How to Charge a Water-Cooled Condenser on A/C

Turn off your air conditioning system using the central A/C box inside your home. Locate the air conditioning pump outside your home.

Inspect the pipes connected to the A/C pump. Distinguish the liquid line from the suction line. The liquid line attaches the condenser and the evaporator. Identify the liquid line as the smaller refrigerant line located near the top of the pump. The suction line attaches the evaporator and the compressor. Identify the suction line as the larger refrigerant line located near the bottom of the pump.

Locate the A/C service valves on the refrigerant lines. The high-pressure service valve is mounted to the liquid line. The low-pressure service valve is mounted to the suction line.

Attach the red hose of the manifold gauges to the high-pressure service valve. Attach the blue hose of the manifold gauges to the low-pressure service valve. Attach the yellow hose of the manifold gauges to the can of refrigerant. Check the valves on the manifold gauges to ensure they are all closed.

Open the valve on the yellow hose of the manifold gauges. Open the valve on the blue hose of the manifold gauges, which controls the low-pressure service valve. Allow the refrigerant to charge your condenser.

Monitor the pressure gauge on the blue hose of the manifold gauges. Close the valve on the blue hose of the manifold gauges when your system reaches its recommended low-pressure range. The recommended low-pressure range for your system may vary from 10 to 50 psi. Check the owner’s manual for an exact range.

Close the valve on the yellow hose of the manifold gauges. Disconnect the manifold gauges from the service valves on your air conditioning system. Store the remainder of the refrigerant in a safe place for reuse.