PTEN_0321 - 26
TOOL BRIEFING
Keep A/C service skills fresh
To repair current and legacy HVAC systems, review tooling,
certification, and best practices regularly.
By Barry Hoyland, Contributing Editor
Bancha Singchai/Dreamstime.com
O
nce upon a time automotive Heating, Ventilation,
Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
systems were relatively simple
and easy to diagnose and repair
with a few simple tools, such
as a voltage test light and a set
of handheld manifold gauges.
Today's vehicle systems have
technologically advanced to the
point where just a few tools is
not nearly enough to correctly
diagnose and repair a system.
Automotive HVAC technology has
26
PTEN
MARCH 2021
advanced for a number of reasons, but
the primary changes have come about
due to requirements for more environmentally friendly refrigerants. This in
combination with the desire for smaller
systems that put less load on the engine,
thereby providing better fuel economy,
has necessitated more reliance on the
vehicle's computer systems.
Considering all those factors, there are
a few " tools " that are now necessary to
work on HVAC systems which weren't
necessary before. First and foremost,
EPA 609 Certification is a requirement
www.VehicleServicePros.com
and failure to hold this certification
could bring about astronomical penalties to shops and technicians that are
not certified.
The U.S EPA Clean Air Act requires
every person working for pay, monetary
or barter, to have passed the EPA 609
Certification exam. The test is an openbook format and can be done online. At
this point, the certification is good for
life, but even if you have held the certification since its inception, it is recommended that technicians take the newest version of the certification test that
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
PTEN_0321
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PTEN_0321
Editor's Note
Featured New Products
Tool Briefing
Tool Reviews
Diagnostic Tech
Category Spotlight
Marketplace
Big-Time Boxes
PTEN_0321 - 1
PTEN_0321 - 2
PTEN_0321 - 3
PTEN_0321 - 4
PTEN_0321 - 5
PTEN_0321 - 6
PTEN_0321 - 7
PTEN_0321 - Editor's Note
PTEN_0321 - Featured New Products
PTEN_0321 - 10
PTEN_0321 - 11
PTEN_0321 - 12
PTEN_0321 - 13
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PTEN_0321 - 19
PTEN_0321 - 20
PTEN_0321 - RSC1
PTEN_0321 - RSC2
PTEN_0321 - 21
PTEN_0321 - 22
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PTEN_0321 - 24
PTEN_0321 - 25
PTEN_0321 - Tool Briefing
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PTEN_0321 - Tool Reviews
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PTEN_0321 - Diagnostic Tech
PTEN_0321 - 35
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PTEN_0321 - Category Spotlight
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PTEN_0321 - Marketplace
PTEN_0321 - Big-Time Boxes
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