Recharge AC

Vehicles Air Conditioning refrigerant may have to be recharged occasionally. Add more refrigerant to your AC system to keep your car cool in hot weather.

When your vehicles air conditioning (AC) begins to lose power and doesn’t blow cool air, but still blowing air.   it may be time for an AC recharge. Recharging your AC means adding more refrigerant to your AC system to allow the air to start blowing cold once again.

Important to know: recharging your AC is a temporary fix to a likely bigger problem. If your system is indeed missing refrigerant, your air conditioning system has a leak. That means it will need to be inspected and repaired with a certified mechanic. Refrigerant does not evaporate in an airtight system.  So air must be leaking in somewhere.

One piece of research I found

• Note: Some older vehicles cannot have their AC unit recharged. These vehicles generally fall before the year 1995 and use an R12 refrigerant no longer made. The only option is AC replacement.  I did not go further into research this is a larger problem and no quick fid that I am aware of?
• What I do know is an ac recharge can be completed at home, it is still considered a more professional repair.  It contains work with hazardous liquid and is best left for a certified mechanic or help from someone more experience than a beginner.

Start your car and turn your AC to Max or High.

Determine if AC compressor is engaging

An AC compressor is a device driven by the accessory belt that converts the refrigerant from liquid to gas. The compressor has a clutch at the end of it that should be spinning with the accessory belt when the AC is on high. Look for these pulleys moving.

Test the pressure

To test the pressure, turn the vehicle off and locate the low side pressure port. The low side pressure service port is generally located on the passenger side of the engine bay. It will have a black or grey cap on it with the letter “L”.

Attach the recharge hose from the kit

To attach the recharge hose, place the quick-connect fitting — found on the end of the recharge hose — over the port and push down firmly until you hear it click into place.

Restart the vehicle and monitor the gauge

Restart the vehicle and make sure the air conditioner is on the highest settings. Begin to monitor the gauge by watching for the AC compressor to engage the clutch. Once the compressor is engaged, if the low side pressure is under 40 psi, it is verified that the AC system is undercharged. You want the reading to be as close to 40 psi as possible.

Thread the refrigerant can onto the recharge hose

Threading the can onto the hose allows you to slowly top off the AC system with liquid refrigerant. Once the can is installed, hold the can upright and squeeze the trigger for 5 to 10 seconds to add the refrigerant to the system. After you release the trigger, check the pressure gauge to be sure you are not overcharging the system.

Return to the inside of the car and check the temperature

Using a thermometer, insert it into one of the AC vents on the driver’s side, near the steering wheel, and note the temperature. A fully charged system will blow air as cold as 28 degrees. This can vary slightly depending on ambient temperature as well as whether the vehicle has been stationary.

You have successfully recharged your AC

Your AC should be running colder now and your drive should be much nicer.

It must be stressed that if your refrigerant was low to begin with, there is little doubt that there is a system leak. AC repairs are highly specialized and this sort of repair needs to be addressed by a professional.

Here is a short video that show this process taking place.