question













      A concern that comes up regularly when troubleshooting A/C problems is whether an A/C system has too little (hello leaks) or too much refrigerant (hello overcharging).



      The traditional way to do this involves drawing out all the refrigerant (often with expensive, specialist equipment), which adds considerable overhead to a DIY-er like me as I then have to worry about sourcing compressor oil or recycling the existing refrigerant.



      So, is there an environmentally-conscious way to determine the amount of refrigerant present inside an A/C system that does not rely on complete evacuation?







      ac diagnostics diy






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked 1 hour ago









      Zaid

      31.8k2594228




      31.8k2594228




















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes

















          up vote
          3
          down vote













          TL;DR



          Surprisingly yes, it is possible.



          For the price of a small fraction of refrigerant it is possible to know how much total refrigerant is inside the A/C system with a few choice measurements.



          What's more, it doesn't require equipment that's out of an automotive DIY-er's reach.




          Theory



          Idealspeak



          The Ideal Gas Law can be cajoled into returning the mass of an ideal gas:




          m = PVM / RT


          where,

          m = mass of refrigerant

          P = refrigerant pressure

          V = A/C system volume (constant)

          M = molecular weight of refrigerant (constant)

          R = universal gas constant (constant)

          T = refrigerant temperature




          Both P and T can be measured with a gauge and thermometer respectively. Likewise M and R are known values that do not change.



          The thing that prevents us from using this equation directly is the unknown volume of the A/C system, V, a quantity which is practically impossible to measure. In mathematical terms, there are two unknowns and one equation; the system is under-determined.



          Determination pays off



          Adding a second equation will allow both unknowns, m and V, to be determined.



          The second equation can be obtained by removing a known amount of refrigerant (Δm) and measuring new values for P and T.



          The initial mass of the system, m1, is given by the following equation:



          m1 = P1 * ( T2 / T1 ) * Δm / ( P2 - P1 )


          All quantities on the right-hand side of the equation are measured:



          • P1 = absolute pressure before refrigerant removal

          • T1 = absolute temperature before refrigerant removal

          • P2 = absolute pressure after refrigerant removal

          • T2 = absolute temperature after refrigerant removal

          • ∆m = mass of refrigerant removed

          What's cool about this equation is that it doesn't make any assumptions about the type of refrigerant or system volume.




          Procedure



          Equipment Needed



          • Mass scale/luggage scale

          • A/C refrigerant mainfold pressure gauge + hoses

          • Laser thermometer

          • Empty refrigerant bottle

          Steps



          All measurements are to be done with the A/C off (compressor disengaged). The idea is to have the system at pressure equilibrium as much as possible.




          1. Pre-check

            Make sure that the empty bottle is sufficiently empty. Since the system is going to be passively discharged into the bottle, you need to ensure that a sufficient pressure differential exists between system and bottle.


          2. Measure P1

            Use the high-side pressure gauge to measure the equilibrium system pressure. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


          3. Measure T1

            Measure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature.


          4. Attach empty bottle

            With both gauge valves shut, connect the empty bottle to the manifold pressure gauge's recharge port. DO NOT ADD REFRIGERANT just yet.


          5. Measure mA - initial bottle mass

            Determine the mass of the empty bottle with hose. The average of several readings may be necessary to account for measurement uncertainties. This is mA.


          6. Remove some refrigerant

            Open one of the valves (high-side will be more convenient) to transfer some refrigerant from the A/C system to the bottle. There will be a limit to the amount of refrigerant that can be transferred.


          7. Measure mB - final bottle mass

            Remeasure the mass of the empty bottle (with hose) again. Again, the average of several readings may be necessary to account for uncertainties. This is mB.


          8. Calculate ∆m
            ∆m = mB - mA


          9. Measure P2

            Remeasure the equilibrium pressure of the system using the high-side gauge. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


          10. Measure T2

            Remeasure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature; this is T2.


          11. Calculate m1

            All the necessary measurements will have been collected by this point.


          Caveats & Limitations



          • Remember that the formula above estimates the mass of refrigerant before extracting refrigerant, so m1-∆m worth of refrigerant is left in the system

          • All pressures and temperatures need to be in absolute units for the calculation to work correctly.

          • Results are only going to be as good as the accuracy and resolution of the measurement devices. This is especially true of the mass balance; I found it useful to have a resolution of ±0.005 kg.

          • For vehicles with independent front and rear A/C lines and evaporators, be aware that you may be measuring the mass of just part of the system.

          • Use the high-pressure gauge for measuring system pressure. The low-pressure gauge will not have sufficient range to measure the equilibrium pressure of a properly charged system.

          • It is true that T1 and T2 are not actual measurements of the gas, but port temperatures approximate them well enough.

          • If the A/C system needs replenishing at the end of the procedure, it is better to use a separate refrigerant source to top up the system to avoid the risk of contamination from whatever might be inside the empty bottle.





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            1 Answer
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            up vote
            3
            down vote













            TL;DR



            Surprisingly yes, it is possible.



            For the price of a small fraction of refrigerant it is possible to know how much total refrigerant is inside the A/C system with a few choice measurements.



            What's more, it doesn't require equipment that's out of an automotive DIY-er's reach.




            Theory



            Idealspeak



            The Ideal Gas Law can be cajoled into returning the mass of an ideal gas:




            m = PVM / RT


            where,

            m = mass of refrigerant

            P = refrigerant pressure

            V = A/C system volume (constant)

            M = molecular weight of refrigerant (constant)

            R = universal gas constant (constant)

            T = refrigerant temperature




            Both P and T can be measured with a gauge and thermometer respectively. Likewise M and R are known values that do not change.



            The thing that prevents us from using this equation directly is the unknown volume of the A/C system, V, a quantity which is practically impossible to measure. In mathematical terms, there are two unknowns and one equation; the system is under-determined.



            Determination pays off



            Adding a second equation will allow both unknowns, m and V, to be determined.



            The second equation can be obtained by removing a known amount of refrigerant (Δm) and measuring new values for P and T.



            The initial mass of the system, m1, is given by the following equation:



            m1 = P1 * ( T2 / T1 ) * Δm / ( P2 - P1 )


            All quantities on the right-hand side of the equation are measured:



            • P1 = absolute pressure before refrigerant removal

            • T1 = absolute temperature before refrigerant removal

            • P2 = absolute pressure after refrigerant removal

            • T2 = absolute temperature after refrigerant removal

            • ∆m = mass of refrigerant removed

            What's cool about this equation is that it doesn't make any assumptions about the type of refrigerant or system volume.




            Procedure



            Equipment Needed



            • Mass scale/luggage scale

            • A/C refrigerant mainfold pressure gauge + hoses

            • Laser thermometer

            • Empty refrigerant bottle

            Steps



            All measurements are to be done with the A/C off (compressor disengaged). The idea is to have the system at pressure equilibrium as much as possible.




            1. Pre-check

              Make sure that the empty bottle is sufficiently empty. Since the system is going to be passively discharged into the bottle, you need to ensure that a sufficient pressure differential exists between system and bottle.


            2. Measure P1

              Use the high-side pressure gauge to measure the equilibrium system pressure. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


            3. Measure T1

              Measure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature.


            4. Attach empty bottle

              With both gauge valves shut, connect the empty bottle to the manifold pressure gauge's recharge port. DO NOT ADD REFRIGERANT just yet.


            5. Measure mA - initial bottle mass

              Determine the mass of the empty bottle with hose. The average of several readings may be necessary to account for measurement uncertainties. This is mA.


            6. Remove some refrigerant

              Open one of the valves (high-side will be more convenient) to transfer some refrigerant from the A/C system to the bottle. There will be a limit to the amount of refrigerant that can be transferred.


            7. Measure mB - final bottle mass

              Remeasure the mass of the empty bottle (with hose) again. Again, the average of several readings may be necessary to account for uncertainties. This is mB.


            8. Calculate ∆m
              ∆m = mB - mA


            9. Measure P2

              Remeasure the equilibrium pressure of the system using the high-side gauge. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


            10. Measure T2

              Remeasure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature; this is T2.


            11. Calculate m1

              All the necessary measurements will have been collected by this point.


            Caveats & Limitations



            • Remember that the formula above estimates the mass of refrigerant before extracting refrigerant, so m1-∆m worth of refrigerant is left in the system

            • All pressures and temperatures need to be in absolute units for the calculation to work correctly.

            • Results are only going to be as good as the accuracy and resolution of the measurement devices. This is especially true of the mass balance; I found it useful to have a resolution of ±0.005 kg.

            • For vehicles with independent front and rear A/C lines and evaporators, be aware that you may be measuring the mass of just part of the system.

            • Use the high-pressure gauge for measuring system pressure. The low-pressure gauge will not have sufficient range to measure the equilibrium pressure of a properly charged system.

            • It is true that T1 and T2 are not actual measurements of the gas, but port temperatures approximate them well enough.

            • If the A/C system needs replenishing at the end of the procedure, it is better to use a separate refrigerant source to top up the system to avoid the risk of contamination from whatever might be inside the empty bottle.





            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              3
              down vote













              TL;DR



              Surprisingly yes, it is possible.



              For the price of a small fraction of refrigerant it is possible to know how much total refrigerant is inside the A/C system with a few choice measurements.



              What's more, it doesn't require equipment that's out of an automotive DIY-er's reach.




              Theory



              Idealspeak



              The Ideal Gas Law can be cajoled into returning the mass of an ideal gas:




              m = PVM / RT


              where,

              m = mass of refrigerant

              P = refrigerant pressure

              V = A/C system volume (constant)

              M = molecular weight of refrigerant (constant)

              R = universal gas constant (constant)

              T = refrigerant temperature




              Both P and T can be measured with a gauge and thermometer respectively. Likewise M and R are known values that do not change.



              The thing that prevents us from using this equation directly is the unknown volume of the A/C system, V, a quantity which is practically impossible to measure. In mathematical terms, there are two unknowns and one equation; the system is under-determined.



              Determination pays off



              Adding a second equation will allow both unknowns, m and V, to be determined.



              The second equation can be obtained by removing a known amount of refrigerant (Δm) and measuring new values for P and T.



              The initial mass of the system, m1, is given by the following equation:



              m1 = P1 * ( T2 / T1 ) * Δm / ( P2 - P1 )


              All quantities on the right-hand side of the equation are measured:



              • P1 = absolute pressure before refrigerant removal

              • T1 = absolute temperature before refrigerant removal

              • P2 = absolute pressure after refrigerant removal

              • T2 = absolute temperature after refrigerant removal

              • ∆m = mass of refrigerant removed

              What's cool about this equation is that it doesn't make any assumptions about the type of refrigerant or system volume.




              Procedure



              Equipment Needed



              • Mass scale/luggage scale

              • A/C refrigerant mainfold pressure gauge + hoses

              • Laser thermometer

              • Empty refrigerant bottle

              Steps



              All measurements are to be done with the A/C off (compressor disengaged). The idea is to have the system at pressure equilibrium as much as possible.




              1. Pre-check

                Make sure that the empty bottle is sufficiently empty. Since the system is going to be passively discharged into the bottle, you need to ensure that a sufficient pressure differential exists between system and bottle.


              2. Measure P1

                Use the high-side pressure gauge to measure the equilibrium system pressure. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


              3. Measure T1

                Measure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature.


              4. Attach empty bottle

                With both gauge valves shut, connect the empty bottle to the manifold pressure gauge's recharge port. DO NOT ADD REFRIGERANT just yet.


              5. Measure mA - initial bottle mass

                Determine the mass of the empty bottle with hose. The average of several readings may be necessary to account for measurement uncertainties. This is mA.


              6. Remove some refrigerant

                Open one of the valves (high-side will be more convenient) to transfer some refrigerant from the A/C system to the bottle. There will be a limit to the amount of refrigerant that can be transferred.


              7. Measure mB - final bottle mass

                Remeasure the mass of the empty bottle (with hose) again. Again, the average of several readings may be necessary to account for uncertainties. This is mB.


              8. Calculate ∆m
                ∆m = mB - mA


              9. Measure P2

                Remeasure the equilibrium pressure of the system using the high-side gauge. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


              10. Measure T2

                Remeasure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature; this is T2.


              11. Calculate m1

                All the necessary measurements will have been collected by this point.


              Caveats & Limitations



              • Remember that the formula above estimates the mass of refrigerant before extracting refrigerant, so m1-∆m worth of refrigerant is left in the system

              • All pressures and temperatures need to be in absolute units for the calculation to work correctly.

              • Results are only going to be as good as the accuracy and resolution of the measurement devices. This is especially true of the mass balance; I found it useful to have a resolution of ±0.005 kg.

              • For vehicles with independent front and rear A/C lines and evaporators, be aware that you may be measuring the mass of just part of the system.

              • Use the high-pressure gauge for measuring system pressure. The low-pressure gauge will not have sufficient range to measure the equilibrium pressure of a properly charged system.

              • It is true that T1 and T2 are not actual measurements of the gas, but port temperatures approximate them well enough.

              • If the A/C system needs replenishing at the end of the procedure, it is better to use a separate refrigerant source to top up the system to avoid the risk of contamination from whatever might be inside the empty bottle.





              share|improve this answer






















                up vote
                3
                down vote










                up vote
                3
                down vote









                TL;DR



                Surprisingly yes, it is possible.



                For the price of a small fraction of refrigerant it is possible to know how much total refrigerant is inside the A/C system with a few choice measurements.



                What's more, it doesn't require equipment that's out of an automotive DIY-er's reach.




                Theory



                Idealspeak



                The Ideal Gas Law can be cajoled into returning the mass of an ideal gas:




                m = PVM / RT


                where,

                m = mass of refrigerant

                P = refrigerant pressure

                V = A/C system volume (constant)

                M = molecular weight of refrigerant (constant)

                R = universal gas constant (constant)

                T = refrigerant temperature




                Both P and T can be measured with a gauge and thermometer respectively. Likewise M and R are known values that do not change.



                The thing that prevents us from using this equation directly is the unknown volume of the A/C system, V, a quantity which is practically impossible to measure. In mathematical terms, there are two unknowns and one equation; the system is under-determined.



                Determination pays off



                Adding a second equation will allow both unknowns, m and V, to be determined.



                The second equation can be obtained by removing a known amount of refrigerant (Δm) and measuring new values for P and T.



                The initial mass of the system, m1, is given by the following equation:



                m1 = P1 * ( T2 / T1 ) * Δm / ( P2 - P1 )


                All quantities on the right-hand side of the equation are measured:



                • P1 = absolute pressure before refrigerant removal

                • T1 = absolute temperature before refrigerant removal

                • P2 = absolute pressure after refrigerant removal

                • T2 = absolute temperature after refrigerant removal

                • ∆m = mass of refrigerant removed

                What's cool about this equation is that it doesn't make any assumptions about the type of refrigerant or system volume.




                Procedure



                Equipment Needed



                • Mass scale/luggage scale

                • A/C refrigerant mainfold pressure gauge + hoses

                • Laser thermometer

                • Empty refrigerant bottle

                Steps



                All measurements are to be done with the A/C off (compressor disengaged). The idea is to have the system at pressure equilibrium as much as possible.




                1. Pre-check

                  Make sure that the empty bottle is sufficiently empty. Since the system is going to be passively discharged into the bottle, you need to ensure that a sufficient pressure differential exists between system and bottle.


                2. Measure P1

                  Use the high-side pressure gauge to measure the equilibrium system pressure. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


                3. Measure T1

                  Measure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature.


                4. Attach empty bottle

                  With both gauge valves shut, connect the empty bottle to the manifold pressure gauge's recharge port. DO NOT ADD REFRIGERANT just yet.


                5. Measure mA - initial bottle mass

                  Determine the mass of the empty bottle with hose. The average of several readings may be necessary to account for measurement uncertainties. This is mA.


                6. Remove some refrigerant

                  Open one of the valves (high-side will be more convenient) to transfer some refrigerant from the A/C system to the bottle. There will be a limit to the amount of refrigerant that can be transferred.


                7. Measure mB - final bottle mass

                  Remeasure the mass of the empty bottle (with hose) again. Again, the average of several readings may be necessary to account for uncertainties. This is mB.


                8. Calculate ∆m
                  ∆m = mB - mA


                9. Measure P2

                  Remeasure the equilibrium pressure of the system using the high-side gauge. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


                10. Measure T2

                  Remeasure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature; this is T2.


                11. Calculate m1

                  All the necessary measurements will have been collected by this point.


                Caveats & Limitations



                • Remember that the formula above estimates the mass of refrigerant before extracting refrigerant, so m1-∆m worth of refrigerant is left in the system

                • All pressures and temperatures need to be in absolute units for the calculation to work correctly.

                • Results are only going to be as good as the accuracy and resolution of the measurement devices. This is especially true of the mass balance; I found it useful to have a resolution of ±0.005 kg.

                • For vehicles with independent front and rear A/C lines and evaporators, be aware that you may be measuring the mass of just part of the system.

                • Use the high-pressure gauge for measuring system pressure. The low-pressure gauge will not have sufficient range to measure the equilibrium pressure of a properly charged system.

                • It is true that T1 and T2 are not actual measurements of the gas, but port temperatures approximate them well enough.

                • If the A/C system needs replenishing at the end of the procedure, it is better to use a separate refrigerant source to top up the system to avoid the risk of contamination from whatever might be inside the empty bottle.





                share|improve this answer












                TL;DR



                Surprisingly yes, it is possible.



                For the price of a small fraction of refrigerant it is possible to know how much total refrigerant is inside the A/C system with a few choice measurements.



                What's more, it doesn't require equipment that's out of an automotive DIY-er's reach.




                Theory



                Idealspeak



                The Ideal Gas Law can be cajoled into returning the mass of an ideal gas:




                m = PVM / RT


                where,

                m = mass of refrigerant

                P = refrigerant pressure

                V = A/C system volume (constant)

                M = molecular weight of refrigerant (constant)

                R = universal gas constant (constant)

                T = refrigerant temperature




                Both P and T can be measured with a gauge and thermometer respectively. Likewise M and R are known values that do not change.



                The thing that prevents us from using this equation directly is the unknown volume of the A/C system, V, a quantity which is practically impossible to measure. In mathematical terms, there are two unknowns and one equation; the system is under-determined.



                Determination pays off



                Adding a second equation will allow both unknowns, m and V, to be determined.



                The second equation can be obtained by removing a known amount of refrigerant (Δm) and measuring new values for P and T.



                The initial mass of the system, m1, is given by the following equation:



                m1 = P1 * ( T2 / T1 ) * Δm / ( P2 - P1 )


                All quantities on the right-hand side of the equation are measured:



                • P1 = absolute pressure before refrigerant removal

                • T1 = absolute temperature before refrigerant removal

                • P2 = absolute pressure after refrigerant removal

                • T2 = absolute temperature after refrigerant removal

                • ∆m = mass of refrigerant removed

                What's cool about this equation is that it doesn't make any assumptions about the type of refrigerant or system volume.




                Procedure



                Equipment Needed



                • Mass scale/luggage scale

                • A/C refrigerant mainfold pressure gauge + hoses

                • Laser thermometer

                • Empty refrigerant bottle

                Steps



                All measurements are to be done with the A/C off (compressor disengaged). The idea is to have the system at pressure equilibrium as much as possible.




                1. Pre-check

                  Make sure that the empty bottle is sufficiently empty. Since the system is going to be passively discharged into the bottle, you need to ensure that a sufficient pressure differential exists between system and bottle.


                2. Measure P1

                  Use the high-side pressure gauge to measure the equilibrium system pressure. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


                3. Measure T1

                  Measure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature.


                4. Attach empty bottle

                  With both gauge valves shut, connect the empty bottle to the manifold pressure gauge's recharge port. DO NOT ADD REFRIGERANT just yet.


                5. Measure mA - initial bottle mass

                  Determine the mass of the empty bottle with hose. The average of several readings may be necessary to account for measurement uncertainties. This is mA.


                6. Remove some refrigerant

                  Open one of the valves (high-side will be more convenient) to transfer some refrigerant from the A/C system to the bottle. There will be a limit to the amount of refrigerant that can be transferred.


                7. Measure mB - final bottle mass

                  Remeasure the mass of the empty bottle (with hose) again. Again, the average of several readings may be necessary to account for uncertainties. This is mB.


                8. Calculate ∆m
                  ∆m = mB - mA


                9. Measure P2

                  Remeasure the equilibrium pressure of the system using the high-side gauge. Convert gauge to absolute pressure.


                10. Measure T2

                  Remeasure the temperature of the high-side port with the laser thermometer. Convert to absolute temperature; this is T2.


                11. Calculate m1

                  All the necessary measurements will have been collected by this point.


                Caveats & Limitations



                • Remember that the formula above estimates the mass of refrigerant before extracting refrigerant, so m1-∆m worth of refrigerant is left in the system

                • All pressures and temperatures need to be in absolute units for the calculation to work correctly.

                • Results are only going to be as good as the accuracy and resolution of the measurement devices. This is especially true of the mass balance; I found it useful to have a resolution of ±0.005 kg.

                • For vehicles with independent front and rear A/C lines and evaporators, be aware that you may be measuring the mass of just part of the system.

                • Use the high-pressure gauge for measuring system pressure. The low-pressure gauge will not have sufficient range to measure the equilibrium pressure of a properly charged system.

                • It is true that T1 and T2 are not actual measurements of the gas, but port temperatures approximate them well enough.

                • If the A/C system needs replenishing at the end of the procedure, it is better to use a separate refrigerant source to top up the system to avoid the risk of contamination from whatever might be inside the empty bottle.






                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 1 hour ago









                Zaid

                31.8k2594228




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