air con gas on line

snaps

Where's best price for air con gas re charge on line? Halfords seem dear enough.

Jimdagym

Is it not illegal? Needs to be a registered professional to install it.

carbon nanotube

snaps wrote: »

Where's best price for air con gas re charge on line? Halfords seem dear enough.

good luck trying to re gas your a/c yourself.

Owen

Aircon gas is expensive! It's one of those things in cars people assume should be cheap, but the gas itself costs a small fortune. You should also try to find out if you have some sort of leak if you need to recharge - otherwise you'll be recharging a second time after fixing the cause of the leak.

snaps

I've always brought the canisters in halfords and done myself with no problems. Don't think I've a leak, its many years since I topped it up and a connected my meter up on it earlier and its ok, but low

Syllabus

theres places doing a full recharge for €50

CiniO

Jimdagym wrote: »

Is it not illegal? Needs to be a registered professional to install it.

To install what?

Owen

To recharge aircon gas, it's toxic. The little bottles from Halfords aren't really a substitute for a proper regassing machine. Those setups will vacuum out the existing gas, do a leak test, and regas but most importantly reoil the system too. The halfords kits does include oil but no particular amount. It's important to have the right quantity of oil in the system, and of course, the right amount of gas too.

Jimdagym

CiniO wrote: »

To install what?

Apologies. Install was the wrong word to use.

arleitiss

I am having same question, how long does 1 refill last? because with this ****ing hot weather really need it

CiniO

arleitiss wrote: »

I am having same question, how long does 1 refill last? because with this ****ing hot weather really need it

If system is tight, then it lasts forever.
Same as your fridge.

glic71rods46t0

I got 4 new tyres in first stop in coolock today and they offered me a free refill for the aircon. Car is 2011 and I said the aircon is fine. The guy said that aircon in all cars depreciates by 10% per annum. Not sure if thats true but thats what I was told

Anan1

If you've an Axa card then Fast Fit will do an a/c service for €40, or €50 without the card.

kc66

0imh4e79u13sgp wrote: »

I got 4 new tyres in first stop in coolock today and they offered me a free refill for the aircon. Car is 2011 and I said the aircon is fine. The guy said that aircon in all cars depreciates by 10% per annum. Not sure if thats true but thats what I was told

My car is 11 years old and still working fine without ever doing anything with it. So that cannot be true.

Lord Nikon

Whose doing the 50 quid detail, my aircon is blowing cool/warm not, but definitly not cold air.

CiniO

Jimdagym wrote: »

Apologies. Install was the wrong word to use.

OK. I found what you were talking about:

since it was discovered that Freon (R-12) was harmful to the earth's Ozone layer, it's been phased out for automotive use, and replaced with the slightly less efficient, but harmless R-134a refrigerant. This is actually good news because for years it was against the law to service your own air conditioning system without a license. Now that the refrigerant is safer, we can all work on our own A/C systems again! Some cars have not been converted from the old R12 to R-134a, but this conversion can be done easily.

http://autorepair.about.com/od/glossary/a/howitworks_ac.htm

So it looks like it's not illegal now to play with your aircon.

snaps

Ok as I started this thread if there are places/national garages that are doing re charges for 50€ or under please reply with who and where. Bear in mind not all of us are in Dublin. A cannister of r134 in halfords is 44€ but you need the special hose with dial on (which I allready have). Thanks guys.

My air con is working, but just needs a top up as the gas is just above minimum.

Owen

CiniO wrote: »

OK. I found what you were talking about:


http://autorepair.about.com/od/glossary/a/howitworks_ac.htm

So it looks like it's not illegal now to play with your aircon.

That's an American website. AFAIK, it's still something here you need to be licensed to work with, R134a, or R12.

Row

If the aircon is not working sufficiently then ideally the 134a (gas) in the system needs to be reclamied and the full system pressure tested.
When the gas is been reclamined a certain amount of the compressor oil may also be pulled out with the gas so this will need to be replaced.

Once the gas has been reclaimed then a good vacuum should be pulled on the whole system and then the correct weight in grams of R134a should charged (with lost compressor oil)

We use alot of products from this company and find them pretty competitive on price...:)
They are an american company but i think they have a rep in Scotland.

http://www.yellowjacket.com/content/catalogs/auto/Edition61-AutoCatalog.pdf

I would'nt class R134a as toxic but it's not so nice for the environment.
http://www.nationalref.com/PDF's/MSDS/Refrigerants/MSD134A.pdf

Syllabus

kc66 wrote: »

My car is 11 years old and still working fine without ever doing anything with it. So that cannot be true.

ive had about 10 customers in the last 2 weeks tell me their aircon is working fine but after i did a quick temp check and finding the aircon temp at +15C (some cases +30C) and then doing a recharge and getting it down to 3C they then realised that the aircon had gradually gotten worse over the years but because it was so slow they didnt cop it.

not everything that a garage advertises is a rip off

Syllabus

snaps wrote: »

Ok as I started this thread if there are places/national garages that are doing re charges for 50€ or under please reply with who and where. Bear in mind not all of us are in Dublin. A cannister of r134 in halfords is 44€ but you need the special hose with dial on (which I allready have). Thanks guys.

My air con is working, but just needs a top up as the gas is just above minimum.

how far away from galway are you

http://maps.google.ie/maps?saddr=mayo&daddr=Tuarn+Rd&hl=en&sll=53.286025,-9.027586&sspn=0.013392,0.042272&geocode=FRuNNwMdVUBv_ykN7NuddF1ZSDF8tiw_xPyzkQ%3BFTUQLQMdWh12_w&mra=ls&t=m&z=9

Elessar

I read in a AC compressor manufacturers brochure (Delphi) that R134a is being phased out from new model cars from 2011 and from all new vehicles from 2017.

The currently considered alternatives are R152a with a global warming potential less than 10% of that of R134a, or the so-called ‘natural’ refrigerant R744 (carbon dioxide). R152a has thermodynamic characteristics very similar to those of R134a and will be directly usable with current compressor technology. Its potential draw back is a degree of flammability that has made the industry reluctant to consider it.

http://delphi.com/pdf/contact/brochures/Delphi_Compressors.pdf - explains how they work too very interesting.

Wonder what gas my MK6 Golf I bought this year uses...

Row

Elessar wrote: »

I read in a AC compressor manufacturers brochure (Delphi) that R134a is being phased out from new model cars from 2011 and from all new vehicles from 2017.



http://delphi.com/pdf/contact/brochures/Delphi_Compressors.pdf - explains how they work too very interesting.

Wonder what gas my MK6 Golf I bought this year uses...

Nice info Elessar....If you look on the compressor is should say what refrigerant it uses.
Afaik r134a will be phased out in the near future.

Owen

Degree of flammability? Eh ... I'll be sticking with my R134a!

snaps

I'm in Galway most Saturdays. Thanks

yop

Syllabus wrote: »

theres places doing a full recharge for €50

Hi, Where does it for this price? Am in Mayo but work in Galway.

Thanks

pie-man

full de-gas, 30 minute vacuum and regas inc replacement of pag oil extracted in the de-gas , vac stages and adding florescent dye to help find any future leaks would cost 70 euro. add a new cabin/pollen filter and it sould could not more than 100 euro depending on the filter etc.

new gas fitted to all euro 6 vechiles is called 1234ya i think and costs about 2 grand a bottle at the moment. also the systems would have different connections etc

delthedriver

Syllabus wrote: »

theres places doing a full recharge for €50

Can anyone recommend a place in Cork or Kerry please?

Thanks in advance

delthedriver

delthedriver wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a place in Cork or Kerry please?

Thanks in advance

Anyone please????

Matt Simis

One of my cars is old enough to run on R12 refrigerant, what options do I have for a recharge?

PS: Halfords recharge cans cost EUR44 but with a EUR10 cash back so its just EUR34. Not quite getting the negativity towards such a cheap,effective solution and by far the most convenient solution.
The last guy I payed to do the job "professionally" charged EUR100 (based in Kilcock) to vacuum and fill it. However he didnt think the system was working so he removed the gas and charged me EUR20 for his time. As it turns out it was working fine, however it was -5 outside at the time and the system was coming on as it didnt need to. I filled it with a gas canister from Halfords and it was perfect.

keithclancy

Anything to do with gas/pipes including the plumbing in the house is something I wouldn't touch myself.

For the sake of 100 euros and the cost to repair Airco if it goes wrong I think its worth the money.

Plus you can find it for 50 quid if you look around.

Anan1

Matt Simis wrote: »

One of my cars is old enough to run on R12 refrigerant, what options do I have for a recharge?

I'd say you're looking at the likes of John Kenealy for the older stuff. He once recharged a system that used freon for me.

SilverBell

Matt Simis wrote: »

One of my cars is old enough to run on R12 refrigerant, what options do I have for a recharge?

PS: Halfords recharge cans cost EUR44 but with a EUR10 cash back so its just EUR34. Not quite getting the negativity towards such a cheap,effective solution and by far the most convenient solution.
The last guy I payed to do the job "professionally" charged EUR100 (based in Kilcock) to vacuum and fill it. However he didnt think the system was working so he removed the gas and charged me EUR20 for his time. As it turns out it was working fine, however it was -5 outside at the time and the system was coming on as it didnt need to. I filled it with a gas canister from Halfords and it was perfect.

If you have an R12 system, I think you may not be able to use R134a due to seal incompatibility. (I remember that from a few old Hiluxes we used to work on)

SilverBell

CiniO wrote: »

If system is tight, then it lasts forever.
Same as your fridge.

A lot of car compressors have a shaft seal that wears with time, hence the refrigerant will eventually find a way out. Most fridges are welded/soldered shut as in canned motors/compressor units, they wont leak.

keithclancy

SilverBell wrote: »

A lot of car compressors have a shaft seal that wears with time, hence the refrigerant will eventually find a way out. Most fridges are welded/soldered shut as in canned motors/compressor units, they wont leak.

Exactly, the difference is that theres vibration in a car so if you had everything soldered and inflexible it would eventually suffer from fatigue.

Matt Simis

SilverBell wrote: »

If you have an R12 system, I think you may not be able to use R134a due to seal incompatibility. (I remember that from a few old Hiluxes we used to work on)

Yes, that was the question on sourcing R12 specifically! You cannot mix them anyhow as one is synthetic and the other mineral.

SilverBell

Matt Simis wrote: »

Yes, that was the question on sourcing R12 specifically! You cannot mix them anyhow as one is synthetic and the other mineral.

Its hard to get R12. It might even be banned, but there are exceptions, certainly from an industrial point its phased out big time.
The refrigerants themselves are both of a similar family (both fairly chemical and synthetic). Maybe its the oils your are thinking on?

R134 can be retrofitted to an R12 system, but you have to replace the comp seals, the comp oil and maybe even hoses!:(

Matt Simis

SilverBell wrote: »

Its hard to get R12. It might even be banned, but there are exceptions, certainly from an industrial point its phased out big time.
The refrigerants themselves are both of a similar family (both fairly chemical and synthetic). Maybe its the oils your are thinking on?

Yeah it is the oils used Im thinking of. From looking it up, it appears the easiest conversion is R-414A which is a drop in replacement. Alternatively R-409a blend is possible but needs a filter change.

As you mention R-134 could require a whole host of other changes.