News and FAQ

Approved fillers certificates

In October 2011, staff from all CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centres attended training and certification at CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centre Hamilton to attain approved fillers certification (under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996) for recovery of refrigerant into an approved compressed gas cylinder.  CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centres voluntarily recover all refrigerants for recycling or appropriate destruction.

Unless it is properly recovered, refrigerant ends up in the evironment when it leaves a vehicle air-conditioning system.  This could be an accidental loss, such as when the car is in an accident, or a deliberate loss during air-conditioning, engine or accident repairs.

Make sure your vehicle is being worked on by a company that is aware of its obligations and complies with the regulations and industry best practice.  Ask to see your technician’s fillers certificate.  If they don’t have one, find out whether they are venting refrigerant to avoid complying with this regulation.

The Ozone Protection Act 1996 in New Zealand requires recovery of all ozone-depleting refrigerants, like R12 used in older style vehicle air-conditioning systems.

At present, it is not an offence to release R134a, the new style refrigerant, but this substance is a ‘synthetic greenhouse gas’ with a global warming potential (GWP) of 1300.  That means that 1kg of R134a is considered to be responsible for as much global warming as 1300kg of CO2.  Industry best practice and product stewardship guidelines advocate a zero tolerance for preventable emissions of R134a.

 

Did you know?

At CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centres, customers often ask us how to get the best out of their vehicle’s air-conditioning, how their air-conditioning works and why we provide the advice we do.

Here we provide tips, factsheets, articles and stories to help you make the most of your vehicle’s air-conditioning and heating.

Quick facts: Did you know?

  • You should get your air-conditioning serviced every year to keep it running smoothly and save you money in the long-term.
  • You should have your refrigerant and receiver-drier replaced every second year in your vehicle’s air-conditioning so your system will last longer and operate.
  • Having your air-conditioning on helps keep you alert when driving.
  • Your vehicle’s air-conditioner demists your windscreen in winter – ensuring visibility and safer driving. So keep your air-conditioner on when you have your heater running.
  • While some say turning off your air-conditioning saves you money on petrol, it costs you more in the long run in air-conditioning repair bills. Using your air-conditioning in all seasons reduces the chances of a malfunction in your air-conditioning system. Malfunctions can lead to costly repairs.  There are also significant losses in vehicle efficiency when you drive your car at open road speeds with the windows down.
  • Signs your air-conditioner or heater needs a check-up include the following:
    • if the air inside your vehicle is too hot or cold even after you’ve changed the settings
    • if your air-conditioning is smelly or noisy
    • if fluid leaks from your air-conditioning onto your vehicle’s floor
    • if windows are fogging heavily and won’t demist even with the air-conditioning and heater running.