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I used it last summer on a POS(and that's an understatement) 35 year old+ Fedders RTU as a last resort as the leak was somewhere in the evap on the far side near the bottom corner against the cabinet. Cut a pile of fins to try to find it but was unable to. As the landlord was totally against replacing the unit and our customer was responsible for all repairs we decided to try NuCalgon easy-seal for the hell of it. It was a pretty significant leak but went back a few weeks later and the charge was still good. If it hadn't worked trust me it wouldn't have been. I wonder if part of the problem is that guys don't run the unit for an hour straight as per the instructions...might be the cause of it not circulating through the unit properly and then gumming up. I would never use it on a good ten year old unit(young for a RTU) but IMO has it's place for a unit your just trying to get the last bit of life out of without spending a pile of money trying to fix it the right way.
it works, our guys never had a compressor locked up from it. maybe the compressor locked up because the lack of oil factor? think about it, if the products didnt work there would a huge law suite? we only use it when equipment is scheduled to be replaced. it will seal a leak if the leak is small enough that the entire charge is not lossed in 14 days.
Originally Posted by Failure2Comply Amen Brother! What, you mean I can't take a little pill that will cure all the world's ailments? You mean that I ACTUALLY have to do my job? I hope I didn't ruin your expectations. Unless you work for the government, you will have to work. Sorry for the pain and anguish. It is my beleif that you will find good and not the Evil.
Originally Posted by Beacon Tech You can lead a human to knowledge, but you can't make him think. There are no short cuts in life. Stop leaks do not work. When the oil is trashed and the lubrication fails, the next guy will be replaceing the system or the compressor. The crap in the system will be ever lasting and cause problems forever. Please don't even think there is a shortcut for success. From what I have seen, stop leak should be outlawed and never used again anywhere, any place or any time. Amen Brother! What, you mean I can't take a little pill that will cure all the world's ailments? You mean that I ACTUALLY have to do my job?
I used that crap once on an old zone air wall mount heat pump . And it clogged the cap tube. I would not use it again.
You can lead a human to knowledge, but you can't make him think. There are no short cuts in life. Stop leaks do not work. When the oil is trashed and the lubrication fails, the next guy will be replaceing the system or the compressor. The crap in the system will be ever lasting and cause problems forever. Please don't even think there is a shortcut for success. From what I have seen, stop leak should be outlawed and never used again anywhere, any place or any time.
You have to breathe a lot of galvanized to get sick. Used to get it all the time. (galvanized sickness) Milk is supposed to take the headache away
I've had to use it before at another company. I have used it with limited success when the leak was very minor, however plan on returning to recheck the system about a month later. If the system every had to be opened up in the future, you run the risk of plugging the metering devices and reversing valves. Also plan on replacing your gauge manifold set after use. We used this stuff frequently for a realty company and after every time my gauges locked up from it. I dont use it at all now, I prefer to fix the leak and know for sure that the leak is repaired.
I used nucalgons version one as a trial didn't hurt the compressor but didn't stop the leak either Shot that cow, now chillin on my deck with the blues
don't use the crap. fix the leak like a professional. 10 years isnt that old for a unit.
Couldn't find the leak..
I just used it on a system . Ddnt fix leaks in evaporate coil. Bid to replace coil or new unit . Hope they replace unit cuz now I'm worried bout compressors nvr used it. Was recommended by refrigeration tech...
What everyone is telling you above about cutting around the leak and the fin material is spot on, just make sure you inform the customer and let him know what you are going to do. If he just replaced the compressor thats your best option. you want to make sure he is aware so that he doesn't call out a second opinion and the guy says," look what this guy did."
Originally Posted by gmac100 I replaced a compressor in a 7.5 ton Carrier roof top unit on a restaurant recently. It went well and the unit runs fine. I went back a few days later to check things out and found a big oil spot on the condensing coil. It looks like a pretty good leak. This unit is 10 years old and in hind sight I shoud have probably just replaced the unit. But it seemed pretty sound. I feel bad for the owner since he spent his good money after bad equipment. My question is, this refrigerant stop leak. Does it work ? I think if I could get him through this summer, he'd replace the unit next year. The coil is leaking around the galvanized end plates. So it can't be fixed. Thanks. A leak can be fixed at tube sheets but you MUST clean the tubing and the steel thoroughly. First using needle nose pliers I rip the fins off at the repair site by grabbing and spinning the fins (both sides of tube sheet). Then sand the tube and sheet best you can with sandcloth, then I take a small stainless steel wire brush and brush into the junction of the tube and tube sheet (on both sides). Once it is very clean use silver solder paste (on tube AND tube sheet) and 45% silver solder soldering the tube to the tube sheet on both sides. Make sure the silver solder flux gets up onto the tube sheet and into the tube/tubesheet junction. When properly cleaned the silver solder will flow over the tube and up onto the tube sheet easily.
Originally Posted by gmac100 I replaced a compressor in a 7.5 ton Carrier roof top unit on a restaurant recently. It went well and the unit runs fine. I went back a few days later to check things out and found a big oil spot on the condensing coil. It looks like a pretty good leak. This unit is 10 years old and in hind sight I shoud have probably just replaced the unit. But it seemed pretty sound. I feel bad for the owner since he spent his good money after bad equipment. My question is, this refrigerant stop leak. Does it work ? I think if I could get him through this summer, he'd replace the unit next year. The coil is leaking around the galvanized end plates. So it can't be fixed. Thanks. I feed bad for the owner2 ,but don,t know why in restaurant the unit wear out quick ,sounds like u may have to replace the unit .i just replaced the 7.5 ton Carrier roof top unit this morning still have the unit .what,s model # ?i was thinking take it to scrap metal .
Originally Posted by gmac100 I replaced a compressor in a 7.5 ton Carrier roof top unit on a restaurant recently. It went well and the unit runs fine. I went back a few days later to check things out and found a big oil spot on the condensing coil. It looks like a pretty good leak. This unit is 10 years old and in hind sight I shoud have probably just replaced the unit. But it seemed pretty sound. I feel bad for the owner since he spent his good money after bad equipment. My question is, this refrigerant stop leak. Does it work ? I think if I could get him through this summer, he'd replace the unit next year. The coil is leaking around the galvanized end plates. So it can't be fixed. Thanks. Don't use stop leak. Your contractor can carefully cut out the galvanized tube sheet around the leak and solder the leak. If the copper tube gets damaged, he can sweat in a coupling. I've done this many times.
Stop leak should be outlawed. I've seen it kill compressors and I will never use it. Learn to repair the leak as the other pros' have stated. I've silver soldered over the galvanized steel and have cut away the fins and sheet as needed. Works well with patience.
Drill or dremel the tube sheet.Easy be careful when brazing, u tubes burn holes easily when to much heat is applied.Never used leak stop before but doesnt sound to good. We are HVAC techs not automotive repair stations. Do it right or dont do it at all.
Its not a hard repair the galv. is easily removed. Ive only used stop leak once and it was done with plenty of warning from me to him on what could happen. It was for a customer with a leaking evap who planned on replacing after getting through one more summer. It worked and im still waiting on him to call me for that changeout, 4 years later. Havnt even been back to charge it since. I dont think Id even consider using it for a condenser leak to begin with and would only use it in an instance like i listed. His unit had never been charged by anyone but me so assuming the installer pulled a vacuum the system was dry, which is why it probably worked. Putting it in an already wet system or one you pulled a poor vacuum on due to it being a leaker would surely cause premature failure.
I've cut into a york rooftop avap coil that the galv plate had rubbed through. It only took me an hour or two to actually fic the leak. Recover, cut around tube(s), clean and carefully fix leak, evacuate recharge!
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