The Evolution of Automotive Air Conditioning

The 1940 Packard was the first automobile in the U.S that was offered with Factory Installed Air Conditioning. By the late 60's more than half of all cars sold in the U.S. came equipped with A/C and today nearly 100% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. have A/C. 

From the beginning, automotive air conditioning has relied on a change of state, of the refrigerant, from a liquid to a gas. As the cold gas refrigerant moves through the the evaporator, located behind the dash, warm air from the passenger compartment is blown over the condenser. The cold refrigerant absorbs the heat and moves it out of the passenger compartment. The heat is then released into the atmosphere at the condenser, located in front of the radiator. The type of refrigerant may change... but the basic principle stays the same. 

The real evolution of the automotive A/C system involves the control systems. Initially electronic pressure switches were used to prevent icing by shutting the compressor off when the pressure on the low side fell below a threshold. This prevented icing and resulted in a more consistent A/C vent temperature. Over time  pressure switches were added to the high pressure side of the system.

In modern cars and light trucks, a computer monitors the pressures and can turn off the compressor if a problem is found. Computerized dash controls now control the temperature inside the passenger compartment by controlling the vent and temperature functions of the system.

At Kool Kar Auto Repair, we work hard to stay on top of the evolution of your vehicles air conditioning system. You can count on us to service the system according to the manufacturers specifications. Our Customers give us a thumbs up on quality, service, and price...every time.