Adiabatic expansion - is vaporization of refrigerant, without removing heat from the surrounding space. This happens inside the metering device.

Ambient – The temperature of the air that immediately surrounds something. When an air conditioning repair technician says ambient, he means the temperature of the air entering the condenser coil.

Balanced port – is a type of txv that maintains a steady flow of refrigerant, no matter what happens to the head pressure.

Bubble point – Is that exact temperature at which AC refrigerants begin to boil. The bubble point is what we go off when checking sub cooling. The temperature varies from one gas to the next. Refer to a pt chart for exact temperatures.

Compression Ratio - The ratio from the discharge to the inlet of a compressor inside of an air conditioner. Divide the head pressure by the suction pressure to get the compression ratio.

Condensate – is the PVC line sticking either over the side of the roof or out the side of your wall. It is where the air conditioning unit drips its water.

Condenser – is the air conditioner on your side yard.

Condenser coil – the condenser coil on an air conditioner is a vital part. The condenser coil is the radiator / heat exchanger on the outside of your unit. It receives hot, high-pressure vapor in from the discharge of the compressor. Inside the condenser coil, the air moving across the coil, by the condenser motor, cools the refrigerant. Since the refrigerant has been compressed, it is very hot. Even if the air being drawn across the coil is hot, the refrigerant is hotter. So, heat from the refrigerant gets absorbed into the moving air. There goes the heat from your home. The refrigerant leaves a condenser coil as a high pressure liquid.

Critical charge – Is a type of ac system that works only when charged with the exact amount of refrigerant.

Delta T – The difference from the supply air (air coming out of your vents). And, the air going in at the filter.

Dew Point – The temperature at which refrigerants begin to condense into a liquid. This is used when calculation proper superheat.

Evaporator Coil – is another very important piece in the refrigeration cycle. Opposite of the condenser coil. The evaporator coil absorbs heat from the home. Refrigerant leaving the metering device enters the evaporator coil. As a low pressure, liquid with a small amount of vapor refrigerant starts its way through the evaporator coil. Inside the evaporator refrigerant picks up heat from the air traveling across the coil via the blower motor. Refrigerant picks up heat and eventually begins to boil. As the refrigerant leaves the evaporator, it is a low-pressure vapor, and is safe for the compressor.

Evaporator temperature – The temperature of the refrigerant inside the evaporator tubing.

Discharge gas – The refrigerant coming directly out of the compressor. This is the hottest point in refrigerants journey through a working air conditioner. There should never be a filter drier directly on the discharge line.

King valves – Service ports on the bottom of the ac condenser. This is where we braze the new air conditioner, to the copper lines.

Latent heat – Heat that does not cause a change it temperature, it only vaporizes or condenses refrigerant.

Orifice – A Small object with a small hole drilled through it. This is a metering device. A small difference in size of the orifice will cause the superheat to be off. When replacing a condenser always replace the orifice. If you have an air conditioning system open to the atmosphere, it is a good idea to blow through the lines with nitrogen. Blow both ways 1 at a time. Not clearing the lines, could result in a restriction, once the system is turned back on. Then you will surely need a professional, air conditioning repair company.

Satisfied – That is a term ac technician’s use when referring to a thermostat turning off, because it has reached its set point.

Sensible heat – Is heat that changes the temperature of something.

Starving - When an air conditioner evaporator is boiling the refrigerant too fast, due to not enough refrigerant getting to the coil.

Sub cooling – Is a process, which takes place right inside an ac system. Sub cooling is the degrees below the dew point of refrigerant. Therefore, if refrigerant condenses at 126 and the refrigerant is 116, then you have 10 degrees sub cooling. Sub cooling is very important, if the refrigerant entering the metering device is not completely liquid. The metering device will not function properly.