I am so close to having AC in my Camaro. I have a question before I solder the the connectors that go on the AC compressor.

Is there polarity to the clutch?
For the life of me I can not find anything when I search, nor do the diagrams tell me which pin is ground, and which pin power flows to from the hi pressure switch.

Will this matter?

Thank you!

 

No; just a coil of wire, non-polarized.

 

Hey gents ,

Not looking to be contrary or play expert here , but in a quick peek at the schematic over at Austin third gen , I see there is a diode connected across the compressor clutch's coil . Now , I don't happen to know the actual physical location of where that diode is , I think I recall seeing it on the connector that plugs into the clutch , but don't quote me on the actual physical location . What I am sure of is that with the electrical location of this diode in parallel with the coil , polarity will matter , as the diode will be destroyed if hooked up electrically "backwards" with regards to it's positive and negative sides .

 

The diode is actually part of the connector that plugs onto it.

You're right, if it was part of the coil and the coil then got hooked up backwards, the diode's magic smoke would surely get out.

 

Thanks Sofa, I did not know if the electron flow would matter.

I'll be be sure to not let the smoke out. They taught us in school how to recharged the smoke in the system. Boy, was that difficult.

BTW I've seen your posts as I've creeped around here. Funny, yet informative.

 

OrangeBird- I wonder how many times that has happened to someone?
It's been a bit of a chore fixing the hacked apart harness the PO left.

 

Your right , the wires on these cars seem to be a magnet for folks with wirecutters that really shouldn't have them in the first place .

Anyway , I looked again at our wiring diagram and I wonder , are you using an original GM connector to connect to the compressor clutch's terminals ? If so , it should have a black wire on one side and a solid dark green (or dark green with white tracer) wire on the other side , the black will be ground and the green will be the +12V that engages the clutch . Since Sofa said the diode is part of that connector , being hooked up that way will keep the diode , if present , from being damaged .

 

Zackly:

The black wire usually goes to the high-pressure cutoff switch mounted in the back of the compressor, if it has that; or to one of the compressor mounting screws, if not.

The diode goes with the band end (cathode) on the green wire and the other end (anode) to the black. All its function is, is a surge suppressor, to protect the contacts that send power to the compressor. It suppresses the spike the coil generates when the power to it is switched off. It's just a common ordinary 1N4005 or the like. The factory usually wrapped it in that shiny black fibrous electrical tape they used everywhere.

 

Unfortunately I am not using the original connector. It has long since been parted from the car- before I had it.
I am running the serpentine belts and accessories- so I just bought one of the newer style plugs for the 90-92(?) cars. It does not have a diode- and since the original system had one I will just add one to it.


This is probably a dumb question- I did not think to ground out the circuit to a mounting bolt- I wired it back through the harness to the common ground.

I can't see that being an issue, but an ounce of prevention ...