Air conditioning recharge....

Brookert · 8 May 2013 at 22:36

Even though the temps have only touched 20 degrees recently, my climate control can't get the cabin down to the correct temp. So I think an AC recharge is in order.

What is a good price to pay for a recharge? Are the Diy recharge kits any good? I can't find when the system was last recharge, so I'm sure a top up will be in order.

Overlag · 8 May 2013 at 23:14

ive used one of the DIY ones for a top up and its pretty simple and worked well too.

However if it hasn't been done for a while a full service (discharge, vacuum tested etc) would be better off.

acemastr · 8 May 2013 at 23:40

Coincidental! did mine earlier and managed to fail miserably.

Note to self, if you buy £35 worth of recharge bottle, and £20 of trigger, make sure you hold the can the right way up, it says hold it at 12oclock, but doesn't say which way up!

Going to give it another go tomorrow and see how i get on.

Brookert · 8 May 2013 at 23:50

Overlag said:
ive used one of the DIY ones for a top up and its pretty simple and worked well too.

However if it hasn't been done for a while a full service (discharge, vacuum tested etc) would be better off.

Sounds like a good idea. Any idea on cost, I've seen a lot of branded garages doing it for £50, but would smaller places be less?

matthewhotdude · 9 May 2013 at 07:59

There is a place round here doing it for £29.99 for May only, don't know where you are though

acemastr · 9 May 2013 at 08:36

Well, re-did mine this morning, pressure at 30psi, compressor kicks in, but no cold air. Not entirely sure what the problem is but the fan in the cabin makes a wooing noise when the air con is on, doesn't when it's off.

Thinking of just dealing with it not working

ubersonic · 9 May 2013 at 08:45

acemastr said:
Well, re-did mine this morning, pressure at 30psi, compressor kicks in, but no cold air. Not entirely sure what the problem is but the fan in the cabin makes a wooing noise when the air con is on, doesn't when it's off.

Thinking of just dealing with it not working

Just to check you did it with the engine running and AC on yeah? (pressure appears higher with the car off).

acemastr · 9 May 2013 at 08:53

Yep, engine on, air con cool as it'll go and full fans, it gets to 30psi on the gauge and won't go higher, compressor kicks in happily and stays on.

RJC · 9 May 2013 at 08:59

acemastr said:
Yep, engine on, air con cool as it'll go and full fans, it gets to 30psi on the gauge and won't go higher, compressor kicks in happily and stays on.

30 psi is right for operation of R134A, this will go up and down depending on ambient conditions though, you still could be under charged.

Problem is you need to check what the HP side is doing, can you see any of the condenser fans running?

acemastr · 9 May 2013 at 09:02

I assume those are on the front near the radiator? I've not looked, will find a diagram and see if I can find where everything is, may even check fuses on the off chance one of those has gone (yea right)

Phil W · 9 May 2013 at 09:02

Got any way of checking for fault codes? When mine stopped working the car threw up a HP/LP switch fault which lead to finding a hole in the condenser!

Having said that, if there was a problem with the switch the compressor probably wouldn't be running...

RJC · 9 May 2013 at 09:06

acemastr said:
I assume those are on the front near the radiator? I've not looked, will find a diagram and see if I can find where everything is, may even check fuses on the off chance one of those has gone (yea right)

Yes they will be.

When in operation does the suction pipe (one you connected the gas cylinder to) cold to touch when in operation?

acemastr · 9 May 2013 at 09:11

Yes it does, not icey cold but the car hadn't been running for more than 15minutes

RJC · 9 May 2013 at 09:15

acemastr said:
Yes it does, not icey cold but the car hadn't been running for more than 15minutes

Hmm, I am tempted to say your still undercharged but ideally you need to install a proper set of gauges!

Are you local to the Dartford area?

acemastr · 9 May 2013 at 09:18

I'm west of Cambridge, I'm not able to put any more freon in, not sure the bottle/trigger is up to putting any more in

matthewhotdude · 9 May 2013 at 09:21

I just bought a thermometer you stick in your vents off ebay to check mine, only £5

matthewhotdude · 9 May 2013 at 09:22

acemastr said:
I'm west of Cambridge, I'm not able to put any more freon in, not sure the bottle/trigger is up to putting any more in

You did put it in the low pressure side didn't you?

acemastr · 9 May 2013 at 09:24

Trigger only fits on the port at the back of the engine bay, definitely low pressure (I youtubed)

ubersonic · 9 May 2013 at 09:25

acemastr said:
I'm west of Cambridge, I'm not able to put any more freon in, not sure the bottle/trigger is up to putting any more in

If you have been putting Freon into a 2001 car then there's your problem

(I know you haven't really just loling)

RJC · 9 May 2013 at 09:26

acemastr said:
I'm west of Cambridge, I'm not able to put any more freon in, not sure the bottle/trigger is up to putting any more in

Ah, ok.

It maybe the case the trigger has a cutoff point, I assume you still have enough R134A in the cylinder, also try placing the can in warm spot to see if you can get the pressure up in the cylinder.

If the cylinder is the same pressure as the car then you would not put any in.