How to Read an Automotive Air Conditioning Pressure Gauge?
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Method for reading an automotive air conditioning pressure gauge: The pressure gauge has two dials, one blue and one red. The blue dial indicates low pressure, while the red one shows high pressure. Under normal operating conditions of the air conditioning system, the low pressure should range between 1.0 to 2.5 bar, and the high pressure should be between 15 to 18 bar. If the low pressure is higher or lower than this range, it indicates abnormal regulation of the expansion valve or issues with the compressor's performance. When the engine throttle is increased, the low pressure should drop significantly with the engine's RPM—the faster the RPM, the quicker the pressure drops. The high pressure should also rise noticeably, indicating good compressor performance. Conversely, if this does not occur, it suggests poor compression performance of the compressor.