Never ever had a car with a working AC

[dogememe]

It’s disappointing that auto ACs don’t last as long as stationary home units. Stationary units last for like 30 years. Automotive units start leaking after a handful of years.

I wonder if electric compressor AC systems will last longer? If you install a traditional Electric compressor right next to the evaporator, less lines to leak. I’d approve if an electric system if it makes a more robust system.

An automotive AC experiences MUCH harsher conditions.

So far EV AC systems have proven to be good.

 

[JavierH19]

I had a friend with an old truck drive around for a long time without a working AC not knowing why and thought it'd be expensive so he left it like that but I checked it out and it was just a stupid low-pressure switch that died. I jumped it with a wire after checking the low side and seeing that the pressure was high for the ambient temperature and engine heat and it started to cool nicely and was only a few ounces low but that wasn't the issue. He was so mad about that.

 

[JavierH19]

So is it just a broken condenser? If so you can probably just swap it out and then hire a mobile AC guy to come charge it up at your home. I did mine about 15 years ago (I'm sure time has changed), or you can call a home AC guy and see if they are willing to charge for you.

Vacuum pumps are cheap now and it will cost less to buy a basic one that only needs to work once then recharge the system yourself. Best to leave it in the shade and have a fan blowing on it if it's hot outside.

Mobile guys charge too much and after reading master ac tech advice some leave vehicles on vacuum even overnight because the moisture trapped in the oil doesn't come out quickly as it takes a long time to get it out and the mobile mechanic isn't gonna give a crap about doing a good job. They're gonna put a 5 minute vacuum and be done with it and leave you with a system that would show you pink on the moisture indicator if it had a sight glass with a new moisture indicator on it.

Some hacks don't even get a vacuum pump they just use propane to quick fill and let it out and do it a couple times before filling with 134a and they usually underfill it even when cans are 12oz and the sticker says how much it takes because most customers don't know better and if it's low but not low enough to not work the compressor will fail later and they'll call them back in a few months. They'll lie before leaving and saying the compressor is on its way out from age, use, and being ran low even when it was silent so you can't complain when it fails from being underfilled. This is stuff I've seen with hack mobile mechanics.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Vacuum pumps are cheap now and it will cost less to buy a basic one that only needs to work once then recharge the system yourself. Best to leave it in the shade and have a fan blowing on it if it's hot outside.

Mobile guys charge too much and after reading master ac tech advice some leave vehicles on vacuum even overnight because the moisture trapped in the oil doesn't come out quickly as it takes a long time to get it out and the mobile mechanic isn't gonna give a crap about doing a good job. They're gonna put a 5 minute vacuum and be done with it and leave you with a system that would show you pink on the moisture indicator if it had a sight glass with a new moisture indicator on it.

Some hacks don't even get a vacuum pump they just use propane to quick fill and let it out and do it a couple times before filling with 134a and they usually underfill it even when cans are 12oz and the sticker says how much it takes because most customers don't know better and if it's low but not low enough to not work the compressor will fail later and they'll call them back in a few months. They'll lie before leaving and saying the compressor is on its way out from age, use, and being ran low even when it was silent so you can't complain when it fails from being underfilled. This is stuff I've seen with hack mobile mechanics.

I had a car with a noisy AC compressor. Got a diagnostic from a shop saying yep compressor is toast, and a quote on replacement. Don't remember the exact number but decided I'd rather pay myself to do that job. Bought the compressor, vacuum pump, oil, gauges, and refrigerant. Once I hooked the gauges up and checked numbers, pressures were significantly low. Topped up refrigerant until pressures were right for the ambient temp and miraculously the "toast" compressor was quiet. Worked perfectly for the next several years until I sold the car, with the new/unused replacement AC compressor in the trunk.

A functional set of AC gauges is very inexpensive, worth owning for anyone even halfway DIY inclined.

 

[JavierH19]

I had a car with a noisy AC compressor. Got a diagnostic from a shop saying yep compressor is toast, and a quote on replacement. Don't remember the exact number but decided I'd rather pay myself to do that job. Bought the compressor, vacuum pump, oil, gauges, and refrigerant. Once I hooked the gauges up and checked numbers, pressures were significantly low. Topped up refrigerant until pressures were right for the ambient temp and miraculously the "toast" compressor was quiet. Worked perfectly for the next several years until I sold the car, with the new/unused replacement AC compressor in the trunk.

A functional set of AC gauges is very inexpensive, worth owning for anyone even halfway DIY inclined.

It's basic ac diag 101 to make sure it's charged before condemning anything so they were 100% scamming. They aren't motivated to save you money they want to sell parts and labor like an hvac scammer that wants to sell a whole system over a brazed joint leak saying it's the coil going out instead of fixing the little thing.

 

[brages]

It’s disappointing that auto ACs don’t last as long as stationary home units. Stationary units last for like 30 years. Automotive units start leaking after a handful of years.

I wonder if electric compressor AC systems will last longer? If you install a traditional Electric compressor right next to the evaporator, less lines to leak. I’d approve if an electric system if it makes a more robust system.

Seems like it could - home ACs have hermetically sealed compressors but typical car compressors have a shaft seal.