Vital Facts About Your Car's Air Conditioning SystemCar air conditioning, which was once a great luxury, is now a common feature on most motor vehicles. While the servicing of modern car air conditioning systems is best left to professionals, you can get the most enjoyment from your a/c system if you know a bit about how it works and what malfunctions you should be on the lookout for.
Why do I need to have my AC system serviced?
All vehicle air conditioning systems leak to a lesser or greater degree. The losses occur through refrigerant escaping through the pipe joins as a result of vibration and ageing of rubber hoses and 'O' ring seals, as well as through the seal on the front of the compressor shaft.
How often should the AC system be Inspected/Serviced?
An Annual Inspection is sufficient to check system condition and overall performance. A Service of the system should be carried out at least every two years even if it appears to be working well. It is estimated that you lose between 20-30% of the initial gas charge over a two year period and this figure is based on new vehicles. Keepin Cool Auto Air Conditioning Specialist can provide a comprehensive list of all checks carried out and produce a report on the condition of the system.
Why does my fridge at home not need servicing every twelve months?
A domestic fridge has no rubber pipes and no seal on the front of the compressor shaft; all piping is copper therefore there is no leaking through pipe walls.
Is it true that the A/C system should be run often throughout the year?
Yes, this helps to keep the system well lubricated and leak tight.
Why?
Because the refrigerant actually carries the oil that lubricates the system, most importantly the compressor. It also keeps the seals and hoses moist, thus preventing them from drying out and cracking leading to leaks.
Why is looking after the compressor so critical?
This is the main component in the A/C system, replacements typically cost $500 - $1000, plus labour costs to remove and replace. Also it usually follows that a seized compressor will result in other components getting damaged in the process.
What's involved in a service?
We measure the pressures in the system, check quality of refrigerant present with a Gas Analyser and check all functions. Then we recover the refrigerant and vacuum the system down to a very low pressure (Deep Vacuum process) to remove any moisture that might be present. We then Re-Charge (Re-Gas) with virgin or re-cycled refrigerant R134a and also add a measured amount of the correct type of lubricant for your system. We also add Ultra Violet dye to help find any leaks that may develop in the future.
Why can't I service the system myself?
This is difficult not only because specialist equipment is needed but most importantly the refrigerant present in the system must be recovered. It is ILLEGAL to vent the refrigerant into the environment. Under Australian laws to protect the environment, the use of depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases is regulated. The licensing system ensures that only technician with adequate licences are allowed to service the vehicle's AC systems. People operating without licence or authorisation are committing an offence and are subject to prosecution. More information is available at Australian Refrigeration Council Website. The system is also under high pressure and needs pulling into a deep vacuum to remove any moisture. The refrigerants themselves have a very low boiling point and will cause freeze burns if they come into contact with skin or eye tissue. You have been warned!!!
Why put Ultra Violet (UV) dye in the system?
The UV dye shows up under a bright UV light source. So any leaks present in the system can be easily identified either during fault finding or if future leaks were to develop.
Why use Nitrogen for leak testing?
We use Oxygen Free Nitrogen (OFN) for leak testing. It would be illegal to re-gas a system to use the refrigerant as a means of leak detection. The pure form of Nitrogen is a naturally occurring gas in the air that we breathe and so is safe and legal to use. The Nitrogen is inserted into the system under high pressure thus simulating a system in operation and revealing any leaks in the system.
How do I know which gas is inside my vehicle's A/C system?
Generally all vehicles manufactured prior to 1994 used R12 and all vehicles manufactured after 1994 use R134a. Re gassing of the vehicles with R12 is prohibited as this refrigerant destroys the ozone layer. If your vehicle uses R12 it needs to be retrofitted to R134a
Why should my gas be analysed?
Our Gas Analyser can reveal whether or not your gas is the correct type for your vehicle air conditioning system and whether or not it is contaminated with other gases or has air in the sample which would strongly suggest a leak in the system.
The wrong type of refrigerant could also bring about the premature failure of the compressor as it may not be able to carry the essential lubrication around the system.
What is Retro-fit? The term Retro-fitting is used to describe the procedure used to convert an car air-conditioning system designed for use with R12 refrigerant, to be modified to operate using R134A
Labelling:
All retrofitted systems must include refrigerant labels that specify which refrigerant is used. This helps prevent contamination of air conditioning systems and refrigerant supplies.
Replacing service fittings:
All retrofitted systems must use unique fittings that match the refrigerant used.
Adding and recycling refrigerant:
During the retrofit procedure, the original refrigerant (CFC-12) is reclaim in one of our specially dedicated recovery cylinders. Once full, these cylinders are then sent off to Refrigerant Reclaim Australia to be destroyed . New refrigerant is then added. Depending on the retrofit, additional parts may have to be replaced or the system components altered.
Note: Technicians handling air conditioner refrigerants must be certified by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC tick).
Health Warning: It has been known for systems to be Re-Charged using Hydrocarbon based refrigerants e.g. propane or methane mixtures. This basically means you could be driving around with a potentially lethal mix of gases in your system which in the event of a crash could explode with disastrous results.
Keepin' Cool does not recommend the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants or refrigerant blends of any kind in automotive air conditioning systems that are not designed specifically for their use. Read the Queensland Government safety alertIf you suspect your system may have been Recharged by a less than professional operator have Keepin' Cool run a check for you. Better to be safe than sorry.
Vehicle air conditioning systems are designed to perform two basic functions, to cool the passenger compartment air to a lower temperature than the ambient (outside) air and to de-humidify the passenger compartment air to a comfortable level.
In order to carry out these functions successfully the system must be able to counter the effects of unwanted heat and relative air humidity in the vehicle interior.
This section hopefully answers any questions you may have, such as how the system works, as well as some tips on how to get the best out of your car air conditioning system. If you still have a nagging questions not answered, give us a call and we'll try and help.
The air conditioning lines condense cold air (works like a radiator), acts as a filter, pump liquid gas through the system, create cold air intake through air vents and transport gas to each system
Compressor
The compressor is the heart of an air conditioning system. It takes refrigerant as a low pressure gas, pumps it up to a high pressure gas, and circulates it into the discharge hose. Compressors are much like little engines. Most of them have pistons, piston rings, a crank shaft, and bearings, just like a car engine. They need to have oil circulated through them to lubricate all the moving parts. This oil is mixed into and carried with the refrigerant. That is why running an air conditioner without any refrigerant is like running your cars engine without any oil. We have parts to fit all makes and models.
1. What are the benefits of air conditioning?
2. What causes the smell in my A/C system?
The origin of the smell is caused by fungus, bacteria and other microbes growing inside the evaporator core. The moisture-laden environment is very conducive to the growth of these organisms. As automakers downsize components to save space and weight, this problem has been increased. Because the automakers made the evaporator smaller, they added more fins and packed them closer together to increase the efficiency of the evaporator. While this has made the evaporator more efficient, it has also made it more prone to trap moisture that contributes to the growth of these organisms. We offer a full odour removal service using the latest research, tools and equipment. Contact us to find out more.
3. Does A/C use more petrol?
The answer to this is 'yes' it does, but not by much. But then think of the alternatives. You could have the windows open but that would increase wind resistance which can add up to 10% to your fuel consumption, especially at speed. And don't forget the extra noise and pollution through that open window. Also, it's worth pointing out that you should run your air conditioning at least once a week, especially in winter as the seals can seize up through non use potentially costing you more in future in new parts and repair!!!
4. Why does my car need an air conditioning re gassing?
You're air conditioning system can lose up to 15% of it's refrigerant gas every year, so a 3 year old car may have lost almost half it's refrigerant gas seriously impacting on the performance of the system and damaging the components involved. You should regularly have the air conditioning systems serviced to reduce wear and tear on the components and help avoid potentially big repair bills. Keepin Cool can carry out this servicing on your vehicle air conditioning system.
5. Why should I get my air conditioning serviced?
As previously mentioned, through non use seals can seize. Your car manufacturer when they service your car only test to see if the air conditioning works, not that all the components are working properly and in full working condition. Regular air conditioning system servicing ensures the system is full of refrigerant gas, that their are now leaks, the pressure is correct and that the hoses, seals and pipes are all in full working order.
6. What's the best way to run my air conditioning?
Turn the air conditioning on, ensuring that it's not set to 'economy' mode. When you first get into a hot car, open the windows, ensure that the air vents are set to face level and the system is set up do do the same, not pointed at your feet. Remember cold air falls. Turn the temperature to as low as it will go, and the blower as high as possible. Also make sure that the air is on 'recirc' mode and not taking air from outside. Better to cool already cooled air!! When the temperature is more comfortable, close the windows and increase the temperature to a more suitable level as well as decreasing the blower speed. You should also point the air vents upwards to ensuring the cold air flows down again.
7. Don't worry about a pool of water forming under your car after using the A/C
8. Odd smells coming from the air conditioning may be caused by bacterial build-ups
As your car becomes older, or when the air conditioning system is used infrequently, bacteria, micro-organisms, mould and fungi may start growing, just behind the dash panel on the evaporator causing some very unpleasant odours. Some even claim this can result in headaches and flu like symptom sometimes referred to as sick car syndrome.
This problem can be solved by using an anti-bacterial treatment that destroys the bacteria growth and leaves your car smelling fresh again.
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