Frigiking A/C

[George Des]

Tom,

Thanks for the run down on this. The 26A figure was from the SPAL literature, so it will be interesting to see what mine draws once it is hooked in. I would like to replace the rheostat switch I have with the 3 psotion switch. Do you know where your mechanic was able to locate on that would fit. My guess on the condensate tube is that the metal evaporator box on the Kuhlmeister unit may be a little different from the Frigiking unit. It was no problem in moving it since it was simply soldered in. It's all the other things that needed to be done as well--the stripping, mig welding over the old hole and some adjacent rust throughs and the repaint. It's all done now and I simply hahe to mount the blower unit to the back, evacuate the unit in the car, drop the underdash unit, disconnect the hoses to the evaporator and replace the existing box and blower with the new. I will have to pull the existing evaporator coil and put it into the new box. Then everything needs to be hooked back up again, pull a vacuum, a recharge of R134A, and then hopefully a practical, functional a/c system! Thanks again for the info.

George Des

[George Des]

The A/C Unit is now back in my 230SL. What a royal PITA trying to work under that dash and get everything into place though. Pulled a vacuum for a half an hour and then recharged with R134A. I put a very large push fan in front of the car while the car was idling and recharging and the engine temp stayed right on 80 degrees C through the whole recharge. Took the car for a long drive--convertible top down of course--it was over 90 degrees F in D.C. today. The engine temp migrated towards the mark after 80 while stoped at traffic lights and the a/c continued to pump out cool air. As several have commented though, the passenger is the principal beneficiary of this cool air with the Kuhlmeisters and the Frigikings. Once on the highway the engine temp came down so it remained at a little above the 80 mark. My sense is that the system will provide ample cool air with the hartop on and at highway speeds--this is really all I'm looking for from this system. With the top down, I really don't intend to use the a/c that much. The SPAL blower is a big improvement over the stock blower, so those with the KM or FK units I can recommend that the changeover is well worth the $127.00 for the blower.
<Tom S what are your engine temps running in this weather with the a/c on?>

George Des

[Tom]

George,

At highway speed, the car stays at the 180 mark on the temp gauge.  It is slightly less than 1/2 way up.  There are times when I am in prolonged stop and go traffic (mostly stop) when the needle moves above the 180 but well below the redline.

Gernold redirected the air via a vacuum hose to provide a blower right at the steering shaft so that I get a strong flow of air directed at the driver.  This was combined with the SPAL higher RPM blower.  I never need to put the A/C on high-even on hot days.

Best,

Tom

1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
1970 280sl Deep Red (Project Car)

[George Des]

Had the 230SL out today and had my soft-top up because I thought it may rain at some point. This gave me an opportunity to try out my Kuhlmeister/Sanden set up with the new Spal blower. The system works quite well in cooling down the interior of the car. The only real problem I'm having now is that even though the Spal is a 3-speed blower, I'm only getting one speed--high--and I really don't need to have it on high all the time. I'm using the switch that originally came with the Kuhlmeister and hooked in the wiring the same way the original blower hooks in. TR, I remember you said your mechanic installed a new switch. Any idea what he used, where he got it and how it wires into the blower? How is your enhancement project going? Tom Sargent--any idea what Gernold used on yours? The other quirk I need to fix is on the temperature switch. My compressor is not cycling and I either have a faulty switch or the capillary tube is not fully seated in the evaporator coil. It is amazing how much condensation this set up is producing given the extraordinary humidity we have been having here in D.C.

George Des

[TR]

George -- Chk your email.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced