AUTODATA has launched a new diagnostic trouble code (DTC) module to save technicians time by easing the process of diagnosing faults. The company says 5,000 unique (DTCs) are investigated by technicians every day, and that while these codes can be useful, they are sometimes difficult to understand. Misinterpreting DTCs can lead to the time-consuming and … Continue reading AUTODATA FAINS DIAGNOSTIC TROBLE CODE MODULE
INITIAL results from a British study into the concentration of air pollution in vehicle cabins have revealed a clear link between the price of a car and its ability to protect occupants from toxic exhaust fumes and allergens. Transport data specialists Emissions Analytics found that occupants of vehicles in heavy traffic can be inhaling 10 … Continue reading AIR EQUALITY
THE United States is still expected to phase-down HFCs, despite President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. The Paris Accord on carbon emissions and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol enacting a global HFC phase-down are separate agreements. During his election campaign, Mr Trump promised to withdraw from the Paris … Continue reading US PHASE-DOWN SAFE AS TRUMP TURNS BACK ON PRARIS
OFFICIAL: Australia will begin phasing down imports of HFCs including R134a from January 1 2018, a year ahead of the schedule for developed nations set under the historic Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol that was agreed by 196 countries in October 2016. The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Amendment Bill 2017 passed … Continue reading IT’S THE LAW
A UNIT of competency requiring automotive air-conditioning students to demonstrate their ability to retrofit systems from R134a to R1234yf and hydrocarbon refrigerants has slipped through the net despite opposition from industry stakeholders including VASA during the consultation process. In addition to previously existing information about retrofitting to R12 to R134a, AURETU005 Retrofit and Modify Air … Continue reading INDUSTRY ACTION ON ‘RETROFIT & MODIFY’
IT WILL soon be possible to charge the batteries of an electric car while it is driving at 120km/h, as recently demonstrated in France using wireless inductive chargers. A number of late-model cars feature inductive charging for compatible smartphones, while several electric concept cars have also included a beefed-up version of this technology to preview … Continue reading WIRELESS EV CHARGING AT 120KM/H
LONG-TIME VASA member Tony Mugavin has at last opened online sales of his Smart Battery Terminal invention after its official launch in the VASA booth at the recent Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo. As reported in the previous edition of SightGlass News, Tony’s experience with bringing his patented product to market was fraught with setbacks. Despite … Continue reading VASA MEMBERS BATTERY TERMINAL INVENTION NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
His business, Auto AC Equipment, is an authorised warranty repairer for the Robinair and Ariazone brands, holding the title of Australia’s largest spare parts stockist for Robinair. Most of Greg’s work is in the Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast areas, with the majority done on-site because his vehicle carries most parts on-board. He has … Continue reading MEET THE MEMBERS
WHEN you shut down the internal combustion engine (ICE) on a hybrid or plug-in hybrid at every stop sign or red light how do you keep the alternator spinning? We still need a constant 12 volt source don’t we? That little 12 volt battery has a larger brother that helps out, not only when the … Continue reading HYBRID POWER ELECTRONICS: DC-DC CONVERTERS
APPLYING a coating to the material a component is made from can alter its thermal properties. Nano coatings are under development that variously increase surface area, reduce trapped vapour that causes critical heat flux, prevent the build-up of impurities, inhibit corrosion and restrict ice formation. Earlier this year, a team engineers at the of University … Continue reading COOLING WITHOUT ENERGY
