As everyone knows, if a car does not have a complete set, then it is very problematic to install it there, and often it is not possible at all for technical reasons. However, every year the heat forces people to develop their ingenuity.

There is one way to "condition" your car, which, despite all the complexity, attracts more and more experimenters. This refers to a thermoelectric cooler based on Peltier elements. The most important advantage of such cooling using the thermoelectric effect is the minimum number of moving parts and the absence of a complex and expensive compressor.

Such a car does not require freon, does not need a lot of pipes and radiators, which must be sealed. For operation, it will be enough to supply 12 volts to a very thin plate and remove heat on one side by blowing a fan, and on the opposite side get cold, even with the formation of frost or ice.

Creation of a thermoelectric air conditioner

For example, consider the operation of a conventional Chinese-made automobile refrigerator powered by a cigarette lighter. The refrigerator itself consists of two parts - a cover with a thermoelectric cooling system and an insulating box.

The lid contains a 65-watt Peltier element plate, to which a 12-volt wire from a conventional car cigarette lighter is connected. Fans blow on each radiator, causing the air to mix, creating a cold breeze inside the drawer.

Based on this simple design, you can easily make "air conditioning". The most curious idea for creating from a cigarette lighter is to make a Peltier module panel and insert it into the glass of the rear door of a car.

The glass is lowered, and a model with thermoelectric modules is installed in its place, then it rises to fix the received one. The main advantage of this simple system is that the separation of the cold and warm sides is very easy.

From the inside, cold streams are removed by additional fans, and from the outside - by the air flow from the movement of the car. In traffic jams, naturally, the heat dissipation will deteriorate, for which cold air will be clearly felt at speed. To do this, you need to connect the module to the 12 volt on-board network, or to the cigarette lighter.

Cars at the present stage are crammed with a variety of electronic devices, but nevertheless budgetary ones are still being created, which, of course, have the potential for further improvement.

If you own such a cheap car, it contains only the essentials for movement in the form of wheels, engine and body. It is quite possible that you are missing the smallest thing - the comfortable climate provided by air conditioning in more expensive models. This is especially felt when the heat outside the window. That's when the question arises: is it possible to improve a personal car and install an air conditioner in the car with your own hands? Naturally, it is necessary to first select the necessary equipment, deciding how it will be installed. Installing an air conditioner in a car on your own (the cost of such services from specialized firms is quite high) is difficult, but still possible.

The choice of air conditioning equipment in the car

In order to avoid mistakes, the choice of a system for creating climatic comfort must begin with an analysis of the instructions for the car - it contains all the information about the possibility of installing additional equipment in the car. The next step in the operation called "air conditioning in the car" will be a trip to a specialized car dealership. There you need to consult with the sellers and familiarize yourself with the catalogs of car air conditioners.

Because you have to choose the device that is most suitable for your car. It's good if you know a little about the principle of air conditioners.

Variants of climatic devices for cars

There are two main options for air conditioners: with automated and manual (mechanical) control. Air conditioners in a car with auto control are either monozonal (cooling is carried out throughout the entire interior space), and polyzonal (creating an individual climatic background in the front and rear parts of the cabin, or in more modern and improved versions - at each individual passenger seat).

Of course, the installation of a more complex type of air conditioner will force the master to better prepare for installation, but all this knowledge will pay off in terms of guaranteeing and creating climate comfort on further trips.

Manual control will require the simplest control devices: a temperature control knob with two sections (cold and warm), a fan speed switch, a lever for distributing air masses.

The air conditioner automatics consists of sensors, an electronic control unit. Thanks to them, the driver's intervention is limited, it is enough just to set the necessary parameters of the air temperature in the cabin .

To install an air conditioner in a car with your own hands, there is no need to cut or adjust something, since most modern car models are made from the very beginning taking into account the subsequent installation of the air conditioner in the cabin.

Completeness of the car air conditioner

Depending on the selected type of air conditioner, the location of the receiver-drier will be determined. It is often installed in the space between the air conditioning radiator and the air mass control valve.

Difficulties often arise with the installation of control devices on the dashboard due to the lack of landing space on its surface and removable plugs, because the car manufacturer did not envision such an option at all. In this case, it is necessary to prepare the panel ourselves by cutting out the necessary holes in it, which would be suitable for the further installation of control devices for the air conditioner. NB: remember to fill the air conditioner with refrigerant before initial start-up.

Benefits of installing the air conditioner yourself

When the air conditioner is mounted in the car (the price of the device when buying in special stores will depend on the control method, in total it will be in the range of 60,000 to 200,000 rubles), several goals are achieved in a row: the owner gets climatic comfort (especially in the heat), significantly savings finances that could have been spent on expensive services. After putting into operation a self-installed air conditioner, it is not recommended to forget about its maintenance, which consists in cleaning it and subsequent timely charging with refrigerants.

Cleaning the air conditioner in the car

The first step in deciding to self-clean an air conditioner in a car is to familiarize yourself and study the instructions for the climate equipment installed in the car, since there are many models of air conditioners that are still different from each other.

The second step is to clean the heat exchanger-evaporator of the air conditioner. Often, for this purpose, it is necessary to dismantle a certain part of the instrument panel near the glove compartment, because this is the only way to get from the passenger compartment to the evaporator. This option is applicable when it is not possible to penetrate through the engine compartment. In the case when it is practically impossible to clean the filter, it is necessary to replace it with a new one. It is recommended to clean the drainage system as well, but this may complicate the solution of the task.

The third step is drying the heat exchanger, for this the engine is turned on to warm up to full power. It is recommended to place a container under the outlet drainage tube to drain the fluid accumulated in the system.

The fourth step - after 2-3 minutes of operation, the heater must be switched to fifty percent power and the air masses must be directed towards the "legs - face".

The fifth step - the previously prepared "Lizol" (diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 100) or other mixtures is used. It is desirable that the solution has a pleasant aroma (there are similar products on sale). The agent is poured into a hand sprayer, with the help of which the liquid is distributed over the surface of the evaporator. In ten to fifteen minutes, the destruction of pathogenic microbes and fungi will occur.

Sixth step - the engine is turned on again at full power for a thorough drying and cleaning of the evaporator.

Complementary List of Air Conditioner Cleaning Products

It is also allowed to purchase specialized mixtures to clean the air conditioner in the car. Their price can range from 400 to 700 rubles. These products are aerosols. At the moment of spraying, they foam, and the resulting foam is introduced into the space for subsequent cleaning through a certain tube through the deflectors.

After injection, the engine starts, the heater is set to full power, the exposure is fifteen minutes. The waste product is disposed of in a natural way - through the drainage holes.

The most effective cleaning agents for ventilation units and, therefore, popular among motorists are aerosols produced by three brands: Loctite, Liqui Moly, WYNN’s.

Another way to clean the air handling unit

It is also permissible to manually clean the climate system from internal contamination. For this purpose, it is necessary to dismantle a part of the panel to access the structural elements of the air conditioning system. But this method is used when the previously listed measures were ineffective.

Thus, installing a ventilation unit with subsequent self-service, the car owner answers the question that first arises: why is an air conditioner in the car necessary? The answer is banally simple - creating comfortable and favorable conditions for ordinary (if it is a motorist, and a car is a means of transportation) or working driving (if we are talking about driving as a production process - a taxi).

Many car owners are interested in when to refuel the air conditioner in the car. The answer to this question is quite simple: If there is little freon- it's time to refuel the car air conditioner. To save some extra money, you can do it yourself.

But how exactly is the refueling of the air conditioner carried out with your own hands? What tools do you need for this? And what rules should you remember? These issues will be discussed below.

The device and principle of operation of the air conditioner

Air conditioning system in the car consists of three parts- from compressor, capacitor and evaporator(these parts are connected to each other using pipes).

Consider the principle of the air conditioning system.

There is refrigeration freon in the form of gas inside the unit. During operation, the compressor compresses the gas, which leads to an increase in the temperature of the freon mixture. Then the gas enters the condenser, where it cools down and is converted into liquid. Cold freon passes through the pipes and enters the evaporator, where it evaporates - while the freon absorbs the surrounding heat. This leads to a decrease in the temperature in the car and the conversion of the refrigerant into gas. At the end of the cycle, freon enters the condenser again and the process repeats.

When to refuel an air conditioner

Every year, for natural reasons, the amount of freon in the cooling system decreases by 10-20%, therefore it is periodically necessary to refuel the air conditioner. Please note that the power of the device drops significantly already in the case when the loss of freon was 50 percent or more.

Do-it-yourself refueling of a car air conditioner is required in the following cases:

• Violation of the tightness of pipes;
• Mechanical damage to pipes;
• Rusted condenser.

Refueling equipment and tools

To refuel a car air conditioner with your own hands, you will need: a pressure measurement station, an adapter with a tap, two hoses and a freon bottle.

From these components, you need to assemble a device for filling the air conditioning system.

The procedure should be as follows:

1. Take a freon cylinder and screw the adapter with a tap to it (there should be a thread on the top of the cylinder);
2. Connect a hose to the adapter;
3. Attach the hose to the pressure measuring station;
4. Connect another hose with an adapter to the pressure control station on the other side;
5. The filling device is ready. Please note that some stores sell pre-assembled appliances.

Also, in some cases, you may need additional devices - if you are doing vacuuming, then you will need Vacuum pump, if you check the integrity of the pipes by pressure, then in this case you will have to buy safe gas cylinder etc.

Freon selection

To charge the air conditioner, use cooling mixture R134a.

Older installations operated on R12 freon, but in the nineties this mixture was banned due to its negative impact on the environment, and after the ban, the R134a mixture began to be used in air conditioners. To refuel a car air conditioner, it takes about 700-1000 g of the mixture.

Preparing for refueling

First of all, before refueling the air conditioner in the car with your own hands, you need to find and fix leaks, and perform evacuation.

If the leaks are small, you can fix them yourself; in case of large damage, we recommend contacting a car service.

Finding and eliminating leaks

If the freon in the air conditioner has run out due to damage to the pipes, then in this case it is necessary to find and fix the leak. To find a leak, it is recommended to use a special tool called leak detector... If there is no such device, then find the leak as follows:

1. Make a liquid mixture based on oil and freon;
2. Add a special UV dye to the mixture;
3. Refuel and turn on the air conditioner;
4. After 5-10 minutes, take an ultraviolet lamp and shine it on the conditioner - the damaged areas should turn greenish-yellow.

To fix the leak:

1. Take a metal pipe and cover the leak with it;
2. Place 1 clamp on both sides of the pipe;
3. Degrease the place where the clamps are attached (for example, with alcohol);
4. Secure the frequent couplings with electrical tape.
5. Apply glue to the sleeve, place the sleeve on the pipe and tighten the clamps.

Pressure test

After repairing the leaks, it is necessary to check the integrity of the system. To do this, you must fill the air conditioner yourself with a safe gas (for example, nitrogen).

After refueling, it is imperative to measure the pressure - if after 30 minutes the pressure has not changed, then this means that the system is completely sealed. Otherwise, the remaining leaks must be repaired and the test procedure repeated.

Vacuuming the air conditioner

Now you need to execute device evacuation to remove air and moisture droplets from the system. For evacuation, you will need a special vacuum pump, and itself the procedure looks like this:

1. Turn on the heating system and warm up the car (if this is not done, then a lot of moisture will remain in the evaporator);
2. Take a vacuum pump and connect it to the air conditioner - for this, attach the pump pipe to the branch pipe;
3. Turn on the pump for 10-15 minutes. Then close the valve and turn off the pump. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times;
4. Finally, turn off the pump and wait 2-3 hours for the temperature and pressure to return to normal. After that, you can proceed directly to refueling.

Stages of refueling the air conditioner

Let's find out now how to refuel.

Please note that air conditioners differ very little from each other in structure, therefore this scheme is suitable for all models:

1. Find the low pressure line (it looks like a small wide pipe with a narrower pipe underneath) and open the protective cap.
2. Put the hose from the assembled filling device onto the branch pipe.
3. Start the engine (speed should be about 1,300-1,700 rpm). Please note that the engine must be running during the entire refueling procedure, therefore it is recommended to place a solid object under the accelerator pedal.
4. Start air recirculation.
5. Turn the freon bottle upside down. After that, gradually open the main tap and the freon valve (this must be done at the same time). Freon pumping will start.
6. Watch the reading on the pressure gauge. The pressure level in the system must not exceed 275 kPa (otherwise you may damage the compressor).
7. When the hose near the pipe becomes very cold, and cold air appears in the cabin (about 6-10 degrees), then you need to gradually turn off the engine and remove the filling device. The refueling procedure is complete.

Air Conditioning Care

Now you know how to fill the air conditioner in the car with your own hands. In conclusion, let's talk about rules of care:

• Wash the radiator at least once every 3 months, as dirt and dust constantly accumulate on it, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the device.
• In winter, you need to warm up the air conditioner at least once a month. To warm up, you need to drive the car to a warm place and turn on the cooling device for 15-30 minutes.

In case of leaks, contact a service center for repair or repair the pipes yourself.

How to refuel the air conditioner in the car yourself, see the video.

author

For 15 years I have been repairing all kinds of cars, including brands such as Vaz, Uaz, Chevrolet, Mazda, Kia and many others. Everything related to the gearbox, engine or chassis. You can write me your question below in the comments and I will try to answer it in detail.

With the onset of summer comes the heat, which becomes really unbearable on the road. Sitting in a traffic jam for many hours, when literally soars from the asphalt, is a nightmare for any car enthusiast. And if the built-in "air conditioner" is also junk, then it's time to douse yourself with cold water and ice in order to somehow alleviate your condition.

Although a huge number of cigarette lighter gadgets have already been invented for cars, air conditioners for cars remain a mysterious and incomprehensible topic to many. On the market and on the Internet, you can find a bunch of different gadgets, called with a serious word - air conditioning. However, in order to understand if they have something in common with their favorite office oasis, let's figure out how these devices work.

How a car air conditioner works

The air conditioner installed in the car at the manufacturer's factory works on the same principle as office units. That is, it absorbs heat through the evaporator, cooling the interior of the car. In this case, the "exhaust" air is discharged into the environment (outside).

The air conditioner itself is a sealed system filled with freon and compressor oil. The oil reduces friction, partially removes particles released during operation and circulates in the air conditioning system.

Based on this, it becomes obvious that a car air conditioner can only be a unit that can utilize air to the street. And of course such a device cannot cost 3,000 - 5,000 rubles.

The Chinese air conditioner from the cigarette lighter to the car looks and functions more like a regular fan. Such a device does not cool the air, but only passes it in a circle, creating a light breeze. Manufacturers go for tricks and proudly call such products an automobile air conditioner of 12 volts, but in fact, in nature, such units are so far produced only for trucks. These oversized instruments, operating on a voltage of 24 V, cut into the roof of the cab and they cost about 85,000 rubles.

Nevertheless, as the saying goes, "the pain of invention is cunning" and if you really need an analogue as close as possible to the air conditioner, then you can make such a device yourself.

How to make a mini air conditioner for a car with your own hands

You can make something similar to an air conditioner in a car from a cigarette lighter yourself. To do this, you will need:

• a new or old plastic refrigerated container (aka cooler bag);
• the matching stove radiator;
• several fans (you can buy the same as for computer video cards);
• wires;
• pump (you can take an aquarium pump or from a glass washer barrel);
• old cell phone car charger.

The pump must be fixed at the bottom of the cooler bag, and the wires from it must be brought out. On the inside we make a square cutout with a diameter of the prepared radiator, and on the outside we cut out two round holes for the fans.

After that it is necessary:

• Screw on the fans and wire them together.
• Install the radiator on the inner side of the cover by lowering its pipe down. To prevent it from falling off, you can additionally strengthen it with silicone.

Healthy! If there are piano hinges lying around in the garage, they can be used to connect the lid and the body of the container.

• Connect the pump outlet to the radiator inlet on the cover. To keep water out of the way while driving, you can also attach a hose to the radiator outlet.
• Route the wires to the old charger.
• Ready.

This installation does not look the most presentable way, but it copes with its functions. Before connecting the homemade unit to the cigarette lighter, it is necessary to fill the container with ice and fill it with water. As soon as the "air conditioner" turns on, the pump will begin to draw cold water from the container into the radiator, and the fans will blow the resulting cold air through the interior of the car.

The advantages of such a device are its environmental friendliness and low cost. If we talk about efficiency, then a home-made air conditioner can also boast of this. An hour later, when the ice melts, it is enough just to fill in a new portion and the unit will again saturate the hot car with coolness.

In custody

As you can see, unscrupulous Chinese manufacturers only confuse motorists by presenting ordinary fans that are not able to cool the air as full-fledged air conditioners operating from a 12 V network. If you look closely at the control buttons on such gadgets, you will see that there is even close there is no question of cooling. Usually there are only "fan", "off" and "on" buttons. But air conditioners for trucks are not fiction, but real, expensive and difficult to install units.

Comfort and climate in the car interior is important for every car enthusiast. A car air conditioner is an indispensable part of the climate control system in the cabin of a modern vehicle. To ensure the optimum interior temperature, modern cars are equipped with effective climate control systems. Today, the car enthusiast is accustomed to feeling comfort in any weather. In winter, the optimum temperature in the cabin is achieved due to the proper operation of the stove; in summer, the climate in the cabin is controlled by the air conditioner.

Of course, the owner of a fully equipped car is unlikely to have to think about making an air conditioner on his own, but the interior of early car models often requires improvements. You can ensure proper comfort in the hot interior of an old car by making a simple air conditioner with your own hands. The manufacturing technology of the device is quite simple, but very interesting.

How to make a car air conditioner with your own hands?

In order to make an air conditioner, you need enough free time, the necessary tools and materials. To make an air conditioner, we need:

• Sealed container. An old portable refrigerator or other container is desirable.
• Stove radiator. The simplest will do.
• Old car charger.
• Liquid pump.
• 1-2 fans.
• Tubes, wires.

Stages of work.

1. Install a water compressor at the bottom of the tank. As a compressor, you can use an aquarium pump or a device from a car glass washing tank.

2. In the lid of the container we make a hole of the required diameter for installing the fan.

3. On the back of the cover we glue the cabin radiator. For proper fluid circulation, the outlet pipes must point downward.

4. The outlet pipe of the pump is connected to the radiator inlet. To ensure a quieter and more even operation of the radiator, you can connect a drain hose.

Above is an approximate technology for making a climate control device with your own hands, which may be subject to modifications. For example, in order to free up access to the on-board network for other devices, you can connect the power supply of the air conditioner via USB. Thus, you can ensure the operation of the air conditioner and the GPS navigator at the same time.

How does he work?

The container must be filled with ice in order for the pump to direct the flow of cold water to the radiator. During this time, the fans will blow cold air outward, thereby restoring the optimal climate in the vehicle interior.

Given the relatively simple device and the availability of components, every vehicle owner will be able to make an air conditioner with his own hands. In practice, a self-made air conditioner has shown itself to be quite effective and economical. Nevertheless, due to the simplicity of the design, there are several obvious disadvantages: relatively large dimensions and a short production period. After an hour of work in the hot summer season, the ice is melting and it must be renewed in a timely manner. There is no special need to fix the device in the car, since the air conditioner is quite stable and will not be used all year round.

The considered manufacturing technology of the air conditioner can also be used for a 220V home network. In this case, you can make the device more dimensional and productive.

Making an air conditioner yourself can be a useful and interesting experiment.

Good luck with your making!