Originally Posted by foreigneRS
it's not the fact that the airflow is reduced, as it doesn't matter in which order they are stacked in, the airflow through the stack will be pretty much the same - it's the fact that the pressure will be increased by the temperature of the air onto the condenser from the intercooler
the answer would be to use a more modern compressor with variable displacement - these only work hard when you first need to cool the car down and when the engine is usually cold so you will not be ragging it and using the intercooler. after the interior has cooled, the displacement of the compressor reduces which reduces the mass flow of refrigerant around the circuit which reduces the head pressure and the work needed to be done by the airflow over the condenser
most ecu's will cut the a/c compressor at WOT anyway and when coolant temps are too hot - the question is, how much time is spent actually at WOT, and how much at quite a lot of throttle and boost and hence heat transfer from the intercooler? everything is a compromise and you have to choose what's best for you
So we agree that a restriction on the condenser,be it air flow,or air temperature will increase head pressure then?
I am thinking from the point of view that putting the intercooler in front of the condenser will be similar to blocking the condenser in static commercial applications with the airborn debris that tends to collect on the condenser,thus reducing airflow,and therefore heat transfer.
Are these add on's really lined up so well that airflow through them is unaffected?