It's the time of year where people look to get their air conditioning systems up and running, after finding they no longer work. Some may be tempted by cans offering to top up the refrigerant AND add a leak sealer in too.
This video includes some images of why that's not a good idea;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWVU2NU-Xkw
The pipe and the compressor are particularly horrific to those sensitive to such things!
If you do use one of these kits, please do write on the slam panel, or use a sticker to say the gloop is in there.
Thankfully, the systems I look after are all fitted to family cars, and so, I know there's no nasty gloop lurking within!
I'm also quite impressed about the sealant detection system - that's quite a well thought out, simple and cheap method. The epitomy of good engineering IMO.
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I am blessed with the knowledge I don't have the luxery of the aircon failing :).
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A very interesting video.
In the UK I thought all gas had to be collected rather than vented through the flow detector.
When sealant is detected there was no mentioned of what next? How is the gas recovered without using the usual machines?
If the trade is already using these selants then surely the next requirement is to introduce filters to ensure the gloop is collected immediately anything is extracted from the car A/C system with obviously an alarm alerting the operator?
I assume it is not a problem for the regas company is some gloop is left in the A/C system.?
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The rules are similar - the refrigerant needs to be collected and where possible recycled.
You can vent tiny amounts of refrigerant - like the amount lost through the tester. As there's generally a bit of leakage when you make and break the filling connections, some leakage is inevitable anyway.
If challenged, I would argue that a small leak through the tester represents a far smaller environmentla hazard than the potential scrapping of the recovery machine.
The best way forward would be for people, trade and public alike, simply not to use the vile gloop. However, of course, there's always a market for products aimed at the lazy and guilible.
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Thanks for that info NC
I assume dismantlers etc have means of capturing the refrigerant with amachine that has to be tolerant of gloop.
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Some useful info here;
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/fgas/sectors/mobileaircon.htm
I've no idea what goes on in scrapyards - somehow, I can't imagine them doing much testing prior to recovery!
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I would've thought that if you need to use gloop to stop your A/C leaking, then the amount vented in testing for gloop is going to be minimal.
Luvverly word that, gloop!
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>> products aimed at the lazy and guilible
Ahem. I used a sealant/recharge can on my car a couple of years ago, after having repaired a high-pressure hose. It made the aircon work again for a good 18 months - in fact, I think the only reason it has lost its charge is because the ambient temperature this winter was so low for so long, meaning the system was unpressurised for about 6 weeks even though I pressed the a/c switch every week or so.
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There's a whole bunch of rules about releasing refrigerant, but it's all made a mockery by the fact that many aerosols (like keyboard dusters) are pure R134a. So it's ok to spray the stuff about to blow dust, but there are strict rules (though never enforced) about recovering/charging car systems.
If they really wanted to minimize losses, they could start by telling car manufacturers to offer 10 year warranties on their systems, instead of making poorly designed systems with cheap components.
I spent 6 years travelling around the south of england installing, servicing and fixing the machines used by garages for servicing car a/c systems, yes, even all the Kwikfits. Out of the 700+ machines that I looked at each year, not one ever had a problems with ingested sealant. Sure, some may never have seen sealant, but I know for a fact that some of the dodgy garages I visited actively pushed the sealants, and regularly used their machines to then recover systems that has the stuff in them.
The reality of course, is that the sealers really don't work. If there is just one small clean leak, and the rest of the system is good, a new reciever drier is fitted, it is properly vacuumed out, then I could see a chance of it working. But it's seldom the case, and certainly not longer term. What does tend to happen though, is it damages other components in the system, either by degrading the oil sufficiently that compressor damage results, or blocking other components such that refrigerant flow is compromised (and hence lubricant flow), or restricting the heat transfer that is required for decent a/c.
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AC System Repairs - RattleandSmoke
