Discussion
Does anyone have any experience of these?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/R134a-Car-Aircon-Air-Con...
I have a car with an empty system and wondered if they were any good....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/R134a-Car-Aircon-Air-Con...
I have a car with an empty system and wondered if they were any good....
Why not -
1) It's 39.99, you can get someone to do it for 50, maybe less. If you try and it doesn't work you've lost 39.99, if a specialist can't do it they don't charge.
2) Your system is full of air, you squirt the can in, it's full of some air and some refrigerant, it's supposed to just have refrigerant, the full process is to suck out all the air, hold the vacuum to see if there are leaks, if not fill up.
1) It's 39.99, you can get someone to do it for 50, maybe less. If you try and it doesn't work you've lost 39.99, if a specialist can't do it they don't charge.
2) Your system is full of air, you squirt the can in, it's full of some air and some refrigerant, it's supposed to just have refrigerant, the full process is to suck out all the air, hold the vacuum to see if there are leaks, if not fill up.
Dragging the system down to a deep vacuum to boil off any moisture is an important part of charging a refrigerant system, you'll get all sorts of problems with ice *inside* the a/c if you don't do this, which will cause blockages of the expansion valve at best, or blow the system apart at worst.
Not something to mess around with, do it properly for the comparatively small sum.
Not something to mess around with, do it properly for the comparatively small sum.
I went ATS euromaster yesterday and they did mine for £39.99. They said they would pressure test it first and if they detect a leak they won't go any further (its against the law vent the gasses into the atmosphere,no charge for this aswell). I dropped it off at 2.30 and it was done an hour later.
Going by the gear the mechanic was wearing it didn't seem like very nice stuff that he was putting in and taking out.
Going by the gear the mechanic was wearing it didn't seem like very nice stuff that he was putting in and taking out.
john2443 said:
Why not -
1) It's 39.99, you can get someone to do it for 50, maybe less. If you try and it doesn't work you've lost 39.99, if a specialist can't do it they don't charge.
2) Your system is full of air, you squirt the can in, it's full of some air and some refrigerant, it's supposed to just have refrigerant, the full process is to suck out all the air, hold the vacuum to see if there are leaks, if not fill up.
I think this (esp point 2.) probably sums it up quite well, I didn't know anything about it, nor think it would be so cheap either.1) It's 39.99, you can get someone to do it for 50, maybe less. If you try and it doesn't work you've lost 39.99, if a specialist can't do it they don't charge.
2) Your system is full of air, you squirt the can in, it's full of some air and some refrigerant, it's supposed to just have refrigerant, the full process is to suck out all the air, hold the vacuum to see if there are leaks, if not fill up.
Thanks all, you're right, just get someone to do it. If it was a top up I'd consider a tin, as it's not I won't.
All this will do is top up the gas,but by how much??? if the system is just low it will most likely work,BUT!its a quick fix.
The correct way using an expensive professional`s machine,is to remove all the old gas and vacuum the system.(disposing of the old gas in the correct manner)Then the system is refilled with the correct WEIGHT of gas.All systems are filled by weight so different weights in different systems/cars/models etc all this is calculated using a PROPER AC machine.
Also UV dye can be added with the gas to identify any leaks in the system with a UV torch and goggles.
The correct way using an expensive professional`s machine,is to remove all the old gas and vacuum the system.(disposing of the old gas in the correct manner)Then the system is refilled with the correct WEIGHT of gas.All systems are filled by weight so different weights in different systems/cars/models etc all this is calculated using a PROPER AC machine.
Also UV dye can be added with the gas to identify any leaks in the system with a UV torch and goggles.
Don't even go near those things.
I've no idea how they can be sold legally, everyone I employ including myself has be be trained to handle R134A refrigerant and still have to jump through endless health and safety loops after that.
Its not just the safety aspect of these things that's appalling, its the fact that unless you're lucky, they simply wont work. Any air conditioning system has to be charged with a specific weight of gas, too little or too much and it won't function, so even if you know the system is empty with no leaks, as the OP described, you will have no idea if you've just put the right amount of gas in.
Also, as a previous poster pointed out, the system MUST be drawn to a vacuum before charging to rid of air and any contaminants that if left in there will cause either the compressor to fail, the TX valve to become blocked, or best of all for the compressor to fail, spew its guts out filling up all the pipes back to the TX valve up as well as the receiver drier, instantly landing you with a bill for well over £500. Something we found twice last week and once again this week.
As you may have noticed, I hate these things with a vengeance
I've no idea how they can be sold legally, everyone I employ including myself has be be trained to handle R134A refrigerant and still have to jump through endless health and safety loops after that.
Its not just the safety aspect of these things that's appalling, its the fact that unless you're lucky, they simply wont work. Any air conditioning system has to be charged with a specific weight of gas, too little or too much and it won't function, so even if you know the system is empty with no leaks, as the OP described, you will have no idea if you've just put the right amount of gas in.
Also, as a previous poster pointed out, the system MUST be drawn to a vacuum before charging to rid of air and any contaminants that if left in there will cause either the compressor to fail, the TX valve to become blocked, or best of all for the compressor to fail, spew its guts out filling up all the pipes back to the TX valve up as well as the receiver drier, instantly landing you with a bill for well over £500. Something we found twice last week and once again this week.
As you may have noticed, I hate these things with a vengeance
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