Ken,
For a functioning air conditioner, leaving the belt on is a
no-load situation. For a non-functioning air conditioner, you might as
well remove the belt.
Regarding the compressor, the seals need to be kept wet by
the refrigerant to prevent them drying and allowing refrigerant to escape past
the seals. Most manufacturers will include an instruction in their owner’s
handbook to run the compressor once a week for several minutes to achieve this.
Some manufacturers go a bit further and wire the air conditioner into the
reverse gear selection light so that the compressor runs while the vehicle is
in reverse. Since most vehicles will use reverse several times a week,
this achieves the desired end of keeping the refrigerant circulating and thus
keeping the seals wet. It follows that this should be done during the
winter months, so removing the belt during winter is thoroughly
counter-productive.
Compressors can be plagued by another problem called cold
leak. The system will accept gassing up and perform perfectly. Next
morning, it won’t even start because every last molecule of gas has
leaked out overnight. I had this happen with a new Tarago.
Les
-----Original Message-----
From: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
[mailto: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com ]
On Behalf Of Ken Garratt
Sent: 27 December 2009 19:13
To: syncro_t3_australia@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] re: VW Technical Bulletin 95-03
- A/C retrofitting
mmmmm ... silly people eh thinking that's the thing to do. I
wonder where they got that idea? ... the mind boggles.
following much needed tlc to my ac, then I'd strive to do as
you say ... but not a moment earlier.
Ken
-----Original Message-----
From: <plander@optusnet.com.au>
Sent: Sunday, 27 December 2009 5:41 PM
To: unclekenz@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: RE: RE: RE: [Syncro_T3_Australia] re: VW
Technical Bulletin 95-03 - A/C retrofitting
Your air con should be used weekly or it stuffs the compressor
and causes leaks. I know of many people who thought that the belt causes a
load, so they removed it in winter. Then they reconnected it and no more air
con.
There is no load until the air is switched on.