<VV> A/C Usage Re: Corvair Miles

[FrankCB at aol.com]

Bob,
Thanks for the reminder.  Unfortunately, while your idea of using the  
defroster to activate the A/C is a good one, it doesn't really apply to ME since 
 I use my defroster only about 2 or 3 times a YEAR whereas I turn on my A/C 
a  couple of times a MONTH, even in the colder months.  Since I no longer  
drive to work and back I tend to stay home in defroster type weather.
But thanks for the input of a good idea that applies to many of us.
Frank Burkhard
Boonton, NJ
 
 
In a message dated 9/17/2012 1:08:15 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
Vairtec at optonline.net writes:

Frank,  while your advice is sound for owners of older air-conditioned 
cars such  as a Corvair, in general what you suggest is not necessary for 
a more  modern car such as your Pontiac dustbuster van.  Reason:  The  
modern cars cycle the A/C on with every use of the defroster, regardless  
of time of year or outside temperature.  This provides the dual  benefit 
of better defroster performance AND exercise of the A/C system as  you 
recommend.

There is certainly no harm in doing what you suggest  on a newer car, and 
for persons living where defroster use may be rare it  remains a good 
idea.  But for the great majority of car owners who,  like my wife, would 
not know a preventive maintenance step if it bit them  on the ankle. the 
fact that the defroster automatically engages the A/C  goes a long way 
toward maintaining A/C performance over the  years.


On 9/17/2012 12:11 PM, FrankCB at aol.com wrote:
> JR and  V Vers,
>      The way to keep your AC (in any car)  operating is  to use it
> periodically.  My 180 doesn't have  AC, but the AC in my 95  TransSport 
is still
> working after 17  years and almost 160,000 miles.  I try  to run it at 
least  10
> minutes even in relatively mild days in almost EVERY  month of  the year. 
 If it
> doesn't cool very much I add a can of 134a to  it,  lately I've had to add
> as much as 2 cans.  But if you  don't run it AT  ALL for many months the
> charge will gradually  leak out so much  that air will begin to leak IN 
(due to
>  day/night temp. changes) and dilute  the charge, whether it's R-12 or  
134a.
> Once that happens the system needs  TOTAL evacuation to get  the air out 
and
> that requires a DEEP VACUUM machine  operation  which costs $$$$$ at an AC
> service station.  It's a lot   cheaper to run it regularly and add a few
> dollars of 12 or 134a when  the cooling  effect starts to diminish.  That 
keeps the
> air  out and, as we  know, AIR is a rather poor  refrigerant.<GGGG>
>      Frank "likes cooling"  Burkhard
>   
>    


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