Schrader Cores and Caps :-)

[bittan]

Here I go with another silly bunch of questions. Seems I catch a lot of leaks at schrader cores. Replace them with a core removal tool. Double check with the D-Tek. All too often the NEW ones leak! Now I'm not wreching them in, but the "CDI" brand our company buys us suck. Are these cheap? Bought "J/B" 5 pack on my own; no problem. I feel like a moron waving the sniffer around and having it scream on LOW setting after owners agree to our flat rate price of $32/core. Is this just me???? OTHER question--- CAPS: Lots of older units still have the brass caps which tighten on with a wrench. Most new units have a plastic cap w/o-ring that can ONLY be finger tightened. I've gotta think design engineers agree with plastic and 0-ring. But I feel more secure backing up the service valve and torquing in a brass cap with a wrench.
---Would appreciate feedback

[tinknocker service tech]

have to be careful not to over tihjten the brass caps.
1- you can flatten out the flare and if the core does go bad it will never cone out
2- the threads can strip and leak
brass caps with the o-rings are the best as far as i am concerned

[billygoat22]

I've found SO many plastic caps that the ring fell out of, no one seems to have the sense to LOOK in the cap before they put it back on.
So I keep brass caps in tool box to replace caps w/o rings, unless they're those little remote suction lines on heat pumps, the 1/4" ones. I'll take a good plastic cap and put on that so the tubing won't get bent up by someone useing a wrench, and put the brass cap on the service valves.

[a\c don]

Originally posted by billygoat22
I've found SO many plastic caps that the ring fell out of, no one seems to have the sense to LOOK in the cap before they put it back on.
So I keep brass caps in tool box to replace caps w/o rings, unless they're those little remote suction lines on heat pumps, the 1/4" ones. I'll take a good plastic cap and put on that so the tubing won't get bent up by someone useing a wrench, and put the brass cap on the service valves.

Good practice BG22.

Even a plastic cap with a good O ring will hold a system tight.

[dpatty]

I couldn't count how many of those I have replaced. The installer burn them up when brazing.

Brass caps with o-rings are the best

[Irascible]

I'd suggest not bothering with replacing the cores unless they're hissing at you. The idealists may flame away. Schrader cores leak. That's what they do. And to take the leak detector to it after replacement in front of the customer? LOL. It certainly takes a pair to do that. Like billy and patty does, I keep the brass caps with the o-rings handy and put them on anytime it's needed.