It is for your own benefit that you should know about your car air conditioning system, well at least the basics. This will enable you to understand whether the issue is minor, and a DIY repair is needed, or should you take your car to the expert at the local auto repair shop. This will be possible only when you know how your car air conditioning works. It will help you to differentiate between minor and major repairs. You will also know how to recharge your system when it is not working. Understanding the basics will help you a lot in fundamental troubleshooting.
It Is All Technical
Air conditioning system is all about technicalities and the harmonious functioning of several mechanical and electrical parts both fixed and moving variant. It is all about normal temperature outside and the pressure inside the system. However, you do not need a professional degree in chemistry and physics to understand all this. All that you really need to know about car air conditioning system is that when a compressed liquid is released to turn into gas this process absorbs heat energy making the surroundings cool.
From time to time and especially when your car gets old you will need to recharge your air conditioning system. It is done either by using a recharging kit or by a professional at a car repair shop. Just make sure that when you do it yourself you buy the perfect brand of refrigerant as per the car manufacturer’s recommendation.
Automatic Climate Control
There are a lot of innovative and useful features in car air conditioning system. The most significant feature is Automatic Climate Control which you must know in detail.
Way back in early 1960s, temperature controls involved a 1 switch/dial but later on it was integrated into the automatic climate control by General Motors in the Cadillac models.
Sensors were used for the first time to detect speed of the fan and temperature as to when fresh air should be re-circulated once the desired temperature is reached.
Modern automatic climate control comes with standard multiple zones. It can be a single or a quad-zone system that you will find in most modern cars.
Automatic climate control allows you to set the temperature as per your preferences without bothering other occupants.
Understanding Re-circulation Mode
The recirculation mode is very important for your car air conditioning system. This helps the system to reuse air inside or to bring in fresh air from outside. Recirculating air will cool down the car very quickly as it will recycle the air. You must not therefore put off the recirculating mode for too long as it degrades the air quality and poses health risks to you.
On the other hand, if you keep re-circulating mode switched on it will bring in fresh supply of oxygen from outside to refresh the air inside.
The Different Components
There are different components in a car air conditioning system that makes it a complex device.
Compressor – This is a unit that works on the principle and laws of physics. The gas in it is heated up by compressing.
Condenser – This component cools the gas inside a number of finned tubes to condense the gas back to liquid state.
Evaporator – This is located outside along the firewall of the car cabin. The liquid refrigerant enters this evaporator and is exposed to the heat of passenger compartment causing the fluid to boil and change into gas.
Therefore, your car air conditioning system is vital though very complex. It is imperative that you as a car owner understand the basics in order to keep a check on your car AC.
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