How To Maintain Your Car Air Conditioner After Re
If you want the car air conditioning system to work its best, you need to perform regular maintenance. The regassing is just one way you keep it cooling the cabin. You must also consider these vital steps.
- Run the system at least once a week. During the winter months, you might not think to run the system, but you want to continue circulating the Freon. Thankfully, the defrost system runs through the air conditioning, so you can turn that on for a few minutes. This simple step can ensure the system is running when the weather turns warm again.
- When you have the air conditioning on, make sure your windows are closed. Having the windows open means that you are pumping air outside. You are also using more fuel to push out the air that isnt being used.
- Have a technician service the system at least once every two years. If you can do it yourself, that works. A little bit of maintenance can help prevent larger problems down the road.
Car Ac System Blowing Warm Air
If you wake up to an AC blowing warm air instead of cold air, itâs due to severe leakage. For this, youâll need to have a professional find the leak and fix it before topping up the refrigerant. While some DIY recharge cans contain seal leak compounds to fix small leaks, larger leaks remain unattended.
At Hillmuth Auto Care, we have specialized repair equipment that helps our professionals locate leaks in the AC system to repair them and prevent the problems from reoccurring.
Are Air Conditioner Recharge Kits Bad?
Fundamentally, recharge kits are not bad. However, they often do more harm than good. They are designed with a stop leak which plugs small leaks as the refrigerant and compressor oil run through the system.
Unfortunately, this method can easily clog the air conditioner components like the pump, hose, and compressor. Recharge cans make it easy for you to overfill the air conditioning system and cause bigger problems.
Are Air Conditioning Recharge Kits Worth It?
No, they are not because they donât fix broken AC systems. Instead, they simply recharge refrigerant and leave the cause of the problem unattended. So while a recharge may get cool air blowing again, it masks the real issue as it worsens. Eventually, you may end up fixing a leak, replacing damaged components, and recharging the AC system.
What Is Better DIY or Professional AC Service?
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How Often Should You Recharge Your Air Conditioning System
The refrigerant in a cars air conditioning unit will essentially never run out. Therefore, in cases where there are visible signs of leakage, recharging the air conditioner with a freon is unnecessary. It is not compulsory to recharge your air conditioning system annually or even every two years. The best indicator that your car requires an AC recharge, is when the air conditioning system begins to cool at a lower rate, and its performance dips significantly.
If your air conditioner is not blowing cold air as it used to, you should seek advice and have it checked out as soon as possible. A mechanic will examine the system for refrigerant leaks before performing an evac and recharge service. However, if the mechanic discovers even a slight leakage, it will be essential to replace the damaged components.
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How Do I Get My Cars A/c System Recharged Or Repaired
While you can definitely buy a can of the refrigerant at your local auto parts store and look up a handy YouTube video on how to recharge your cars system, we recommend bringing it to an ASE certified mechanic instead.
Most auto repair shops will have the necessary tools and machines to properly and thoroughly check your cars A/C system and recharge it if necessary. And if it ends up that the system needs to be repaired, then they will be able to take care of that as well. Air conditioning refrigerant is harmful to the environment, so having the proper equipment to add more or evacuate your cars A/C system is necessary.
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Wasnt Freon Outlawed Years Ago
Older drivers may remember that the Environmental Protection Agency outlawed Freon because it dissolves the ozone layer. The type banned was R-12 Freon. Air conditioning systems manufactured since then use R-134a Freon. If you drive a car built before 1994, you can retrofit your AC for the legal refrigerant. Talk to us if you need more information about AC retrofits.
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Recharge Your Ac System
Check your owners manual for tips or instructions during the recharging process. However, usually, you will have to start the car and let it run on idle. After that, use a can of refrigerant spray to fill the line with gas before closing all the valves. It is best to leave your car running for at least 10 minutes after installing everything back this will help you ensure that you have connected all parts correctly and nothing can become loose.
What Is Recharging The Car Air Conditioner
Before you recharge the AC on a car, its important to understand how your AC works and whats involved with this repair. Your air conditioning system uses a special refrigerant called R134a to remove moisture from the air inside your car and deposit it outside. This process cools the air as the moisture is removed, and the blower brings cool air into the cabin.
Over time, this refrigerant can escape, either through normal evaporation or through leaks that form in your system. Without refrigerant, the AC can no longer move moisture from the inside to the outside of your car.
Recharging the AC is simply the process of adding more refrigerant to the system. It needs to be at a certain level, not too little, not too much, in order to work properly. A recharge kit is really just a can of R134a refrigerant with a little bit of leak sealer mixed in, a hose that connects it to your car, and a gauge to measure how much of it is in your car. These recharge kits are available for $20 to $50 in any auto parts store and are easy to use. The average cost for an AC recharge at a mechanic is between $123 and $155, so you can save a lot of time and money by doing it yourself.
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Preparing The Recharge Kit
As you unpack your kit, youâll find a can of refrigerant, a flexible rubber hose, and a pressure gauge. Follow the instructions in the package to assemble the pressure gauge part of the kit. Usually, the hose is already attached to the gauge. Before you screw the gauge into the can of refrigerant, be sure to turn the gauge counterclockwise until it stops. There is a pin inside the assembly that pierces the can of refrigerant once everything is together tightly. This pin is controlled by turning the gauge clockwise until it pierces the can. But you donât want to do this until youâre ready, so be sure to back it all the way out before you assemble everything.
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Diy A/c Charging Does Not Measure By Weight
Once your A/C system is completely empty, we just need to know how much refrigerant goes into your particular car’s system. This specification comes direct from the manufacturer, and it tells us how much refrigerant to add by weight. By contrast, DIY A/C recharge cans have a simple pressure gauge. That means, even if you get the pressure to the correct level, the actual weight of the refrigerant in the system is a mystery. If there’s too much, the system can be damaged and if there’s not enough, your A/C might not work well. Instead, trust the pros who can properly measure the refrigerant going into your car.
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The Ac Manifold Setup
The AC manifold setup is used to recharge or evacuate the refrigerant from the system and measure the pressures at the low-pressure and high-pressure lines. It has a brass manifold with 2 pressure gauges – one for the low pressure side marked in blue and the other for the high pressure side marked in red .
There is a valve mounted on either side which controls the flow of refrigerant through the 3 threaded ports on the manifold. While charging the refrigerant, the valve next to the LP side is opened and the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant can to the system in the liquid phase. The manifold has a gauge glass at the centre which shows the flow of refrigerant while charging the setup.
Color coded hoses are used to connect the manifold to the system. Just like the pressure gauges, blue for the LP side, red for the HP side and yellow for charging or evacuating. Color codes are for easy identification – otherwise, the hoses are identical in terms of connectors and size.
These hoses have threaded Schrader valves at the ends just like the ones in the tyres. Press the central pin and the gas escapes.
To connect the hoses to the cars LP and HP ports, quick coupler fittings are provided. These are also color coded – blue for the LP side and red for the HP side.
The quick couplers are foolproof because the openings are different. The LP quick coupler has a smaller opening while the HP one has a larger opening. One cannot fit the wrong fitting to the port.
Repairing Your Cars Ac System
AC problems are usually not very fun or easy to fix. However, a professional can quickly improve many AC systems if they are well-informed and experienced. Repairs should always be done at an authorized garage when your cars AC system appears broken because other options may make the problem worse. For basic tasks such as recharging your AC system, you can follow the guide in this article. However, please visit an AC repair technician if that does not restore normal functions.
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What Is An A/c Recharge
During a car A/C recharge, your A/C systemâs old refrigerant is evacuated and replaced with new refrigerant to help ensure your air conditioning system is operating properly and keeping you comfortable.
At Firestone Complete Auto Care, our A/C recharge service starts with the Firestone A/C Performance Check, wherein one of our experienced tire and auto service professionals:
- Visually inspects all A/C components
- Runs a performance test
- Performs a system state of charge test
- Performs a system control test
- Performs a leak test using an approved electronic leak detector
Recharge Your Ac In 7 Easy Steps:
Because of the sensitivity of this procedure, we will explain how to use the AC recharge kits. They have shown to be the most effective and safest option in comparison to trying to repeat a mechanics role at home.
Materials Needed:
- Meat thermometer
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Safety glasses and gloves
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Tip: Always wear safety glasses when performing work under the hood. It is especially important to be careful to not get any refrigerant on your skin as it freezes quickly and is very painful. Please be sure to follow all instructions that are included with your AC recharge kit and read every canisters warnings carefully.
Step 1: Turn on your AC. Start your car and turn your AC to Max or High.
Step 2: Determine if AC compressor is engaging. An AC compressor is a device driven by the accessory belt that converts the refrigerant from liquid to gas. The compressor has a clutch at the end of it that should be spinning with the accessory belt when the AC is on high. Look for these pulleys moving.
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If the clutch on the compressor is indeed engaging, then it is likely that the system is low on refrigerant, especially if the air is still blowing slightly cold. You will still want to move ahead with testing the pressure before adding refrigerant.
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If the clutch is not engaging the compressor, then the AC system is either very low on refrigerant, there is an electrical problem, or the compressor itself has failed. Adding more refrigerant after pressure testing will allow you to know which of these the cause is.
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How Do I Know If My Air Conditioner Needs Recharging
Unless you have at least a little bit of experience in engineering or as a mechanic, you wont always be able to tell the difference between low AC refrigerant and other problems. Dont worry about that for now. All you need to recognize is that if you have a malfunctioning car air conditioners in the Arizona heat. When you cant get cool in your car, its time to bring it into a Gilbert repair shop that understands your pain.
When you bring your car in, well investigate an AC leak in addition to other problems. An excellent first step is to examine your AC compressor. By watching how the clutch and pulleys engage, we can usually tell quickly if the problem is low refrigerant, electrical malfunction, or something mechanical.
In the case of an AC leak, bad electrical signals, or mechanical failure, the system may call for other small repairs. In many cases, though, there is a good chance that you need more of a refrigerant like R134a in your vehicle. Well get you back to an appropriate level of air conditioning refrigerant and send you on your way. Since we have all the required equipment on-site, its as easy as that!
How To Diy A Car Air Conditioning Recharge
It is easy to take your cars air conditioning for granted. Whether or not you used your air conditioning to defog your windshield all winter, you might notice poor performance come spring and summer. After all, you didnt really need air to be that cold when outdoor temperatures were in the 30s. Fortunately, you can DIY a car air conditioning recharge in about half an hour, saving yourself from a sweltering summer drive. Heres how to recharge AC car systems in your own driveway.
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How Much Does It Cost To Have A Mechanic Recharge Your Air Ac
If youre not comfortable doing it yourself, how much does it cost to have a mechanic recharge your car AC? The average cost is around $100, but it can range from $50 to $200. The price depends on the type of car you have and how much refrigerant it takes. You can usually save a bit of money by doing it yourself, but its always best to leave it to the professionals if youre not sure.
Air Con Cleaning At Halfords
If your air con is working fine but has picked up a nasty smell when it runs, then an air conditioning cleaning can is a quick solution that will last longer than an air freshener. These sprays work by turning the air conditioning to full then opening the can to let the cleaning gas out before closing all doors and windows. The gas will kill any mould and bacteria in the system, which are usually the causes of bad smells.
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Reason #: It Could Be Incompatible With Your Car
If your car is particularly old or new, it’s possible your car is incompatible with DIY A/C recharge canisters commonly found at auto parts stores.
Those cans typically use a mixture of R134a refrigerant, compressor oil and a leak stopping compound. Many classic cars built before 1994 use R12 refrigerant instead. Mixing refrigerant types is never a good idea, and can cause unintended consequences. In fact, the resulting mixture is so volatile it could damage the equipment used in professional A/C service — and many auto shops will refuse to work on cars that have had the wrong refrigerant put in.
What’s more, many modern cars aren’t compatible with these at-home recharge kits either. Some newer cars are equipped with a new, more environmentally friendly R1234yf refrigerant. And most hybrid and electric cars use a different type of A/C compressor which requires a different kind of oil. On these cars, it’s best to leave the A/C maintenance to the pros.
Reason #: Stop Leak Can Cause Damage
The delicate components of your car’s A/C compressor and other aspects of the system can sustain damage from the stop leak included in most DIY A/C recharge kits.
In order to plug up small leaks in the system that may have leaked refrigerant, a stop leak compound is included in these kits. It’s designed to fill small leaks so that your car’s AC system won’t leak any more refrigerant. But it often has unintended consequences! These compounds generally won’t fix major leaks, while excess stop leak can gum up the works of your AC system. Evacuating stop leak from the system can be a major hassle, and some auto shops may even refuse to work on a car that’s had stop leak put into the system!
A little bit of refrigerant will leak out of an A/C system that’s working properly. If there’s a major leak, it should be professionally repaired with the right parts. A DIY kit is only a temporary fix that’s likely to make matters even worse over time.
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Air Con Canister Deposit
With the cost of living increasing rapidly, were doing all we can to help you save money, alongside encouraging sustainable practices. So, if you do buy your own air con recharge can, then dont forget to claim £10 when you bring your empty canister back into a Halfords store. As part of our recycling policy, well happily take your empty can off you and refund you £10 just make sure you bring your original receipt too.
Browse our full range of air conditioning products online and dont forget to check out our air filters too theyre also key to ensuring good air quality in your car and can even prevent allergens like pollen from irritating you as you drive.
