Improving A/C cool down time
July 19, 2022
If there is an issue with an A/C system, then obviously that needs to be fixed and that will aid in cool down time. However, if a system is working properly and a customer is complaining, then the focus needs to shift toward educating the customer on steps they can take to improve cool down time.Read Article >
A/C not cooling fast enough
July 13, 2022
When a vehicle sits outside in direct sunlight, a tremendous amount of heat can build up inside. Even with relatively mild summer ambient temperatures (75° F to 80°F) vehicle interiors can easily reach temperatures of 125° F or more. Consider that this heat is not just in the air inside, but also in the seats, dashboard, floor board, roof, door panels, etc, (essentially the entire inside of the vehicle).Read Article >
Diagnosing Faults on Modern Motor Vehicles
July 8, 2022
Motor vehicles have become increasingly more complex over the last two decades to meet the ever-tightening emissions regulations and increased fuel economy requirements, as well as passenger comfort and safety. This added complexity means technicians are flooded with additional data when diagnosing faults on vehicles. Below is a table outlining the difference between a modern vehicle and a vehicle from 20 years ago. This is only a high-level example to illustrate the differencesRead Article >
It isn’t blowing cold enough
June 29, 2022
"It isn't blowing cold enough.” Most any auto repair shop that does A/C work will often hear customers say this phrase. It can be the result of any number of things that can be wrong with an A/C system. Often it is a case of common things such as, a low refrigerant charge, a refrigerant overcharge, contaminated refrigerant, a blend door issue, a cooling fan problem, or maybe a weak compressor.Read Article >
OEM oil capacity information
June 7, 2022
If you are installing an OEM replacement compressor in this example then it "should" contain 4.5 ounces of oil but if the compressor is not drained and the oil measured, the amount will not be known for sure. Also, if an aftermarket compressor is being installed, there is no standard that exists in the industry regarding the amount of oil that might be shipped in a replacement compressor. It might have no oil in it, a partial charge, or a full charge or even more than a full charge. To make matters worse, the OEM does not provide the total system capacity for this vehicle.Read Article >
Compressor lubrication tips
May 26, 2022
We will focus on lubrication information that is often encountered and how it can be interpreted incorrectly and result in the incorrect amount of oil being installed in a system.Read Article >
The desiccant myth
April 12, 2022
There is a myth that exists involving A/C service work and driers that seems to come up from time to time. I have encountered it when handling tech calls and have seen it come up in A/C forums. Read more to find out what it is.Read Article >
No drier replacement, no compressor warranty!
April 6, 2022
Compressor manufacturers and parts distributors are adamant about driers being replaced when one of their compressors are installed. No drier replacement, no compressor warranty!Read Article >
What is a receiver drier?
March 29, 2022
With A/C season just around the corner, this seems like a good time to provide some updated information on these units. NOTE: Receiver driers are sometimes called filter driers and accumulators are sometimes called accumulator driers.Read Article >
Refrigerant supply, pricing and safety
March 8, 2022
What I'm hearing about refrigerant supply and pricing this year reminds me of a similar period in the mid-2000s. It was springtime, just before the start of A/C season. Supplies of R-134a were tight and the price had come close to tripling from the prior year.Read Article >
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.Read Article >
Air contamination in mobile A/C systems
January 18, 2022
We covered a base line test conducted with 0% air contamination and provided pressure and temperature information. This week we will provide pressure and temperature information experienced with 7.7% air contamination and 18.9% air contamination.Read Article >
