HVAC Refill Procedure and replacement Condenser

[spicywith]

Working on getting #803 into shape. I have finally sourced a replacement HVAC condenser (if anyone needs one, will be posting pictures of the newly fabricated one).

No SC nearby so need to take it to a regular HVAC shop. I haven't found a comprehensive guide here for the procedure to replace the condenser and refill the HVAC system, so maybe starting a guide would be helpful.

From Conrad over at Mars Orbiter I got:

The HVAC of the roadster works on 400 volts. The controller for it is that box with two bigger orange plugs/cables to the left and a squarish plus a round plug on the opposite side. You have 400 volts (!) there. To dismount anything please inhibit the vehicles APS through the VDS screen (taper a few times on an empty spot until you reach the 10-dial, then type 1050 and enter - you‘ll reach a menu which offers you a field called CONTROLS, enter that, than on top left INHIBIT APS - that‘s the one. Before you do that, open the boot-lid and driver‘s window - those won‘t work without APS. After systems are down, you have to pull the service-disconnect, which you find through the boot on the very left side of the ESS, an orange thing, difficult to reach (read forums/YT tutorials please !). After that is done, the vehicle is safe to work on.
To restart after works: put service-disconnect back in position, clip lever down, wait a few minutes until the car wakes up, then open/close the charge port a few times quickly until the batterie‘s pump is running again (sometimes even the doors pop open then) and everything is back to normal.

Any other method is highly dangerous…

When I saw him open a PEM he also disconnected the 12v battery fuse, I believe. I don't remember where that is. Can anyone point it out?

Reading the service manual, it seems like there are several additional steps:

Roadster Service Manual | Tesla

Correction code 18033305

service.tesla.com

4. Activate the HVAC service mode.

Roadster 2.x

1. Turn the starter key to the OFF position.
2. Simultaneously hold down both air conditioning and recirculation buttons.
3. Turn the starter key to the ACC position while holding the buttons down. After 5-10 seconds, the heater light turns on.
4. Release both the air conditioning and recirculation buttons. The heater light, air conditioning button light, and recirculation button light flash rapidly to indicate that the vehicle is in Service mode.
5. Use the recirculation button to turn the battery solenoid on or off.
6. Use the air conditioning button to turn the cabin solenoid on or off.
7. Use the cabin fan dial to turn the coolant pump on or off.

6. Due to the position of the receiver drier, it is necessary to use a heated air supply to warm the canister and prevent it from internally freezing up during the recovery and recharging process.

Is there no standard amount of oil used to fill the system? Reading this:
"The system is then charged with the required weight of refrigerant and new oil equal in volume to the oil recovered."

From reading the service manual on service.tesla.com I’ve gathered the 2.0 cars use POE oil and R134a refrigerant. Are there any other specs I should know?

What am I missing?

 

[ML Auto]

You dont need to do anything with the high voltage system for just the condensor replacement, it doesnt require you to disconnect anything related to that.

The A/C service mode is used to operate the battery cooing solenoid which opens the rear circuit so you can evacuate and charge the system.

The drier will only ice up during evacuation (probably not), but I would guess your system is already empyty since you need a condensor.

Most of the oil is stored in the compressor, just a small amount coats the inside surface of the rest of the system. Normally you drain the condensor and see how much oil comes out, but it depends why you are replacing it. A small leak won't have much oil loss, but a collision rupture will result in much more. Most of the time all that comes out is a few drops. I would add 1/2 oz oil for a leaking unit and 1 oz for a rupture (plus what is drained out). POE oil is correct. Regular 134a PAG oil will attack the insulation on the compressor windings and short it out.

Since your new condensor is probably a different size then the OEM one, just use the sight glass on the drier to determine when the system is full. When the bubbles are all gone it is full.