Three essential A/C system preventive maintenance procedures

March 5, 2019
Advice when servicing vehicle air conditioning systems.

To help ensure an efficient, long-lasting A/C system, Mark Meegan, Bergstrom’s chief strategy officer, vice president of marketing and utility executive, says the following procedures should be part of a preventive maintenance routine:

  • Regularly wash out the condenser coils with water. Frequency is based on the operating environment. For instance, when fine-grained particles such as dust or sand are abundant, washing should be more frequent.
  • Clean filters and components on a recurring schedule. Ensure there is no moisture in the system as it causes damage to the compressor as well as poor operation of the expansion valve.
  • Operate the A/C system during times when the machine is not used for extended periods. Prolonged lack of compressor operation is the biggest cause of compressor seal failure.

Meegan offers one more piece of advice: “Do not open a system unless you are confident there is an issue with a specific component or can verify that the refrigerant is low. Once a system is serviced by replacing a component, the likelihood of a repeat service call is often increased due to incorrect servicing.”

“If the system is serviced and opened, always replace the receiver drier,” he adds.

About the Author

Gregg Wartgow

Sponsored Recommendations

Fleet Maintenance E-Book

Streamline your fleet's maintenance and improve operations with the Guide for Managing Maintenance. Learn proven strategies to reduce downtime, optimize in-house and third-party...

Celebrating Your Drivers Can Prove to be Rewarding For Your Business

Learn how to jumpstart your driver retention efforts by celebrating your drivers with a thoughtful, uniform-led benefits program by Red Kap®. Uniforms that offer greater comfort...

Guide To Boosting Technician Efficiency

Learn about the bottom line and team building benefits of increasing the efficiency of your technicians in your repair shop.

The Definitive Guide to Aftertreatment Diagnostics

Struggling to clear aftertreatment fault codes? Learn more about different aftertreatment components, fault codes, regen zones, and the best maintenance practices to follow.