Optimal freon pressure in the air conditioner

Pressure plays a key role in the entire air conditioning system. With the right pressure, freon will circulate in the pipeline at the optimal speed, which means that the entire system will work for a long time and will not fail in the near future. In this article, we will explain in detail how to check the pressure in your air conditioning system and what pressure should be in the air conditioners.

General information

One of the most important components of any air conditioner is freon, which is also a refrigerating agent or simply a refrigerant. There are dozens of varieties of freon on the market, but only two of them are often used in household air conditioners: R410A and R22.

If there is not enough freon in the air conditioning system, the air conditioner may fail. The same thing happens when the amount of refrigerating agent in the air conditioning system is exceeded.

To determine the amount of refrigerant and generally adjust the operation of the device, it is necessary to measure the freon pressure in the air conditioners. Next, we will explain how this can be done. Please note that 100% accurate measurement is almost impossible, because this indicator is influenced by many factors. But you can find out the approximate figures.

Pressure check

Before checking the gas pressure in the air conditioner, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors that may affect the performance:

• The pressure at the transition of freon from the liquid state to the gaseous state, and vice versa;

• Length of highways;

• Pressure on sections of the highway where there are elevation differences;

• Open windows and doors.

Due to these and some other specific features, it is quite difficult to measure the exact pressure of the refrigerating agent. But this can be done approximately by using a pressure gauge.

The pressure gauge is connected to the fans located on the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. Then the device turns on, the «cooling» mode is set. After a short wait (10-15 minutes), open the valves and check the pressure gauge. No need to measure the pressure in the air conditioning systems when the machine is turned off, so you will not get the real picture.

Optimal pressure

Thanks to the accumulated experience, the specialists were able to calculate the approximate pressure value at which most air conditioners will operate normally.

For freon grade R410A:

• 6.4 Bar at an outdoor temperature of +25-28 degrees;

• 5 Bar at a temperature outside of +13-15 degrees.

For R22 freon:

• 4.3 Bar at an outdoor temperature of +25-28 degrees;

• 3.3 Bar at a temperature outside of +13-15 degrees.

These are general recommendations. They may suit your air conditioner if it is already running stably and has no low pressure problems. If the pressure indicators of your air conditioner differ from the recommended ones, then the situation can be corrected by refueling freon or short bleed.

Conclusion

Now you know what pressure in air conditioners is considered optimal. Of course, we have only given general recommendations, since the exact figure depends on a large number of factors. It is important to take them into account when selecting the working pressure to avoid breakdowns and malfunctions.