Quote:
Originally Posted by brewtoo
Not meaning to be difficult, but in your first post you said "you really need to know actual pressures." In your next post you said to charge by weight.
They are not the same.
|
Okay, you guys are right - everything is relative. For clarification, let me state that there are several ways to determine state of charge. Some are simply more accurate than others. In order, from most accurate to least:
1. Charge by proper weight with gauges attached and thermometer in vent
2. Gauges, maybe with thermometer
3. Sight glass
Again, I say that the sight glass does not tell the whole picture. What if there is an obstruction somewhere in the line causing the pressures to be excessively high? You wouldn't see that without gauges. And if your high pressure switch is defective, you may just be damaging something.
Really, I don't think my suggestion was way out of line. Like I said, Autozone has the gauges for free rental, putting their use well within the scope of the average DIY'er - me included (I am not a pro). With free gauges, there is no reason NOT to hook them up and provide a reading which can only help diagnose the problem further. Now if they have tried to get gauges and can't, that's another story. But telling them to just go by the sight glass when there is a perfectly viable alternative is misguidance in my opinion. Kind of like telling them to measure tire pressure by the bulge of the sidewall - it is somewhat accurate, but why not hook up a tire gauge especially if one is freely available?