Air Conditaning Questions?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by kwk

Our Police Volvo's used to need re gassing every 18 month to 2 years.
When I bought my 98 S70 about 6 months ago, the aircon was not working. I had it re gassed this week and according to the printout, the amount recovered was NIL. It then took 750g. A leak test showed no leaks. It now works perfectly.

It is now illegal for the operative to refill an empty system without finding and fixing a leak , what they do behind their closed doors though ....

Those police cars would have had their AC sorted within the warranty period two or three hopefully ! ( Emergency service vehicles have a 100000 mile warranty now )

[Daim]

Originally Posted by VenomS40

Thanks for the tips. My AC is on all the time so is well used, unless I have the windows open I will turn it off.

As for tip number 2. If you never do this but the system is used all the time is this a must or can you get by without it as for me its just hassle to keep turning it on and off. I will try and remember to do it now and again while on a trip so kill off any bacteria or does it have to be at the end of every trip?

Not needed every trip, but regular is the best thing. If you do short distances more frequent than long distances. I'd say, every 3-4 days one time.

[jamesferns]

Ok we will beg to differ clan, in your view a vehicle air con system should never require servicing as they dont leak under normal conditions, my experiance is they do lose a small amount of refrigerant (and by defination compressor lubricating oil) over time and its worth getting the system evacuated and serviced every two or three years to keep it working at its best

[kwk]

Those police cars would have had their AC sorted within the warranty period two or three hopefully ! ( Emergency service vehicles have a 100000 mile warranty now )[/QUOTE]

Volvo's always had a 150,000 mile warranty. They did not however, cover the aircon re gas which was always paid for by the force in question. without the re gas, they were virtually impossible to use in some weather conditions because the windows steamed up so badly.
This was all the Volvos by the way and not just one car.

[VenomS40]

Originally Posted by Daim

Not needed every trip, but regular is the best thing. If you do short distances more frequent than long distances. I'd say, every 3-4 days one time.

On my 30 min drive today I let the engine get up to temp and then turned the AC off and the heaters up to max for 5 mins and then carried on using the system as I would.

[Daim]

Originally Posted by VenomS40

On my 30 min drive today I let the engine get up to temp and then turned the AC off and the heaters up to max for 5 mins and then carried on using the system as I would.

After thinking a little about it... The problem isn't actually solved like that. You still park the car up with a damp/wet condenser which can still "mould".

Are you always pushing the clock? If not:

When you get to your destination, before you turn the car off, turn the AC off and simply up the heating temperature for say a minute (but really hot). This should work long time too...

It doesn't need to be 5 minutes lenght. That was just an example. I sometimes do it 5 mins before I'm home or say just entered my small village...

[RXS]

Originally Posted by Daim

What Clan said about gassing and smells...

The most important thing is to use it correctly! The AC requires regular usage and MUST be treated well. I'd had my A/C in my C30 (well, actually had my C30 now 4 years! Yiha!) never actually serviced. I had to have it regassed about 3 years ago, after the low pressure pipe to the compressor sheared off (grrrr) but that wasn't due to bad treatment. I've gathered enough experience and from an A/C expert a lot of tips, which will give the A/C a long life and not make it smell...

Here the tips:
1. don't turn the A/C off for a long time. Use it at least once a week! Don't turn it off in winter, as it will remove the damp air in your car!
2. about 5 minutes before getting to your destination, turn the A/C off and turn the heating up a little bit! Even if it is 28°c in the shade outside, turn the A/C off and turn the heating up - this will dry the condenser off and kill all bacteria -> no smells possible.
3. if it smells, try the drying method first if it doesn't work: head to a workshop to get it done.
4. if you need a regas: don't be conned into buying the "leak additive". R134a will glow under UV light too...

If these tips are followed, you won't be suprised by high bills

Top advice

[SonyVaio]

Originally Posted by RXS

Top advice

As always from Clan, always reliable.

[jamesferns]

Originally Posted by Daim

After thinking a little about it... The problem isn't actually solved like that. You still park the car up with a damp/wet condenser which can still "mould".

Are you always pushing the clock? If not:

When you get to your destination, before you turn the car off, turn the AC off and simply up the heating temperature for say a minute (but really hot). This should work long time too...

It doesn't need to be 5 minutes lenght. That was just an example. I sometimes do it 5 mins before I'm home or say just entered my small village...

I think your a little confused, you cannot possibly get mould forming in the condensor if you consider what role the condensor performs and its location in the system, the place mould/ bacteria forms is in the evaporator

[Daim]

Originally Posted by jamesferns

I think your a little confused, you cannot possibly get mould forming in the condensor if you consider what role the condensor performs and its location in the system, the place mould/ bacteria forms is in the evaporator

Sorry, that was the thing I meant. That, what is inside the car... Language barrier

Yes, the evaporator is the part I was talking of... Silly me...