Buzz
After prolonged use, air conditioners deplete their gas, necessitating users to refill. However, experts caution that calling gas refill services without awareness can result in being overcharged by technicians.
1. Key Considerations for Gas Refilling in Air Conditioners to Avoid Overcharging by Technicians
After prolonged use, air conditioners deplete their gas, necessitating users to refill. However, experts caution that calling gas refill services without awareness can result in being overcharged by technicians.
In this regard, users first need to determine the type of air conditioner they use to correctly identify the gas needed for refilling. If unsure, users can search the model name on Google or consult the manual. Different air conditioners use different gas cylinders with varying costs. Technicians may inform you of expensive gas types if you lack knowledge. According to the market, refilling costs for old air conditioners range from 150,000 to 300,000 VND per unit using R22 gas and 350,000 VND for a completely new refill with R410A gas.
When hiring air conditioner gas refill technicians, users need to be extremely cautious to avoid deception.
Users should also seek reputable air conditioning repair centers with clearly stated prices. Additionally, minimize situations where technicians charge for unnecessary services such as insisting on cleaning the machine even when it has minimal dust.
Nowadays, some high-end air conditioners come with self-diagnostic features, allowing users to easily monitor gas levels directly on the accompanying remote.
Typically, reputable brands like Daikin, Panasonic, Nagakawa, Toshiba, etc., pre-fill the required gas for operation during manufacturing, eliminating the need for additional filling after installation. Depending on the machine's capacity and brand, manufacturers will pre-fill a consistent length of copper tubing.
For older units in use, refer to the specifications on the condenser unit along with a pressure gauge to determine the amount of lost gas that needs to be refilled. Usually, if installed correctly and without any issues during usage, the air conditioner gas will circulate without significant loss, acting as an essential part of the air conditioning process without the need for additional filling during use.
Gas only escapes or is insufficient in cases such as initial installation with insufficient gas without verifying the machine's operating pressure, or when connectors are not entirely sealed, causing minimal leaks. Over time, the gas pressure inside the machine decreases to a certain level, requiring identification and repair of the leakage before supplementing with additional gas.
Particularly, when an air conditioner shows signs of running out of gas, it should be refilled immediately. It is not advisable to wait until the air conditioner is completely out of gas before refilling, as it will affect the operation and reduce the lifespan of the air conditioner compressor. Regular maintenance should also be emphasized to detect the air conditioner running out of gas earlier.
