Install rocker switch for AC compressor clutch

[daisyrocky]

Hi everyone. This what happen on my 97 Eddie Bauer Explorer with EATC. AC went out 2 weeks ago. Picked up new compressor, new accumulator, new orifice tube and new condenser and 6 cans of R134A. After whole day of installing and flushing vacuuming the line dried and charging up the unit with 3 cans. Nothing. Warm air and AC clutch not engaging. Went out and brought new low and high side pressure switch, still the same. After 2 days of fooling with it. Slam hood and park the thing, this morning I rig up a rocker switch and connect it with a 4 pole relay and a 20 amp fuse hooked straight to the new compressor and voila ice cold air! Let the truck running for 30 minutes on driveway under hot sun, she is ice cold and nothing burn up. Hope this help others with same AC problems I had and will take advices if I am doing this right?
ps: did checked all fuses and relays in and out of truck. Nothing blown

 

[J_C]

I would trace the compressor clutch power lead back to the console head unit and see if it's outputting the signal when it should turn turn the compressor on. I don't know the specifics on a '95 but suspect that the head unit energizes the under-hood junction box A/C relay coil.

You might also check that relay itself. Again I don't know about a '95 but you might have identical wiper relay(s) right next to it that could be swapped with it to see if the relay is at fault. I know you wrote that you checked them, but there has to be something traceable about why it won't work in the stock configuration.

 

[koda2000]

This can happen when the EATC's circuit board breaks a solder joint. There are other things that can cause the compressor to not run, but the EATC circuit board failure is fairly common.

Running the compressor off a toggle switch is not a good work around, as the compressor needs to cycle on/off or the system will freeze up and possibly even blow the high pressure line.