Ac recharge w DIY cans doesn't tell you this TXV Expansion valve basics

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Welcome back viewers. This is a little advanced air-conditioning stuff.

[00:00:04]If you don't have a set of gauges and you're doing AC work DIY and you really don't know what you're doing, you may be just thinking you're going to put some gas in it and you're like, "Oh wow, it's full or it's not taking any or compressor's not coming on." There's so many pieces to doing automotive or home AC. And while I'm doing one right now, this is a Dodge Ram, I wanted to show you that what you don't get with these charge it cans that you get at the store is this. You don't have two gauges telling you what the expansion valve or the TXV valve or the orifice tube is doing. So, in this vehicle here, when I originally checked it, it was equalized and then now that I'm charging it, you can see that it's equalized again. What does that mean?

[00:00:43]These two needles are going to basically re- have the same readings. The high end approach the high and low pressure side will equalize telling you that the TXV valve is working or the expansion valve is working. What the charge it cans don't show you.

[00:01:00]Compressor on, the fans are working, the AC system from your your goopy little can says that the system is good and in the green and you still don't have cold air. There's so many things that could be wrong. And one thing to do is check to see if the TXV or expansion valve or the orifice tube is actually working properly. But you're going to need a set of gauges for that. I hope that this helps somebody. Thanks for watching.