FAQ.
Should I Regas A/C with other gas than R134a ?
NO.Do Not use anything else for the simple reason, all the existing A/C components and replaceable parts are design by manufacture for the use with R134a only and the use of any other gas will automatically void their warranty.
Over the years refrigerants in Air Conditioner in the automotive industry have been under a lot of scrutinizing in regard to potential damage to our enviroment.As a result refrigerants used in the A/C system have been replaced with ones more environmentally friendly.From mid 2015 in Australia we will see the introduction of a new refrigerant shortly called R1234yf which will replace the current one R134a.This new refrigerant has no damage effect on our environment.
Nevertheless,some so called refrigerants ,known as Hydrocarbons,have been on the market for some time and claim to have zero impact on our environment, that’s true,but they are not refrigerants. Their main ingredient Hydrocarbon is mainly used as fuel for barbecue or stoves, so is not suitable for Air Conditioners ,especially for automotive use because:
First, they are highly flammable,even that some academics trying to prove otherwise(1st video below)and he was proven wrong
Second,they do damages to the compressor seals.
I do take pride in my work and my workmanship plus I do care about you and your passengers safety when you use your A/C so I DO NOT USE anything else but R134a as refrigerant to Regas your A/C system.
Can I still use my A/C even if it’s a little bit cool but not as cold as before?
NO.Do not use your A/C any longer because in most cases your A/C is low in gas and if you still use it you risk to damage the compressor from lack of lubrication (oil in the system is carried by the refrigerant)
A/C compressors are the most expensive parts in an automotive A/C system
Why I can not get a Free Quote for my A/C repair?
I do not give free Quotes because I need to spend time in searching for a leak in the system.In order for me to be able to find the leak, I have to add some gas to the A/C system and use electronic leak detector.The only price I can give you over the phone or email is the cost to Regas your A/C system. Due to my expertise over the years in this field, I can advise you,on most common problems related to A/C for your vehicle and possible cost to repair them.
The cost for a Quote to repair your A/C is usually my call out fee which will cover my first 1/2 hr on the job.The Quote is valid for 30 days,if you want to proceed with the job within 30 days I will deduct the call out fee (which you already paid) from the total cost priced already on the Quote
Whoever claims to give you a free Quote will most likely sound like this (after a quick look under the bonnet & hook up the AC gauges) “Your A/C is low in gas,needs regasing,or has an electrical fault” How much does it cost to fix it? “Regas cost $… but I need to spend some time to find the leak or electrical fault,leave the car with me & I will let you know. The rest you’ll know when you get the phone call with the Quote and if you can not afford to get the A/C fix,you’ll have to pay for the time spent on the job when you pick up the car.
Should I use my A/C all year round? Why?
Yes you should use your A/C all year round,at least 10-20 min once a week or every 2 weeks. Easiest way to do in colder months, is to turn the A/C “On” every time you use your heater inside the car,by doing this you won’t get cold air coming from the vents but a nice warm one. Heating is coming from your engine water cooling system and has nothing to do with your A/C so by using them together won’t do any damages to either one of them
The reason for using A/C all year round is that every time your AC is working the oil which is mixed with the refrigerant(gas) inside the system lubricates all the rubber O’ rings and compressor shaft seal.Most people do not use their AC in the colder months and as a result their rubber seals get dry and loose elasticity,than loss of gas follow.
I heard that is better to use my A/C for demisting the front windscreen,is this true?
Yes,A/C is the best for quickly demisting your fogged windscreen for one simple reason.Air coming out form the AC box is a dry/dehumidified air,so as soon as it hits the fogged windscreen,moisture from the glass is absorbed by the dry air.By using hot air from the heater,which is already saturated with moisture and as a result it won’t absorb the moisture from the glass,eventually after a period of time the heat transferred from hot air into the glass will evaporated the moisture
How often should I regas my A/C
A/C system in the vehicle is a sealed unit the same as your fridge.How often do you regas your fridge?Not often at all.The small difference between the fridge and your A/C is that your AC pipes joints are achieved by using rubber O’ rings and the fridge pipes joints are welded.The A/C is exposed to car and engine vibrations causing joints to leak especially if your rubber O’ rings are dry and brittle. Fridge compressor is sealed by an enclosed metal case,car compressor has an external shaft driven by the engine through a belt,so shaft seals are more likely to leak especially by not using your AC regularly
As a general rule the more you use your A/C all year round,the less need to regas it
Email.regas@autobreeze.com.au