Air conditioning in cars cuts down microbes: study

[Ban Hammer 14,292]

HELSINKI (AFP) – Air conditioning in cars cuts out more than 80 percent of germs, fungal spores and particles from outside air, providing a boon for people with respiratory problems or allergies, German scientists say.

In a study released at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), a Hannover Medical School team monitored air quality in three cars between five and 10 years old that had been fitted with air conditioning.

The microbiological quality of air showed "an enormous improvement," ranging from 80.5 to 88.7 percent, when the air conditioners were on, the researchers say.

The scientists stress, though, that the test was carried out on cars whose air conditioners had been properly maintained and whose air filters had been changed regularly.

The team recommends car users examine their air conditioning systems as soon as they smell any suspicious odour.

The three cars were a 1998 Volkswagen Passat station wagon that had notched up 110,000 kilometers (68,000 miles); a VW Polo FSI saloon, also called a sedan, built in 2003 which had travelled 10,000 kms (6,000 miles); and a 1997 SEAT Alhambra van, with 175,000 kms (110,000 miles) on the clock.

The research is to be released on Monday, the penultimate day of a four-day conference in Helsinki gathering more than 8,000 experts in virology and microbiology.

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[NickD 203]

I had to get myself 608/609 certified just to maintain my own #######, WI is one of two states that requires a 609 just to buy a can of R-134a and R-22 was kicked in as well even though if it does deplete the ozone layer, only about 2-5% of that potential as opposed to R-12.

Also had to buy refrigerant recovery equipment even though there isn't anything left to recover, the EPA with their infinite wisdom put all the responsibility of recovery on the technicians. What is really a bad joke is the R-134a service port, with R-12, that port could be renewed with a simple Scharder type valve stem, identical to those used in your tires, but a different like of rubber. The R-134a is a quick coupler type where a wide piece of neoprene may never seat properly if disturbed. What a bunch of idiots we have making these laws. While they will fine a tech $25,000 or more for releasing refrigerant, the auto manufacturers have gone free of any attempts to prevent the loss of refrigerant into the atmosphere, Ford came out with quick couplers to cheapen production costs that leak like crazy, GM with a single lip compressor seal, and Chrysler was using ####### for their evaporators. All when releasing refrigerant became a very strong issue. Have yet to use my recovering equipment, when I see a system, the refrigerant is long gone.

Wrote to the EPA about this, the auto makers are exempt from refrigerant laws, talk to your congressman, I did, he doesn't know anything about AC, but said something about a war in Iraq was keeping him way to busy.

Switching refrigerants caused a huge cross contamination problem with also the introduction of phoney substitutes, mostly blends of common refrigerants. Another bad mistake permitted by the EPA as the blended refrigerants met their ozone requirements. Thing is, if the lighter of the two or more gases leak out first, the system pressures become extremely high and will melt down your system. And many used car dealers were topping off R-12 systems with R-134a just to sell a car.

Too further complicate issues, today's cars require AC just so you can see where you are going, the rain gutters, side vent windows are history, and the door windows are now a good part of the roof. I lost my blower motor on a hot summer day during a thunderstorm, so either had the choice of drowning or baking to death, and the windshield was so badly fogged up, couldn't see where I was going, what a long 300 mile trip was that, but took off my tee shirt since I didn't have a rag to constantly wipe off the windshield. Those wrap around doors with no rain gutters are also a misery if you get caught in an ice rain, can't open the damned things.

That grille under the windshield is called a fresh air intake, not hardly fresh air with an exhaust pipe pouring fumes into your car from the zillions of vehicles ahead of you. That air goes directly into the squirrel cage blower motor wheel that functions more to chop up debris and deposit that on your evaporator face. Adding an air filter was a very positive move, but way overpriced. Without it, should just leave your vehicle in that air conditioned showroom. More debris is added to the face of the condenser, so when your article states a well maintained system, they are referring to lots of cleaning. But since the entire vehicle is built around the ventilation system, really difficult to clean.

Can go on and on on this subject, namely the poor quality of materials used, and the fact there is no way to check the oil in the system where you can be driving along, it suddenly seizes, breaks your single drive belt and you are left stranded. First systems were not this way, just see a pile of junk today. But yes, you need AC just to drive safely, and the EPA has made repairs extremely expensive.

[almaty 19]

never use the car air cond. unless sanita is riding along.....