Air Conditioning Facts

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What you need to know…

Your Air Conditioning System is a sealed system requiring specialist maintenance.

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The system is pressurised using a cooling gas just like a fridge

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Unlike a fridge up to 15% of cooling gas could be lost naturally
every year due to engine vibration and the constant expansion
and contraction of pipe joints

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A 3 year old system could be up to 50% inefficient
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Manufacturers recommend routine servicing

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This is quite usual at 2 year intervals or 30.000 miles

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Changing the desiccant pack is good practice at the same time

Below is a typical Condenser situated in front of the coolant radiator. This is a common failure due to its location, which is subject to debris etc that comes through the front grill etc.
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An inefficient system will use more fuel
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An effective well maintained Air Conditioning System will
deliver Purified Air
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Reducing travel fatigue
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Aid demisting in cold and wet weather
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Stops pollens and other allergens entering your space
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Cuts down circulating pollutants
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Maintains a more comfortable travelling environment
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Use less fuel

How long would you last?!

The Vehicle Air Conditioning Cycle

To produce Conditioned Air, refrigerant has to cycle in the following sequence:

Starting at the Compressor, it is pressurised and heated, then travelling as a vapour to the Condenser, forward to a Receiver Drier where moisture and debris is removed.

The refrigerant travels towards the back of the engine where a valve drops the pressure and temperature of the system, thus allowing cool refrigerant into the Evaporator, situated right behind the Heater. The cold Evaporator draws heat from the cabin, cools it (evaporates) and distributes cold air through vents in the vehicle cabin. The surplus moisture is collected on a tray and let out through a drain tube below the vehicle. It is quite healthy for a pool of water to form on the ground when the vehicle is stopped.

Returning by suction to the Compressor to begin again.

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All vehicles have a drier, although not necessarily in the same location
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System illustrated is for vehicles only

The air conditioning compressor is at the heart of all air conditioning systems. Like our own heart, it has to have the right food at the right time and in the right quantity to maintain peak performance. Likewise, it also needs regular exercise to remain healthy.

Regular servicing of the air conditioning system ensures that all the levels are as they should be.

Consider this…… the system deteriorates by 10-15% per year, after 3 years the oils and refrigerant may have depleted by up to 50%. The heart is pumping twice as hard to keep up!