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Leak Detection

From the Service Archives – ACtion Magazine 2020

December 20, 2023

System Service Tips by Larry Turay, AAM, Contributing Editor Everyone has a set routine to follow during the service process when replacing failed components. Sometimes after we have done a...
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Yes, The Service Port Cap Really is the Primary A/C Seal!

September 19, 2023

For years, we have been told that the primary seal for the A/C service ports lies in the service port cap. Yet day after day, technicians let vehicles leave the...
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Learn how to make your team un-poachable

October 12, 2022

Learn how to make your team un-poachable is a business strategy class you can attend at MACS 2023 Training Event and Trade Show. Rick White of 180BIZ is a dynamic business leadership speaker.
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The ambient temperature differences

October 11, 2022

That hose is easy to get to, so I whipped it off of there and had the new one on probably in less than 3 minutes.  The owner was standing there watching and thought I was finished when I tightened up the second connection. He said he was going to go up and pay and would be back to get the car and hit the road.
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Don’t overlook a diagnostic clue

September 13, 2022

When thinking about the topic of A/C diagnostic tools, a recovery, recycle, recharge machine (R/R/R machine) is not one of the first tools that comes to mind.  It may not come to mind at all in the world of inexperienced technicians. 
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Air contamination in an A/C system can ruin your day

February 2, 2022

I had a memorable encounter with air contamination in the mid 1990s.  I was conducting a lot of retrofit clinics at the time and had recently acquired a demo refrigerant identifier which I took to those clinics. At one clinic, there was a technician who was extremely interested in the refrigerant identifier.  
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Mysterious servicing issue in R-1234yf systems

August 11, 2021

Recently a 2017 R-1234yf Honda system, with 72,099 miles, encountering a loss of cooling (slow leak) over time would not pass the equipment charge procedure and the production amount could not be charged. 
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Low refrigerant charge and the search for real data part 4

July 13, 2021

When we examined the pressure readings and vent temperature readings last week, there was nothing showing up that indicated any charge issues (even operating with the 25% undercharge).
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Low refrigerant charge and the search for real data

June 22, 2021

I had read about how low refrigerant charges could increase compressor operating temperatures and decrease the amount of oil flowing to compressors, but I had never been able to find results from any tests. After discussing this with MACS, we decided to do some testing to get some real data.
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Temperature testing detective work: The search for a diagnosis

May 25, 2021

Last week we closed our blog post with a discussion about an orifice tube system which had an evaporator outlet temperature that was about 20° warmer than the inlet. We mentioned that this could be an indication of a restricted orifice tube or a refrigerant undercharge. In applying this to diagnostics, it is important not only to understand what this represents, but also why.
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Marks Air celebrates 50 years of mobile air success

March 16, 2021

MACS member Marks Air Inc. celebrates 50 years of being in business.
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Tank full of air!

March 15, 2021

The problem is usually caused by excessive air in a system, and since too few shops use a refrigerant identifier, they don’t know when these problems come up, nor how often they are solving problems by doing this.
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