As with the air conditioning system in your home, your car, truck, or utility vehicle has a complex air conditioning system to keep you cool and comfortable in the summer. You may be to the point where you are no longer using the air conditioning system because it is fall. This being said, let’s give the AC system some attention by discussing below some of the most crucial parts in the system.
Compressor
The compressor is a touchy part that tends to break down if it is not used regularly. The compressor does two things. Specifically, the refrigerant in its original form is a gas. The compressor takes this gas and compresses it to turn it into a liquid. The compressor also circulates the refrigerant through the air conditioning system so that it can cool down the air that blows through the vents.
Condenser
As the refrigerant circulates through the system, it gets hot. This is where the condenser comes in. After circulation, the refrigerant rests in the condenser where it is cooled off by outside air and a condenser fan. This ensures that when the refrigerant circulates through the system again, it will be cold so it will cool off the incoming air. The condenser can get clogged by road debris as well as dented.
Condenser Fan
As we just mentioned, the condenser also has a fan to help it keep the refrigerant cold. This fan blows over the refrigerant to reduce its temperature so, again, you have cold air blowing through the vents into your passenger cabin. Just like the condenser, the condenser fan can also get damaged by road debris. This can render it useless and leave you with hot refrigerant circulating through the AC system.
Electrical System
Your air conditioning system also has an electrical system complete with relays, switches, and wires. There are also fuses in your automobile’s fuse box that apply to the air conditioning system. It’s a good idea to schedule an AC tune-up once a year in the spring so we can inspect the electrical system to make sure it is functioning properly. We also inspect the other parts discussed in this blog.
Refrigerant
Finally, as with your home’s AC, your car’s AC has refrigerant in the system to cool off the air. As we mentioned above, the refrigerant takes two forms: gas and liquid. It is important to make sure you have plenty of refrigerant in the system each spring to ensure you are cool throughout the summer.
We are a full-service auto shop that can take care of all of your auto service and repair needs. Give us a call today to schedule a service appointment.