Leaking Walk-in Cooler

[eeeVAC]

Went to a service call where the customer complained about their walk-in cooler not cooling. Upon arrival, hooked up gauges and noted very low pressures. Furthermore, I could hear a tiny hissing noise coming from somewhere behind the compressor along the back wall. I finally found this on the 1/4" liquid line (against the wall)...not quite sure how this would happen?



Anyways, cut out the section of copper and brazed connection...pressurized with nitro, checked for leaks, evacuated and charged...problem solved.

[jpsmith1cm]

Vibration and abrasion.

[ryan1088]

Vibration and abrasion.

You could have probably fixed that?

[2sac]

Not all that uncommon

[eeeVAC]

I see..that makes sense. This was the first time I came across this type of problem...and didn't realize this was common.

You could have probably fixed that?

Maybe I could have brazed that section, if thats what you mean by fix, but there was about 2" of thinned out wall. It made more sense to me to cut out the piece...cleaner, quicker and used less silfos.

What you all think, cut & braze or just braze?

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[hvac wiz 79]

I would of brazed it

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[K_Neil]

The pipe was rubbing against something if it could slide or something was rubbing against the pipe. Watch out for doors being propped up against it etc. Should be able to see same kind of markings on what caused the problem.

[ryan1088]

I would have fixed it in place also.

[2sac]

OP, It's common where linesets are not properly secured. Many times when the LLS energizes, the initial jolt of refrigerant going thru the line will cause a vibration.Also common when installers use use precharged linesets and stack the leftover coils on the roofs, on top of the box, or in the celing.

[Tommy knocker]

I would have cut it out, in most cases, not much more time to do and just looks better. I have fixed them in place with equal success, 100 degrees and 5 calls waiting, but prefer to cut them out. That's just me though. Both are fine.

[EEAllen]

it's a very very rare case, even if the lines are not properly secured to the wall or other stuff around, the vibration shouldn't be strong enough to cause such an abrasion from over time. I would say the lines they used when it was installed were already damage in that portion, and with overtime abrasion, it rubbed out a hole. But yea for better result, I would cut it, although that takes alot more time when you have to vacuum, and recharge the system

[pr0dukt]

Usually get stuff like that on distributor tubing rubbing up on one if the rungs or some nonsense. Don't see it happen on a wall often... I'd have patched too tho. Quick pump down, drier swap, patch, open receiver valve and let her rip. 15 minute fix.

[dangpgt97]

You did the right thing. Only takes a few more minutes to cut it out and replace it. I've been on a few calls working on roofs in -20 temps and 40mph winds where someone brazed over the rub through and it leaked out the blob of weld again 2 years later. Of course at the worst time.

[MicahWes]

it's a very very rare case, even if the lines are not properly secured to the wall or other stuff around, the vibration shouldn't be strong enough to cause such an abrasion from over time.

I strongly disagree! I had THREE rubthroughs last week on different condensing units (main piping), and TWO pressure control lines rubbed through. Yesterday I found a Lennox L-series where the discharge line from stage one compressor rubbed through on the tail of the crankcase heater worm clamp from the stage 2 compressor. I also had an evap fan wire in a unit cooler that had rubbed through and shorted.

[2sac]

I strongly disagree! I had THREE rubthroughs last week on different condensing units (main piping), and TWO pressure control lines rubbed through. Yesterday I found a Lennox L-series where the discharge line from stage one compressor rubbed through on the tail of the crankcase heater worm clamp from the stage 2 compressor. I also had an evap fan wire in a unit cooler that had rubbed through and shorted.

If you read the rest of the post you quoted, it appears he doesn't like to pull vacuums either

[Tommy knocker]

it's a very very rare case, even if the lines are not properly secured to the wall or other stuff around, the vibration shouldn't be strong enough to cause such an abrasion from over time. I would say the lines they used when it was installed were already damage in that portion, and with overtime abrasion, it rubbed out a hole. But yea for better result, I would cut it, although that takes alot more time when you have to vacuum, and recharge the system

:0

[texasgentleman2]

OP, It's common where linesets are not properly secured. Many times when the LLS energizes, the initial jolt of refrigerant going thru the line will cause a vibration.Also common when installers use use precharged linesets and stack the leftover coils on the roofs, on top of the box, or in the celing.

Yep, seen precharged line sets just hanging still coiled above ceiling, coiled line rubbing against itself.

[coolerguy]

Yep see that alot...sometimes not easy to find..

[ECtofix]

Yep see that alot...sometimes not easy to find..

Yup... like the lineset I had in a Jim 'n Nick's, suspended between top of W/I and roof of building (the attic) in a coil - accessible ONLY by ladder through the ONLY possible ceiling tile that could get me there - above another W/I's door they could only NOT use at 6am - an hour before the crew came in.
.
Once up there, access required traversing, ducking & crawling by flashlight through something worse than a typical attic for about 30'.

Got to the coiled & dangling copper tubing of a system installed only a month ago, to find the lineset virtually rubbed right through each other.

I (or my company) didn't do it.

That lineset was worthy of a Wall of Shame post.