Heat pump Acid test.

[NY2GA01]

I found this in a heat pump the other day, and a custom cage.

I don't think this will be fun to change out, nor easy.

[air1]

Why the cage?
Did you do a acid test because the compressor was shot?

[NY2GA01]

Not sure why the cage, it's in a park that is heavily patrolled by park rangers, county and local police. I have not been at this park without seeing a cop car.

I got there and the breaker was tripped. I reset it and it popped again. I went to test the capacitor to see if it was bad, and it was. i went and got a new one, reset the breaker and it popped again, tested the compressor and got OL from C to S and C to R, but got 2.3 from R to S.

I took an Acid test to see if there was Acid in the system so when I changed it out I would not kill the new one.

[air1]

OK. I only asked because I wasn't sure if you were checking the acid for some other reason.
Have you done a clean up on a system before? I'm curious what people are doing for clean ups now days. Back when I was doing them we installed liquid and suction filters, new refrigerant and then returned a month later to check the acid level and pressure drop of the filter and do a second clean up if necessary.

[SBKold]

Did you really need a strip for that ne? Wheew

[air1]

Did you really need a strip for that ne? Wheew

What?

[NY2GA01]

I will be putting in a Scavenger, and liquid and suction filter.

I did this one time before on a straight AC, not a heat pump.

On that one I blew the lines, flushed it, blew it again, put liquid and suction filters on and that was it, never hand another issue with that compressor.

I am also use to working on ruud units, I am sure that job will be 1000 times easier than this job will be. I will need a ladder to get in, and out of this unit, or hang upside down. I love Ruud Premium units, they are so easy to service.

[fitzyfitta]

I can't tell how the cage is anchored. Can it not be removed? I'd try to remove it before I had to work off of a ladder. I'm sure you already looked into this though...

[NY2GA01]

The cage will be removed prior to work starts, and it's anchored in to concrete.

I am not sure how I am going to remove it, it's a custom cage made out of rebar, and has a * pattern on top to make it impossible to service in any way.

The unit is too tall not to work off a ladder.

[terpfan_]

if you put in shut off valves your clean up will be easier. When you go back to change driers.

[hands]

I think I would forget the Scavenger and install flare suction and liquid line filters. You could also install ball valves with access valves so you can get the pressure drops across the filters so you know when to chenge them. This will also make changing the filters quick and easy. Get the pressure when you start it up and go back in a few days and get it again. When the system is clean and no more acid detected, I would remove the suction filter and replace it with a section of pipe and install a new liquid line filter.

[air1]

I like the idea of adding isolation valves to make change out of the filter driers easier. But wouldn't that introduce potential leak sources? Have refrigeration valves improved to a point where leaks are unlikely?

[Cold shot]

I use Acid Away & install suction & liquid line replaceable core driers w/ HH cores. Run system for a couple days, remove suction core, replace liquid line core drier with standard core drier & run a acid/moisture test. Also, always find out WHAT CAUSED THE COMPRESSOR FAILURE! There are too many technicians replacing compressors without finding out what caused the failure. Lastly, always replace the starting components with the compressor replacement.

[Cold shot]

Burnouts in Heat Pumps are very troublesome because of the possibility of getting debris in the check valves, reversing valve etc. I would encourage the customer to replace the unit before heading down the path to multiple compressor failures & big $$$$.