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Recharging Air Conditioning

R

Ric

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 8, 2000
Messages
55
Location
MA
I've tried to recharge my AC with a can of Freon(?) and one of those kits you buy in WalMart, but seem to have no succes. What is the correct procedure and do those kits really work? Followed the instructions, or thought I did!?! Do you need a machine that pumps it in?
Thanks
 
Ric said:
I've tried to recharge my AC with a can of Freon(?) and one of those kits you buy in WalMart, but seem to have no succes. What is the correct procedure and do those kits really work? Followed the instructions, or thought I did!?! Do you need a machine that pumps it in?
Thanks
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:nonono:

take it to a shop

I repeat again You can not just dump refrigerant into the A/C system, there are pressures and conditions that need to be meet before the system is filled. If you do not have the proper tool or have not researched the proper back ground knowledge do not try re-filling the system yourself...

Do not just add refridgerant if you do not know the condition of the system, ie, leaks, pressures, etc


last our A/C system do not use freon anymore, its R-134a ...

please search the hundreds of posts that have been made on the A/C system already in the last 30 days ....

:nonono:
 
Brapple is right.

Brapple is right.

If it took in the first can, you might be able to get it to work by adding another can of R134, but it will likely fail within days or hours. I have been there, ended up finding the actual leak, which was the compressor case O-ring. Most commonly, the accumulator canister rusts out, needs replacing and then the system has to be vacuumed down and recharged, oil added as well.
 
Wasn't really thinking of using Freon, (note the ? mark after the term), just didn't know what the current coolant was called. Freon seems almost a generic term, like give me a coke but I really want an Orange soda. Did do a search & didn't find much. Maybe I'm just using the wrong term.

Anyway, I suspect there is a leak, but it's apparently very small as I need to recharge it every other year.

So back to the original question. How does one recharge the system, as it doesn't seem to take the can if using the simple recharge system offered by Walmart/AutoZone. I have noticed Autozone offers a more expensive recharge system. Or am I just wasting my money buying those kits and should have a garage do what they know how to do.
 
Ric said:
Wasn't really thinking of using Freon, (note the ? mark after the term), just didn't know what the current coolant was called. Freon seems almost a generic term, like give me a coke but I really want an Orange soda. Did do a search & didn't find much. Maybe I'm just using the wrong term.

Anyway, I suspect there is a leak, but it's apparently very small as I need to recharge it every other year.

So back to the original question. How does one recharge the system, as it doesn't seem to take the can if using the simple recharge system offered by Walmart/AutoZone. I have noticed Autozone offers a more expensive recharge system. Or am I just wasting my money buying those kits and should have a garage do what they know how to do.
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well I am going to apologize some, I came off harsh, didn't have a good night at all ....

first off it may not have taken any refrigerant because the system maybe full ... and being to full is as bad as not being full enough ...

first step, verify is the A/C clutch is working correctly .... does it cycle? should cycle under about 90 degrees or so or be on constant over 90 degrees or so? if its not turning on you need to test the clutch and check the air gap.

next what are the pressures in the system? if you really want to do the work yourself you need a gauge set that allows you to read high and low side pressures. For the system to work correctly the high and low side pressures have to be in a certain range based on the ambient temperature, there also has to be the correct pressure differential. This is why you shouldn't use the wal-mart/autozone refill kits and they only read low side pressure and that is half of the picture. you can get a gauge kit at autozone for about $50 or $80 for the "professional" kit ...

next if the pressures are low and the system is fast cycling I would get a can of R-134a with the UV die ... again its at autozone and get the light and glasses and you will hopefully be able to find your leak. My bet, its the accumulator and that isn't to hard to replace. Remember that any connection has o-rings that need to be replaced with A/C o-rings. You will need A/C oil and I got some at wal-mart, but I forget how much the system should have it it ...

now to fill the system correctly it needs to be brought to a vacuum. Now your not suppose to fill the system with the small cans but it will work. You can get a venturi vacuum pump for the A/C system from like Eastwood, iirc that runs on 90 psi shop air.

once the system is sealed up correctly and brought to a vacuum then you can fill the system.

Its isn't good to fill the system otherwise because you could be introducing air to the system which will lessen how well the system works
 
Actually Freon is a trade name for Dupont refrigerent. Under the FREON trade name there were R11, R12, R113. The word Freon is loosely used just like R410 and Carrier Puron.
 
BrApple, no sweat, apology accepted! :). We all have bad days, nights... Glad I didn't fly off the handle! Might have a been a monstrous string!
Anyway appreciate your comments. Not sure I'll go through the procedure, but now I know why & not to bother w/ the single/cheap gauge set up.
thanks again.
 
Ric said:
BrApple, no sweat, apology accepted! :). We all have bad days, nights... Glad I didn't fly off the handle! Might have a been a monstrous string!
Anyway appreciate your comments. Not sure I'll go through the procedure, but now I know why & not to bother w/ the single/cheap gauge set up.
thanks again.
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yeah its just that the same question has been coming up like every three days and I always answer the same thing ... gets alittle tiring after awhile.

I see that you are in Mass, I'm near Springfield in CT if you want some help looking at it, I would need to shoot to my parents to pick the gauges up but if you want to swing down and meet up I'll take a look at it
 
BrApple thanks for the offer, but I guess I'll just have it done here. I'm in the Lawrence area, so it would mean ~1.5 hr ride each way. Just can't find the time for that at this time. Thanks again, your offer is appreciated.
Ric
 
BrApple said:
yeah its just that the same question has been coming up like every three days and I always answer the same thing ... gets alittle tiring after awhile.

I see that you are in Mass, I'm near Springfield in CT if you want some help looking at it, I would need to shoot to my parents to pick the gauges up but if you want to swing down and meet up I'll take a look at it
Click to expand...

Want to drive over here and look at mine?
 
so lets say your ac is charged and holds a charge at proper pressure but still no ac? I had the system drained, re-filled, and ac worked at the shop but not two days later.... Could the ac clutch be going?
 
blu_fuz said:
so lets say your ac is charged and holds a charge at proper pressure but still no ac? I had the system drained, re-filled, and ac worked at the shop but not two days later.... Could the ac clutch be going?
Click to expand...


yes it could be ... check the clutch to see if it is working, it could be the clutch air gap is to large and that would prevent the clutch for working ... also verify the pressures if you can, they depend on the ambient temp ...
 
Sorry to revive this old thread, but this seems to have the best info of all the "bought a can of refrigerant at walmart" threads that are kicking around.
I have established that I have a very slow leak (over about 12 months) after paying the last 2 years to have the system evacuated and recharged with dye. I don't want to pay anymore and I figure if I recharge now, since it just stopped working, theres not going to be any air in the system.
I will be buying the gauges and all that to do it right, but I was wondering about the process of actually adding the refrigerant, I assume its fairly straight forward. And does anyone know the correct system pressures?
Thank you peeps.
 
to fill the system you have to bring it to a vacuum first. actually first you need to identify where the leak is and repair it. the system is filling with air as it leaks down because of r-134a can get out air can get in.

the pressure that that the system should be at depends on the ambient temp. the guages you get should have a table where you look up the ambient temp and it will tell you what pressure ranges you should be seeing on the low and high pressure sides of the system.

to fill you bring the system to a vacuum, then you add the r-134a to the system.
 
Since I have a very small leak and the system is under pressure, I doubt that air is coming in. The last two times I had it filled I think they held the vacuum so I know it can't be much of a leak. THey also used dye and were unable to find the leak, so I don't know how to find it.
Correct me if I am wrong. and thanks for the info on the pressures.
 
Well I'm recharging my car right now and it is taking forever for the refrigerant to go in, I think because the can gets so cold. Anyway the compressor cycles are getting longer so hopefully soon.
I wanted to check though, when I switch the ac off, the low side pressure goes way up (higher than the high sie). Is this normal?
 
SVTC1136 said:
..., when I switch the ac off, the low side pressure goes way up (higher than the high sie). Is this normal?
Click to expand...
Yes, but you need to leave it on or the refrigerant will not go in.

There is a recharge kit sold by Autozone or Advance Auto ($39) Interdynamics. Has two cans (one is a refrigerant and dye and one is a refrigerant). It also comes with a UV pen light to locate leak and a guage. I've used that previously for a slow leak for a colleague's car. It is also supposed to seal slow leaks. :shrug:

http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=16971&highlight=recharge
 
Thanks tony, yes I closed the refill valve before turning it off. I have had it refilled twice with dye in shops and I they told me they didn't find any leaks. In fact I had then evacuate the system before recharging aswell and they didn't report any problems. Its cycling longer now, high side is upto about 105, should be around 135 so almost there. Might need another can, unfortunately I only bought 1.
 
Add the next can slowly don't overcharge. Stick a thermometer in the center vent and look for a temp of 39 or so degrees, thats about the best I have seen on this system even after I had it professionaly recharged after I installed a new accumulator years ago.

No offense to the tips from this forum but check this place out for more info.

http://www.autoacforum.com/messageview.cfm?catid=20&threadid=7931
 
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