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Originally Posted by Snapperhead

I met a guy once in a bar , and he claimed his job was to find cheaper ways to build cars in Detroit .... like say instead of using that chrome knob , lets use black plastic , and he got a bonus wherever he found a good drop in price !

Where the high labor cost due to unionization like UAW is unavoidable, the biggest challenge is controlling labor cost. Designing for production efficiency doesn't make for ease of service or design. A lot of effort and expenses go into making products so that they're "cheaply made".

Many things that used to be screwed together by assembly workers are now designed with snap fit ultrasonically welde which enables elimination of some workers, thus reduction in cost.

Originally Posted by Snapperhead

THey are used because not Every tech follows the rules.

" IF " a tech uses nitro when brazing , and pulls a good long vacuum afterwards , and makes certain the pipes are free of burrs when installing , then No , it probly doesnt need a filter.

The wonders of PLC controlled production automation. Engineers and programmers put a lot of time into making the process just right, so the products are of consistent quality. If something goes wrong, it can make a whole bunch of duds, but when its operating right, production quality exceeds union craftsmanship. Production lines are maintained and calibrated so that there's minimal line-to-line, day-to-day variations.

They're evacuated, charged, leak checked and sealed by machines that were carefully setup by automation engineers.

If they only make 1,000 and machine costs $100,000 to setup, each fridge gets allocated $100 on production cost. If they make a million, each gets allocated 10cents for cost towards automation.

Most of the cost that goes with "higher end" isn't for quality. It is the premium markup and higher per unit allocation of tooling cost.

Originally Posted by tuba

I have wondered about this also. Have you ever noticed that there is never any kind of filter drier on these units that last 20-30 years? It makes me wonder if the filter drier business is some kind of scam to make money and cause units to fail after a few years........ I have seen some really old residential equipment where everything is original, and no filters whatsoever.

THey are used because not Every tech follows the rules.

" IF " a tech uses nitro when brazing , and pulls a good long vacuum afterwards , and makes certain the pipes are free of burrs when installing , then No , it probly doesnt need a filter.

Take the old timer who has never nitro'd , and says "awe hell it will be ok" ..... Yes indeed , he needs a filter dryer to clean up his mess after start-up.

If you dont get all the moisture out , it will eventually turn into acid and eat up the motor windings , and if you leave burrs , it gets caught in the expansion orafice

IT has something to do with the internal volume of the related parts including refrigerant, condenser design and ambient temp. There was a manufacturer with a similar design whose units also lasted long.

I have wondered about this also. Have you ever noticed that there is never any kind of filter drier on these units that last 20-30 years? It makes me wonder if the filter drier business is some kind of scam to make money and cause units to fail after a few years........ I have seen some really old residential equipment where everything is original, and no filters whatsoever.

Originally Posted by 2sac

Until Bev Air figured they'd save money by not brazing shut the process tubes .

I saw this a few weeks ago a Bev Air HF2-1G

just a pinched off process tube...

You have to think about the market. The mfg's would never get away with making homeowners have to replace a fridge every 5-7 years. If a restaurant owner can buy a prep table from a mfg for 2k and it costs 4k from another, all he sees is the dollar amount. That's why the used equipment market is popular. As far as he's concerned a table is a table. In most cases they have no idea the difference in quality. Some of the larger chains have figured it out after having repeated issues with the same equipment at multiple locations. Try and tell a mom n pop to spend the extra money. In the refrigeration industry it seems on the low end equipment there's not much more cutting back. Until Bev Air figured they'd save money by not brazing shut the process tubes . Take a look at Continental. Some of there stuff is built like a tank(except for the hinges). Not very technician friendly. Don't matter to me. I'm more than happy to have these people pay my mortgage.

I met a guy once in a bar , and he claimed his job was to find cheaper ways to build cars in Detroit .... like say instead of using that chrome knob , lets use black plastic , and he got a bonus wherever he found a good drop in price !

It is kind of surprising.Through the years manufacturers have always found a way of re-making their products so they stop working after a period of time, so people have to keep buying new. But not refrigeraters.

Originally Posted by 2sac

a resi unit is a holding unit, not a working unit. Probably have a difficult time keeping temp.

i guess thats true , they do get opened quite a bit more often

I just helped a friend move and before we took the fridge in the new house I offered to clean it for him and oh my god I couldn't believe it still worked . lol he said alaskan blanket. This was years and years of cat hair from there several cats they have. But I know what you are saying if any of the commercial condensers where even close to what i saw they would never work.

Nope. Put a resi refrigerator thru the abuse a commercial one sees it wouldn't last. Also a resi unit is a holding unit, not a working unit. Probably have a difficult time keeping temp.

Isnt it Fasctinating how household refrigerators

have been known to last 20 - 30 years without problems , no or little maint , and often found with a alaskan blanket on the coils and still kickin along

Take a prep table , or beer case , deli case , stand up or undertable reach in , get a little fuzz on the coil .... phone begins to ring