Refrigerant Replacement

Unfortunately, due to the variable speed, compressor and the sensors will try to compensate for anything that is wrong if it’s minute.
At low ambient temperatures if you’re a little overcharged, you will not know it

If it’s a Little, a Under charged, you will not know it

If you have a little too much oil or too little oil, you will not know it

If you have moisture, you will not know it

They will cause problems at higher temperatures

in the terms of
metallurgy leaks are called in caused by formicary Corrosion. This is when the acidic nature of the oil that has mixed with moisture in the air at a microscopic level literally bore tiny holes through the metal just like beetles or bugs or termites eat tiny holes through wood.. many of these leaks that we see on our condensers and our evaporator’s that are not actually cracks or failed braise joints.

that appear in the center of our refrigerant tubes are caused by this an automotive technicians don’t know this they just say it’s a bad component. There’s a vast difference between a crack failure by stress, whether it be cycles of hot and cold or physical stress..

And on the microscopic level of formicary corrosion caused by lazy technicians, who believe it’s OK to leave lines are open to the air. Atmosphere that saturated with moisture.. you shop compressed air to look for leaks that is extremely saturated with moisture. And those stupid little filters that you use for paint or even the small desiccant ones do not remove enough moisture to make a difference because we’re talking about parts per million in contamination.

This all causes damage over a long period of time, nine months, 18 months, two years. It’s eventually a guaranteed ticking time bomb that cost customers lots of money..

And many automotive technicians from old school or in denial they’re like ostriches, bury their heads in the sand. And say they done hundreds or thousands of air conditioning systems and leaving moisture in the system using shop here and they all works fine when they leave their shop..

Any child eight years old with a hose in a can can do the same thing so that’s not too impressive.

But this is the problem with our automotive trade. The lack of education is absolutely staggering.

In the pigheadedness and stubbornness of denial because they can’t see things with their eyes that they’re not the cause of the problem is another big problem in our industry.


So the answer to keep it short
No, you’re not going to see anything on your software that’s going to show you any problems at low ambient temperatures with minor contamination of air, and or moisture and or over or under charge.

It’ll happen over a long period of time.

It’s really simple

If you only charge by weight and you do it (“CORRECTLY”!).
Anybody can use the scale and say they use a scale, but made slight mistakes and get it wrong still.

Even if you have a cheap vacuum pump and not the best set up as long as it’s sealed as a do it yourself person in your own home there’s no harm in leaving your vacuum pump on for 24 hours. Because a person who does not on a micron gauge cannot tell whether or not they pull the complete and good vacuum.. so as long as there’s not leaks 24 hours is a pretty good, 99% guarantee of at least getting it halfway right.

That’s why there’s a difference between compressors that out, live the life of the vehicle outlive the life of the transmission outlive the life of the engine.

Because compressors don’t die, they are murdered

Wait to hear an update on your first day you get to use this vehicle driving down the highway at 100°F plus weather to see what the temperature coming out your dash is.

 

Pun accepted
There’s a reason they call me cold finger.

But I usually go by Thermal Alchemy

 

if the cost and expenses not too much for you, just make sure when the refrigerant is recovered it’s recovered very slowly on the low side suction. So as to not remove any oil..

Be good practice for you and just leave it on the vacuum pump overnight.

But the absolute most important thing is a spot on refrigerant charge.

One or 2 ounces make a real big difference on a Prius on a 95 or 100+ degree Fahrenheit day.

On a cool day, anybody can squirt in refrigerant and make it come out nice and cold out the dash being overcharged or undercharged this happens every day all over the place.?

It’s that preciseness that is important for longevity and maximum performance.

 

There’s a little bonus video to watch

 

The question is does it cool and what is the air temp coming out the middle vent? On a variable capacity compressor you can't judge by the pressures.

 

A txv reduces pressure as it meters liquid refrigerant into the evaporator. When testing variable capacity it has to be run at max cool, high fan in a hot environment (86-95f) with the doors open. You should get a decent subcool value using realtime temps into a digital manifold like Tom uses. At that point pressures may be more typical. If its not broke don't fix it.

Weighing in a charge is the gold standard in any system but is critical on systems used in these cars and minisplits. Performance based on vent air temps under hot conditions becomes the easiest test.

 

I would get something like this locally or from Amazon. Infrared is ok but you are then measuring the plastic vent and not the air. Measure while in recirculate, max, idealing driving.