Extending RCV life?

There are a lot of threads on here about fluctuating A/C temperatures. I started one over a year ago. As we all know by now, the cause is the RCV. Since it seems to be such a common problem my question is, is there any way to extend the life of the valve? As you can imagine, my A/C gets a LOT of use out here in the desert and I'd sure like to save $$$ any chance I can get.

Thanks

I don't think that the valve wears out, but rather it gets sticky from swarf in the system.
In hydraulics this is known as platlet sticking where dirt wedges in the small clearances and caused the valve to stick.
This valve seems to be the filter for the air conditioner.

I don't think there is much you can do about it. Luckily they are cheap and easy to replace. Although sometimes, the compressor itself just dies.

Oh well, it was worth a try. Thanks guys.

I've been thinking about this whole AC problem for quite a while... Seems the RCV thing pops up after an AC unit has not been used for a some time. My AC use to be on all the time when i was in the car due to temps or just to help keep the humidity down in the cabin, and that thing ran like a champ. After letting the car sit for several long periods over the winter and then using it again with the AC on i noticed it was really slow to get cooling the first day. Fire it up again the next day and its quick and snappy again. Same outside conditions, only difference is time interval since last use of the AC system.

If the RCV is sticking due to stuff getting stuck/settling in it... So long as the unit is not really filtering but just a "choke point", then the more the AC is used the less likely for stuff to settle and get stuck in the RCV and should in fact help to push anything out that does settle in while there is no flow. Just thinking out loud on it and curious if anyone else has noticed similar habits. (This whole things reminds me of the sewer gremlins I ran into shortly after I bought my house quite a few years back. Big issue was due to lack of water flow through the pipes which compounded and old main line dip issue that could allow stuff to settle in a part of the main line and then solidify and over time block the line.)

How this relates to the OP is that if it turns out the lack of use causes the RCV to be more likely to stick up, then the answer to extending its life would be to simply use the AC more often.

J

I think my problems started sometime after the anti reverse air flap on the back of the shroud became missing and the unit would not cool at a stop.
I replaced the flapper and it would cool when stopped, but the delayed A/C started and I think it had to do with elevated temps with no air over the coil.
The cause (I think ) is very small platelets of wear particles stacking up in the clearance space of the valve and sticking the shaft in the bore.
When I removed mine there was a small amount of swarf on the screen. The very tight clearance in the valve acts like a filter for the system at the worst place!.

oilhammer said:

I don't think there is much you can do about it. Luckily they are cheap and easy to replace. Although sometimes, the compressor itself just dies.

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The problem with this is that No one around here wants to Replace just the RCV Valve.....They want to stick you with a Compressor and at least a dryer.....
On my ex-2010 Jetta Wagen I had an Extended Warranty thru GEICO they wanted to replace the Compressor with a REMAN.....I raised Hell !! I ended up Paying the difference between Reman price and New + my Deductible.... so I was still near $400.....