Leak check

[Home&Marine]

From a What The Heck standpoint, if the system has refrigerant in it now if you are a Tech, why not leak check it (instead of reclaiming the charge and pumping it up with Nitrogen)?

we only do this when all else has failed. we isolate the coils and lines and go from there. this is a costly way to do it and is only done on systems that are under warranty, or there is some other reason to pay a guy to do all that crap, usually leads to a new line set , and occasionally we find some tiney leak in a coil that for some reason wasn't picked up by the h-10 or couldn't be seen by the naked eye using die. other than that i agree, nitrogen is mainly used for start ups and line testing, "underground".

Now I'm totally Lost... You are Jack8080 too or you work with him?

[icoolfla]

really....you've never had to do an isolation test on a split system ? the only reason i posted it was because it was the only method of finding a leaks location ,using nitrogen, that i can think of. so i thought it was what he was referring to.

its a little easier than actually removing the coils, charging them, and submersing them in the customers swimming pool.....hehehe....just kidding of course.
i have worked for several contractors in the area that do it, so im pretty sure it wasn't just something that the one i work for now made up.

[Jack8080]

Homeandmarine all I was asking about is standing leak checks. As in after you find and repair a leak you should pump the system full of nitrogen and let it stand with the charge for a while to see if the charge holds. If not then there is still a leak. I've heard of the isolation test coolfla is talking about. It would be acceptable to do so in case you fixed a leak and then did a standing pressure check and you still had a leak but could not find it. So on split systems you could isolate each major component and look for a leak in each section separately. Seems like a lot of work and i've never had to attempt this. I would assume that this would be done as a last resort on a big and expensive system. Oh and no myself and coolfla are not the same person nor do we work together but you seem like a good fella coolfla.

[icoolfla]

thank you... sorry for the confusion. yes it is a last resort. we do it to minimize trips to the home repeatedly for hard to find leaks. once a component is determined to be leaking, we replace that component and go no further to pin point its location on that component. usually the system is under some kind of warranty, if not and the equipment is old, most people will opt not to pay us for that kind of search. if the customer was to replace the system it would still be wise to test the lines alone in my opinion so they arnt facing the same problem after spending thousands on new equipment. again....you end up with an angry customer who just wants the thing fixed.

Im just trying to help, and get my post count up so i can take advantage of this resource. i read the rules and i don't think im giving a step by step how to, but a general description of what is done. this is the same way i would describe the work to a customer who needed it done, and i don't think its enough for them to go and attempt it for them selves, but i don't make the rules here, and i am new, so if i am going to far please let me know as i wish to be in compliance....thank you. the application for pro membership had mentioned some thing about posts having technical substance and that is my intentions, but i may not be as familiar with the "line" as current pro members are, and welcome there instruction and criticism at any point in time.

[icoolfla]

as to what you need to know for school that may depend on what your professor is looking for. If he him self isn't showing up for class than it seems to me that you put forth more effort in this exchange with the educational institution than he does and that's a shame. Good schools are great but some people have to relies that they just don't exist in some areas and i would hope the internet would one day be used to pick up the slack in this regards.

if he is teaching from a text I bet you he wants the answer given there and that may deviate from what you here from different techs.

i honestly could say more but im afraid some one may bust my balls and im new too. maybe a pro member could help or at least point you to some place that can.

[Jack8080]

Yeah I've had many professors in this school that were really good with explaining what the material and even went above and beyond their call of duty. However, since the announcement that the program was shutting down the S*it kind of hit the fan. I know one of the previous professors didn't even seem qualified for the position and would even complain about not receiving his paycheck on time. The school really went south and this last professor whom I have the displeasure of dealing with is charged with most of these final classes. Also just to kick us out the door without being accused of not allowing the students to finish their certificates/degrees they shortened the last classes to 5 week crash courses. Mind you these are classes that were designed to go for 20 weeks.

The way I see it is without bumps in the road the adventure would be a lot less fun and you could fall asleep at the wheel.

I know I'm new to this site as well but I think we can all realize that nothing posted on here should be followed as the word of god. We can all piece stuff together but in the end it's our own brains that are doing the piecing.

Oh and @baloo2327, you're excused, even Ghandi got shot for caring

[icoolfla]

me too....i had a good one the first year who would deviate from the curriculum and would bring stuff in, and let us play with it....but....he got popped for recruiting. damn good teacher though.....his replacement sucked and i felt both naive and more qualified at the same time, so i quit. my employer believed in me, and 8 years later,im his lead service guy. i learn new things all the time, and i am far from Salomon, but buddy....down hear in Florida...it pays the bills and then some. The sky is the limit, and i look at my current employer as a good example of that. and to think ...they had nothing like this back then.....don't get discouraged.

[crazeehorse]

[QUOTE=Home&Marine;10506252]Go for it Crazeehorse... We have One Guest Asking for DIY help and another Guest that is willing (to break the Rules too).

Yes, I read that Jack is in the Trade but he needs to get his Post Count Up (as you do) and Apply for a Pro Membership.

From a What The Heck standpoint, if the system has refrigerant in it now if you are a Tech, why not leak check it (instead of reclaiming the charge and pumping it up with Nitrogen)?

And before I posted another "New Guest" has decided to jump in. (pricedrightkc)

Home&Marine, "from a what the heck standpoint", I don't think he specified that the system had refrigerant in it, did he? If he had, my answer would have been different. It seems some folks presume too many things. As far as my post count, I will decide how to proceed in that area. But thanks for your concern.

[Home&Marine]

Homeandmarine all I was asking about is standing leak checks. As in after you find and repair a leak you should pump the system full of nitrogen and let it stand with the charge for a while to see if the charge holds. If not then there is still a leak. I've heard of the isolation test coolfla is talking about. It would be acceptable to do so in case you fixed a leak and then did a standing pressure check and you still had a leak but could not find it. So on split systems you could isolate each major component and look for a leak in each section separately. Seems like a lot of work and i've never had to attempt this. I would assume that this would be done as a last resort on a big and expensive system. Oh and no myself and coolfla are not the same person nor do we work together but you seem like a good fella coolfla.

He threw me a Curve when he decided to answer for you. Two (actually three) things I use to locate a leak, DigiCool gauges, Tif ZX-1 (and nitrogen). I know there's a bunch of H10 users (which is good) but I think the old ZX-1 is more sensitive.

When you pump a system up with Nitrogen I/you can watch the digital display and tell if there's a leak or not. It's much harder to see a very small leak with analog gauges. Once I see the pressure dropping, I fire up the ZX-1.

What Rules, the rules are only for Professional Members.

[Jack8080]

He threw me a Curve when he decided to answer for you. Two (actually three) things I use to locate a leak, DigiCool gauges, Tif ZX-1 (and nitrogen). I know there's a bunch of H10 users (which is good) but I think the old ZX-1 is more sensitive.

When you pump a system up with Nitrogen I/you can watch the digital display and tell if there's a leak or not. It's much harder to see a very small leak with analog gauges. Once I see the pressure dropping, I fire up the ZX-1.

What Rules, the rules are only for Professional Members.

Well my apologies homeandmarine but im not really familiar with the h-10 or the zx-1. I would think they are leak testers. Would these be electronic or ultrasonic, and why would you prefer the older one?

[Home&Marine]

Well my apologies homeandmarine but im not really familiar with the h-10 or the zx-1. I would think they are leak testers. Would these be electronic or ultrasonic, and why would you prefer the older one?

Tif changed the ZX-1's. The older series had a 25 year warranty. (I think we have 4 old ones total.) Heated Pentode™ Refrigerant Leak Detector.

If you have an accumulator, check it first! They'll rust out on the top and Bottom.

[icoolfla]

the h 10 g is a halogen leak detector......there are many but this is the one i trust and it is repairable as well.....as far as the zx-1s....i have no idea....I AM RESTRICTED TO THE SYSTEMS USED IN THE ARIA AND THE TOOLS USED AT THE TIME. i would also like to know what this is, as i have limited experience and have never heard it before.........if you care to share then please by all means.....i don't follow sports or anything, so this kind of stuff is my dirty pleasure....yes im a dork......please bore me with techno jargon and acronyms....."not sarcasm".

[icoolfla]

If you have an accumulator, check it first! They'll rust out on the top and Bottom. ....or a line dryer.....or a trane evap coil......hehehehe...so is the zx-1 a similar product with an unheard of warranty ......i want a 25 year warranty on every thing i own.....beets buying new sh.t every year.