CPS FX134a Series - Theory of Operation for FX Series; Recovery Operation; Vacuum Operation; Charge Operation

THEORY OF OPERATION
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FX Series Refrigerant Management Centers feature a touch screen Graphical User Interface (GUI) that makes operations intuitive. In this sec-
tion, we will cover each operation’s objective. The screen provides the specific information and directions during operation, so the descrip-
tions below are limited to operation theory.
Recovery
Select “Recovery” if you want to recover and recycle refrigerant currently in the vehicle prior to opening the system for repair.
The recovery process creates a vacuum on the vehicle system, pulling the refrigerant into a distillation chamber. The chamber has a coil
inside that is heated by compressor outlet gas. This process “distills” the refrigerant (turns it to gas) and separates liquids and debris from
the refrigerant. The refrigerant passes through a coalescing filter and compressor and is condensed into a liquid before coming to rest in the
internal storage tank.
The process ends when the machine detects that the system is void of refrigerant. The machine will display the amount recovered through-
out the process and at the end. The ending amount may be printed by pressing the icon visible on the Home screen after recovery is
completed.
Vacuum
Select “Vacuum” if the vehicle system is void of refrigerant and is ready to be recharged. Vacuuming the vehicle utilizes the FX Series’ 6 CFM
vacuum pump to pull air and boil moisture from the AC system. A specific vacuum time may be selected by entering the time (in minutes)
on the displayed key pad. If a vacuum time of 10 minutes or greater is selected, vacuuming will be followed by a 2 minute leak test (vacuum
decay test).
If pressure equal to or greater than 5 psi is observed, the vacuum pump will not start and you will be advised to perform the recovery func-
tion prior to attempting vacuuming. Results may be printed by pressing the icon on the Home Screen.
Charge
Select “Charge” to refill the vehicle system to its designed capacity. Enter the desired charge amount using the displayed keypad. Units other
than that selected at start-up may be selected using the “units” key. If the required charge amount is not visible on the vehicle or if the J639
tag is missing from the vehicle, the FX series offers a database feature that allows the user to look up the correct charge for most vehicles
sold in North America since 1994. Press the key to access this feature.
The FX134a will charge in the liquid phase through the filter/dryer into the hoses until the desired charge amount is reached. The unit will
then ask if you want to enter the Car Health mode. Do so if you want to check/print system pressures and vent temperature. If you choose
no to Car Health, the machine will guide you through the process to move the refrigerant contained in the hoses into the vehicle’s AC system.
The FX134A is equipped with a heat blanket but if it cannot complete the charge due to pressure equalization, it will notify the user to close
the high side coupler and start the vehicle. This process will quickly complete the charge sequence. Results may be printed by pressing the
icon on the Home Screen.