Caution: A/C Systems and Very High Pressures

[ExplorerDMB]

This is really just a safety thread for you DIYs. A/c systems can be easy (sometimes- with the right tools) to work on, but you must be careful around the stuff. Through those lines and in the compressor is highly compressed gasses/fluids and you need to understand that they are heavily pressurized. Even when you pull vaccum or pull the system down, STILL take precautions when taking lines off.

For Instance; I was helping another tech on a Evaporator core (which is in the dash), and we had to pull down the system. When we do cores, we replace the dryer as well. So, while he was messing inside, I started messing with getting the lines loose at the compressor and at the firewall. Well, as I was unscrewing the bolt for the line on the compressor, I thought to myself, "I wonder if it got all of it out". So I held up the line a little to give the seal on the compressor some air and it started to leak out pretty quickly and at a violent rate.

What I am saying is just be careful. In the above story, the system also had dye in it, so freon AND dye in your eye, mouth, etc. probably isn't the best thing in the world and may cause issues later. Just be careful!

-Drew

 

[Glacier991]

I ALWAYS recommend wearing eye protection when working on a charged system and fooling around with fittings etc. Refrigerant in your eye isn't a potential problem later, it is a certain BLINDNESS or serious vision problem RIGHT NOW ! Corneal replacements are not fun, cheap, nor easy to come by. Safety glasses may not be fun but they are cheap and easy to come by. Blindness sucks.

Thanks Drew. I always try and stress this in my threads on AC, but a separate thread is a good idea.