what is the safest way(besides taking it to a shop) to recharge my air conditioning unit on my car
Don’t know your year/make/model, but if you want to try any auto maintenance at home, it’s a good idea to purchase a repair manual. Try Haynes (or Chiltons) - can be bought at auto parts store. It will desctibe in detail how to recharge your ac. I think on many cars it can be a DIY project.
You have to ask yourself,why do I need a recharge? Also you should replace your reciever-drier/accumulator every 4 years (this part removes the moisture in your system). The guys at the AC shops have knowledge and equipment that can help you get the most out of your system.
If it’s out of refrigerant then you have a major leak that needs to be repaired.
As oldschool mentions, if it’s out of refrigerant and has been for a while then there is moisture in the system.
This mean a new drier and new drier or not, the system needs to be evacuated. This requires a vacuum pump and a set of manifold gauges.
There’s no easy way out short of simply throwing refrigerant in and hoping for the best and A/C repair can be a bit dicey for a novice.
Just a slight clarification for those of you who don’t have an a/c leak: The receiver/drier should last the life of the car as long as the system remains pressurized.
You and all interested in AC should check out a site called yourACauthority.com go to corrosion in the AC system. It explains how moisture enters the system through the rubber hoses at a molecular level,no leak needed. This is where the reccommendation for a new drier/accumulator comes from. Lots of good AC info at this site
The safest way is to take it to a shop. There’s NO WAY you can properly do this yourself. You have neither the expertise nor the equipment. Nor do I. Automotive AC is no longer a do-it-yourself project.
Seriously, do you have the equipment to evacuate and dry the AC system before you recharge it? No, of course you don’t. Stop wasting your time and money. Take the vehicle to an automotive AC specialist and let them work on it. In the long run this is the least expensive option, and the only SAFE way to do it.
The infiltration will be low with modern barrier hoses, so the receiver/drier will most likely last as long as, say, the the compressor seals. However, this infiltration is further reason to ensure the system is properly flushed and evacuated once a leak occurs. And also replacing the receiver/drier, of course.
well, now you have gotten 8 different replies. see how difficult it is to even get consensus? or… take it to an AC radiator shop. they know how to get it done, get it done right, and get it done first time.