DIY A/C charging - Yes or no?

[Glockster69]

http://acprocold.com/

Anyone else use AC Pro?
Good, no change or bad outcome?
Any long term harmful effects to the A/C system from using this or a similar product?
Should the system be emptied or nearly emptied for better results?
Specifically this for a '03 Honda Si, my Chevy truck A/C will freeze your nutz off (assuming you have any)


Subject reminds me, there's a little shop on the highway in Grapeland with a banner over the door:

Your wife is HOT
You should tint her windows
​

 

[itchin]

Do not over charge it. Your compressor will stop.

 

[swcc22]

You should have a professional do it. Ok my disclaimer.its not hard but becareful them cheep charge kits are cheep and leak some times. And liquid r134a will freezer burn the hell out of u I have a guy I workex with did a side job for a friend and it leaked all over his hand and he had the whole side of his hand flayed to get the infection out. Just fallow the cheep little gauge and dont over charge it it should be able to run with the motor running at 2k rpms and not cycle on and off.

The only easy day was yesterday.

 

[Younggun]

One thing about the "cheap little gauge".

Most little kits only show you the low side. The high side is VERY important. That's how you know if your over charging the system. If your good you can tell a lot about an AC system by just watching what the gauges do.

I recommend getting a gauge set. Both high and low sides. The bigger the gap in pressures, the colder it blows. High gets too high and your compressor will eventually give out. They are a little expensive but mine has paid for itself in saved trips to the shop.

Do it during the heat of the day. If you charge it in the evening after it cools off and get the high side near max it will run higher pressure when it's 110 outside. High pressure switch "should" cut it off before it does major damage but it is still more stress on the system. I always charge mine in the heat of the day with the recirc button off. That will get the pressure at their highest. When you think you got it put the recirc on and roll up the windows. Aughta blow good an cold.

If it has no pressure in the system it probably could have gotten air in it and you may need to put a vacuum pump on it to get the air out or it won't ever be as cold as it could be.


It's not rocket science, just don't keep adding cans if its not getting colder. You could have another problem.

Some AC systems will kick on and off at different times because of differences in outside temps causing pressures to change.

That's all I can think of right now.


Oh, and the RpM thing is right on, you wanna see what the pressures are doing when the engine is turning at highway speeds, not idle. Get the pressure high at idle and hit the gas and your high side will go way up.

Also, don't turn the can upside down. It can be done but it's not recommended. If liquids hits the compressor bad things will happen. Set the can on the engine to keep it warm. If it gets real cold you won't be able to get all the stuff out of it and that craps expensive. Warm cans charge faster too.

 

[grasshopperglock]

One thing about the "cheap little gauge".

Most little kits only show you the low side. The high side is VERY important. That's how you know if your over charging the system. If your good you can tell a lot about an AC system by just watching what the gauges do.

I recommend getting a gauge set. Both high and low sides. The bigger the gap in pressures, the colder it blows. High gets too high and your compressor will eventually give out. They are a little expensive but mine has paid for itself in saved trips to the shop.

Do it during the heat of the day. If you charge it in the evening after it cools off and get the high side near max it will run higher pressure when it's 110 outside. High pressure switch "should" cut it off before it does major damage but it is still more stress on the system. I always charge mine in the heat of the day with the recirc button off. That will get the pressure at their highest. When you think you got it put the recirc on and roll up the windows. Aughta blow good an cold.

If it has no pressure in the system it probably could have gotten air in it and you may need to put a vacuum pump on it to get the air out or it won't ever be as cold as it could be.


It's not rocket science, just don't keep adding cans if its not getting colder. You could have another problem.

Some AC systems will kick on and off at different times because of differences in outside temps causing pressures to change.

That's all I can think of right now.


Oh, and the RpM thing is right on, you wanna see what the pressures are doing when the engine is turning at highway speeds, not idle. Get the pressure high at idle and hit the gas and your high side will go way up.

Also, don't turn the can upside down. It can be done but it's not recommended. If liquids hits the compressor bad things will happen. Set the can on the engine to keep it warm. If it gets real cold you won't be able to get all the stuff out of it and that craps expensive. Warm cans charge faster too.

Thats all kewl. You have done a good job really explaining auto ac. If this product Glock' wants to use, was in any way dangerous, as in class law suit, it wouldn't be on the US market.

Its a temporary fix of the ac system. Don't expect it to last no where as long a properly vacuumed and recharged system. Glock' let us know how it works, if you aint done it already.

If not, hook it up during the coolest part of the day. If you got a box fan, Stick on the grill as u charge it. Or spray the condenser(in front of the rad), with the water hose to cool it down. Empty the can. Worst case, it'll pop off the excess, through a valve on the compressor.

Your not gonna hurt it. Nor is hoses gonna explode. Keep all fittings clean. Keep it clean and IMHO, youll be fine as rain.

 

[Younggun]

Lol, glockster's a a gurl.

 

[Younggun]

But yeah, if it's got a leak its a temporary fix.

DO NOT put A/C stop leak crap in it. There is a small orifice and a screen that will probably stop up before the leak does and you may go from needing a couple O rings and recharge to a full replacement of the system.

 

[grasshopperglock]

Lol, glockster's a a gurl.

Dude i know, That was me at the gatesville range. I know what the majority of the regulars on here look like, lol. If she can pull a trigger, she can charge her ac. LOL

 

[M. Sage]

Do-It-Yourself AC Repair, Car Air Conditioning Refrigerant, R134a Freon

Anyone else use AC Pro?
Good, no change or bad outcome?
Any long term harmful effects to the A/C system from using this or a similar product?
Should the system be emptied or nearly emptied for better results?
Specifically this for a '03 Honda Si, my Chevy truck A/C will freeze your nutz off (assuming you have any)


Subject reminds me, there's a little shop on the highway in Grapeland with a banner over the door:

Your wife is HOT
You should tint her windows
​

No. Hell no. Never, ever EVER.

This junk has "sealant" in it. I just replaced a co-worker's compressor because he put a can of this garbage in his system, it found some moisture and wrecked the compressor. How could I tell? I found the crap plugging up the orifice tube.

Don't use the recharge kits from parts stores. Every single one I've found has sealant and the odds are just too good that it'll damage your AC system down the road.

 

[Younggun]

Should be able to buy cans of straight 134A with no sealant.

They got it at autozone but you gotta check the can cause they stack them all together.

 

[country_boy]

That's all good n all that but I have an old r12 system. Y'all got it made with your r13a

 

[itchin]

Just charge it with liquid propane. Lol

 

[Glockster69]

Just charge it with liquid propane. Lol

Just had 75 gallons put in the home tank, is that enough? o_O

 

[swcc22]

I have about 22 lbs of r12 but I have a license to buy it

The only easy day was yesterday.

 

[Glockster69]

No. Hell no. Never, ever EVER.

Same response if I find one without any sealant?

 

[Younggun]

Without sealant is fine. Sage was talking about the kits that come with a can and usually a low side gauge.

Just plan to spend $60 on a cheapo gauge set with high and low side gauges+ $16 on a can of plain 134A.

 

[matefrio]

Got my van vacuumed and filled for $150.00.

I've used the kits before, took about a year and a half before I had to fill again.

 

[Glockster69]

Sounds like you were lucky with the kit matefrio. That's not the way things go for me so I'm leaning heavily away from the kit.

 

[Younggun]

Old refrigerators have all necessary parts to build a great vacuum pump, minus a few fitting.

 

[grasshopperglock]

Old refrigerators have all necessary parts to build a great vacuum pump, minus a few fitting.

and those fittings can be had most lowes. Regular wire solder will hold the fitting on to the vac side of the compressor. Seen this done many a time. And it will evac the system down to 30. Easy.

Beats spending 300+ on snap-on vacuum pump.

For folks that don't which is the low side and which is the high side. the low side is the pipe, coming out of the firewall going to the evap. has a silver can looking thingy knows as a dryer. Sometimes the low fitting is on the dryer. The high side runs from the compressor straight to the firewall. Don't jack with it, unless your damn careful and know what your doing. Its not gonna kill you if a hose ever pops. Its just that those hoses can run big $$$$, and some only come from the dealer.

http://autorepair.about.com/od/glossary/a/howitworks_ac_2.htm