It sounds contradictory, but air in your air conditioning system is one of the worst things you can find! And that’s not all. Along with unwanted air, an A/C system can be contaminated with alternative gases and moisture. This causes havoc on system performance and the longevity of parts. The hero in this situation is the refrigerant identifiers.

 


Why it's important to be aware of contaminants.

Contamination of the A/C system is not something that can be ignored. Contaminants have the potential to freeze the evaporator, cause reduced or intermittent cooling, increase discharge pressures, create more noise from the compressor and even cause compressor failure.

 

We are in a multi-refrigerant market and cross-contamination is on the rise. While we always recommend to use the prescribed refrigerant for the vehicle, not everyone does. When you’re working on a vehicle that you haven’t re-gassed in the past, you need to be sure of what you’re working with. Especially if you plan on recycling the gas.

 


Invest in accuracy

Investing in the accuracy of a refrigerant identifier is the best way to tackle the unknown. Refrigerant identifiers help you get an accurate understanding of the purity of the refrigerant. It’s your best form of defence, to help you diagnose A/C system faults and protecting valuable recovery machines before you start the recovery process. You can also ensure you’re not contaminating other vehicles with dangerous mixes of gas or excessive air content.

 

After many years of very few manufacturers of refrigerant identifiers, UK manufacturer Maverick has produced a new portable refrigerant identifier - the ‘Mentor’. Maverick is an experienced manufacturer in the field of gas identification and this latest addition to their product range is very reasonably priced and does everything you need it to do. You’ll find it first at Highgate Air and it’s a great addition to any workshop.

 

 

 

 

With R1234yf being a more expensive, but more environmentally friendly way of the future, the need for recycling is becoming more prevalent. Remember, recovering contaminated refrigerant into your automatic 4-in-1 machine can void the warranty if any faults are caused by this contamination.

 

The right equipment is paramount to keep vehicles moving through the workshop or keep you moving from job to job out in the field. When you consider the cost of guesswork, your return on investment in accuracy will be immediate. Ensuring the job is handled correctly, the first time.

 


Want accuracy and certainty? Take a look at the Mentor or browse our refrigerant identifier range to find equipment suitable for your workshop.


Need a refresher? Our recent article on refrigerant recycling using 4-in-1 machines gives you the low down. Find out how this equipment works and the benefits of incorporating a 4-in-1 machine in your daily processes.

.