Any mechanics in the house???

It should be cold right out of the box.

 

Did you install it yourself? If so, did you vacuum it down before filling the system?

 

I do ac work whats the problem?

 

The compressor shouldn't have anything to do with how cold the air is coming out of the vents. like said before did you install it yourself or did you have it done professionally? A compressor is basically just a pump that moves the freon through the system. If you had it done i the past few hours it could be it just hasn't had time to cool the house down everything in your home holds heat and will take a few hours if not over night to get everything cooled off. If it's been over 24 hrs id say its probably a problem with the charge. Also make sure all your filters and coils are clean. If you walk outside and look at the unit it should have hot air coming off the top fan and the big copper line should be beer can cold if not its probably the charge like i said b4.

 

I was under the impression we were talking about a car. I am guessing this because he asked for a mechanic.

 

Oh sorry its basically all the same just a smaller system. And there are lots of ac guys and companys that call them selves mechanics.

 

Put a thermometer in the center vent turn your a/c on high. Drive down the road so you will have adequate air flow over the condenser. The temp should be around 38 to 40 degrees at the center vent. If it's warmer than 40 it won't keep up with the heat. If it's not cold enough it's probably a low charge. Two causes for low charge 1. it wasn't charged properly in the first place 2. it's leaking.

 

Did you pull a vacuum on the system before "charging" it?

 

That's what i was thinking too its probably air in the lines. At least purge the system with refrigerant.

 

pulling a vacuum serves two purposes. one, it any moisture from the system. moisture in the system is not compatible with the freon and will cause premature failure or poor performance in the system. second, it will help determine if the system is sealed and not leaking. if it can't hold a vacuum, then it probably won't hold pressure.

i usually would pull a vacuum on smaller systems for at least 30-45 minutes and 45-60 on larger systems. i also would let them sit under vacuum at least 15-30 minutes to see if it would hold without leaking. my rule of thumb has always been if the system has been opened, it needs to have a vacuum pulled. also i use the vacuum to pull oil into the system.

another compressor failure could occur if the compressor is not filled with oil before turning it on. most new and rebuilt compressors are not filled with oil when the are shipped to the parts stores.

 

You probably just need some ball bearings and a left-handed-metric-crescent wrench and you will be all set....

 

What freon did you use? A 96 should of had R-12 in it for do it yourself bout all u can get is r-134 you should use a conversion oil or 134 with conversion oil in it or you might loose your pump.

 

most of the vehicle manufacturers had changed over from R-12 to R134A by 1992 and 1993. so a 1996 should have already been charged with R134A from the factory.

 

If you did not evacuate, the system is going to give you trouble. Any moisture will eventually freeze at the orifice tube/expansion valve. What Axxe said is what should be done. If it is an r 12 system and you put 134a in it, it won't stay charged 134a will pass through r 12 hoses. Second the oil used in r 12 systems is not compatible with 134a. Also R12 systems and moisture make acid that will corrode your system. Any time a system is opened for repairs you should also replace the receiver dryer.

 

what RJD is saying is pretty much on point and is good advice. the refridgerant used is not important, but that everything is compatible. AC work is very specialized and not really something the home mechanic or DIY is capable of doing because of the equipment required to do it properly. without the proper training and equipment, getting it to work correctly is pure luck. doing AC work on vehicles is hard even when you have the training, experiance and the proper equipment.