When something technical or mechanical breaks, you’re at the mercy of the expert’s advice to figure out what’s wrong and what you need to do to fix it. Who hasn’t had that feeling with a car mechanic when your car breaks down? But we’re betting you feel the same way if your air conditioner stopped blowing cold air and a contractor told you that it needs a refrigerant charge. You wonder, “Do I REALLY need a refrigerant / Freon charge, or am I being ripped off?” It’s a good question! There’s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of skepticism when your money is on the line. Here are 2 signs an A/C contractor may be trying to scam you and charge you for refrigerant when you might not really need it. Imagine this scenario: You’re sick, go to the doctor and tell him your symptoms. The doctor looks you up and down and says, “Aha, all you need is surgery!” No tests, just a quick solution. Sounds silly, but that is what some air conditioning contractors will do.

They’ll hear the “symptoms” (air conditioner is blowing hot air) and recommends a refrigerant charge without actually checking to see if that’s the case. This may have some nasty consequences for you: What else could the problem be? Well, there are several things that could cause your home’s air conditioner to stop blowing cold air, including: A contractor needs to use special equipment to check the refrigerant levels before recommending that you need a refrigerant charge. OK, so the contractor has actually checked the refrigerant levels. But you still may be getting ripped off if... Refrigerant isn’t like gas in a car; it’s not “used up”. Refrigerant flows between the inside and outside unit going from a liquid and a gas over and over again in what’s called a “self contained system”. If you’re actually low on refrigerant, then there’s most likely a leak somewhere in your system where the refrigerant is escaping. If there’s no mention of finding a leak, then that means a couple things:

If it’s a major leak on a condenser or evaporator coil, repairing your A/C may be expensive. And if the air conditioner is old, then replacing your air conditioner may be the most cost efficient option. Do you think you need more refrigerant, and you live in the Phoenix-area? Contact George Brazil, and we’ll examine your home’s A/C, find the real problem and make sure to fix it right the first time!HP Notebook PCs - Battery Does Not Power Notebook or Hold a Charge This document is for HP notebook PCs that have a removable battery. To check if your battery is affected by the notebook computer battery recall and replacement program, go to HP Notebook Computer Battery Safety Recall and Replacement Program (in English) for more details. Troubleshooting the notebook power supply If you need to purchase a replacement AC power supply/adapter, make sure you use the model number of the computer and check for the correct part number for the adapter at the HP Parts Store.

You will also need the model number if you call HP Customer Support. See How Do I Find My Model Number or Product Number?. Unplug the AC power cable from the notebook, then remove the notebook battery. Plug the AC power cable back into the notebook, then turn it on. If the notebook powers on, the problem is with the battery. Go to Troubleshooting the notebook battery. The AC adapter test is only available from version 5.9.0.0 of UEFI. what does a 3 ton ac unit costIf the AC adapter test is not available, download the latest version of UEFI: HP PC Hardware Diagnostics.gas furnace ac unit If the AC adapter is defective and the computer is under warranty, contact HP with the 24-digit failure ID code ready.14 ton ac unit If the computer is no longer under warranty, see Ordering HP Certified Replacement Parts.

Troubleshooting the notebook battery If the computer powers on, the battery is functioning. Run the HP Battery Check utility to evaluate the battery health (see Testing and Calibrating the Battery (Windows 10), Testing and Calibrating the Battery (Windows 8) or Testing and Calibrating the Battery (Windows 7)). If the computer powers on with the second battery and the battery charges correctly, contact HP Customer Support for battery replacement (see Purchasing a Replacement Battery).Find Solutions, ask questions, and share advice with other HP product owners. Europe, Middle East, Africa Asia Pacific and OceaniaIs you car's air conditioner blowing warm air only and no cool air? Your A/C cooling problem could be caused by any of the following: Your A/C system may have lost its charge of refrigerant. This is probably the most common cause of a no cooling problem. Another possible cause of no cooling may be that your A/C compressor is not be engaging when you turn on the A/C.

This can be caused by an electrical fault in the A/C compressor circuit or the magnetic clutch that drives the compressor. Another cause could be an internal obstruction inside the refrigerant circuit that is preventing refrigerant from circulating inside the A/C system. Another possibility might be a blend air door inside the HVAC unit that is stuck in the HEAT position and is preventing air from flowing through the A/C evaporator. Start with the compressor. Does it engage when you turn on the A/C? If so, the compressor is working and the A/C system probably contains enough refrigerant to make cold air, so the problem is inside the HVAC unit. Replace the motor that controls the blend air door (this is a difficult job and best left to a professional since it involves tearing apart the HVAC unit -- about an 8 to 10 hour job!). If the compressor does not engage when you turn on the A/C, see if it will run by jumping the compressor clutch wire directly to the battery (use a fused jumper wire).

If the compressor works when you jump it, and the A/C blows cold air, the system contains refrigerant and the fault is likely a bad A/C compressor clutch relay or a bad clutch cycling switch or pressure switch. If the compressor does not engage when you jump it, the problem is a bad compressor clutch. If the clutch engages but the compressor does not turn (the belt will start to slip and squeal), the compressor is locked up and you need a new compressor. If the compressor clutch engages and turns the compressor, but the A/C still does not blow cold air, the system is probably low on refrigerant and needs to be recharged. Connect an A/C pressure gauge to the HIGH SIDE service port (located in the high pressure hose that runs between the compressor and the condenser in the front of the engine compartment). The gauge will tell you if there is any pressure in the system. Simply depressing the service fitting valve with a small screwdriver to see if any refrigerant squirts out is NOT an accurate check because it tell you how much pressure is in the system.

It may still have some pressure but not enough to trip the low pressure safety switch so the compressor will engage. If your A/C system is low or out of refrigerant, check for leaks, then have the A/C system vacuum purged to remove air. After the air is out, it can be recharged with the specified amount of refrigerant. It is important to get any air out as this will reduce cooling efficiency and may make the compressor noisy. If the refrigeration circuit seems to be working (refrigerant in the system, compressor running and building pressure), but there is still no cooling, the problem might be an obstruction in the orifice tube (located in the high pressure hose between the condenser in the front of the radiator, and the evaporator located in the passenger compartment). A blockage here will prevent the refrigerant from entering the evaporator or recirculating through the refrigeration circuit. If the orifice tube is plugged, the high side pressure reading will be lower than normal, and the low side reading will also be lower than normal because no refrigerant is circulating through the system.

If the refrigeration circuit seems to be functioning normally (compressor running, frost or condensation on the high pressure line from the condenser to the evaporator), but no cool air is blowing out of the ducts inside the car (and the blower is working), the fault is likely a BLEND AIR door that is stuck in the HEAT position, or possibly a badly clogged cabin air filter that is restricting airflow. Another possibility would be a fault in the automatic climate control system such as a ad interior temperature sensor or control module. My advice to you if you know nothing about A/C service is to find a repair shop that specializes in A/C repairs and let them diagnose and repair your air conditioning cooling problem. Today's A/C systems with automatic climate control are very complex and require special tools and know-how to diagnose and repair. To determine the HIGH SIDE and LOW SIDE pressures inside your vehicle's air conditioning system, you need an A/C Gauge Set. The Gauge Set must be connected to the A/C service ports on vehicle to read the pressures while the system is running.

With the engine OFF, connect the A/C Gauge Set High Pressure Hose (the one with the larger coupler fitting) to the High Side service port (usually located in the compressor output line that goes from the compressor to the condenser). Connect the Low Pressure Hose (the one with the smaller coupling) to the Low Side Service port (usually located on the accumulator, or on the suction hose that goes from the evaporator to the compressor). Start the engine, turn on the A/C to MAX, and rev the engine to 2000 RPM. Hold the engine speed and note the High and Low side pressure gauge readings. NOTE: High and Low side pressure readings will vary with ambient temperature and humidity. The higher the temperature and/or humidity, the higher the gauge readings. With late model R134a systems, good high pressure readings should range from 150 to 220 PSI at 80 degrees F, 170 to 250 PSI at 90 degrees F, and 195 to 280 PSI at 100 degrees F. A High side pressure reading of less than 150 PSI indicates a low charge or a compressor problem.