Halfords are selling 40 quid R134a refill packs - basically an aerosol with an in-line pressure gauge and some basic instructions. Is such self-servicing advisable?
I thought the quantity of refridgerant was fairly ciritical and the supplied gauge looked very cheap and nasty with major scope for inaccurate metering .
Also, I was recently told there are new EU rules on refridgerant handling - something like every gram has to be accounted for.
Views?
There is a range for the pressure since some gas will always leak out and I assume the gauges are as good as the ones on foot pumps so providing the needle is in the correct area while the compressor is running it should be ok. If the pressure is too high on the gauge there's a danger of the gas still being a liquid when the compressor tries to compress it and it it's too low there won't be enough to stay a liquid until it gets to the evaporator.
It's still legal to buy them, until July next year, but since July this year it's been illegal to use them unless you have passed the exam :-)
Pay the extra £20 and go to a local specialist.
Ive tried these kits and they arent much cop to be honest.
Halfwits are running the world. So how are they going to account for people that burn R-290 by the Kg or even tonne?
Sorry - "Halfwits are ruining the world"
no, you were right both times
They have gone up £20 since I got one last year. They don't work anyway so I wouldn't bother wasting money. Take it to someone that knows about aircon as following the instructions can mean you trying to fill it in the wrong place which can be alarming!
If they're the same design as the ones they sold earlier, be very careful they haven't been used, emptied, and returned for a refund. They didn't have decent seals to prevent this.
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the two attachment points are different sizes on an R134 system, so that is not possible.
However, there are so many places, especially at this time of the year that will give the aircon a refill that it is certainly not worth 40 quid to halfords. I am sure that you can find a garage or quik fit that will do it properly for that much.
13 kilos of refrigerant is anout 70 quid, those refills hold about half a kilo, massive profits in their sale.
Don't wast your money I got one to try last year when they where around =A320
Call in a pro they will empty the system test it, pin point any leaks, pressure test and refill with R134a gas with a UV dye, all for around =A360 - =A380 depending if they need to make a second call.
You may need to fix it or have it fixed before Air con guy will touch it, as many don't fix faults, most of them just detect faults and refill.
Make sure Air con guy leaves system fully drained as even the smallest pressure could mean getting a face full or yellow dye everywhere, when removing pipes.
If fixing yourself DON'T be tempted to release the pipes with screw drivers as some folk do, new pipes are expensive, get the proper tools these are around =A310 to =A320 and are colour coded for size and make splitting pipes child's play. It is tempting to have a go with a screw driver especially if you need to wait to get the tools, 9 out of 10 times you will be okay, after 5 or10 mins fighting with it. Just be warned NEW PIPES CAN COST AROUND =A370 as most need to come from main dealers.
If you get any thing from Halfords just get the pressure gauge to test the pressure just in case it's an electrical fault.
You can expect to lose a small bit of gas over time with normal use, the most common fault is just the system getting low on gas and the cut out switch cutting in, also make this one of your first tests using a multi meter to see if it's getting power.
Oh and once it's all working once more decontaminate the whole vent system ( get an aerosol can from your local motor factors) and stick it behind the front seat. DO THIS ONCE A YEAR.
Hmmm, That reminds me mine need fixing too. Time to make a phone call........
I've used them for topping up and it works fine. I know someone who changed their condenser and refilled with these too (took two of the big tins though). The pressure is more important than the volume.
If your aircon is not as cold as it was, then these will fix it for a year or so at least. If your aircon was working fine and then suddenly wasn't at all then you probably have a major leak and need to get that fixed first.
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