What are the effects of overcharging refrigerant in a car's air conditioning system?
3 Answers
The effects of overcharging refrigerant in a car's air conditioning system include: 1. Increased pressure in the air conditioning system, triggering high-pressure alarms and frequent disconnection of the compressor; 2. Reduced cooling efficiency; 3. Damage to air conditioning components; 4. Risk of bursting air conditioning pipelines. Methods for maintaining a car's air conditioning system: 1. Regularly clean the air conditioning vents; 2. Maintain the air conditioning condenser in a timely manner; 3. Clean or replace the air conditioning filter element promptly. Proper usage methods for air conditioning: 1. Turn off the air conditioning when driving at low speeds; 2. Avoid smoking in the car when the air conditioning is on; 3. Turn off the engine before shutting down the air conditioning; 4. Immediately activate the internal circulation when entering the car in summer.
I once suffered a big loss from overcharging refrigerant. The AC initially cooled aggressively, but problems emerged within two weeks - vent temperatures fluctuated wildly and the compressor roared like a tractor. Back at the shop, the mechanic found 20% excess refrigerant causing abnormal expansion valve operation from excessive system pressure, nearly ruining the compressor. To make matters worse, cooling efficiency actually decreased, turning the cabin into a sauna. The refrigerant leaked everywhere, costing double to repair. I strongly advise using professional pressure gauges and strictly following the vehicle manual's specified charge quantity - better slightly under than over.
Overcharging refrigerant truly does more harm than good. A friend of mine opted for a cheap refrigerant top-up at a small shop, only to have the AC start intermittent shutdowns a week later. Diagnostics revealed the high-pressure pipe pressure had skyrocketed, triggering the system's protection mechanism. Prolonged compressor overload can easily cause bearing damage and impair condenser heat dissipation. Now in hot weather, he has to crank the blower to maximum just to get barely cool air, with fuel consumption up by 1 liter. This malfunction not only cost five times more to repair than a proper refrigerant service, but also shortened the entire AC system's lifespan—a classic case of being penny-wise and pound-foolish.
