Triple Evac dilema

[whitepoundog]

I found out a co-worker was doing a triple evacuation on a unit charged with R134. He broke the vaccum each time with R-22. Why I am not sure? He is old school and will only listen to facts on why this is not be a good method. I would like to tell this guy politely on the new methods we use in the 21st century. I would like to hear from the techs on this forum on how they would handle this one....

[jpsmith1cm]

I believe that breaking a vac with 22 is illegal.

[amickracing]

1 way I'd go about this is ask if he's charging out the 22, if he's not he should be (or tracking it's usage). So you could say the "office" can't charge out for doing this and just ask him to use N2 instead.

2nd route is get an epa book and point out in there it's illegal, just be helpful about it, don't go too deep into the "your ways are a thing of the past old man".

My guess is the reason he's doing this is he believes the 22 will help pull more moisture out than N2 would.

Of course, I'm in some ways against tripple evac. I don't think it really needs to be done except in rare circumstances, a good pressure check and a good vac pull (with micron gauge) will suffice. How to teach him that though... good luck!

[budglo]

I have used a triple evac when I had a chiller barrel freeze up .I replaced the chiller barrel, but there was plenty of moisture in the system.It took me a week and a half to pull a good micron reading.A younger tech wanted to use r-22 instead , but of course it is illegal , so i ran the vacuum pump overnight,valved it off ,broke the vacuum with nitro, changed the oil in my pump and off we went until the next day when I repeated the whole thing .this went on for over a week.Havent done it only when moisture gets in the system.Never had to do it any other time.Never had any problems either.Your micron guage is your friend.

[chrishvacman]

budglo sounds like you needed a cold trap.

[Integrity Aire]

I agree, try and move him toward using nitrogen instead.

[chilliwilly]

Originally Posted by amickracing

1 way I'd go about this is ask if he's charging out the 22, if he's not he should be (or tracking it's usage). So you could say the "office" can't charge out for doing this and just ask him to use N2 instead.

2nd route is get an epa book and point out in there it's illegal, just be helpful about it, don't go too deep into the "your ways are a thing of the past old man".

My guess is the reason he's doing this is he believes the 22 will help pull more moisture out than N2 would.

Of course, I'm in some ways against tripple evac. I don't think it really needs to be done except in rare circumstances, a good pressure check and a good vac pull (with micron gauge) will suffice. How to teach him that though... good luck!

HERE HERE I've never actually used the method, only wrote a thesis on it in an exam. We didn't use it in the eighties, and like you said a good pull down with one or more pumps does the trick.

[Milk man]

I'd leave the old ****er alone. He might just know something you don't. And probably don't care if it's illegal.

Are you his supervisor?

[budglo]

Originally Posted by chrishvacman

budglo sounds like you needed a cold trap.

Ideally yes,I needed my boss to step up to the plate and buy one.

[whitepoundog]

Originally Posted by chrishvacman

budglo sounds like you needed a cold trap.

Do you have any specs or a good website explaining cold traps.

[icemeister]

http://www.heatcraftrpd.com/res/pdf/...Evacuation.pdf

[Airmechanical]

Originally Posted by Milk man

I'd leave the old ****er alone. He might just know something you don't. And probably don't care if it's illegal.

Are you his supervisor?

agree, the way to handle it is leave him alone!

it's his job

you do it the right way "with nitro" on your jobs

and that's all you have to worry about

unless your a treehugger, then ya got to do, what ya got to do!



.

[jayhawker]

http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/608/608evtab.html

EPA evacuation levels, I always wondered if the evacuation level for a system is zero psig, then if you break the system with refrigerant and bring it back up to zero are you still at the required evacuation level? I always use nitrogen because at todays refrigerant prices it just make more sense , legal or not in the eyes of the EPA.