Almost every car manufactured nowadays has a car air conditioning system. Their function is to give comfort to the driver and passengers of the vehicle, especially on hot weather conditions. Air conditioners use significant power, and the drag of the car is affected whenever the air conditioner is activated. Besides the drag, effects on fuel efficiency is also being debated as well as other factors that make the difference between driving with and without air conditioners turned on.

The first car air conditioning systems were installed on luxury cars and limousines back in 1933. However, the first
cars manufactured with air conditioning features already installed came only in 1939. The earliest air conditioners were unsuccessful in their purpose. The first units’ evaporator and blower devices took half of the trunk’s space. Trunks only
became larger on the post war period. Another reason for failures is that the early air conditioning systems were less efficient before the war took place. There were many other reasons of failure but the biggest one was the cost. At the time, the cost of manufacturing car air conditioning systems was equivalent to over 4 thousand dollars today. At that time, the amount was too big for the ordinary car user in America. 
 
The high-pressure side of the air conditioning system has three parts: the compressor, receiver-dryer, and condenser. The compressor is a pump driven by a belt that is attached to the engine. The refrigerant is in a low-pressure gas
form when it is drawn into the compressor. The gas is then compressed inside then forced into the condenser. The compressors can only compress gases and not liquids. Other parts are designed to capture water as it flows inside the
system.
 
The condenser is a radiator. Just like the one that radiates the heat out of your car’s engine. A pressurized gas that comes out of the compressor enters the condenser. The moving process creates heat; however, the air that moves around the tubes of the condenser cools the refrigerant and turns it into liquid again. To make it clearer, think of water turning into steam and condensing and turning into water again. From being the low-pressure gas, the refrigerant is now a high pressure liquid. 
 
As the refrigerant moves out of the condenser, it then passes through the receiver-dryer which contains desiccants. The receiver-dryer absorbs water that has entered the system. The receiver-dryer removes the water because if it is absorbed by the system and forms ice crystals, it could be damaging to the air conditioning system. The evaporator then absorbs the heat out of the passenger compartment and lets it out of the car. 

Recharging the air conditioning system requires the removal and replacement of the refrigerant. When your refrigerant is running low, there may be problems in your air-con system and you need to find out where the problem is, if there is a leak, it should be fixed. When it is repaired, you can fill the system again with fresh refrigerant such as Freon. 

The typical cost of air conditioning repair and maintenance could reach up to 100-300 dollars. This cost includes a technician who can evaluate your whole air conditioning system as well as the refrigerant to be filled.

For information on maintenance and parts for you car's air conditioning contact the friendly and  knowledgeable people
at Meyers Auto Parts at 702 431 8000