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There
are several basic components needed to complete an
air conditioning installation Evaporator, Compressor, Compressor
Bracket,
Hose Kit(A/C hose,fittings,crimp ferrules,O-ring and drier with
drier brackets),Condenser and Safety Switch.
The following is a brief description of each of these components.
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The
Evaporator is the unit that mounts inside the vehicle on the firewall.
This component contains a tube and fin coil similar to a radiator
in which liquid refrigerant
and engine coolant travel through. The blower forces air across
the coil, through duct hose and out vents.
An important aspect of evaporators is the coil size.
Since a coil can only process a specific amount of air at any
time,
it is important that the coil size be adequate for the interior
size of the vehicle.
(i.e. larger vehicles require larger coils/evaporators)
Hot Rod Air uses the largest A/C and Heater Pass Coils available
on the market today
for maximum performance.
For
more information visit our A/C
EVAPORATOR area.
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The
Primary Compressor used in Hot Rod Air systems is the Sanden 508
compressor. This small bodied aluminum compressor features five
pistons for smooth operation. The advantage of the 508 is it provides
ample capacity for the majority of performance vehicle applications
but requires very little horsepower to operate. Sanden 505, 510
and 709 series are also used in special applications
depending on condenser size and space available.
Although the 508 is the preferred compressor for Hot Rod Air systems,
ask our sales staff about adapting stock GM and Ford compressors
to your system.
For
more information visit our COMPRESSORS
area.
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Hot
Rod Air has a complete selection of quality brackets for mounting
accessories to number of different engines by various manufacturers.
Whether you prefer the simple functionality of steel or
the high tech show look of billet aluminum, Hot Rod Air, has brackets
not only for compressors but also matching brackets for alternators
as well.
We also offer a universal bracket with which a bracket for
special applications can be fabricated.
For
more information visit our ENGINE BRACKETS
area.
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In
order to maintain the required pressures, an air conditioning
system must implement hoses with crimped fittings. There are three
different sizes of hose used: #8 from the compressor to the
condenser,
#6 from the condenser through the drier to the evaporator and
#10 from the evaporator back to the compressor.
Due to a variety of hose layouts, Hot Rod Air offers universal
hose kits
that allow the builder to make hoses to his own length specifications.
Kits are available with either Barb or Beadlock style fittings.
For more information on hoses and fittings,
see A/C HOSE KITS and our A/C
FITTINGS areas.
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The
drier mounts into the #6 high pressure line between the condenser
and the evaporator. Containing a Desiccant, the drier removes
moisture
to prevent damage to other components in the system as well as
filters out
any loose particles that may be present in the system.
For
more information visit our
DRIERS area.
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Two
conditions are required to condense refrigerant gas into a liquid:
high pressure and the removal of heat.
After the compressor puts the refrigerant gas under pressure,
it enters the condenser where heat is removed and the refrigerant
becomes a liquid.
The condenser needs to be mounted where it can receive ample fresh
air across it. The recommended location for maximum condenser
efficiency is in front of the radiator.
However, it can be mounted remotely if there is
absolutely no room in front of the radiator.
For
more information visit our CONDENSERS
area for more information.
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The
Safety Switch is one of the most important yet most overlooked
portion of the air conditioning system.
The function of the safety switch is to monitor high and low side
pressure and shut down the system if the pressure exceeds
safe or drops below operating limits.
The binary switch simply splices between the compressor clutch
and evaporator thermostat
and taps into the high pressure line.
When pressures exceed safe limits, the switch opens the circuit
to the compressor clutch thus
disengaging the compressor until pressure return to normal.
The trinary switch operates much the same as the binary in that
it shuts down
the compressor when pressures rise.
However, the trinary also controls an electric fan on the radiator
that pulls additional
air across the condenser to bring pressures down.
For
more information visit our
Safety
Switch area.
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