Air Conditioning

Your car’s air conditioning system functions much like a refrigerator, aiming to transfer heat from the inside of your vehicle to the outside. This system comprises six essential components:

  • Refrigerant: This substance, known as R-134a in modern cars and R-12 freon in older ones, carries heat.
  • Compressor: Responsible for circulating and compressing the refrigerant within the vehicle’s cooling system.
  • Condenser: Converts the refrigerant from gas to liquid, expelling heat from the car.
  • Expansion Valve: A nozzle that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant liquid, regulates its flow, and atomizes it.
  • Evaporator: Transfers heat from the air blown across it to the refrigerant, cooling the car.
  • Receiver or Dryer: Filters the vehicle’s refrigerant and oil, eliminating moisture and contaminants.

When you initiate the air conditioning system, the compressor pressurizes the refrigerant, sending it to the condensing coils located in front of the vehicle’s radiator. The condenser expels hot air outside, cooling the air within the car. The refrigerant undergoes a transformation from gas to liquid as it passes through the expansion valve and reaches the evaporator.

Once the evaporator receives the liquid refrigerant, it undergoes pressure loss, further cooling the liquid. The vehicle’s blower then moves air across the evaporator and into the interior. If the air conditioning unit remains on, this cycle repeats continuously.

Any damage to these components can transform your cool car into a furnace in the summer. Issues with the air conditioning system may range from simply topping off refrigerant to replacing a valve. If your unit is not functioning properly, bring your vehicle to B & R Repairs, where our trained air conditioning specialists will inspect your car’s air conditioner, all lines, the evaporator, and the compressor for leaks and wear.