Advices to Fix Your Car’s AC in Case of Malfunction

If the air conditioner in the car does not work well, then instead of freon there is water. Water is especially dangerous. If during the winter the car was driven without an air conditioner, a significant amount of water could form in its system. Sometimes up to half a glass of liquid accumulates in the hoses. In addition, corrosion is formed from water.

In winter, occasionally it is recommended to turn on the air conditioner in the car. But it can be difficult to do because, at sub-zero temperatures, the electronics will not allow it to turn on.

The presence of air in the car air conditioner is undesirable. It is dangerous that the air is 70 percent nitrogen, which has different physical properties, unlike freon. Because of this, the load on the compressor increases significantly. It is recommended to turn on the air conditioner occasionally (at least once a month) in winter. So that water and air do not accumulate – and the system remains operational, even when it is not being used.

As a result of the accumulation of water in the ventilation system, unpleasant odors appear. Of course, it causes inconvenience. Having proper AC in your car is important during the summer heat. You can freely seat on your machine, play live casino online games, and rest. In the following article, we will review the issue of AC meticulously and how you can fix that.

Is AC Recharged?

In modern cars, instead of the previously used freon (R-12), which is dangerous for the ozone layer, the less efficient, but safer R-134a freon is used. When recharging, you will need approximately 0.5 kg of refrigerant (for small and medium-class cars).

When to Recharge Freon?

This happens as fluid leaks from the system. Because the air conditioning equipment in the car consists of various tubes, then during the operation of the car, slight leakage is allowed due to vibrations. Approximately 10-15 percent of the fluid is lost per year. This means that freon is recharged with a fully functional system once every 3-5 years.

Reasons for Recharging Freon

• The air conditioner in the car works, but it does not cool as before;
• No freon leaks;
• There are no traces of conditioned oil at all joints in the system;
• The car is more than 5 years old or refilled with freon more than 3 years ago.

If the air conditioner in the car has stopped cooling sharply and the freon has completely leaked out (the system will not turn on – you won’t hear the fan noise), then be sure to go through the diagnostics. This is done in the service. Perhaps the freon leaked due to a gap or a rupture in the hose. If the cause is not eliminated, then it will all flow out of the system in 2-3 hours.

Is There a Freon?

You can always check the presence of freon with your own hands. It is necessary to find and unscrew the protective cap from the filling valve on a thick tube (return). And then press the tip of the nipple. Only here you need to be more careful. If there is no reaction or there is a slight hiss, then there is no refrigerant in the system.

Recharging Process

Here are the steps of the freon recharging process:

• Removal of the old fluid from the system. Before recharging the air conditioner in the car, you need to remove the old freon (if any). This is done to find out exactly how much refrigerant to recharge and to remove oil from it;
• Leak test – before filling with new freon, you need to make sure that there are no leaks;
• Oil refill. There is a small amount of oil in the system (about 15 grams) to lubricate the friction parts inside the compressor.
• Pumping new fluid. After you need to turn on the air conditioner in the car at full power and check the quality of cooling.

If the air conditioner is not fully charged, then there will be a lack of oil in the compressor. In addition, a poorly charged system does not produce enough cold. If it is charged too much, increased pressure is formed, which also leads to poor performance and system failure.

Recharging By Yourself

To fill the air conditioner with freon in a car with your own hands, you will need a can of R-134a freon and a special kit. It includes a manometer and connecting hoses. Now let’s have a look at how the process takes place:

• We connect the canister with the system along the thread with the valve wrapped;
• We attach the filling fitting to the return line (thick tube);
• We determine the pressure in the system on the manometer;
• If the pressure is sufficient (the pressure gauge needle is closer to the middle of the green zone or shows more than 2.5 bar), then it is not a lack of refrigerant;
• If the pressure is insufficient, then we start recharging by opening the valve a little;
• Be calm and don’t rush. Bring the pressure up to 3 bar. Try starting the car’s air conditioner and make sure that the air from the deflectors comes out at a temperature of about 5-9 ° C. If the temperature is lower (1-3 ° C) – take out excess freon.

The process is not the easiest, the efficiency is average. This is due to the absence of a vacuum stage and the complete removal of the old refrigerant, air, and moisture.

Sometimes problems appear after a full recharge of the air conditioner in the car. More often it occurs when driving for a long time with an empty air conditioner. Water accumulates in it, which causes rust. This can be corrected by topping up the oil and running the compressor at high speeds. But this method does not work in all cases. Hence, you need to thoroughly take care of your AC, in order not to disrupt the harmony of your car.