# Anybody use the A/C fill in a can? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 21, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123 "2014-07-21T01:11:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123/1 "2014-07-21T01:11:35Z")
Has anybody used the A/C fill in a can for home use? There is a brand out there with a gauge for visual help. 03 Windstar is not a cool as it should be (temp wise. not cool factor) and curious if these are any good or if they have harmful side effects. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123/2 "2014-07-21T01:56:20Z")
My personal opinion is, leave the A/C to the professionals. I think your likely to do more harm than good. Just 1 mans opinion. ---
**Author:** ![EK\_Hammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/77aa72/32.png) [@EK\_Hammer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EK_Hammer)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123/3 "2014-07-21T02:09:00Z")
I’ve had good luck using them. ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123/4 "2014-07-21T02:25:36Z")
I buy R134a in 30 lb “cans” and use gauges and a very accurate digital scale to put it in. A friend bought one of those kits, and chickened out. He brought it to me, and I used it. It did fine, but was very expensive by the ounce. It would appear that your system may be low. The gauge furnished should tell you if you truly need to add more. If you can hear the compressor clicking in and out, it’s almost a certainty. That said, if you closely follow the directions on the kit to the letter, you should be OK. ---
**Author:** ![Oliver70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@Oliver70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Oliver70)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123/5 "2014-07-21T03:16:14Z")
It seems that if you need the R134 in a can, the system has a leak that has to be repaired. Without the repair (components or threaded joints) the gas will only leak out again. The pros are needed to find and repair the leak and then evacuate the system to determine if the “sealed system” is truly sealed. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/anybody-use-the-a-c-fill-in-a-can/86123/6 "2014-07-21T05:17:11Z")
They only work if you have a slow leak, and you’re careful not to overfill. I have not found the gauge (measures low-side pressure) to be useful. It seems to stay the same.