Hey all. So, as a preface, I really don't have a bunch of car experience (I've replaced, you know, an alternator and a window motor before), nor do I really have, I think, any good electrical testing devices. I just wanted to throw something up here to see if there was anything I could do about this problem of mine that might be pretty straightforward. Anyway . . .

2000 Honda Civic EX coupe

My A/C went out yesterday. I thought that my refrigerant was probably low (since I had experienced some intermittant but infrequent events of non-cool air coming from the A/C in the last few weeks) and went by O'Reilly's to pick up a recharge. I got one with a gauge on it - went to check the level before starting the charge, and I couldn't get the cap on the Low pressure side - kept getting blown off after reading high pressure. After letting it sit overnight, I could get the gauge on all the way, and was reading a pressure level in the red (somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 psi).

I left the A/C on for a while and noticed that only one fan was coming on under the hood - the one on the passenger side, which I've gathered is the radiator fan. It would come on intermittantly along with a whirring sound that I'm guessing is the compressor - which I think is an object behind the condenser fan, and kind of low (is this correct?). So, radiator fan would come on with the compressor, but not the condenser fan.

I checked the condenser fan fuse (20 Amp) and it was blown. I bought some new fuses. Those blew, too - but for a minute after they were put in and I started up the A/C, the condenser fan would operate, then go off and not come back on - fuse blown again.

I bought a new condenser fan relay - still blown fuses, and no cold air. I'd appreciate any help if you have some. Thanks!

 

Either the condenser fan or the compressor clutch is drawing too much current and blowing the fuse. They are on the same circuit. Disconnect the compressor wire and try again if the fuse still blows disconnect the fan, and now if it doesn't blow you have a bad fan. If you start jumping other things, is important never to run the compressor without the condenser fan on.

You have enough refrigerant that the compressor and fan should run. Readings on a single gauge are only valid while the compressor and fan are both operating, and even then they are only marginally useful.