Where To Go To Get Car Aircon Recharged?

[Foggy Bottom]

The aircon in the car is blowing as hot as if the aircon was not engaged. The wife's brother has told her it's because the "Ya-something or other" needs refilled - I'm assuming he means there's a freon cylinder to refill or replace, but realistically have no idea. He also says it'll cost about 2-300 baht and last for a year-ish.

Can anyone advise ?

Is it something I buy from the motoring DIY at Carrefour and change myself or does it need a special shop to do it, and what's your experience of pricing.

Also I would prefer somewhere in the city centre rather than half way to Lampang or Chiang Rai (said with tongue in cheek)

Never had to do anything like this before so haven't got a clue.

Gaz

[Bill97]

Think you will need a shop to do it and they should check the other components of the system to be sure it is really and only a freon refill that you need. The refill may be a cylinder but often it is just putting freon into what you have from their tank. If you have leaks, get them fixed and the refill should last several years or more. Sorry, I can not recommend a shop for you but there are many around.

[Foggy Bottom]

Thanks Bill

The brother in law did say that this specific car needs "refilled" once a year (shame he wasn't talking about the petrol tank eh?)

so I think it might not be leak related

Until I can find a shop to do it, I'm going to adopt a new style of driving with the doors wedged wide open - loadsa airflow and should keep the tuk tuks from trying to squeeze between traffic lanes

[bucklt]

Thanks Bill

The brother in law did say that this specific car needs "refilled" once a year (shame he wasn't talking about the petrol tank eh?)

so I think it might not be leak related

Until I can find a shop to do it, I'm going to adopt a new style of driving with the doors wedged wide open - loadsa airflow and should keep the tuk tuks from trying to squeeze between traffic lanes

Having spent some years developing proto-type vehicles for various clients including RR/Bentley/Lotus etc, I would like to share an important point about auto air-con systems!

note: this is a 'basic' point only - but one that many drivers are not aware of - as a result of which it can (and is) costing them a small fortune in the annual running costs of their vehicles.

Within the FREON gas itself is a 'lubricant'. It's there for the compressor BUT also for the various rubber gaskets connected all round the pipe system. It stops the rubber gaskets from drying out i.e shrinking!

If the gaskets shrink - you have a gas leak!

Solution: even when not required, always get into the habit of running the air-con system - be it for 5-10 minutes - to ensure the gaskets are kept lubricated. Otherwise, you may require replacement of ALL gaskets + the additional cost of a refill. The man-labour alone - for replacing gaskets - can be horrendous!

My mate in the UK makes a small fortune every Summer (he runs a Franchise operation - just repairing air-con systems) from drivers who do not operate their systems during the previous Winter/Spring months etc.

Hope this may be of help to some of you.

Tony

[Foggy Bottom]

Thanks Tony - really useful info

[cmsally]

We go to Chai Chana (sp?) which does a really good job on car/van A/C

On the Chiang Mai-Lamphun Rd. just past the Mae Ping Police Station on the left (coming from town).

It's on the main road, and there is a BMW mechanic almost opposite if I remember correctly.

Depends on the type of car and exactly what needs doing but to top up the "nam yah air" costs around 500Bt.

[Tywais]

300 Baht is the standard rate for the refrigerant to top up the air. The place I use is right next to the Airport Plaza at the 4 way light intersection. If going North on Hang Dong road, it's right at the corner of the light intersection just before turning left to go to the airport. Top notch service and pricing. Had to do a complete rebuild of my system and being an old import they had to build some parts for it.

[PeaceBlondie]

I have not needed service yet, but have heard that Amnuay is very good.

[Foggy Bottom]

Thanks all - Tywais - I'll see if I can find them, though I thought there wasn't anything between the exit from Airport Plaza carpark (onto HD Rd) and the corner?

Is that the bit of the road you mean? Or do you mean before the car park exit?

Gaz

[Tywais]

Thanks all - Tywais - I'll see if I can find them, though I thought there wasn't anything between the exit from Airport Plaza carpark (onto HD Rd) and the corner?

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. X marks the spot.

[Foggy Bottom]

Cheers mate - had to go to the consulate today (for something unrelated naturally) and got directed to a place just before Arcade bus station off Thung Hotel Road

They did a really good job - checked the whole system for leaks, recharged it, ran it tested it, checked the normal radiator cooling system and everything - even to the point of using "bubble-grease" on all the joints to check for minute and slow leaks on both systems (at one point I thought they were even going to steam clean the engine as well).

300 Baht all in and took them about 45 minutes star to finish

Gotta cool motor now

[Flatouthruthefog]

Thanks all - Tywais - I'll see if I can find them, though I thought there wasn't anything between the exit from Airport Plaza carpark (onto HD Rd) and the corner?

Is that the bit of the road you mean? Or do you mean before the car park exit?

Gaz

VERY helpful everyone, thanks. Especially yon high tech chap who confirmed my suspicion that it's all my fault - ie I am so miserly i only use the dam_n thing when I really need it. Like now! And all it ever does every March/April is blow hot.

A few years back I used the tiny place at the very city end of Hang Dong Rd and they were friendly and excellent. It is the penultimate single story shed before the traffic lights with a steep ramp down inside. WELL after the car park exit!

Disadvantage: you really have to stay with your car instead of relaxing in the mall, because of course they have no parking space for finished vehicles.

So I'll try Tung Hotel Rd this time. Great!! All this is part of what thaivisa.com is all about!! Who the hxll nxxds the Chiang Mai Mail?

[Foggy Bottom]

Foggy - easiest way to find it is that the little soi down to it, is about 40-50 metres in from Naeworat Road

Right on the entrance is a photocopy shop and a noodle shop on the other (right hand) side of Thung Hotel Road

When you turn into the soi, it's only about 50-60 yards long and immediately behind the photocopy shop is a covered car park type thingy for a single row of cars - go past that towards the house you can see with the green and white fencing - when you get to that, you'll see the mechanics joint on the left - big covered area with loads of "stop in the shade" space. The young lass that did our car really knew her stuff and bossed the blokes (young and old) around a treat (hehehe).

Gaz

[Foggy Bottom]

Oh - and keep yer thieving eyes off that empty one rai plot straight in front of them - I'm trying to persuade the missus to buy it.

[Steve2UK]

Reading this thread, I took my Ford Escape along to the place off Thung Hotel Road - because the aircon was operating only about 10-20% of normal. As previously described, the boss lady very much took charge - it did make me wonder whether any of the many male mechanics hanging around actually know much or can do much by themselves? Half an hour of testing pressures and general hunting around the engine and head-scratching, some talk about how the flap for the cold air was half-open with the flap for the hot air (?), then it was suggested that I let them have the car for three days and they'd be able to fix the problem - but couldn't say what the cost might be.

Three days seemed a heck of a time for the job - and I needed to find a slot when I could be without the car for that long. In between, I was recommended by the excellent Mell - Thai manageress of the equally excellent Neighbors restaurant - to go with her to a small workshop she knows. In literally a couple of minutes, her guy spotted the problem - a hose on the compressor needed to be replaced. Half a day's work and 1,800 baht to do the job including re-filling with freon. As it turned out, an additional hose needed to be replaced and the final cost was 2,300 baht. The mechanic came to collect the car and return it, gave me the defective hoses and and a properly written itemised bill. I certainly couldn't ask for better service than that - as good as anything I know from London.

Sorry if I sound grouchy about the originally recommended place but, as we know, mileage may vary. Certainly happy to get my problem fixed so straightforwardly thanks to the very neighbourly Mell - who thoroughly deserves the flowers I took her as a thank-you. That was last Sunday. Today she instantly came up with an electrician to sort out my house fuses which I managed to blow. Looks like I have another trip to the flower market to make!

Edited May 20, 2008 by Steve2UK

[justcruisin]

Gaz good to see you had a satisfactory outcome.

Just for future reference for any one needing service,I highly reccomend Annuay Motor Air situated on the superhighway,come past Carrefour,do the U turn at the Narawat Rd turnoff to the right and about 600m on your left with the HUGE "ALPINE" stereo sign on the top of the building is Annuay.

Excellent service and pricing.

Also If you have an older car they can recharge aircon with Freon 22 instead of the enviromental and useless R134A gas.

I have used this company on 3 occasions now with no problem.

[L&J]

- Thanks for the great tip. Took the truck over there this morning and got

great service. The young woman who runs the operation communicates well in english

and is extremely efficient in getting the work done. The cost for what was done, including

a switch she had to go buy was beyond reasonable. Before she was finished she decided

that the inside of the truck was too dusty so she got out the airgun and blew it all out.

Then decided to blow the dust off the engine and cleaned off the radiator. They do all kinds

of service there and sure they would do excellent work. JOHN