RE: Aircon is for life not just summer
Tuesday 19th December 2006
British motorists are continuing to risk an unwanted £583 bill by ignoring advice about the usage of air-con, according to warranty specialist, Warranty Direct.
Aircon is for life not just summer
Turn it on or pay the price, warns specialist
The company said too many drivers switch off their air con during the winter leaving it prone to failure when the warmer weather returns.
Company spokesman Duncan McClure Fisher said: “Switched off for long periods of time, water or air can get into the system. The moisture will react with the refrigerant to create acid, which then attacks the seals and pipe-work leaving you with a hefty repair bill.”
Air con is also no longer the luxury it once was. Experts estimate that almost four out of five new cars now come fitted with the cooling system as standard. And data shows that air-conditioning units account for 1 in 20 mechanical failures with an average bill of £583 but as high as £1,661.
As well as regular use throughout the year, Warranty Direct also recommends annual maintenance checks which cost as little as £40 from an independent specialist.
Discussion
It needs to switched on about once or twice a month (min) for the A/C pump to circulate the PAG oil which is the internal lubricant contained within the A/C refrigerant gas. This has the effect of ensuring the O-rings seals remain lubricated and continue to provide a hermetic seal within the A/C line joints. If it doesn't occur, charge weight drops (gas escapes) and the AC performance falls away.
A/C is brilliant for clearing misty windows anyway in winter..... Put the heat on max and the A/C on and it dries the air entering the vehicle before heating it (Condenser sits before heater matrix). Result is rapid demist and warmer air off temps....
If you don't want any noxious pongs in your car (at least not created by the Manual A/C system
) then run the blower on high just before switching the car off to dry the condenser out. Climate Control systems have purge routines and don't require you to do this.fwdracer said:
A/C is brilliant for clearing misty windows anyway in winter..... Put the heat on max and the A/C on and it dries the air entering the vehicle before heating it (Condenser sits before heater matrix). Result is rapid demist and warmer air off temps....
Am I right in thinking that most systems automatically turn the cooling cycle off if the ambient air is below 5 degs C, to prevent the evaporator freezing up?
I have always used mine all year round in every car!
Even the Cerbera air/con was used on most journeys and hence one of the factors why I never had a problem with it!
The XKR and Omegas' climate control are just left switched on all the time!! I just get the system re-gassed once a year and they have all been relatively 'maintenance-free'!!
Cerby4.5
Even the Cerbera air/con was used on most journeys and hence one of the factors why I never had a problem with it!
The XKR and Omegas' climate control are just left switched on all the time!! I just get the system re-gassed once a year and they have all been relatively 'maintenance-free'!!
Cerby4.5
Edited by Cerby4.5 on Tuesday 19th December 11:38
sublimatica said:
fwdracer said:
A/C is brilliant for clearing misty windows anyway in winter..... Put the heat on max and the A/C on and it dries the air entering the vehicle before heating it (Condenser sits before heater matrix). Result is rapid demist and warmer air off temps....
Am I right in thinking that most systems automatically turn the cooling cycle off if the ambient air is below 5 degs C, to prevent the evaporator freezing up?
Some do. With A/C now incorporating humidity sensing in the case of High End Full Climate Control system, some will work almost down almsot to zero depending on ambient and humidity levels.
You only need to run the systems for about 5-10mins to circulate the PAG oil and refirgerant fully.
It usually recommends most of this in.... :winces: The cars handbook
Cerby4.5 said:
I have always used mine all year round in every car!
Even the Cerbera air/con was used on most journeys and hence one of the factors why I never had a problem with it!
The XKR and Omegas' climate control are just left switched on all the time!! I just get the system re-gassed once a year and they have all been relatively 'maintenance-free'!!
Cerby4.5
Even the Cerbera air/con was used on most journeys and hence one of the factors why I never had a problem with it!
The XKR and Omegas' climate control are just left switched on all the time!! I just get the system re-gassed once a year and they have all been relatively 'maintenance-free'!!
Cerby4.5
Edited by Cerby4.5 on Tuesday 19th December 11:38
Once a year? Do they leak? Seems a bit too frequent. I've run cars for 5-6 years with no regassing needed. Might need a de-germification once in a while though.
A contentious option I know, but you could always go back to the old fashioned method of cleaning the screen more often...
I haven't had the aircon cut out and need this, but I was amazed how much dirt came off my screen when I did eventually clean it the other week, never used to get that much in cars without air-con, then again I needed to clean them more often or it took forever to clear.
I haven't had the aircon cut out and need this, but I was amazed how much dirt came off my screen when I did eventually clean it the other week, never used to get that much in cars without air-con, then again I needed to clean them more often or it took forever to clear.
InRong Ghia said:
A contentious option I know, but you could always go back to the old fashioned method of cleaning the screen more often...
I haven't had the aircon cut out and need this, but I was amazed how much dirt came off my screen when I did eventually clean it the other week, never used to get that much in cars without air-con, then again I needed to clean them more often or it took forever to clear.
I haven't had the aircon cut out and need this, but I was amazed how much dirt came off my screen when I did eventually clean it the other week, never used to get that much in cars without air-con, then again I needed to clean them more often or it took forever to clear.
I noticed that a week ago, after I wiped the condensation off with a white handherchief. Black goop all over it.
And nobody smokes in my car either. Any suggestions for the best way to clean and degrease the inside of a screen? Do these anti-mist solutions/sprays/wipes work?
I hate having smears and fingerprints on mine, unlike some people who happily wipe condensation off with the back of their hand.
Hail to the King!
I suspect the black gloop on the windscreen is another thing we can blame diesels for (especially the ones fitten in busses). I cleaned the TV screen in our road-facing room on Sunday and got the same kind of muck off that, the back room set was just dusty.
When I say road facing it's on the first floor and directly over the pavement, we can nearly touch the upstairs passengers as the busses go past!
I have used a normal window cleaning spray in the past for windscreens, seemed to do the trick but there must be a specialist product available at three times the price.
Rob
I suspect the black gloop on the windscreen is another thing we can blame diesels for (especially the ones fitten in busses). I cleaned the TV screen in our road-facing room on Sunday and got the same kind of muck off that, the back room set was just dusty.
When I say road facing it's on the first floor and directly over the pavement, we can nearly touch the upstairs passengers as the busses go past!
I have used a normal window cleaning spray in the past for windscreens, seemed to do the trick but there must be a specialist product available at three times the price.
Rob
[
I haven't had the aircon cut out and need this, but I was amazed how much dirt came off my screen when I did eventually clean it the other week, never used to get that much in cars without air-con, then again I needed to clean them more often or it took forever to clear.
[/quote]
I noticed that a week ago, after I wiped the condensation off with a white handherchief. Black goop all over it. And nobody smokes in my car either.
Any suggestions for the best way to clean and degrease the inside of a screen? Do these anti-mist solutions/sprays/wipes work?
I hate having smears and fingerprints on mine, unlike some people who happily wipe condensation off with the back of their hand.[/quote]
Computer screen cleaner is quite good - do it twice - wipe off with paper towle first time to list off the crap then squeegee the second time to get rid of the lines
I haven't had the aircon cut out and need this, but I was amazed how much dirt came off my screen when I did eventually clean it the other week, never used to get that much in cars without air-con, then again I needed to clean them more often or it took forever to clear.
[/quote]
I noticed that a week ago, after I wiped the condensation off with a white handherchief. Black goop all over it.
And nobody smokes in my car either. Any suggestions for the best way to clean and degrease the inside of a screen? Do these anti-mist solutions/sprays/wipes work?
I hate having smears and fingerprints on mine, unlike some people who happily wipe condensation off with the back of their hand.[/quote]
Computer screen cleaner is quite good - do it twice - wipe off with paper towle first time to list off the crap then squeegee the second time to get rid of the lines
all very well saying turn it on to demist but as soon as you turn it off the window will mist back up as the vapour taken out of the air then evaporates again and recondenses on the window. 10 mins of air con use results in having it on for the whole journey. With current petrol prices I'd rather not lose a couple of MPG in the euro box.
fourmotion said:
mine switches off when the temperature reaches 4 or below. this isn't funny (or safe) when it does so on the move, as the windows instantly steam up. damn nuisance in fact. any suggestions for preventing this?
Yep - open the window an inch or 2
The ambiant temp and window temp will be around the same and the steaming up will disappear
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