Have a leaker CVHE ,

[Troy Love]

Have a leak on one of the chillers ,I know how to heat pack and find leaks but do you guys ever go around your chiller and torque all you bolts down as like a yearly inspection type thing and if you do does anyone have the torque Specs. Cant find it anywhere in my O&M manual.

thanks in advance

[Healey Nut]

Yes , they should be checked once a year , as for torque specs . My torque wrench is built into my right forearm . use your common sense and dont try to get 130 ft lbs on a 5/16 bolt and you will be fine . Tight is tight , to tight is broke .

[Troy Love]

Thanks Healey Nut , I dont know if I have the feel and dont wanna be the guy that snapped the econimizer bolt off , there has to be some sort of bolt to torque ratio.I would feel better knowing that I followed the specs and if something goes wrong at least I can say I followed the Trane specs.

[Troy Love]

found this online


Recommended Torque
Grade 2 Grade 5 Grade 8 18-8 S/S Bronze Brass
Coarse Fine Coarse Fine Coarse Fine Coarse Fine Coarse Fine Coarse Fine
#4* - - - - - - 5.2 - 4.8 - 4.3 -
#6* - - - - - - 9.6 - 8.9 - 7.9 -
#8* - - - - - - 19.8 - 18.4 - 16.2 -
#10* - - - - - - 22.8 31.7 21.2 29.3 18.6 25.9
1/4 4 4.7 6.3 7.3 9 10 6.3 7.8 5.7 7.3 5.1 6.4
5/16 8 9 13 14 18 20 11 11.8 10.3 10.9 8.9 9.7
3/8 15 17 23 26 33 37 20 22 18 20 16 18
7/16 24 27 37 41 52 58 31 33 29 31 26 27
1/2 37 41 57 64 80 90 43 45 40 42 35 37
9/16 53 59 82 91 115 129 57 63 53 58 47 51
5/8 73 83 112 128 159 180 93 104 86 96 76 85
3/4 125 138 200 223 282 315 128 124 104 102 118 115
7/8 129 144 322 355 454 501 194 193 178 178 159 158
1† 188 210 483 541 682 764 287 289 265 240 235 212
* Sizes from 4 to 10 are in lb-in.
Sizes from 1/4 up are in lb-ft.

[Nuclrchiller]

On flanges with gaskets I tighten the bolts until I see the gasket just start to squeeze out, then I give it about another half turn. On R11 machines I stop when the gaskets begin to squeeze out (R11 gaskets are softer). Then during the leak test, if it leaks I tighten a little more until it stops leaking. I rarely, if ever have to tighten it that second time. I do this because it's possible to distort some of those gaskets.

[klove]

Metal to metal fits don't need to be retorqued to stop a leak. Economizer flange bolts I believe are 3/8" rated at 35 lbs/ft +/-. Don't crush or squeeze the gaskets out of the fit or you'll just defeat the purpose.

[Troy Love]

Guys do the metal to metal fits come loose from vibration , is it a good idea to go over the chiller before you heat pack it.

[Troy Love]

So Klove if theres a leak on the Trane o-ring you just have to replace it , do the bolts come loose from vibration and then you dont have metal to metal contact is that possible .

[jayguy]

...My torque wrench is built into my right forearm....

i'm glad i'm not your weiner!

[Healey Nut]

Thanks Healey Nut , I dont know if I have the feel and dont wanna be the guy that snapped the econimizer bolt off , there has to be some sort of bolt to torque ratio.I would feel better knowing that I followed the specs and if something goes wrong at least I can say I followed the Trane specs.

You had better learn to develop "a feel" and quick . Not sure if you have taken the time to look but some of the flat gaskets are not really accesible with a 18" long torque wrench ,plus if you start adding extensions and wobble drives and knuckle joints your torque setting is out the window . And if you have vibration on a Trane centravac you have much bigger problems to worry about than a leaking O ring as it will becoming apart for a whole teardown .

[Healey Nut]

i'm glad i'm not your weiner!

Foot pounds in the right arm , inch pounds on the left .

[Screwit]

Have a leak on one of the chillers ,I know how to heat pack and find leaks but do you guys ever go around your chiller and torque all you bolts down as like a yearly inspection type thing and if you do does anyone have the torque Specs. Cant find it anywhere in my O&M manual.

thanks in advance

Attached might help for reference factory flat gasket re-torque specsCTV-SVB17B-en_Torquing of Flat Gaskets.pdf

[Troy Love]

Thanks Screwit

[Troy Love]

You had better learn to develop "a feel" and quick . Not sure if you have taken the time to look but some of the flat gaskets are not really accesible with a 18" long torque wrench ,plus if you start adding extensions and wobble drives and knuckle joints your torque setting is out the window . And if you have vibration on a Trane centravac you have much bigger problems to worry about than a leaking O ring as it will becoming apart for a whole teardown .

Healey I was just talking everyday normal vibration and ya I was trying to do some compressor bolts and the damn pipe for the econo is in the way gonna need more knuckle joints and extentions.

[Healey Nut]

Why waste your time trying to tighten compressor bolts , they dont come loose and on the newer machines theres no O ring in there anyway , all you are concerned about is the flat gasket joints.

[Troy Love]

Well that was a waste of half of a night , but the important thing is that I learned something , I guess I need to pay better attention , point well taken .thanks for all of your post your time and expertise is muchly appreciated .

[Troy Love]

Metal to metal fits don't need to be retorqued to stop a leak. Economizer flange bolts I believe are 3/8" rated at 35 lbs/ft +/-. Don't crush or squeeze the gaskets out of the fit or you'll just defeat the purpose.

Thank you Klove for replying the reason I was asking about the metal to metal seals was because the Trane Tech that worked on one of the CVHE here had cut all the insulation of around the compressor and and suction 90 degree elbow and retorqued all the bolts , I figure if he was doing it there must of been a reason , very green and trying to learn .

[Troy Love]

Why waste your time trying to tighten compressor bolts , they dont come loose and on the newer machines theres no O ring in there anyway , all you are concerned about is the flat gasket joints.

Healey Nut I was asking about the metal to metal seals was because the Trane Tech that worked on one of the CVHE here had cut all the insulation off around the compressor and and suction 90 degree elbow and retorqued all the bolts , I figure if he was doing it there must of been a reason

[jayguy]

Foot pounds in the right arm , inch pounds on the left .

Nice reply!!!

[Nuclrchiller]

Foot pounds in the right arm , inch pounds on the left .

Which begs the question, "so, are you right-handed or left-handed?" On second thought, I don't wanna know!