When summer hits in Australia, we’re all grateful for a well-functioning car air conditioner!
It’s not only a matter of convenience, but also safety, especially for little ones. So, with summer almost upon us, it’s a good time to make sure your car air conditioner is ready to face the heat.
Keeping your air conditioner maintained during Winter
It’s worth mentioning that we recommend turning on your car air conditioner once a month at least, even in winter. The system is full of seals and hoses that can dry out and crack if used too infrequently. Ten minutes is all it needs.
Testing your air conditioner before the Summer heat kicks in
End of Winter is also a good time to make sure it’s working, in terms of both chilling the cabin adequately and not producing an unpleasant odour.
Does your air conditioner have a bad smell? It could be mouldy.
If you do detect an odious smell, it could mean mould has grown due to moisture that has not been properly evaporated. It’s unpleasant and not particularly good for your health; book in with us and we can rectify it quickly and simply.
Air conditioner not blowing cold air? It might need to be re-gassed
A re-gas of your vehicle’s air conditioner involves introducing fresh refrigerant into the system. First, we evacuate your air conditioner of all moisture and oxygen, and then introduce the new refrigerant, correctly measured, into the system, along with some lubricating oil for all the moving parts.
What do we do in a car air conditioner service?
This involves a thorough inspection of the entire system – hoses, pulleys, belts – and a check of both low and high pressures. We operate the system to make sure buttons, thermostats, blowers and the compressor clutch are all in working order, and the condenser is operating at the correct temperature.
The servicing of a car air conditioner is a specialist area and highly regulated. You should always have your car looked over by a reputable service provider. At BM Tech, we’re fully qualified and licensed by Arctick to work on every aspect of your air conditioning system.
How your car air conditioner works
It’s something we all use at one time or another, but most of us are at a loss to explain how a car air conditioner actually works. Below is a brief explanation.
Compressor
While your AC could theoretically work without one or two of the other parts, it’s toast without the compressor. The compressor is a simple engine-driven pump that compresses the refrigerant gas and pumps it into the system.
Condenser
To get that nice, chilled air you need on those hot summer days, the refrigerant gas needs to change into a liquid, which is the role of the condenser. In most cases, a car’s condenser is located in front of the radiator, where it is cooled by the strong airflow created by a vehicle in motion.
Reservoir
The reservoir receives the now liquified refrigerant and filters any impurities within it. Without the reservoir, debris and moisture will clog the system in no time and lead to blockages and ruptures.
Accumulator (orifice tube)/thermal expansion valve
From the condenser, the refrigerant liquid is transported through to either the accumulator (also known as the orifice tube) or the thermal expansion valve, depending on your vehicle. They vary in their method but perform the same function: they allow small amounts of liquid to enter the evaporator where they are quickly evaporated. This prevents moisture from escaping the evaporator and causing havoc in the system.
Evaporator
The evaporator is basically a box located under the dashboard. Filtered air is forced over the cooled refrigerant contained within it by a blower, and then travels through ducts and vents, into the cabin of your car, keeping you nice and cool while pedestrians melt on the footpath.