Air Conditioning

Vehicle air conditioning service in Hunstanton and King’s Lynn

Benefits of an air-conditioning service:

“Can you check for leaks or problems with my air con before regassing?”

This is a question we hear often, and we understand why you would think this way. Why would you want a regas if you suspect the system isn’t working? Surely you should fix the problem first and then fill the system? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple!
In order to check for leaks and problems within the system, we actually have to conduct a regas. This is because leaks can be internal – a service can establish problems that are not visible externally.

There are four main stages of a routine air-conditioning service:

1. Gas extraction
   This establishes the weight of the refrigerant. We measure it in grams and compare extracted (how much is currently in the system) against expected (how much it should hold in total). This gives a good understanding of the integrity of the system i.e. if the weight of the gas removed is close to specification then the system is in good shape; however, if it isn’t, then the system has possible got a leak and further testing may be needed before any gas is put back in.
2. Vacuum
   A 20-minute vacuum sucks most of the contaminants from the system. After this, it “holds” vacuum for 3 minutes to ensure no big leaks are present, however, this is not under pressure. It is only when the system is running that is “under pressure” – this is usually when the leak is occurring. This means the result of the vacuum test isn’t conclusive.
3. Charging
   We then regas the system with the correct amount, ensuring any oil removed during extraction is replaced at the same time. Oil is used as well as the gas to keep the system lubricated and maintained. This oil now has UV dye in so if any future leaks occur they may be traceable with a UV lamp. Once again, some parts are not easy to view.
4. Testing/operation
   Using the equipment gauges, we can establish refrigerant transfer which leads to properly conditioned air in the cabin and most importantly, ensures pressures are stabilised with cooling fans on the car. At this point, we also check for minor leaks using UV lamps.
   

Although we can determine any obvious leaks during this service, it doesn’t always guarantee that we will find one. If your vehicle has had an air con service in the last couple of years and there is now a problem with it, it is likely there is a leak present. If there is a suspected leak but we are unable to find one during the service, you will be advised to return to us after using it for 1-2 weeks for us to do another check using the UV light. During this time, the UV dye would be in the system, making it much easier to detect issues. If, in the unlikely event that we are still unable to find a leak, it will either be because the leak is very minor and/or is internal (this is why it’s important to know when the air con was last serviced as it gives us an idea of when the fault may have occurred). It is advised at this stage for you to use the air con for another couple of weeks or up to one month. This extra time will hopefully make a smaller/slower leak more obvious.

frequently asked questions

How often does my air-conditioning need re-gassing?

It is recommended that an air-con re-gas is carried out on your car every two years. However, if your air-con becomes less effective before your next scheduled re-gas, this may be due to a leak in the system, which will need to be identified and repaired by a technician as a priority. 

It’s also wise to get your vehicle’s air-conditioning serviced regularly to prevent any bad odours caused by bacteria – air-conditioning systems are a breeding ground for it! Not to mention, putting off decontaminating your air-con system can worsen any allergies you may have.