Mollox Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 One to ponder. Whilst recently in Spain I was driving my old '99 Golf and it dawned on me that its never had its aircon regassed in the 6 years (from new) that we've had it in the family. It was 35 deg + outside and the aircon was cooling the car beautifully. That aircon has worked pretty much non-stop since I got the car and now that its been in spain Its working all the time against huge temperatures. Yet here, in the UK, where we barely have any sun dealers are convincing us that we should pay £150 every couple of years because it’s a necessity. I’m not convinced… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulkbear Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 I am a trained air con tech and don't tell anyone but you are right the only reason a air con regas is need is when the old gas has leaked out of a hole in the system But most systems have a very very small leaks in them but you air con system on your golf must be a good system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 When I lived in the Middle East, it was quite ovbious if an older car needed its aircon regassed. The system just seemed to lack any punch. I am not convinced it is worth it here - although my collegue has a T plate Passat, whose climate control dosent seem nearly as good as it should. I guess it just depends on the car - your old golf's ovbiously a goodun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Does seem strange when you hear tales of other people needing to get their climate checked out. French family workhorse here supplies lovely cold air right from start up after 106k and counting.... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Not sure if my current 1996 A6 has been re-gassed, BUT it can freeze by nadgers off each time I turn it on! My old 1992 J-reg Audi V8 Q, had the 'bad old gas' R134???? and that could freeze my nadgers off at 10 paces! However, - my 1997 A8 Q, needed re-gassing, but it had 200K miles, and being of that ilk, was probably on ALL the time wearing out the modern gas (which apparently) is not as good as the old CFC killing stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M8CKN Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 2000 Passat but 180000 miles, so the aircon has seen its fair share of use. Had to replace the compressor 5k ago but until then it was still blowing nice and cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmoo Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 my boss has an x-reg civic sport and said he was having no cold air through, so thought it needed re-gassing, took it to a honda dealership who replaced a part (and i presume re-gassed) and now its nice n cold so he says. personally, mine takes a couple of minutes to begin cooling but i gotta be careful cos otherwise i will freeze me bits off and realise after opening the door how hot it is outisde! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] One to ponder. Whilst recently in Spain I was driving my old '99 Golf and it dawned on me that its never had its aircon regassed in the 6 years (from new) that we've had it in the family. It was 35 deg + outside and the aircon was cooling the car beautifully. That aircon has worked pretty much non-stop since I got the car and now that its been in spain Its working all the time against huge temperatures. Yet here, in the UK, where we barely have any sun dealers are convincing us that we should pay £150 every couple of years because it’s a necessity. I’m not convinced… [/ QUOTE ] I've been told it's better for an airco to be used frequently than to live in a climate where it's not used 80% of the time... That said, I don't see the need for regassing unless it has lost some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 The refrigerant also acts as a "lubricant" for the air-con. If you do not run it for long periods of time - the hoses dry out from lack of coolant circulating through them and become porous - resulting in outgassing of said refrigerant. So Molly - it might seem like a scam up there in ol' Blighty where you might get 3 warm days a year - but trust me - it isn't down here! BTW - there is no faster way that I know of to defog a car interior than to run the a/c... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjgreen4 Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 The refrigerant is mixed with a synthetic lubricant that travels from the evaporator (in air conditioning terms - the indoor unit that a fan blows the return over) to the compressor, the refrigerant is then compressed and super heated to aprox 95 Deg C, can be different depending on the refrigerant. The refrigerant is then evaporated off through a condensing unit, hence you some times see liquid dripping from the underneath of your car, not to worry as its only condensation. The refrigerant then travels to the expansion valve at approx 45 deg C, and at the release point on entering the evaporator is could be as low as 2 deg c, so when the return air blows over the evaporator is blows cold air. The above is known as the vapor compression cycle and is a fully sealed system, regarding the use of the system and lubricating the hoses, I can vouch for that in that a lubricant is constantly flowing around with the refrigerant, when the system is in use. I think the common refrigerants for cars are R134A, for split system air conditioning systems they are going over to R410A with inverted driven compressors. If someone is telling you that the system needs to be charged every two years or so, tell them to stuff it as they are conning you. When our engineers perform routing maintenance of air conditioning/refrigeration systems they won't touch the levels of gas, they might check the pressures but they will mainly look at the filters, condensate pump/controls/electrics/the air on/off temperatures etc. If you have any other questions just ask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Top Post RJ! At my place the recommended Re-Gas interval is 4 Years. [ QUOTE ] BTW - there is no faster way that I know of to defog a car interior than to run the a/c... [/ QUOTE ] Yep - On Re-Circ tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulkbear Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 rjgreen4 Is a ture that if you mix R12 (i think that is the old stuff used in Jags) and R134a It make musturd Gas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjgreen4 Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Not sure but with most refrigerants, when they come into contact with a naked flame they generally give off nast toxins. 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane or R134a as it is known by its trade name gives off dichlorodiethyl sulfide when in contact with a naked flame. dichlorodiethyl sulfide - or R12 as it is known in the trade is banned as a refrigerant, well for new installations it is under the montreal protocol due to its ozone depleating nature. Generally refrigerants are amazing for their efficiency, I mean where can you input 1kW of energy and get ~ 4kw out, with refrigerants you can!!!! but they are also quite nasty as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 [ QUOTE ] 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane gives off dichlorodiethyl sulfide when in contact with a naked flame. [/ QUOTE ] This can't be far away from PTFE tape (polytetrafluoroethane) It always makes me laugh when you see the warning label on plumber's tape - burning this tape and inhaling the gases can cause flu like symptons Why would I be smoking a product for sealing pipe joints? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiftyPence Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 kids on council estates will smoke anything given half the chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustynuts Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane gives off dichlorodiethyl sulfide when in contact with a naked flame. [/ QUOTE ] This can't be far away from PTFE tape (polytetrafluoroethane) It always makes me laugh when you see the warning label on plumber's tape - burning this tape and inhaling the gases can cause flu like symptons Why would I be smoking a product for sealing pipe joints? [/ QUOTE ] "Polytetrafluoroethylene." PTFE or "Teflon" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannymacca Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Generally refrigerants are amazing for their efficiency, I mean where can you input 1kW of energy and get ~ 4kw out, with refrigerants you can!!!! but they are also quite nasty as well. [/ QUOTE ] Isn't possible is it? Goes against the basic laws of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 [ QUOTE ] dichlorodiethyl sulfide - or R12 as it is known in the trade is banned as a refrigerant, well for new installations it is under the montreal protocol due to its ozone depleating nature. [/ QUOTE ] That's the stuff I had in my V8. The ozone killing stuff. My A8 and A6 have or had the R134 ozone 'frienldy' stuff. I think if the Audi V8 needed regassing at any time, I would have had to have major work done, to swap it over the new R134. Different pipes and joins/unions etc. Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjgreen4 Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 http://www.comfort.uk.com/faq.htm Look under COP!!!! As an example, for 1kw of electrical energy input, through the vapour compression cycle you can get 3kw of heat output. In todays refrigeration/ air conditioning heat pumps it is possible to get closer to a COP of 1:4.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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