Why do I need to have my AC system serviced?     All vehicle air conditioning systems leak to a lesser or greater degree. The losses occur through refrigerant escaping through the pipe joins as a result of vibration and ageing of rubber hoses and 'O' ring seals, as well as through the seal on the front of the compressor shaft.

How often should the AC system be Inspected/Serviced?    An Annual Inspection is sufficient to check system condition and overall performance. A Service of the system should be carried out at least every two years even if it appears to be working well.  It is estimated that you lose between 20-30% of the initial gas charge over a two year period and this figure is based on new vehicles. Go-Cool Services can provide a comprehensive list of all checks carried out and produce a report on the condition of the system.

Why does my fridge at home not need servicing every twelve months?  A domestic fridge has no rubber pipes and no seal on the front of the compressor shaft; all piping is copper therefore there is no leaking through pipe walls.

Is it true that the AC system should be run often throughout the year? Yes, this helps to keep the system well lubricated and leak tight. 

Why? Because the refrigerant actually carries the oil that lubricates the system, most importantly the compressor. It also keeps the seals and hoses moist, thus preventing them from drying out and cracking leading to leaks.

Why is looking after the compressor so critical? This is the main component in the A/C system, replacements typically cost £300 - £700, plus labour costs to remove and replace. Also it usually follows that a seized compressor will result in other components getting damaged in the process.

What's involved in a service? We measure the pressures in the system, check quality of refrigerant present with a Gas Analyser and check all functions. Then we recover the refrigerant and vacuum the system down to a very low pressure (Deep Vacuum process) to remove any moisture that might be present. We then Re-Charge (Re-Gas) with virgin or re-cycled refrigerant and also add a measured amount of the correct type of lubricant for your system.We also add Ultra Violet dye to help find any leaks that may develop in the future.

Why can't I service the system myself? This is difficult not only because specialist equipment is needed but most importantly the refrigerant present in the system must be recovered. It is ILLEGAL to vent the refrigerant into the environment. The system is also under high pressure and needs pulling into a deep vacuum to remove any moisture. The refrigerants themselves have a very low boiling point and will cause freeze burns if they come into contact with skin or eye tissue. You have been warned!!!

Why put Ultra Violet (UV) dye in the system? The UV dye shows up under a bright UV light source. So any leaks present in the system can be easily identified either during fault finding or if future leaks were to develop.

Why use Nitrogen for leak testing? We use Oxygen Free Nitrogen (OFN) for leak testing. It would be illegal to re-gas a system to use the refrigerant as a means of leak detection. The pure form of Nitrogen is a naturally occurring gas in the air that we breath and so is safe and legal to use. The Nitrogen is inserted into the system under high pressure thus simulating a system in operation and revealing any leaks in the system.

LATEST LEAK TESTING UPDATE: We are in a position to offer the very latest method for leak testing using a high pressure leak test using a special gas mix of Nitrogen/Hydrogen and specialist Hydrogen sniffer. This method has proved to be extremely reliable at detecting microscopic leaks which other methods are unable to locate. This special gas mix allows a totaly legal and safe way of locating leaks and ensures your system is repaired and re-gassed in the most professional manner.

Why should my gas be analysed? Our Gas Analyser can reveal whether or not your gas is the correct type for your vehicle aircon system and whether or not it is contaminated with other gases or has air in the sample which would strongly suggest a leak in the system.

The wrong type of refrigerant could also bring about the premature failure of the compressor as it may not be able to carry the essential lubrication around the system.

Health Warning:  It has been known for systems to be Re-Charged using Hydrocarbon based  refrigerants e.g. propane or methane mixtures. This basically means you could be driving around with a potentially lethal mix of gases in your system which in the event of a crash could explode with disastrous results.

If you suspect your system may have been Recharged by a less than professional operator have Go-Cool Services run a check for you. Better to be safe than sorry.

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TECHNICAL INFORMATION  - Function of vehicle AC  Systems

Vehicle air conditioning systems are designed to perform two basic functions, to cool the passenger compartment air to a lower temperature than the ambient (outside) air and to de-humidify the passenger compartment air to a comfortable level.

In order to carry out these functions successfully the system must be able to counter the effects of unwanted heat and relative air humidity in the vehicle interior.

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