Realniches.com

In your vehicle, the automotive air conditioning compressor has the simple task of moving gas between the condenser and the evaporator. However, it is often considered to be the heart of the system and if this belt-driven piece of equipment fails to do its job, the entire system quits functioning as designed.

The automotive air conditioning compressor is typically attached to the engine of your vehicle and is belt driven. One of the primary causes of a failed automotive air conditioning compressor is a loose or broken belt as a loose belt may not operate the compressor properly causing lowered pressure in the system and the gas is not transferred to the system s other components efficiently. Similar to the air conditioner in your home or office, the vehicle s system has three main components, the automotive air conditioning compressor, a condenser and an evaporator.

The vehicles closed system contains Freon gas and the automotive air conditioning compressor pressurizes the gas, which converts it to hot, high-pressure gas and forces it into the condenser, which looks similar to the radiator in your car, to dissipate the heat condensing the hot, pressurized gas into a liquid. As it is forced through an expansion valve it evaporates into cold, low-pressure Freon gas.

Air Exchanged Inside The Vehicle

The cold gas, typically around 32-degrees, then is passed through coils in the evaporator inside the vehicle. A fan blowing across the coils sends the chilled air into the vehicle and the gas absorbs heat from inside and sends it back through the automotive air conditioning compressor to start the cycle all over again. Small leaks can cause the unintended escape of gas, which will also cause the system to work inefficiently.

Many times when the vehicle s air conditioner is in use, there will be water dripping from the condenser s drain visible under the vehicle, which is perfectly normal. The window air conditioning units in the house will also allow condensed water to drip to the ground and is a natural part of the unit s operation.

Similar to the home units, if an automotive air conditioning compressor is operated when outside temperatures are below about 60-dedgrees, ice can build up on the coils, which renders the units ability to cool the inside air ineffective. Simply turning the unit off until the ice melts will restore its function. The gas running through the automotive air conditioning compressor usually has a small amount of oil included to help maintain proper lubrication inside the compressor.

On a hot summer afternoon, you have probably come to take the flow of cool air coming from the vents in your car for granted. However, automotive air conditioning was not always a standard addition for a car. In fact, it wasn t until the 1940 s that automotive air conditioning was invented and added to cars.

Since then, many improvements and features have been added to automotive air conditioning to make it function better. However, this means that repairing automotive air conditioning is more complicated, and you are less likely to be able to do this difficult task without the assistance of a professional. However, if you understand a little bit about how automotive air conditioning works and what parts it is made up of, then perhaps you might be able to attempt this daring feat yourself.

The Seven Standard Parts of Automotive Air Conditioning

There are seven basic parts that you might encounter in your automotive air conditioning system. These parts are: the compressor, the condenser, the evaporator, the orifice tube, the thermal expansion valve, the receiver-drier, and the accumulator.

The compressor, or the heart of the system, is a pump that is attached to the engine. Its purpose is to compress and transfer refrigerant gas. The compressor has both an intake and a discharge side.

The condenser functions very much like the radiator and will often times have a similar appearance. The purpose of the condenser is to radiate heat, which means that anytime the automotive air conditioning is being operated, the condenser must have good air flow.

The evaporator is the part of the automotive air conditioning system that absorbs heat. Besides getting rid of heat from inside your vehicle, it is also responsible for dehumidifying the car. In order to regulate the temperature of the evaporator, pressure regulating devices have been introduced.

One of these pressure regulating devices is the orifice tube. The orifice tube is the most commonly used pressure regulating device. An alternative pressure regulating device is the thermal expansion valve.

The receiver-drier is used in automotive air conditioning systems that use thermal expansion valves to ensure that this specific pressure regulating device receives the liquid refrigerant that it needs in order to function. In order to do so, it must separate gas and liquid.

The accumulator is used only on automotive air conditioning systems that have the orifice tube as the pressure regulating device, and its primary function is to store extra liquid refrigerant. In doing so, it prevents any liquid from entering the compressor, which could do serious damage to the system.

Like A Pro

Despite the many advancements that have been made in the automotive field since the introduction of automotive air conditioning, you can still maintain your own system. All you need to do is learn a little about it first!

When considering how air is cooled in your home or in your car, the auto air conditioning compressor works exactly the same as the one in your house or office. Its job is to move hot air and humidity from an evaporator inside your vehicle to a condenser outside the vehicle by compressing gas inside the system. Without a properly functioning auto air conditioning compressor the cooling effects of the system is nullified.

Since the 1940 s people have been able to ride in comfort the same as they have had the comfort of air conditioning in their homes and in extremely hot and humid climates have been able to enjoy the effects of air conditioning seamlessly, except for short walks between their home and car, and from their car to work. However, if something goes wrong with the auto air conditioning compressor the transit will be much warmer.

The auto air conditioning compressor is essentially a pump with an intake side and a discharge side. On the intake side, refrigerant is pulled from the output of the evaporator coils located inside the vehicle. Inside the auto air conditioning compressor the gas is compressed and sent to the condenser on the outside of the vehicle, along with the heat and humidity drawn from the vehicle.

Newer Requirements Help Protect Environment

In the early days of air conditioning, the gases used in the system were considered dangerous and some, like propane had explosive potential. A gas referred to as R-12, known by its trade name of Freon, has been determined to cause damage to the Earth s ozone atmosphere. As a result, technicians have to be certified to work with it, or even buy it and in all cases when an air conditioning system is opened the gas must be captured through specialized equipment.

Whenever work is done on an auto air conditioning compressor it must be done by a certified technician and in cases where the compressor must be replaced, a newer upgraded model may be required. A newer gas R-134a is being required in all vehicles after 2010, and if the vehicle is going to have its system filled with the new gas it will also have to be retrofitted with a new auto air conditioning compressor that can produce the higher pressure needed for this gas.

Since the technician has to pay more for the expensive equipment and the gas repair costs are going to be higher as well. Car owners will need to make the decision about paying the cost to replace their auto air conditioning compressor, driving in the heat or perhaps replacing the vehicle.

In many parts of the country, traveling without auto air conditioning would be ill advised, and many of those with breathing problems would be confined to their homes. By being able to fit the three main components of auto air conditioning into even the smallest cars, travel has become much for comfortable. While in the beginning only those with sufficient financial resources and larger vehicles could afford air conditioning, today the smallest and least expensive cars are equipped with this technology.

Essentially, auto air conditioning consists of three components, the compressor, the evaporator and condenser. Working together, they use a gas that is easily transformed from liquid to gas and back again, to pull warmer air from inside the vehicle and replace it with much cooler air. Sometimes, drivers see a small puddle of water under their car and worry that something is wrong with the car or the auto air conditioning unit itself, but this water is a natural occurrence and is part of the evaporation process.

Typically, an auto air conditioning system will last the lifetime of the vehicle but occasionally it may require service and some vehicle owners are concerned about being told the truth about their system by unscrupulous mechanics. Repairing an auto air conditioning system can be costly and few home mechanics have the skills or specialized equipment to perform the repairs.

Gas Collection Requires Special Training And Equipment

Since the government determined that Freon, the gas commonly used in auto air conditioning systems is hazardous to the environment, technicians working on auto air conditioning units must be certified to work with Freon and expensive equipment is required to collect any Freon gas that may escape from the system. Cars made after 2010 must have systems equipped with Puron, a gas considered to be friendly to the Earth s ozone layer, and by 2020 there can be no Freon left in a vehicle s system.

A few offerings to check your auto air conditioning for a small price often leads to expensive unneeded repairs as some will take advantage of a person s fear of losing their air conditioner in the middle of a hot summer. A basic rule of thumb, is that if the air condition is still blowing out cold air, there is probably nothing wrong with it.

Freon gas used in an auto air conditioning also contains special oil to help keep the compressor lubricated and the most common problem is a loose or broken compressor belt. This can checked visually and in most cases changed by the car s owner.

Armstrong air conditioning is a world leader in the field. This fine company has provided air conditioning plans and systems around the world for many years. Armstrong Air, the parent company, means quality and comfort for all those people who work, live or study with their equipment.

Armstrong Air provides reliable and dependable equipment for extremely large and small spaces. Armstrong air conditioning continues to be successful because of the fine service provided for over sixty years. Armstrong Air has provided great service throughout the United States and to many countries around the world.

Armstrong air conditioning provides equipment that uses both gas and electricity to run equipment for heating and cooling. Armstrong air conditioning has led with new and innovative ideas. This great company has provided quality services for years, but Armstrong air conditioning has continued to improve their services.

Armstrong air conditioning continues to also led the field in research and development. The leaders of Armstrong air conditioning realize that research and development is important for their continued success. Armstrong air conditioning continues to remain top quality because of the engineers and designers devoted to continuous improvement.

Armstrong Air Conditioning Is More Than A Cool Breeze

Armstrong Air provides products and service to millions of people around the world. Armstrong air conditioning like all of the products from this fine company is known for quality because the factory conditions are excellent. All products are tested for quality before leaving these factories.

After sales service from Armstrong Air is superb. The equipment rarely fails but when it does the service is swift and sure. The technicians responsible for service are highly trained and knowledgeable. Armstrong Air has remained successful because of the quality customer care provided for many years.

Armstrong Air provides products that are dependable and reliable. The equipment provided for each company is carefully designed and installed for each individual order. Armstrong Air provides equipment to improve the quality of the air which should contribute to the health of all occupants. The equipment is made to be energy efficient for each job.

Units are available for small homes to ensure the comfort of the entire family, but there is also the equipment available to ensure the comfort of all in a large office building. Workers in a building with Armstrong equipment can be sure that the quality of air is the best available. All products from Armstrong Air come with warranties that guarantee worry free service for many years.

One of the reasons air conditioning repairs may be costly is that it requires specialized tools and equipment and an air conditioning tool can be expensive, especially if its use is limited to that specific work. While many of the items sold as an air conditioning tool may be used for other work, there are a few that have no additional function.

As costly as air conditioner repairs may be, the cost of misdiagnosing a needed repair can be excessive. If a technician mistakenly replaces a wrong part and the unit still malfunctions, the owner of the vehicle is not going to pay for repairs. With the correct diagnostic air conditioning tool the technician can accurately determine what is wrong with the system and make the right choice of replacement parts almost all of the time. A quality diagnostic air conditioning tool can cost around $2000, but is a small price to pay for doing things right the first time.

Since air conditioning depends on pressure created by the compressor, gauges are needed to determine if the unit is functioning properly and can help determine where in the system pressure is being lost. This air conditioning tool can help diagnose problems with the compressor, the evaporator, and condenser or points in between and is helpful in finding leaks in the system s tubing.

Gauges Help Diagnose Pressure Problems

The compressor, considered the heart of the system is a pump and has two ports. One input which pulls from the evaporator and send the gas and cold air to the condenser where the cold air is distributed to the home or vehicle. Gauges that can measure the input suction as well as output pressure can be helpful in finding the cause of the unit not working. The better air conditioning tool will have both type of gauges built into one unit.

Various air conditioning tools are designed to help locate leaks of the gas inside the system, with some requiring ultraviolet light to detect the leak while others use a coloring in the gas to pinpoint the problem. While either one will work, many mechanics insist the UV detectors help them with faster results in finding leaks in the system.

One of the most common air conditioning tools that can be used elsewhere in the home or garage is a simple thermometer. Since the gas entering the condenser should be around 32-degrees, a thermometer at the blower inside the car will generally register between 35 and 39 degrees. With the unit running, any temperature higher than 40 degrees may indicate a problem with the system.

Air conditioning systems are a part of everyone s home, as when the warm weather comes, we all want to stay as cool as possible. However before you decide on any of the air conditioning systems, there are several factors which you are going to want to take into consideration.

There is a lot to learn about air conditioning systems, and one of the first things is in regards to how air conditioning in general all came about. In the broadest sense, the term air conditioning can refer to any form of cooling, heating, ventilation or disinfection which works by modifying the condition of air, typically for thermal comfort reasons.

The most common uses of modern air conditioners are for comfort cooling in buildings and transportation vehicles, and there are many different types of systems in this regards that you have to choose from.

Comfort Applications

There are two different air conditioning applications in particular which are important to know about; they are comfort applications and process applications. Comfort applications are those which aim to provide an indoor environment that remains relatively constant in a range that is basically preferred by humans, despite certain changes in external weather conditions or internal heat loads.

Comfort air conditioning is the type of air conditioning application which makes deep plan buildings feasible. This is because without proper air conditioning, buildings must be built narrower or with light wells so that inner spaces will be able to receive sufficient outdoor air via natural ventilation.

Process Applications

On the other hand, process applications are the ones which aim to provide a suitable environment for a process being carried out, and this is really regardless of internal heat and humidity loads. It is the needs of the process which are what truly determine the conditions, and not human preference, as one may have thought at first.

Air conditioning systems are used in many different areas of life, and without a doubt they are considered as being one of the most essential technological advances. As time goes by, the technology in these systems continues to increase, bringing only more positivity and benefits from our air conditioning systems.

Just make sure that when you go out to purchase an air conditioning system for your home or work place, you speak with a trained professional who can help you determine what size and style of unit will work best for your kind of use and your budget.

There are probably few worse sounds on a hot, muggy day than the sound of silence coming from your home or office air conditioning unit. When the comforting sound of the compressor falling silent or the fan shutting off invades your space the first thing most people will do is call an air conditioning repair expert. While this first instinct may be helpful to many, it is not always necessary and by checking a few things on your own could possibly have your unit quickly humming again.

The first thing you can do before calling for air conditioning repair is look to insure the plug has not been accidentally pulled from the outlet. If it is still plugged in, turn the unit off and then back on and if nothing happens, turn it off and leave it off while you check the breaker switch or fuse.

Even if the breaker appears to be turned on, move it to the off position and then turn it back on. If the building is equipped with a fuse, remove it completely to check if it is burned out. The cost having an air conditioning repair company change the fuse or flip a breaker can be relatively high for the work performed.

Unit Runs But Fails To Offer Cold Air

If a cold front has recently moved through with temperatures of 60 degrees or below, visually check the coils. These are usually visible through vent slots on the outside of the unit. During colder weather with the air conditioning running, it is not unusual for ice to coat the coils, effectively shutting down the system. The only cure is to leave the unit turned off until the ice melts. If it is a hot day, it will not take long for this to happen and waiting perhaps an hour for the ice to melt is still cheaper than calling for air conditioning repair.

Many air conditioning units have a high-pressure cutoff switch that turns off power to the compressor in the event pressure in the system reaches a certain point. There is usually a reset button near the compressor s controls inside the unit, but on smaller air conditioners it may be hard to reach.

Once you have verified all the obvious possibilities for the unit to be failing and find nothing out of the ordinary, it may be time to call in the air conditioning repair expert. Although, consider the age of your unit and the cost of air conditioning repair and the cost of replacement before deciding to fix the old one. Many newer ones may be cheaper just to replace.

There are very few user serviceable air conditioning parts inside most units and many times, even if a person has the knowledge of how to change them, parts suppliers are reluctant to sell certain parts to a private party. There are some parts, such as the fan that can be replaced, but most homeowners are reluctant to open up what they consider an important appliance and attempt to change air conditioning parts on their own.

However, during certain times of the year, especially in extended periods of hot weather, many repair shops are busy and a homeowner may have to wait several days for service. If they are fortunate enough to know which part is bad, they can attempt to obtain the air conditioning parts they need and install it on their own instead of waiting.

Certain parts may require special tools or procedures to affect repairs, and even though the homeowner may be able to install the air conditioning parts they may not be able to complete the job.
For example, installing a new compressor is not really that difficult and in most units can be done in less than an hour.

However, once the air conditioning parts have been replaced it will need filled with gas under a certain pressure based on the unit, and without the proper tools and gauges may not be filled correctly. The repair service may be reluctant to refill a compressor or work on a unit in which air conditioning parts have been replaced by a non-professional, for fear of reprisals if something is not right with the unit.

EPA Laws Govern Release Of Freon

Some air conditioning parts suppliers are reluctant to sell parts to a homeowner if it involves any part of the coil or compressor system. Releasing Freon into the air is against federal environmental laws and those service units are required to contain and recycle any gas that is removed from an air conditioning compressor. Homeowners who are able to obtain the needed air conditioning parts may still have to wait for service in order to contain the gas.

Most recommendations are that any air conditioning parts related to the compression or transfer of Freon be changed by a trained professional. Other air conditioning parts can usually be changed safely by the homeowner or someone with the knowledge of how to change the parts. Some communities, however may limit those working on the power supply to be licensed electricians to maintain the safety of the units.

There are many different air conditioning jobs available such as contractors, cleaners, installers, and maintenance workers. Especially in the summer time you can make a great living from air conditioning jobs, and so if you are interested in possibly pursuing this, then you are definitely going to want to read on so that you can find out more.

Different Air Conditioning Jobs That You Can Choose From

One of the most well known air conditioning jobs is the air conditioner installer; this is the person who comes to actually install the air conditioning system that you have purchased in your home.

Then there is the cleaner, who is the person that is hired to come and clean the system for you on a regular basis. This usually means about once or twice a year, and it will typically be during the off-season, for instance fall or winter.

There is also the air conditioning maintenance worker, who is the person that you call if you ever have any problems with your system. This is the person who will make the visit to your home in order to inspect and make any repairs necessary. Have a trusted service persons number close to your unit so that you know whom to call when something goes wrong.

Getting an Air Conditioning Job

If these types of jobs interest you, then you should know that there are many ways that you can go about finding one. For instance you can look in your local newspaper, where you are sure to find some vacancies in this field.

Obviously however you have to consider the fact that most people only use their air conditioners in the warmer months. Thus if you are seriously interested in getting a job like this then you are going to want to wait until the summer if you can, as you will have many more options during that time or you can explore looking in a warmer area that has need for air conditioning more months in the year.

The best way to get in to this field is through apprenticeship. This means training under someone experienced so that you can learn the tricks of the trade. Many of these positions also require some education and classroom-like training in this field. Once you have all three of these factors education, training and apprenticeship under your belt, you should have no problem finding a great job in this area quickly and easily.