Could anyone recommend a place in Brissy for an A/C regas?

[ratter]

Very good info posted by Sparky Dave

[supershifty]

I've booked in at Chermside auto electrics for next Wednesday.

I dumbed myself down when speaking to the chap and asked some "lay" questions which he answered correctly in plain english. He did not show up as a blip on the BS radar. As stated by Sooty, he had a good phone manner.

If all goes well the regas is $130 (R143a), and the rec/drier supply/fit is $60. Free leak test beforehand too to evaluate! - some places charge for this. Plus they'll do it while I wait, no drop off/pick up. I'm happy so far. There is still gas in my system, just doesn't get unbearably cold like it should in a ute.

Shall report back next Wednesday arvo.

Cheers!

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by supershifty

I've booked in at Chermside auto electrics for next Wednesday.

I dumbed myself down when speaking to the chap and asked some "lay" questions which he answered correctly in plain english. He did not show up as a blip on the BS radar. As stated by Sooty, he had a good phone manner.

If all goes well the regas is $130 (R143a), and the rec/drier supply/fit is $60. Free leak test beforehand too to evaluate! - some places charge for this. Plus they'll do it while I wait, no drop off/pick up. I'm happy so far. There is still gas in my system, just doesn't get unbearably cold like it should in a ute.

Shall report back next Wednesday arvo.

Cheers!

Look forward to hearing back, I will go there depending on your experience.

[kempy311]

Originally Posted by supershifty

I've booked in at Chermside auto electrics for next Wednesday.

I dumbed myself down when speaking to the chap and asked some "lay" questions which he answered correctly in plain english. He did not show up as a blip on the BS radar. As stated by Sooty, he had a good phone manner.

If all goes well the regas is $130 (R143a), and the rec/drier supply/fit is $60. Free leak test beforehand too to evaluate! - some places charge for this. Plus they'll do it while I wait, no drop off/pick up. I'm happy so far. There is still gas in my system, just doesn't get unbearably cold like it should in a ute.

Shall report back next Wednesday arvo.

Cheers!

Thats cheap for a regas

[supershifty]

Only applies if it's a top up Kempy - the a/c still gets sort of cold, just not freezing for a ute.

I've got a digital thermometer. I'll take some readings the day before @ 3pm. Ambient in the shade outside, down the throat of the central vents at recurcit, and ambient at the back window at recuirt of the ute to give a rough idea of what happens. Not conclusive to anything but will probably give an estimation if QLD weather holds up true.

I haven't got the job done yet mate!

Cheers!

[ratter]

How do they just top it up? the gas has to be measured as it goes in and in Vic there is a set of guidelines that must be done

[kempy311]

Originally Posted by supershifty

Only applies if it's a top up Kempy - the a/c still gets sort of cold, just not freezing for a ute.

I've got a digital thermometer. I'll take some readings the day before @ 3pm. Ambient in the shade outside, down the throat of the central vents at recurcit, and ambient at the back window at recuirt of the ute to give a rough idea of what happens. Not conclusive to anything but will probably give an estimation if QLD weather holds up true.

I haven't got the job done yet mate!

Cheers!

Curious how it can be topped up when your changing the dryer?

[supershifty]

Originally Posted by kempy311

Curious how it can be topped up when your changing the dryer?

Originally Posted by ratter

How do they just top it up? the gas has to be measured as it goes in and in Vic there is a set of guidelines that must be done

I hear you both. I've worked as a TA in a workshop that serviced a fleet of about 60 mobile plant - not saying I'm an expert on AC at all fellas, that would be far from the truth.

AC was often a problem area that required much maintenance. We had a refrigerant reclaim machine that evacuated the AC system prior to work. The machine would pump/suck the gas into a 9kg bottle via filter media. The 9kg bottle was set on electronic scales that was tared off before the job to measure weight. After the work was completed the gas was returned to the plant being worked on, weight checked, and then the appropriate amount of gas was added to top up the system.

Does that make any sense? I thought that was the procedure these days. I'm not trying to talk through my bum and would be happy to be corrected if I've got it all wrong.

Cheers!

[ratter]

yes, the gas has to be removed and then gas added based on weight, but in vic rules it must also be totally evacuated, a vacuum added and then hold vacuum for a given amount of time and if it holds vacuum, then refilled with gas (possibly with dye also) and then leak tested. A top up is just that, connecting a hose and adding a little gas

[kempy311]

Originally Posted by supershifty

I hear you both. I've worked as a TA in a workshop that serviced a fleet of about 60 mobile plant - not saying I'm an expert on AC at all fellas, that would be far from the truth.

AC was often a problem area that required much maintenance. We had a refrigerant reclaim machine that evacuated the AC system prior to work. The machine would pump/suck the gas into a 9kg bottle via filter media. The 9kg bottle was set on electronic scales that was tared off before the job to measure weight. After the work was completed the gas was returned to the plant being worked on, weight checked, and then the appropriate amount of gas was added to top up the system.

Does that make any sense? I thought that was the procedure these days. I'm not trying to talk through my bum and would be happy to be corrected if I've got it all wrong.

Cheers!

If that is there procedure then different story.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by supershifty

I've booked in at Chermside auto electrics for next Wednesday.

I dumbed myself down when speaking to the chap and asked some "lay" questions which he answered correctly in plain english. He did not show up as a blip on the BS radar. As stated by Sooty, he had a good phone manner.

If all goes well the regas is $130 (R143a), and the rec/drier supply/fit is $60. Free leak test beforehand too to evaluate! - some places charge for this. Plus they'll do it while I wait, no drop off/pick up. I'm happy so far. There is still gas in my system, just doesn't get unbearably cold like it should in a ute.

Shall report back next Wednesday arvo.

Cheers!

Yeah I've been to Pat at Chermside Auto Elec's a few times now
Good bloke, as you say, no BS.

[supershifty]

I just got back from Chermside auto electrics. The news isn't too bad - my condenser has a crack in it, they didn't have one in stock so have arranged to go back Saturday morning for the job. My gut feeling about the place is "all good"

They've quoted $400 all up for 2.5hrs labour, condenser, rec/drier and r134a gas. They do not use Hychill.

I'm pretty happy with that price - not that I was going to stuff around chasing quotes anyway. Shall report back Saturday.

Cheers!

[supershifty]

They've done a great job, A/C is icy cold now. Very happy with the price - came in at $460. The condenser appeared to be the original, same with the rec/drier :(

They did not rip me off on parts. Condenser was $160, rec/drier was $22, gas was $88, and labour was $190.

They've won a repeat customer here. I'll put my hand up and recommend them.

Cheers!

[Polyal]

Excellent. Ill book my car in next week.

[XT UTE 68]

Mike at "Icy cold car air" at Slacks Creek is good, he's just up from Autobarn, think its herbert St, off moss st. He just recently did my conversion setup for the barra into the XE, in the past he's worked on my ED. I recomend him too for southsiders.

[Polyal]

Well booked my car in with the guys at Chermside Auto Electrical so I too will report back and see how it goes.

Just curious..a few months back my system was blowing a visible gas through the vents...like steam but cold..is that a sign that the gas is completely empty?

[kempy311]

Nope just condensation.

[Sooty]

Dear Polyal,

If the steamy-looking output was cold, then that must surely mean that your AirCon is working like a dream. The sort of circumstances in which you might get that is if it was a wet but still warm day, and you went for a decent run with the A/C on (meaning that the evaporator gets nice and cold), then you stopped somewhere for a while and got out of the car (thereby letting some moist air into the cabin), and then drove off again with the A/C going again. Or maybe you had the A/C on, but with the vents set to "fresh air" instead of recycled(?)

Anyway, I haven't been able to get that steamy-look sort of performance out of the AirCon in any of my Falcons since just after I had a new Evaporator put into an EF I had back in the early '90's... (Nice car... sigh...)

If the thing is getting cold for you, it will be okay. A better sign of low gas is if it starts to whistle a bit from behind the dash each time that the compressor kicks in.

Best Wishes,
Sooty.

[supershifty]

Well an update - A/C shat itself yesterday. I thought it was my imagination that it wasn't cooling well as we've had a few hot and humid days in Brissy lately.

I'm not casting any negative aspersions against Chermside auto electrics - stuff happens. I rang them yesterday (Friday) arvo and they've got me booked in for 8am Monday for a look see. Can't complain about priority service there.

Shall post up what happens guys.

Cheers!

[Polyal]

Well got ours back and a couple of days later its fine, yet to crank it though.

My test of service is when I ask my wife to drop the car off and how the qoute changes. In this case it was just an additional seal. All good.

[SPArKy_Dave]

Originally Posted by supershifty

Well an update - A/C shat itself yesterday. I thought it was my imagination that it wasn't cooling well as we've had a few hot and humid days in Brissy lately.

I'm not casting any negative aspersions against Chermside auto electrics - stuff happens. I rang them yesterday (Friday) arvo and they've got me booked in for 8am Monday for a look see. Can't complain about priority service there.

Shall post up what happens guys.

Cheers!

What ended up happening?
Just not cold anymore?

Hopefully they've used the gas with a trace UV dye in it. If it's only lasted 3 weeks, it must be a fairly major leak.

Best case, it's just an o-ring seal, worst case, it's the evap core in the dash.......... and you know what that means!

Edit -
Two weeks ago, I had the chance to inspect that ED Fairmont I did the A/C on, back in Feb.
Happy to report that it's still performing perfectly.
All original o-rings and componentry were used (after being cleaned and tested) apart from the compressor.

[supershifty]

Sparky, I've no idea what happened. I did notice on Wednesday/Thursday some unusual infrequent gurgling noise coming from behind the dash - I just assumed it was the TX valve cycling. Was still cooling but not very well, like I said it was rather humid so thought nothing of it. Friday she was munted, compressor was cycling but no cold air. I think they did use the UV dye as the shop said they would "run a light" over the system on Monday.

I'm really hoping it's some oversight on the shops part. The AC worked moderately ok for the previous year, but with the oncoming summer I knew it wasn't going to cut it. I don't blame the shop for anything - the ute has only done 121k's but is 16yo after all.

My wallet has copped a belting lately - I'm gonna have to screw a hinge on the fold shortly!

Cheers!

[kempy311]

Originally Posted by supershifty

Sparky, I've no idea what happened. I did notice on Wednesday/Thursday some unusual infrequent gurgling noise coming from behind the dash - I just assumed it was the TX valve cycling. Was still cooling but not very well, like I said it was rather humid so thought nothing of it. Friday she was munted, compressor was cycling but no cold air. I think they did use the UV dye as the shop said they would "run a light" over the system on Monday.

I'm really hoping it's some oversight on the shops part. The AC worked moderately ok for the previous year, but with the oncoming summer I knew it wasn't going to cut it. I don't blame the shop for anything - the ute has only done 121k's but is 16yo after all.

My wallet has copped a belting lately - I'm gonna have to screw a hinge on the fold shortly!

Cheers!

The noise you could here from behind the dash is the Tx valve when its getting low on gas.

[supershifty]

I took the ute back Monday morning and they found one of the o rings on the new condenser was leaking. They apologised for the inconvenience and said to bring it back first thing today. Everything is all good now. No cost to me but some of my time.

You don't discover how good a business' customer service is until something goes wrong. They acted promptly and without any BS. I felt kind of sorry for them in a way, most of the profit they made on the original job has been lost with replacing a 50c o ring and the gas. They've still got a repeat customer who would recommend them to anyone though.

Cheers!

[supershifty]

Well, the saga continues .... A/C went on the fritz again last week. Had do to some other work on the ute, when I pulled the thermo fans there was a pool of what looked light oil below the passenger side rad tank. Hmmm?

Took her back this morning and it turns out the new condenser has a crack in it - bugger. Goes back in Saturday morning for a new condenser under warranty.

I feel sorry for the shop, after this time they will have spent about 5 hours and two gas ups at their expense. Real pleased they honour their work though.

Cheers!

[MercurySilver]

ij ust paid 160 bucks for a regas in my xh longreach the thurs before xmas
local bloke
no idea what he used but i know the thing is cold as ice now