When was the last time you had a car air conditioner recharge performed? There’s nothing more irritating than heading out on a hot, sunny day and realizing that your car’s air conditioner is blowing warm air. You don’t want this to happen to you in Arizona during the summer! Let’s take a look at what causes a car’s air conditioning system to blow warm air and when it needs to be recharged.
What is a Car Air Conditioner Recharge?
When an air conditioning system stops cooling properly or doesn’t work at all, it’s time to have it inspected and recharged if applicable. A car air Conditioner recharge is a process that mechanics go through that includes the following steps.
Establish the Ambient Air Temperature
The mechanic will inspect the air conditioning system to determine if the air’s temperature is 55° or under. If it is they won’t charge it. During a car air conditioner recharge, the mechanic determines what pressure is needed to charge the system based on the ambient air temperature.
Locating the Low Side Service Port
This port is generally found on the line that connects the accumulator and the compressor. The low-pressure line is the one with the thicker tubing, and it’s the one that they’ll use for the car air conditioner recharge. The mechanic will also wipe away any visible dust with a clean cloth and remove the low-side service port cap.
Attach the Charging Hose
Now they’ll attach the charging hose to the low-side service port and check to make sure it is a secure connection. At this point, they add refrigerant to the system.
Monitor Pressure Readings
During the car air conditioner recharge process, the mechanic will by now determined the appropriate pressures using an ambient air pressure chart. They’ll also constantly monitor the pressure readings during the charging process.
Removing Charging Hose
After the air conditioning system is recharged to the appropriate pressure, the charging hose is removed from low-side service port, leaving the can connected to the charge hose.
Inspect the Service Port Cap Seal
Before reinstalling the service port cap seal, they’ll make sure it doesn’t have any tears, nicks or cracks and replace as needed.
How Often is a Car Air Conditioner Recharge Needed?
The best indication that your vehicle needs to be recharged is when the air conditioning system isn’t cooling as well as it used to, or it stops working altogether. At this point, it’s time to have your AC inspected. In some cases, air conditioning systems never have a problem that warrants a recharge, but most people aren’t that lucky.
Call a Professional
Some older vehicles can’t have their air conditioning system recharged. These vehicles typically include models 1995 and older and require an R12 refrigerant that is no longer available. If this is the case, the air conditioning system will need to be replaced.
When it’s time to get car air condition recharge done, call a professional. We can get you in and out in a jiffy. Learn more here.
