A/C Clutch Fuse Keeps Blowing
 

Hey All!

I have searched the forms and was not able to find anything specific on this issue.

My A/C Clutch fuse keeps blowing after a couple of minutes of running the a/c system. The clutch engages..and I can see the refrigerant running through the sight glass. Normally, I usually hear the compressor cycling on and off at this point but it does not not. Any idea what can be causing the the a/c clutch fuse to blow?

Let me know =)

forgot to mention, my car is a 1992 Honda Accord LX. :D

Maybe some kinda short....have you had any previous work done on the a/c system recently?

I recently had it filled with r12 freon....it was working fine...then noticed that it was cooling as much anymore. Would hear the compressor cycle on and off but not long enough to cool. I know there is a leak at the schrader valve core. (UV Dye in the system indicated this) The freon is not low however. Can the ac clutch wire become frayed or worn down over time? The compressor is the original from the factory. The thing is that even if i replace the fuse, the compressor cluth will engage and the compressor runs....I can see refrigerant running through the sight glass, but it barely gets cold now. 2 problems obviously. What do you think?

I had the exact same problem in my 93 DX. It happened one summer when I started using the A/C again after the winter. I replaced two or three fuses with the fuse blowing after a few minutes. I traced all the wiring back from the fuse box to the compressor, cleaning any contacts with electrical contact cleaner. I hooked up a multimeter to the ac clutch fuse bay and monitored it to see when it would come down. It was after cleaning the relays and contacts that plug into on the drivers side of the engine bay that I noticed it drop. They're near the power steering fluid resevoir covered with some sort of plastic or something, probably to protect them. One of them must be responsible for the ac clutch because after I unplugged all of them, cleaned the contacts and put them back, the meter dropped and the next fuse I put in never blew. I'm not sure what I did but it fixed the problem.

As for the lack of cooling, make sure the system is at the appropriate pressure. Most people think if they just add a ton of coolent that they're good to go, but if the pressure is too high (too much refrigirant) the compressor will kick off too soon after it engages to prevent damage. You can can get an AC pressure gauge at an auto parts store, similar to a tire pressure gauge but with an attachment that fits the low pressure line on your AC that will give you the pressure of the system. A hayes manual or helms will give you the appropriate PSI for the system, I believe it's in the range of 25-40PSI. Too high is just as bad as too low. If you've got a leak, I'd get it fixed. If not for the hassle, for the environment. That R-12 crap is no good. Get it fixed, flushed and retrofitted with R-134. It will cost a few hundred bucks but I think it'd be worth it.

I don't know if you've had a similar problem, but my 93's fan was always really weak. While the A/C was ice cold, it didn't blow very well. I don't know if I needed a new fan or what.

Good luck!

dood..thanks for that info....i'll check out the contacts and do some cleaning....and check those two relays on the side by the power steering tank....i'll post again and let you know how it worked out.

I forgot to mention about your fan issue....you should try popping it open. It will require removal of your glove box, and check to see if the blower is clogged it. Lots of lint and other debris usually find its way in there...especially the evaporator area. Lots of leaves, twigs and stuff. Really helps once clean. Use a disinfectant to get rid of the musty smells if you have that issue. Hope that helps!:)

use a multimeter or amp meter put it in series with the compressor clutch check current draw if it's more then the rated fuse you know the problem .

sweet thanks. I will pickup a multimeter today to test it out.

Yeah, I should have done that. I sold the car about a year ago.