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Old Jul 29th, 2007, 02:04 PM   #11
JAMIE1131
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Earl Shilton, Leics.
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Quote: Originally Posted by Silent1 (original)
No car should ever require its air conditioning to be serviced, when they try and sell you this it's not required. In fact it's more likely to do more bad than good.

The gas should never need topping up or replacing unless there is a leak, in which case the leak should be fixed., the unit should then be put on vacuum for atleast 24hours to remove any moisture from the system before any gas is put in. If this isn't done when the air conditioning is turned on the moisture will freeze in the system and either break the compressor or split another section in the system.

Because of the systems used by many dealerships they will not have the facility to vacuum a system thoroughly, or if they do they regularily wont do it for long enough.

The company i work at is the largest refrigeration company in the UK. When they service a unit even the most thorough of services does not touch any of the cooling system, the only servicing done is on the diesel engines that drive it.

So if you are asked if you want it done please don't. The most it'll ever need is disinfecting which is done via a spray set off in the car and the system set to re-circulate.

To stop the air-con failing, use it for atleast 10 minutes once a week to stop the seals perishing and to keep the compressor lubricated.

If you still feel that you must get your air con serviced, please either get it done at a main dealer or a specialist air conditioning company, as places like kwik fit wont be so careful on making sure the right pressure is in the system as the difference between 450g and 500g is the difference between it being frosty cold and broken.

Also please be aware that the oil used in the compressor goes acidic when exposed to air, so if you do have a re-gas and they don't change the oil in the system it will eat through the seals and you'll end up back at square one again. As a lot of people experience when they end up going back year on year to have a "top-up"

With regard to units leaking/losing gas, it is illegal for a unit to leak or be designed so it could leak through normal use. So if your air con is leaking , there is a problem, it shouldn't be leaking at all so before you get it topped up, have them high pressure test it using nitrogen and fluorescent dye.

Do you work for an Automotive air con company or building air con?
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