Aircon service and recharge
- Thread starter hsyben
- Start date
They all use the same automatic machine these days. Use whoever is cheapest.
Unfortunately this is completely correct.Rockhopper said:
If there is a problem with the system though; ie a leak or any electrical issues, none of them know anything and won't be able to help.
That would need a qualified car a/c engineer which are few and far between due to the above!
Sorry but being a life-long refrigeration engineer who used to work on car a/c years ago, two of the above items are impossible to do (for a garage with a machine). You cannot 'clean' an a/c system and they can't 'add lubricant'.Jembo said:
The 'test for leaks' is slightly tenuous also. They will pump the system up with Nitrogen and see if the pressure drops for about 5 minutes. That is not testing for leaks. That is a LOT more involved.
Having said the above £62 is bloody cheap to re-gas a system. I used to charge more than that 30 years ago!
Pondrew said:Sorry but being a life-long refrigeration engineer who used to work on car a/c years ago, two of the above items are impossible to do (for a garage with a machine). You cannot 'clean' an a/c system and they can't 'add lubricant'.Jembo said:
The 'test for leaks' is slightly tenuous also. They will pump the system up with Nitrogen and see if the pressure drops for about 5 minutes. That is not testing for leaks. That is a LOT more involved.
Having said the above £62 is bloody cheap to re-gas a system. I used to charge more than that 30 years ago!
From my layman’s position standing (probably against H&S) the machine first sucked out all the old stuff, pressure tested & then injected a small amount of oil lubricant before the measured amount of gas went in.
I don’t think it washed its innards, just removed the old gas.
As for the £62, was a May Bank Holiday special.
Yes the machines do add PAG oil which is crucial for the system. Also the machine will hold a vacuum for 30 mins or so before to make sure you don’t have a leak. If a leak is found it will not add the refrigerant. This isn’t always fool proof though as a very minor leak won’t always show up.
A separate nitrogen test will highlight if it does.
With a lot of these cheaper AC regas deals such as Kiwkfit etc is that they do not add the correct amount of refrigerant.
A separate nitrogen test will highlight if it does.
With a lot of these cheaper AC regas deals such as Kiwkfit etc is that they do not add the correct amount of refrigerant.
So I shopped around and got prices varying from £90 to £60. I have gone with Wychway Garage - an indie with good reviews and the best price. They all say that they plug the machine in and it removes the gas, does the recharge and adds lubricant but this guy says he will also check the system. He gets good reviews and talked a good game so I'll give him a go.
Just out of interest, do you have to have F-Gas qualifications to use these "all in one" machines? Do you have to keep records of refrigerant?j3nks79 said:
I have a commercial F-gas qualification (as well as many other 'proper' a/c and fridge qualifications) but I am not allowed to work on vehicles anymore. Never really worked out why TBH. It doesn't bother me as not in that part of the industry anymore.
That's a few car re-gases!mmm-five said:
R134a isn't used in newer cars (from around 2016); there are now two new refrigerants which have virtually zero CO2 equivalence. Can't even remember the numbers of the gases.
I'm so old, I used to work on a/c in cars which used R22 (which has now been banned for it's ozone depleting nastiness).
