Can you believe this

[Shelly]

Can you believe this …..
It always happens
On Monday I had a new condenser fitted in my car and obviously the old one taken out
I haven’t had air con in my car for a good few years now
So yippie, I’m now up and running with lovely cold air
But I haven’t used the air con yet as it hasn’t been hot enough when I’ve been out in Snow White
But I’m so happy I now have it , there is sure to be many more super hot days this year still to go

 

[Gatsoburner]

Jeez..I thought all of England was cooked this last week or so. Been constantly high 20s last fortnight in the North West

 

[Ianmc]

The aircon benefits from being used regularly, all year round IME.

 

[Shelly]

Jeez..I thought all of England was cooked this last week or so. Been constantly high 20s last fortnight in the North West

We were very hot in the afternoons, too hot really
But not early in the mornings when I went out

 

[Shelly]

The aircon benefits from being used regularly, all year round IME.

Thank you , I didn’t know that

 

[AleNod]

Mine is always on, set the temperature and it cools when needed. A/C also removes humidity from the blown air, so helps in demisting the front windscreen in winter.

 

[Shelly]

Mine is always on, set the temperature and it cools when needed. A/C also removes humidity from the blown air, so helps in demisting the front windscreen in winter.

Thank you for your advice

 

[e30Derbyshire]

We were very hot in the afternoons, too hot really
But not early in the mornings when I went out

Should’ve worn a jumper, coat and a hat in the mornings!

 

[ktnez99]

My car’s AC is always on. Don’t ask why!

 

[Grumps]

You should run it regularly Shelly, it keeps the rubber seals lubricated and stops them from going brittle and allowing the gas to leak out.

 

[Pond]

You should run it regularly Shelly, it's keeps the rubber seals lubricated and stops them from going brittle and allowing the gas to leak out.

Indeed. There is a neoprene seal on the drive shaft of the compressor. This seal is lubricated by the dissolved oil in the refrigerant moving around the system.
Refrigeration oil is very thin and is 'miscible' in refrigerant.
If the compressor doesn't turn, ie the magnetic clutch isn't engaged, the seal isn't lubricated so dries out. When it dries out enough it shrinks slightly and causes refrigerant to leak past it.
When the compressor engages and the oil contacts the neoprene seal, it will expand and re-seal.
This is the major cause of cars requiring a 'regas' when there are apparently no leaks.

Every car's owner's manual for the past 4 decades will say to run the ac regularly (at least an hour every three weeks) to prevent leaks. The above is why.

 

[Pond]

A/C also removes humidity from the blown air,

Yes, the action of mechanical cooling inherently de-humidifies air. If you pass air over a surface which is a lower temperature than the dew point of that air, the moisture in the air will condense on the cooler surface. It is the basic process of heat transfer. When water vapour rejects heat it cools and condenses into liquid; when it warms it absorbs heat and evaporates.

Water is a refrigerant. Any element that can turn from a vapour to a liquid and back continuously is a refrigerant. The way that water behaves was the basis of every single form of refrigeration we know today. I think it is an interesting fact. But I would as I have made a living from it for over 40 years!

 

[Shelly]

Thank you all for you advice
It’s been very interesting to read

 

[Duncodin]

Mine is always on, set the temperature and it cools when needed. A/C also removes humidity from the blown air, so helps in demisting the front windscreen in winter.

That's why they call it Air "Conditioning". Not Air "Cooling". Even in winter with the heating on the A/C is 'conditioning' the air making it nice to breath.

As for drying out seals etc. Many Modern cars don't have a magnetic clutch to fully disengage. They have a different mechanism that keeps the pump circulating just a tiny bit even when the air con is off. Er. I think.

 

[Guinn]

Can you believe this …..
It always happens
On Monday I had a new condenser fitted in my car and obviously the old one taken out
I haven’t had air con in my car for a good few years now
So yippie, I’m now up and running with lovely cold air
But I haven’t used the air con yet as it hasn’t been hot enough when I’ve been out in Snow White
But I’m so happy I now have it , there is sure to be many more super hot days this year still to go

Next week our "coolest" day is going to be 109° F, and 3 days of 111, 113 , 113. I don'tceven want to think what August will bring us...

 

[Shelly]

Wow that’s incredible
How ever do you do things in that heat

 

[Guinn]

Wow that’s incredible
How ever do you do things in that heat

I try to do what I need to do before 10 am. After that anything I do outside I do for 30 minutes, then inside or in shade for 30 minutes and drink lots of water.