How long does aircon gas last?

I had my aircon re-gassed in August last year, and it worked fine afterwards during the rest of the summer.

I tried to use it the other day, but it wouldn't come on. It almost certainly just needs re-gassing again. I didn't switch it on at all during the winter, which I'm led to believe doesn't help the gas's longevity.

How long is a reasonable time for the gas to last? Mine has lasted only 7 months: is this normal?

If there is a leak somewhere, can the aircon servicing companies usually trace the leak with thir UV lamp after 6 months, or will all the tracer colouring have vanished by now?

always thought air con gas lasted until it leaks. So you have a leak somewhere.

Same thing with mine. My mate who i brough my car off had it done last july and said it worked fine sounds like exsactly the same thing as yours mine doesnt work this summer either.

had mine regassed when i bought the car 5 year ago , and its still cold , but i use it all the time winter and summer.

have a leak test done

i have had my car over 5 years, mine works fine & i only use it now & again deffinatley check for leaks

always thought air con gas lasted until it leaks. So you have a leak somewhere.

That's true, but I think the aircon gas has a tendency to leak out over time, no matter how good the system is sealed. Possibly due to it being a gas and not a liquid? For example, if you didn't bother to change the radiator coolant, if your hoses and rad were in tip-top condition the coolant should stay in there for many years (NOT recommended I know!).

Wow, I stand corrected. It seems to last on your cars longer than I thought.

I've had mine 3 years now. In the winter I run it once a week for about 10mins or so, just to help prevent anything seizing.

i run mine more in the winter as the car mists up badly , and using the air con clears it quick

So where can us guys with fooked air con get it tested for leaks and regased?

We normally suggest regassing ever year, also it should be used during the winter as well to keep it circulating..

When I regas, I always add a UV dye incase of leaks but before it gets to that stage our machine goes through a vaccum test to test for leaks..

If you guys want regassing/leak testing give me a shout!

and where can you get it refilled?

I tried toyota and they told me that i would need a new pump or something as they can't fill it with the old one

I thought, "bollocks" aint going there again for advice. Guess they were trying to rip me off before they even looked at it

Any where oop north that does it? How much should it cost as mine needs a complete refill....

Mine started flashing the switch light, then took the pump out when when the coolant was low.

and where can you get it refilled?

I tried toyota and they told me that i would need a new pump or something as they can't fill it with the old one

I thought, "bollocks" aint going there again for advice. Guess they were trying to rip me off before they even looked at it

All depends on what gas your car is using but i'm pretty sure they all run R134a compaired to the R12 which is now illegal. But they can all be converted using different adaptors etc. Quite a bit more expensive though.

Will it do any harm to the air con system just running my motor without using it? My Supe is a 94 J-spec mate... Could you give us a quote on how much to refill?

Cheers Graham! I may swing by sometime to see if/when you can refill mine. The small outfit I used in Fleet said they added a UV dye to test for leaks, so I'm hoping that the dye can still be seen somewhere around the engine bay.

I've been meaning to drop by for a few days anyway, just to catch up.

You must run the A/C in the winter most of the time or else the seals dry out and you will get the gas leaking out. A lot cheaper to do this in the winter than re gas a repair in the summer!!

R134A refrigerant in its natural form is a liquid and will last for hundreds of years, thats why its classed as an ozone depleting substance, car wise it will always migrate to the coldest part of the car, the condenser rad at the front. R134A is a low pressure refrigerant thats why its ideal for motors and should outlast the lifetime of the car, so if your losing it then you have a leak, legally you shouldn`t be recharging the system untill the leaks repaired. if you`ve been running the aircon system with little or no refrigerant in it, it`s possible you`ve been sucking in air through the leak as the suction side of the compressor will have been running in a vacuum, this you don`t want as air is 80% moisture. If this moisture mixes with the compressor oil and adatives in the oil, it makes it very acidic, this then makes the oil attack the compressor and pipe seals causing further leaks. So its worth having the system checked properly by someone who really knows what there doing.

I know Ibrar @ Pro Alloy's refills the gas cheap £30-40 iirc

Gona get my sorted soon aswell.

it's not only the leaking you want to worry about - if you don't use it for long periods then bacteria builds up in the system, and then when you next come to use it you'll notice a nasty smell.

You can get the Coma air-con cleaner, which is a can of spray that you set going (in an empty car) and leave it going for 10 mins or so circulating through the aircon system. It actually helped my aircon remove the smell

Also - i think i'm right in saying a badly maintained aircon system will lead to bacteria - and the bacteria can be dangerous - in fact it can get so bad it can cause Legionaires disease.

Also - i think i'm right in saying a badly maintained aircon system will lead to bacteria - and the bacteria can be dangerous - in fact it can get so bad it can cause Legionaires disease.

Yep, legionalle bacteria can grow in any AC system. Best to use one of the bactericide things once a year.

Also running the AC once a week for 5 minutes keeps the oil that is in there with the refrigerant circulating and lubricating the seals and O rings. Without the oil circulating the seals can dry out, shrink & crack and allow the refrigerant to escape.

R134A refrigerant in its natural form is a liquid and will last for hundreds of years, thats why its classed as an ozone depleting substance, car wise it will always migrate to the coldest part of the car, the condenser rad at the front. R134A is a low pressure refrigerant thats why its ideal for motors and should outlast the lifetime of the car, so if your losing it then you have a leak, legally you shouldn`t be recharging the system untill the leaks repaired. if you`ve been running the aircon system with little or no refrigerant in it, it`s possible you`ve been sucking in air through the leak as the suction side of the compressor will have been running in a vacuum, this you don`t want as air is 80% moisture. If this moisture mixes with the compressor oil and adatives in the oil, it makes it very acidic, this then makes the oil attack the compressor and pipe seals causing further leaks. So its worth having the system checked properly by someone who really knows what there doing.

Spot the air con engineer. Saved me the bother and disbit better than I could, thanks.

If UV dye is not used there may be witness marks of oil leaks around pipework, bends, joins etc. anywhere there could be a weakness.

Good aircon garages should have detectors that can sniff out the leak immediately the system has been recharged. They may not however have the skills to repair the leak, jou may need areal specialist for that.

Got mine booked in for thursday after work guy is gonna regas it and check for leaks

Thanks guys!

Dereham Supra: I didn't know that about the refridgerant being a liquid. You know your stuff!!

Right then. I'll definitely get it fixed for leaks, then refilled.