Date:         Mon, 12 May 1997 21:58:56 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Austin <austins@ix.netcom.com>
Subject:      re:91 Vanagon with "Hot Air"

At 12:24 PM 5/12/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi Dan
>
>This is something I was told by my father in law.  Most people have
>to have their AC recharged every spring because it 'leaks'.  Actually,
>because you don't use your AC during the winter, all the seals dry out
>and crack.  Then you fire it up on the first warm day and surprise!
>If you use your AC all year (obviously if you live up here in the
>North like I do, you use it VERY sparingly during the winter), then
>you won't have this problem.
>
>I guess this falls under the heading of "Use it, or loose it"
>
>Kedar
>'89 Westy (with AC)
>
>PS: I don't know if this is true, but I've NEVER had to recharge the AC
>in any vehicle I've owned.
>
It *is* true - to the extent that most AC'd vehicles today stagger the AC
on/off switches in such a way that (inadvertantly) you are cycling the
compressor when you might not be aware of it while moving the dash
controls.  Also, the old trick of turning on your AC while running the
windshield defroster at full heat is now incorporated from the factorys.

Austin