Why do i need to regass my car air conditioner?

Question

Hi, i'm just wondering why automotive air conditioning systems on buses, cars, ect. needed to be re gassed every few years whilst refrigerators and split system A/C's in the home never really need to be re gassed?

P.S. By never being re gassed i mean not needing to be re gassed for a long time as i have a 12 y/o fridge which is running the same is did when i bought it with no service ever done it, same with my split system A/C.

Answer 1

To compare a stationary piece of equipment like a refrigerator to a vehicle is like comparing a broom to a vacuum cleaner,they both sweep the floor but the vacuum cleaner needs it's dust bags to be changed,in the case of the vehicle,the fittings steel lines and "o" rings,connections and even the ac compressor will loosen up by the constant movement and banging of the frame when it hits the rail road tracks,items on the road,bumping into other vehicles and so on,the stationary refrigerator's only worry is when the owner has to move it when he is kicked out of the rented house or the yearly cleanup done behind the refrigerator to get rid of the pile of empty potato chip bags.

Answer 2

Think about it this way, is your car 12 years old? Older systems are a lot different than the things today, you take a car from the late 60's and a car from lets say today, and look under the hood. Normally you need to remove 14-15 things to do any of the work thats needed, yet the older car there is no remove this, take off that.

Answer 3

Just like a hydraulic system,an A/C system is a sealed system,ie,if you need to add,you have a leak.Have your mechanic,or yourself,do a vacuum leak test,or use a "sniffer" to check for escaping gas.If no luck there,try an ultraviolet die added to the system,that will usually pinpoint the leak.
The difference between your fridge and car is that the fridge doesn't see as much abuse as the car.

Answer 4

Automotive A/C systems are classified as "mobile" systems. If it needs to be RECHARGED, there is a leak which must be fixed before any refrigerant can be added. Your fridge or A/C unit does not have wheels, so less luckily to break from vibrations/movement.

Answer 5

I think its because refrigerator system are hermetically sealed ,all moving part of its refrigerating system are all sealed with in a metal housing and Cooper tubing . On automotive system there are rubber seal on the compressor that will harden with time,causing a small leak. [the seal is located on the middle of the compressor pulley where you put the A/C belt]

Answer 6

the big difference is refrigerators don't have power and size restrictions like and air conditioner in a car. besides, i'll bet if you started driving your refrigerator around it would eventually need re gassed too.

Answer 7

My car is a 1995, and the a/c has never needed a top-up. But comparing it to the fridge or the home a/c is a little unfair. You don't drive your fridge down bumpy road, or gravel, you don't drag your home a/c down the road and throw it around corner, etc.

Answer 8

I suspect that they are like tires, since there are rubber hoses in the system. Your fridge has all metal lines, so there is no leakage, until something breaks.

Answer 9

they may run off a pressure system which needs topping up once in a while to keep working