We have around 30 vehicles and pieces of equipment at our company. I pretty much can work on anything except for a/c repair. I have no experience with a/c repair and know little to nothing about it. I have a basic understanding of the main components in the a/c system but that is about it. Currently we take our equipment to a local shop if it has any a/c problems besides the blower motor, I fix and replace those. Our company is in a small town and there is not many options as far as repair shops and I have not been pleased with the work the local shop has done on our a/c equipment and I am tiered of paying them if I can do it myself. It may not be the local shops fault the a/c repairs they have done have been poor usually but I don't know. Our equipment is in really dusty environments and some harsh working conditions, so that could be the problem. I would like to start doing our a/c repairs in house if I can. My question is what equipment will I need and what do I need to watch out for? What is the proper way to recharge the system? Here is a list of equipment I plan on buying: manifold gauges, vacuum pump, flush kit, valve cores, valve core installers, orifice tube servicing tools, oil injector. What else do I need? Do I need some kind of leak detection dye kit? Are the electronic leak detectors better and how do they work? I purchased a a/c service manual for cat equipment because a lot of our equipment is cat and the service manual is suppose to cover all of their equipment. I plan on buying these tools from matco, I like quality tools but will buy something less expensive if there are alternative of the same quality for less. Any suggestion or help anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated.
the big ticket item that's not on your list is a recovery machine!! also need to get the mobile certification. also 2 recovery cylinders to put Freon in. something else not on your list is Freon!! lol had to say it sorry
I've got a robinair 34766? on my service truck. fits snug in one compartment but I can pull up close to machine and it does everything I need it to. I would like to get longer hoses so I don't have to park so close. it was close to $4000 but its worth every penny. besides that, I have the uv light and glasses, some a/c flush, leak detector dye and a universal a/c o-ring kit. got everything from napa. f-service, what did you have to do to get the mobile certification?
its been a few years but I THINK it was a 8hr class, then a 25 question test.. very easy im pretty sure you can take it online now tho.
When I took it it was a 2hr class and then the instructor called out the answers as we filled in the test at my local NAPA store, about 20 yrs ago
Even though it is freon and not oil, a/c is similar to a closed loop hydraulic system. Compressor is the pump, so.. An internal compressor failure means cleaning the system and replacing filter( drier or accumulator). Most new compressors come with a full charge of oil. If replacing compressor oil trapped in the system must be removed or it could be to much oil taking up space so eleven with the correct freon charge the high pressure will build. Red dot makes a service manual that covers the basic manifold gauge diagnostics . For example a low side reading pulling into a vacuum would indicated a blockage stopping the flow of freon likely expansion valve or drier, or office tube. Office tubes only go one way. The longer the vacuum the better, you won't pull more vacuum by doing so for a longer period but more moisture will come out. Whether or not it holds a vacuum will show that you have a leak, just not where. Just make sure ther are no leaks on gauge set, that has thrown me for a loop before. Don't loose your vacuum before putting freon in and purge gauges so the air in line between gauge set and the freon can does not enter system. Learn what an operating system looks like while running and when not. Check the belt drive then hook the gauge set up. On most non computer control systems, power comes through ac switch to thermostat switch to pressure switch to compressor. Condenser must have adequate air flow to accomplish state change, hot gas to warm liquid. High side pressure will vary with ambient temp and condenser lack of air flow will cause high side pressure spike. Because of these variations it is best to have a scale and charge only the amount of freon the system requires. Sometimes I run up on an operator complaining he not cooling, but I find the system operating at peak, just to much sun glass and hydraulic heat. I get up in the cab with machine running close the door and clean out the cab filter or just hang out in there for a while and let the operator walk around in the 100 degree heat, he will think it working great when he gets back in! Good luck.
Here is a really good site for A/C. Check out some of the training manuals, I found them very informative http://www.rdac.com/resources/product-literature
I took my certs on line from MACS. i think it was like $20 for the certs
I do a lot of ac work and use a recovery machine on a daily basis this time of year, they are a must, I have a robinair 34788 and it works great, I buy verry little from OEM for ac parts I use a company located here in Iowa but they are nation wide Ap air. apairinc.com it there website they have compacitys and oil charge listed for most machines on the site they are easy to get a account set up with and priceing is usualy 50% of oem. I have never owned a sniffer I get along well with a uv light, dye, and glasses. I also do a lot of mobile AC work I use a set of gauges, and a vacume pump. A flush kit is a very inexpincive setup and I use it all the time, I flush every system that gets a new compressor, and every system that gets converted to R134 A gets a new dryer, a good flush, new expansion valve, and usualy a compressor although I do sometimes drain oil and use flush on compressors if they are not very old.
Well, I appreciate your advice and tips, maybe I can get going on doing our own a/c work. Wish I had already bought the tools to work on them, it's getting pretty hot here now and 2 or 3 of our pieces of equipement need some a/c work.
Great Site ! ….Thanx for the Link !
Hiiii FSERVICE!!! How have you been? i read your problem and i feel it completely because i too have been on the same page, I will recommend you to take out time check out http://ambroseair.com/ for tips and good reads on AC systems and repairs. Hope it will help you. Wish you luck!!!
for leaks I use nitrogen and pressurize the system I have found a lot of small leaks that didn't show up with dye
I have been told to leak detect with nitrogen but no one has explained the process/procedure, please fill me in. ....TIO
Well the basic premise behind using nitrogen is that of course you can use as much as needed cause if it leaks it's just part of the normal atmosphere. You can bring the system up to operating pressure without operating the compressor or any other component. Just use a mixture of soap and water or any commercial bubble maker and go around all of the connections, the evaporator, condenser and anywhere you suspect a leak. Also if you have an ultrasonic detector the engine noise won't be there. Got interrupted. 1. Evacuate any remaining refrigerant. 2. Charge with nitrogen and continue charging to whatever pressure you may deem necessary although I have never needed to go over about 250-300 psi. 3. Check for leaks while watching pressure gauge, maintain the pressure. 3. after you have located and fixed the leak(s) evacuate again and make sure you are able to maintain vacuum. 4. Recharge as normal.
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