Tricks of the trade to help you save time and money.
We are on the phone all day, every day speaking with A/C technicians about tough jobs and tricky situations. As with any industry, there are tricks of the trade that are learnt over time and today, we’re sharing some that have come across our desks recently...
O-Rings: We’re talking that time you had a brand new compressor and you’re attempting to put new lines on, but they just won’t go on properly. The biggest mistake you can make is to just grab a tool and force it on. Sure, it will go on, but if it doesn’t go on smoothly, with an audible pop, it means there is something wrong. O-rings should be able to be attached by hand and simply pressed in to the port.
THE TRICK: Always use refrigerant oil, oil spray or Nylog first, and then insert until you feel resistance of the o-ring. You should feel/hear a small pop and this means it’s been properly inserted into the port. Don’t ever bang or force it in, it should be slightly springy upon final installation.
Our product recommdations to help: Nylog (TO-70647) and O-Ring Service Kit (SKO-26544).
Working with bolts: A/C technicians are often working at difficult angles on a vehicle, looking down into the vehicle. If you’re new to the industry, you may have trouble keeping bolts in the socket when you’re reaching into spots that are obstructed or at a downward angle - the bolt straight away falls out of the socket!
THE TRICK: The secret is a piece of paper or paper towel. Tear off a piece twice the diameter of the head of the bolt. Put it over your socket and push the head of the bolt in. Now you have a sturdy solution to be able to reach the socket into downward facing areas of the vehicle, without the bolt falling out, allowing you to thread it on. Remember to retrieve the paper before you finish the job.
Our product recommdations to help: Sanden Compressor (CO-54923), our most universal compressor to suit a variety of manufacturers.
We are here to help
Highgate Air has been in the air conditioning industry since 1969 and our aim is to deliver the best service Australia-wide, whether you’re a 50 car fleet manager, a mobile A/ technician or a mining or agricultural equipment service engineer.
While we’re fresh into a new year, now is the perfect time to take a look back at some of the blogs from 2021. We share plenty of great information to help you make educated decisions around which processes to use, what is going to save you time and money, and what tools, equipment and products will be most useful for the job at hand.
If you haven’t already, you can also join our Facebook group, @Auto A/C Technicians of Australia, to be part of a great community across Australia. This is a private group for A/C technicians, with lots of active members willing to talk through solutions for any A/C problems you run into. And, it’s backed by the Highgate Air team for extra support when you need it.
Got any more tips everyone should know?
Send them in to admin@highgateair.com.au and we'll share them with everyone. Let’s stay connected in 2022 and work together to keep cabs cool, commercial vehicles up and running and fleets well managed in 2022.