See DetailsClose (X)25% Off Online Orders of Select Parts and Accessories Receive 25% Off Your Online Purchase. Use promotional code 25PEP at checkout to receive discount. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or promotions. Not valid on gift cards, special orders, installed merchandise, commercial or fleet purchases. Excludes the following categories: Tires, Wheels, Batteries, Powerstop Brake Kits, Oil, Antifreeze, Refrigerant, Truck Boxes, Vent Visors, Bug Shields and BRANDS: Razor, Traxxas, Superchips, Hypertech, Edge, Bully Dog, Diablo, Edelbrock, Holley, NOS, Proform, Specialty Auto, Thule, Autometer, Accel, K&N, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony, JVC, MSD and BBK Performance. Valid online until 2:59 am EST on 10/6/16. Online orders scheduled for in-store pick up must be completed by closing on 10/5/16 for discount to apply. Why Your Car Air Conditioner is Blowing Warm Air When it is working properly, your cars’ air conditioner is a wonderful thing. When it is not, which of course occurs on the most brutally hot day of the year, the A/C suddenly becomes a cruel joke, blowing warm, stale air into your vehicle.

If your air conditioner is blowing warm air, or just not working properly, it is best to schedule a service ASAP to maximize your comfort. Schedule Your Next A/C System Service Automotive A/C systems have certain intricacies in their design that render them difficult to repair without the proper equipment and knowledge base. On top of that, there are certain environmental concerns involved with refrigerant that require special attention. We’ve identified three common A/C System issues to help supply you with information on what may be going on with your vehicle. Three Common Occurrences that could Result in your Vehicle’s A/C not Working Properly:Refrigerant Leak A refrigerant leak is unique in the sense that refrigerant evaporates instantly into a gas once it isn’t under the pressure of your closed loop A/C system. A/C systems are sealed and therefore don’t require refrigerant top-off’s. If the refrigerant level is low then there is a leak that needs to be addressed Leaks in your A/C don’t result in the normal tell tale puddles of fluid under your vehicle like those of an oil or antifreeze leak.

Our certified technicians are trained to search for much less sinister signs of leaks like the oily residue which might be found on or around A/C hose units or connections. A refrigerant leak can also occur in the A/C compressor, condenser, and/or evaporator - essentially all of the components of your air conditioning system. ac motor control basics downloadWe employ state of the art leak detection methods including UV dyes and specialized test equipment to ensure that your car is properly diagnosed the first time and serviced right, complete with our nationwide warranty. 1 ton window air conditionerWorn out compressor The compressor is the heart of your vehicle’s air conditioning system. ac unit insulationIts function is to circulate refrigerant through a series of stages that allow it to remove heat from your vehicles cabin.

Similar to many other car parts, the compressor can wear out over time. Due to its complicated design, compressor failure can be attributed to contamination or other failed parts within the system. There are some things that you can do to help prolong the life of your vehicle’s compressor. First, make sure to run the compressor for about 10 minutes once a month in the off season, regardless of the temperature outside. This is easy to in most modern vehicles since they utilize the compressor when the defroster, which is used year round, is activated. Another way is to stop in to Pep Boys for a FREE A/C Quick Check (not available in the state of California) and an associate can give a visual inspection of the compressor to ensure that everything looks in order.Problems with the electrical system The A/C system in your car has a maze of wires complete with fuses, relays and pressure switches that work in unison to provide safe operation under normal operating conditions. If one of these electrical components fail due to age or defect, the system is designed to shut itself down to prevent damage to itself or unsafe conditions for the operator.

Without the proper test equipment and, perhaps more importantly, the experience level of the individual diagnosing the problem, these issues are difficult to isolate. What this Means for You These three common occurrences are by no means a comprehensive list of all of the different things that can go wrong with your vehicle’s air conditioning system. They are also not the only culprits that will cause warm air to blow through your A/C System, but they are the most common. If you have the skills to fix your A/C system yourself, we’re are here to help you with the advice, parts, refrigerants and even the tools needed to do the job. If you rely on others to service your vehicle, do so as soon as possible. Driving in uncomfortable conditions can take your attention off of driving as safely as possible which could result in a potentially dangerous situation for you and your passengers. Trust Pep Boys to help you keep you cool every step of the way. 24,200 BTU 230-Volt Electronic Window Air Conditioner with Remote

24,200 BTU, 9.4 EER, 11.5/12.5 Amp Fits windows 29 in. - 41 in. wide, minimum height 19-1/4 in. Remote control and one-touch lift-out filter 3 Does this unit need 15amp or 20 amp line? Have 220 15amp (14-2-g) outlet on current AC. Wondering if I need to pull heavier gauge wire (12-2)? 2 wI'll be mounting in a wall, not window, on a new construction. Dimensions I need to frame for please. 2 Could this be used to cool multiple rooms? 2 Is the coolant refillable? I have an older model, not sure which one that is not cold anymore and wondering if the coolant is refillable. If yes, where and how?For many years residential air conditioners used pistons as metering devices, and you will still commonly encounter these systems. The piston looks like a small brass or bronze “bullet,” with a calibrated hole drilled through the center. The size of the hole, along with the pressure drop across the hole, determines how much refrigerant flows through the system.

Most of the systems with piston metering devices are charged by the suction superheat method. Manufacturers of these systems typically provide a charging chart or slide rule to properly charge their systems. Sometimes these charts are available from your wholesaler. If you’re fortunate, they may be included inside the service panel of the unit that you’re servicing. Normally the charts will require an indoor wet bulb temperature reading as well as an outdoor dry bulb temperature reading. The indoor wet bulb reading reflects the total heat of the air and, therefore, the total loading on the indoor coil, both sensible and latent. The outdoor dry bulb temperature will affect how well the system can reject heat to the outdoor air. In the case of the outdoor air there’s no latent heat involved. Once you determine the indoor wet bulb and outdoor dry bulb temperatures, check the manufacturer’s charging chart to determine the proper suction superheat. To measure suction superheat, attach your gauge manifold to the suction service port on the outdoor unit.

Do not use the common suction pressure port on a heat pump because the pressure drop through the reversing valve will affect the pressure reading. Take the pressure reading and use a temperature-pressure chart to convert that reading to the saturated temperature of the refrigerant that the system uses. Note that most gauges have the commonly used refrigerants shown on the gauges. This is especially true of the newer digital gauges. Next, attach an accurate digital thermometer to the suction line near the suction gauge port. It’s usually best to insulate the thermometer probe so that it’s not affected by the ambient air. The temperature that you measure should be warmer than the saturated refrigerant temperature. The difference between the saturated suction temperature and the measured suction line temperature is the suction superheat. Add refrigerant to lower the suction superheat. Recover refrigerant to increase the suction superheat. Note that you should never add refrigerant if the superheat is already 5F or less, even if the charging chart shows 0F.

You don’t want to overcharge the system if your thermometer or gages are not perfectly accurate. Overcharging can damage the compressor and will also reduce both the capacity and efficiency of the system. Note that if the suction superheat is correct and the suction pressure is low, the system probably has low airflow. Correct the airflow problem and check the charge again. On many newer systems, especially high efficiency systems, thermostatic expansion valves (TXVs) are used. Expansion valve systems are normally charged by using the subcooling method. Liquid sub-cooling is required so that you have only liquid entering the expansion valve with no bubbles present. Vapor bubbles present in the refrigerant will cause low refrigerant flow. Low refrigerant flow will cause a loss of capacity and efficiency in a cooling system. Liquid sub-cooling is normally measured at the liquid line service valve. The manufacturer will usually specify the required sub-cooling on the outdoor unit service panel.

It’s usually between 5F and 15F, but always go by the manufacturer’s requirements. To measure liquid subcooling, attach your gauge manifold to the liquid line service port. If you use a quick-connect fitting on the end of your hose, make sure it’s a low-loss fitting. I’ve seen some quick-connect fittings that allow pressure loss, which can cause inaccuracies in the charging procedure. Take a pressure reading. Use a temperature-pressure chart to convert the pressure to the saturated condensing temperature of the refrigerant. Next, attach an accurate digital thermometer to the liquid line. The temperature that you read with the thermometer should be lower than the saturated condensing temperature. The difference between the measured liquid line temperature and the saturated condensing temperature is the liquid subcooling. Add refrigerant to increase subcooling. Recover refrigerant to reduce subcooling. Note that if the subcooling and superheat are correct, and the suction pressure is low, the system probably has low air flow.

When charging by the subcooling method, you should be sure to check the suction superheat as well. If the expansion valve goes bad, you can have a very low suction superheat when you have the proper subcooling. In some cases it’s not possible to achieve the required subcooling without having a superheat of zero degrees. If you get zero degrees superheat with a TXV, then the TXV is defective and will need to be replaced. One other method of charging is the weigh-in method. The weigh-in method can be very accurate if you know the exact length of the refrigerant lines. The outdoor unit usually comes charged with enough refrigerant for the outdoor unit, a standard indoor unit, and 15 or 25 ft. of line set. You must add refrigerant for any line length over what is specified by the manufacturer. You may also have to add or remove refrigerant depending on what indoor unit or indoor coil is used. Even if you charge by weigh-in it’s still a good practice to check the charge using the subcooling or superheat methods, to ensure that everything is operating properly.