X250 how cold is your air-con?

[SimonM]

I’ve got an ongoing problem with my 2011 X250 Ducato cab aircon.

I‘ve had it checked and regassed but it really doesn’t want to do cold. Hot fine, cool fine, all through each and every vent, and easily switching between feet only, screen only, centre only, combined, every option and with the fan at all speeds.

The compressor switches in and out exactly as expected, and the 2 hoses up in the bulkhead are one hot, one cold as expected.

But it will not do cold in any fan position. Unfortunately I don’t know what to check next, any thoughts?

 

[Compo]

make sure you have it set on recirculation

 

[Buckby]

I do feel that the air con is only designed for the cab and as the motor home is a lot bigger it struggles to get the temperature down as compo says make sure you have re circulate on also try and check the hot water pipes to the heater box to make sure the heating valve is shutting fully when you turn the temperature knob to cold

 

[SimonM]

I do feel that the air con is only designed for the cab and as the motor home is a lot bigger it struggles to get the temperature down as compo says make sure you have re circulate on also try and check the hot water pipes to the heater box to make sure the heating valve is shutting fully when you turn the temperature knob to cold

Thanks, I appreciate the difficulty of cooling the whole of the MH, but I am not even getting cold air out of the vents. I did try having it set on recirculate but to no effect. I will see if I can see if the heater valve closes fully - if I can figure out where it is.

 

[Canalsman]

My 2007 X250 produces very cold air but it does struggle with the air volume in the 'van. Recirculate certainly helps.

When I bought the 'van secondhand there was a problem with the air con. The refrigerant was leaking at one of the connections to the compressor. The fix was to replace the compressor.

 

[Magymay]

I’ve got an ongoing problem with my 2011 X250 Ducato cab aircon.

I‘ve had it checked and regassed but it really doesn’t want to do cold. Hot fine, cool fine, all through each and every vent, and easily switching between feet only, screen only, centre only, combined, every option and with the fan at all speeds.

The compressor switches in and out exactly as expected, and the 2 hoses up in the bulkhead are one hot, one cold as expected.

But it will not do cold in any fan position. Unfortunately I don’t know what to check next, any thoughts?

Something my hubby tells me that gets overlooked with air con systems is the receiver / dryer it gets blocked over time and should be changed, it causes problems with the cooling fans tripping in and out continuously

 

[Buckby]

Thanks, I appreciate the difficulty of cooling the whole of the MH, but I am not even getting cold air out of the vents. I did try having it set on recirculate but to no effect. I will see if I can see if the heater valve closes fully - if I can figure out where it is.

I think you can see them if you remove the lower dashboard on the passenger side

 

[mistericeman]

Going off my previous experiences with boxers/relays work van wise..

We've had issues on several different vans with the motors on the flaps that control air flow with the different modes
I'm not sure IF the air from the evaporator has its own motor/flap....
But the whole thing is frankly poor....
Even had the connector/low speed resistor fail on at least 2 of them.

 

[colinm]

On our 2011 x250 the air con gets cold enough so that one of the girls complained her bare feet where too cold, had to set it so air didn't come into footwell. Very rarely have it set to recirculate.

 

[SimonM]

Nope, there’s definitely a problem somewhere. Another try today and I can see the compressor switch on as it should. The bulkhead hoses, one gets hot, the other gets cold, as they should. The fan works on all speeds. The vents open and close as they should.

something is preventing the ‘cold’ to get to the vents.

question - should the lower fan activate when the aircon is switched to ‘on’ ? Mine is very intermittent and often not at all.

 

[Buckby]

My fan comes on then whilst I am stood still it goes off then comes on again and cycles on and off all the time did you see if the heating pipes going in are hot or did you put the air con on from cold

 

[Buckby]

I am not sure but I think there is a pollen filter in the vent system that could be blocked up I will have a look in my workshop manual

 

[SimonM]

I am not sure but I think there is a pollen filter in the vent system that could be blocked up I will have a look in my workshop manual

No worry with the pollen filter as it’s one I change regularly, and done quite recently.

 

[Buckby]

I don’t know whether this will help it is out of the workshop manual for the X250

 

[mistericeman]

Nope, there’s definitely a problem somewhere. Another try today and I can see the compressor switch on as it should. The bulkhead hoses, one gets hot, the other gets cold, as they should. The fan works on all speeds. The vents open and close as they should.

something is preventing the ‘cold’ to get to the vents.

question - should the lower fan activate when the aircon is switched to ‘on’ ? Mine is very intermittent and often not at all.

They will usually switch on/off as pressure fluctuates in the condenser....

Sounds like the evaporator is getting cool... Just like a relevant control flap isn't opening.

 

[Petes]

I wonder if you have too much refigerant, was the refigerant removed and then purged when it was recharged or was it just topped up?

 

[mistericeman]

I wonder if you have too much refigerant, was the refigerant removed and then purged when it was recharged or was it just topped up?

IF the HP line is warm to the evaporator and cool on the lp line then it's likely the charge isn't far off...
And with the small amount of refrigerant in a automotive AC system By the time you notice it not working (compressor not running Due to LP protection)
There won't be anything in there.
And sounds like condenser fans are running so the condenser is doing its job...

 

[SimonM]

I wonder if you have too much refigerant, was the refigerant removed and then purged when it was recharged or was it just topped up?

No it was proven to be empty and then filled as necessary.

 

[SimonM]

I really need a schematic of the aircon system as I can’t get my head around how the cold gets into the air system to cool it down.
when the fan is turned to 1 or higher that is when the aircon will work. Then the red/orange button is pressed and it lights up, it’s possible to hear the compressor work when its clutch operates, that much is what I can see working.

Is there then, separate from the other heater controls, another flap that directs cold stuff in the airways?

The other difficulty for me right now is it’s f-painful doing much as I’m supposed to be resting since my recent heart bypass operation. But I can’t rest knowing there’s a fault in there somewhere

 

[mistericeman]

I really need a schematic of the aircon system as I can’t get my head around how the cold gets into the air system to cool it down.
when the fan is turned to 1 or higher that is when the aircon will work. Then the red/orange button is pressed and it lights up, it’s possible to hear the compressor work when its clutch operates, that much is what I can see working.

Is there then, separate from the other heater controls, another flap that directs cold stuff in the airways?

The other difficulty for me right now is it’s f-painful doing much as I’m supposed to be resting since my recent heart bypass operation. But I can’t rest knowing there’s a fault in there somewhere

I suspect (but could be wrong as I avoid automotive aircon for a reason lol)

That the evaporator is in its own section with a blend motor control flap (allows you to run the Aircon in winter and allow SOME air to be cycled through the evaporator to remove moisture and ease misting (running the Aircon is advisable anyway as it circulates the fridge oil and prevents the compressor seals drying out and leaking)
Without freezing the occupants....