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Originally Posted by ICanHas

There's a tool that you attach to a cap tube and push it out with thousands of psi with oil or solvent. It's pressurized with a screw down oil pump or hand driven hydraulic pump.

It was in the same refrigeration and HVAC book that talked about cutting open a hermetic compressor for repair.

pumps up to 5,000 psi .. good for opening up cap tubes and fuel injectors



here's the Snap-on refrigerant ID someone was asking about

I learned AC&R in the Navy and Coast Guard, and before I retired the Coast Guard went on a binge of upgrading all their R-12 units to R-134A. The AC's were fine, but, the refrigeration units were a problem. All the systems used a semi hermetic compressor. Inorder to maintain the same box temps as had been kept with the R-12, the suction pressure would drop into a good vacuum causing air and non condensable gases to build up in the system. I've seen ship A Gangs in arms as to whether they will accept the higher freeze box temp or accept the air needing to be vented off the condensor. The Vigerous and the Reliance had to use the same ship one summer. The Reliance bought a small chest freezer to use for ice cream and prepared to accept the higher freeze box temp. When the Vigorous used the ship for a patrol, they maintained the lower temps, yet had to vent off the air from the condensor from time to time. When they returned the ship to New Hampshire, there was a battle between the engineers on each crew as to why the air was being vented every other watch, and why the box temp was not being maintained by the other crew.

I know that several AC's are sold that use R-134A, and even a couple refrigerators, but, R-134A is not a good replacement for R-12 for use in refrigeration. I would never recommend that anyone simply upgrade their R-12 to a R-134A system, unless it's an AC, like in their car.

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

By the time you're done fiddling around with that cap tube cleaner widget, I've got 2 of them done and I'm off on a third call.

Yeah that widget does look like a glorified bottle jack for a lot more money

Originally Posted by Phase8

Easy to say, but when there is no space to move around in and the cap tube is brazed to the suction line from beginning to end having more options is always nice.

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By the time you're done fiddling around with that cap tube cleaner widget, I've got 2 of them done and I'm off on a third call.

Changing the cap tube is still the best option since you're assured of "fresh from the factory" passage of refrigerant. If they brazed the cap tube to the suction line as a heat exchanger, duplicate it by making a new line set. The cap tube doesn't need to be brazed to the suction line. Soldering the lines together will serve the same purpose, requires less heat and far easier to apply.

Originally Posted by Russ57

R-401A runs a little lower head/hot gas temp so I like it a little better than R-409A. Both work fine though. No need to change TXV. I use 100% alkylbenzene oil. MP39 is claimed to work just fine with mineral oil (IIRC).

have used R409A and R401A without changing TXV. both work fine

Originally Posted by 2sac

Or...wait for it...just change the cap tube.

Easy to say, but when there is no space to move around in and the cap tube is brazed to the suction line from beginning to end having more options is always nice.

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Originally Posted by ICanHas

There's a tool that you attach to a cap tube and push it out with thousands of psi with oil or solvent. It's pressurized with a screw down oil pump or hand driven hydraulic pump.

It was in the same refrigeration and HVAC book that talked about cutting open a hermetic compressor for repair.

Or...wait for it...just change the cap tube.

Thank you.

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Originally Posted by ICanHas

There's a tool that you attach to a cap tube and push it out with thousands of psi with oil or solvent. It's pressurized with a screw down oil pump or hand driven hydraulic pump.

It was in the same refrigeration and HVAC book that talked about cutting open a hermetic compressor for repair.

Yep and it's called CAP-CHECK m#1003 by Thermal Engineering
Also check out the CAP-CHECK CHASER KIT m#1101

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

From a cap tube?

Nope.

There's a tool that you attach to a cap tube and push it out with thousands of psi with oil or solvent. It's pressurized with a screw down oil pump or hand driven hydraulic pump.

It was in the same refrigeration and HVAC book that talked about cutting open a hermetic compressor for repair.

Originally Posted by Phase8

Is there anything that can clear that wax?

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From a cap tube?

Nope.

Is there anything that can clear that wax?

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Yep, and so is that fridge

Originally Posted by matt1124

134a with cap tubes.... thanks for that little gem whoever thought up that combination.... grumble grumble

quichergrumblin

You're working, aren't you?

Originally Posted by carmon

134a leaks where other refrigerants do not.... i quit using it years ago ...hate the stuff

If you're using it with elastomers and hoses not meant for 134a, then this is hardly a surprise.

134a with cap tubes.... thanks for that little gem whoever thought up that combination.... grumble grumble

Originally Posted by ICanHas

Do refrigeration techs normally carry a refrigerant identifier as a part of their arsenal?

It was common in MVAC shops to keep the shops R12 from getting dirty from all kinds of creative mixtures people put in their car AC.

Are you talking about the TIF machine that Snap On was selling?

Do refrigeration techs normally carry a refrigerant identifier as a part of their arsenal?

It was common in MVAC shops to keep the shops R12 from getting dirty from all kinds of creative mixtures people put in their car AC.

Originally Posted by anthonyac1

im also in the south florida area im in miami just curious to know what part of town your in??? nice to see others in the area on here

yeah it is good to see some southerners. I am in west palm beach.