For those that are looking for the tools used in the videos: Here is the Link for the Yellow Jacket Refrigerant Manifold Gauge Set used in the videos- amzn.to/2aenwTq Here is a link to Refrigerant hoses with valves used in the videos- amzn.to/2aBumVI Here is the Link for the newer UEI DL479 Multimeter with temp sensor- amzn.to/2jtsUbJ Here is the Link for the newer UEI DL469 Multimeter- amzn.to/2jw4ePJ Here is the Link for the UEI DL389 Multimeter used in the video - amzn.to/2naJr9o Here is the link to the Bacharach Informant 2 Electronic Leak Detector- amzn.to/2z9IL5c Here is a link to the Imperial 535-C Kwik Charge Vaporizer for Charging Refrigerant- amzn.to/2wFHtBW Here is the link to the Fieldpiece ST4 Dual Temp Meter- amzn.to/2wc1ME3 Here is a link to the Digital Refrigerant Scale used in the videos- amzn.to/2b9oXYl Here is a link for RectorSeal Bubble Gas Leak Detector amzn.to/2ckWACn Other tool links can be found in the video description section. ACSERVICETECH is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Check out other videos on the HVACR topics of interest at- th-cam.com/channels/OZR-1IqsAer9wzlvFgb4mA.htmlplaylists?view_as=public If you want to support the ACSERVICETECH Channel and receive more HVAC content, check out www.Patreon.com/acservicetech
If you want to support the ACSERVICETECH Channel and receive more HVAC Content, Correspond, or Collaborate on your endeavors- check out www.Patreon.com/acservicetech All of the ACSERVICETECH Playlists- th-cam.com/channels/OZR-1IqsAer9wzlvFgb4mA.htmlplaylists?view_as=public Submit your email to the ACSERVICETECH email updates list at info@acservicetech.com
I just bought a house with a completely empty system. Several companies have looked at it and were unable to find the leak. The refrigerant lasts 2-3 months, now it's been sitting over winter and it's completely gone. Dye has been added to the system, I can see it on the ports at the condenser. No other trace of the dye is visible. What would your experience tell you about the location of the leak?
So let’s say if you were to be able to fix the leak what would the process be? Would you pump it down with the leak? (Wouldnt that suck the air in the system with the leak?) and would you have to fix the leak and vacuum the unit all over again and recharge?
Really good video. Hope someone can shed some light on this situation. What would hvac companies prefer to do, Replace a warranty evap coil or repair the leaks? Would these options affect out of pocket expenses for the customer.
Great video. Question. I had a leak on my unit by the suction side near air handler. The brazing gave up and created a leak. I noticed a lot of oil that soaked the insulation. So I undid the joint and cut it open. Some oil came out of the big suction line from coil side. I redid the brazing and everything probably to charge the system. My question is do I need to add oil to compressor? Or this much oil leak is ok and won’t hurt the compressor? It’s a variable speed XC20 Lennox system. Appreciate your response on this.
Your videos are the BEST. Any chance you could make on on cleaning coils on various types? I’m very curious what method you believe is best and why. May avoid coil cleaning chemicals out of fear that it shortens the life of the system. A best practices video by an expert like you is needed on TH-cam. I appreciate you!!
Question. Had a guy come out to do a routine clean service on our unit. He took the front panel off and asked me to go inside and turn the down so it would kick on and stay on. After 15 min he came inside and said we were low on r22 and he could recharge it for 180 bucks a lb. And see how it goes. Was I being scammed?
How would you do this for an evaporator coil sitting on top of a furnace? My evap coil was installed into the rear of the plenum. What would be your plan if you cannot find a leak in or around the condensor? Do a pump down then remove the evap coil and test it outside the furnace?
Hi I have a weather King 3 ton unit out side condensation pipe dripping water low pressure copper pipe is cold and seating new ac filter inside house is 81 degrees what do you think is my problem please help
In Florida, it is a very hot summer this year. Question: During the hot day, I don't feel cool enough. So, how do I (not a AC tech) know the level of refrigerant is good enough?
the drum beats in the intro were recorded at 150% and the voice over was recorded at 10% volume my speakers jumped off the desk then I hear whisper whisper.... lol
Just now watching this to try and see if I can find and fix the leak on my, (still running well), 1996 2.5 ton RUUD. I called for maintenance and the new people (both born after '96) told me there is no way to find the leak or gauge how much or little is leaking! Bless their hearts ;)
all i have is dish soap how does that work using a spray like your doing? can i spray the a coil ends like you show and slook for the pin bubbles? loos like testing for tire leaks to me thanks
I'm in the Midwest and just had new AC unit installed.... however now there is a Smell that is like metallic with oil? They came to check for leak etc and found nothing. Said to give it about 2 days.. I've had to open windows bc it's pretty strong and can feel it in my throat. Have you had this, would you be able to tell please tell me why⁉️ 🙏🏼... I have a little boy and I'm concerned.... The contractor couldn't pick up the scent until he sniffed the box part (don't know the proper name) that gets installed near the furnace where the coils are.... as though the smell is from the area of The coils. Thank you!
Every once in a while, you will here of a new evaporator coil with some type of coating on it that smells once it gets wet. The last time I saw that, it was a york evaporator but it was on a larger commercial job. Have them try cleaning the evap with a good coil cleaner, thanks
Not saying it's easy or even worth it but it is possible to fix these types of leaks when they're up against the tin. Home warranty companies require us to fix them if we can. For some reason they don't mind paying for the labor when we have to drill and tap out the tin around the U-bend so we can braze it. We don't waste the homeowners time or money when the call is retail though.
Nice video, thanks. Just wondering if injecting a can of R22 stop leak like ProSeal22 would actually seal leaks of that size and buy the homeowner a year or two, allowing to save up for a major expense. Would like to hear from someone who has tried it.
Sometimes it works and other times it is a waste of time and money. Other techs I talk to say the same thing. I just look at the life on the coil, sometimes I fix, add the leak seal, or if I don't think it is worth it, I let the homeowner know. The key is to let the homeowner know what is going on and the costs every step of the way after finding the leak, thanks!
I have a unit from 1995 that has a slow leak. R22 is the refrigerant in it. My unit is supposed to go to only 40 on the gauge. it is a 3 ton Coleman package unit. I have tried the soapy method and cannot find the leak. A tech told me to look for oil somewhere on the pipes.
It may not be 40 degrees on the low side. We check the charge with the total superheat method for systems with a fixed orifice. Yeah if I cant find the leak with bubble detector and looking for oil, I use my ultrasonic leak detector. Look up "acservicetech ultrasonic leak detector" thanks!
Hey I'm just starting to get into hvac. Couple of questions. Besides your channel, where else can I learn hvac? If this was a leak you were able to repair, would you just solder it closed? Or would you ever replace the evaporator? Thanks.
I have some featured channels on the right of the channel homepage of some other techs. If the leak is right up next to the tin then no you would not fix. You would replace. Other times if it is in an accessible spot I fix them. First is to recover the refrigerant. Thanks toneblair!
acservicetech I consider myself to be a pretty good service tech. went to a trade school and been in the field for about 5 years I just got my S2 license. the problem is i run into, every now and then is I can't locate the leak. I always pressure test with nitrogen to recommended design test pressure. and it holds. but eventually refrigerant leaks out. I use spray bubbles and even have a electronic leak detector. would like to know what you do when you run into this situation. I know you could isolate evap coil and the condenser coil to better your chances of locating the leak but time usually plays a big factor also. this is very frustrating.
Honestly I believe we are all in the same boat in reference to tiny leaks. At our disposal, we have die and ultraviolet lights, refrigerant sniffers, ultrasonic and bubbles. We also do as you are talking with pumping down the compressor and then pressurizing the lineset and evap to see if we lose pressure in the off season. If it is found in the lineset and evap somewhere, we try to pinpoint it or just replace both. It is frustrating but that is why we charge the rate that we do. It took a long time for me to understand this after putting so much pride in my jobs and then to have a leak that was not from one of my joints. I believe manufacturers make the coil tubing too thin for energy transfer sake. I believe the tubing should be thicker which would be a little less efficient but a lot of time the tubing cracks longways with the increased surface area lines on the inside of the tubing. The best seems to be the die and light, the sniffers are ok but not great. They seem to be the thing that techs use to sell the customer with that there is a leak in a certain area but the are subjective most times the leaks are too small for them to pick up. Still, they are necessary to have in the truck to try with. Well I hope that helps!
Great question, Not for a leak that big but for smaller leaks I have heard that it will work sometimes. I do not know how long it will hold for or if it even will work. Unfortunately the leak is in a spot where it can not be fixed without replacing the entire evap coil. I can usually fix a leak if I can find it. I have even fixed leaks in the middle of the fins before. Due to the age and very low seer rating the owner chose to replace the unit. Thanks for the question!
Dish soaps are much more corrosive then they were 20 and 30 years ago so I always recommend non-corrosive bubble leak detector. I have that linked at amazon.com/shop/acservicetech I have seen dish detergent and water rust major components and it will also eat through stainless steel flex gas lines, thanks
Hello. I encounter some problems in ac units.. freon leak. When pressure testing it is ok. No pressure drops. But after few days of operation. Evalorator coil starts to ice . Upom checking low on freon again.. can u help me identify the problem? Thank you.
acservicetech since it is a 410A operating system. I test the evaporator coil @225 psi. The outdoor or condenser unit has no problem. I also check the fittings and it has no bubbles. The unit is brand new but it was storage about 2-3 years before i install. . I change the thickness of the insulated foam to 13mm thick since 410A is sensitive in direct sunlight i presume?. . Right now it is under normal operation. Hopefully i done my job right. Thank you.
My ac is short cycling, after the compressor kicks in vapor side pressure starts to drop. After it drops below 25 psi, low pressures Switch cuts off the system. Liquid side pressure remains constant at 145psi. Does this mean that refrigerant is low and leaking.
Wallace Rose it seems that it's a conspiracy between technicians... the reason is that the company needs to make money so if the unit has a leak and its flat out no cold air change the unit .. if there is a leak but produces some cold air we will check for the oil etc small things and most of the time will work simple stuff..now back to your question of course it's possible to repair.. there is no video that teach you how to do it.. it will demand a lot time I seen been repair they will take it to their shop and will be done. Now for the business prospective no business owner will do that that's time and to have a technician working on that waste of time.. everyone buys a new AC or technicians will repair small stuff that's it. If there is a video out there please someone put the link but no from a company tutorial videos we know what they say
charge $150 to braze it, charge $75 for maintence, charge $100lb for 22, put in vacumm see if it holds charge $50 for that, then charge another $100 to fill it, and another $50 to fix that insulation, or just braze it carefully, vacumm it, then refill with 407c its like $15-20 a pound
you want to see the impossible! Great! Call me with your credit card in hand. With a hefty down payment and contract signed, I would gladly make the "impossible" possible for you! :) i've worked on tons of acs from the 60s for folks like you! no problem if you are willing to pay.. heck, i'll build a whole evap coil for you if you want. :)... and are willing to put 50% down of course
This is too frustrating. My window unit doesn't even blow hard enough or cold air. I opened it up and cleaned it the best I could but I didn't see a leak. Ugh.
It is best practice to have a set for each so that you don't have cross contamination of refrigerant oils like mixing poe and mineral oil. Also refrigerant become miscible with the oil. Thanks for the Comment!
Also so you know, I have 3 sets in the truck and another 7 in the teaching shop with those liquid vaporizers. I am not using the same set each time. The best thing to do is to engrave the brass block so you know which set is used for each refrigerant.
I have plenty of hoses so I can seperate to use but what about the manifold gauges? Should I use seperately as hoses? Currently I'm mix using both of sman and testo. By the way, thank you for great videos!
That is a very small leak! Wouldn't it take a very long time for the unit to leak down enough to affect cooling? Also, would the leak rate be the same while running, and with the unit off, or does the higher off pressure of the evaporator cause the refrigerant to leak out faster? Thanks.
Higher pressure while the system is off will leak the refrigerant faster. This was still a pretty big leak compared to some I found with the ultrasonic leak detector. I did several videos with that tool, thanks!
I have AV04 Air Conditioner Access Valves, looking for an Air Compressor fitting to "inflate" the unit I soldered the valve into... any thought as to the connector to fill AV04 valve? ( not an Air Conditioner application)
A technician came - there was NO R22 gas in the system. He tried to look for a leak by pressure testing the system with another gas but could not find one. He says that it is quite expensive to do further tests and recommends a new system costing around $3,000. Should I persist to tryu and find the leak?
If there is no r-22 then the leak in my experience is almost always easy to find or is the actual schrader valve where you attach the hose on. You could replace the schraders and pressurize with nitrogen up to the design test pressure of the evaporator coil and let it sit for 5 minutes then check, then check after 20 minutes, then let it sit for the day. If after that, if it does not leak then the leak was in the schrader valve. Here is a video on schrader valves---th-cam.com/video/t69uLxmM5XE/w-d-xo.html
Find a Different Technician that Owns a Ge-H10 G Leak detector and Has At Least 10 -20 Yrs Experience in the Trade. Try a Commercial Refrigeration Guy if no luck with a Hvac guy.
if you can't find the leak, buy a new system and put it in... unless you wanna pay $500 dollars in leak testers and spend hours trying to find the leak then ... oh do you have a torch, gas, braze rods/solder, refrigerant, gauges, a license??? ... if you don't then $3k sound like a great deal to me... honestly... a new ac for only 3 grand sounds like a steal if you have ever installed one. it could be the evap coil... but that would cost at least a grand to replace here in austin texas so might as well get a whole package with matching condenser/compressor/outside unit. heck just upgrade to 410...will be cheaper to fix 10 years from now if it springs a leak. peace
Had leak with a icp unit that was hard to find R410 started out with nitrogen with trace gas at 350 could not find it sitting static . Re filled system 2 weeks later system was flat check everything nothing obvious ended up re filling it again note it holds 13 lbs of gas basically the whole jug the jug weighs 8 pounds empty bummer disconnect the fan and run it to 450 to 500 psi shut off and the leak detector barely found it 4 u tube from the bottom / so in this case it only did this under load were heat and pressure and vibration are a factor it was only 4 months old replaced under warranty but still it was a considerable effort and loss but sometimes you got eat a crap sandwich 😭
Hey Chris, have you checked out the 3 videos I did on the ultrasonic leak detector? That tool is awesome! I find leaks with that and then put other leak detector tools right in front of the leak and they don't detect it. Just look up "acservicetech ultrasonic leak detector" thanks
@@acservicetechchannel yes there are better detectors then my 200$ tek type that yellow jacket looks like the best one . Your videos have been very informative. Thanks again
My outside unit is 31 years old, Inside is pretty new. it stopped blowing cold the other day. I called an AC guy. He said I have an R22 leak. He said I need new outside unit, freon lines and evaporator. I asked if a freon leak could be found. He pointed out an oily spot where the big freon line connects to the outside unit. Then he sent me a bid for $6k. I know it would be expensive to recharge the R22, but I don't think it's necessary to replace everything to eliminate the possibility of a leak. My inside unit is compatible with new refrigerant. I would like to just replace the outside unit and hopefully fix the leak. I'm going after it with soapy water tomorrow.
That unfortunately would be up to the installer because the tech may only warranty the job for no leaks or future leaks if everything is new. If he sees the leak then he should be able to fix it however this may be a 3 hr process and expensive. I would avoid dish detergent on refrigerant lines as this is much more corrosive then if was when techs used to used soapy bubbles 30 years ago. We use non corrosive bubble leak detector, thanks! I hope that helps!
acservicetech Thanks for the awesome reply! That's exactly what I was looking for. I might be willing to take my chances and only replace the outside unit. $6k is a little out of the budget at the moment. Plus it doesn't seem too logical to replace new(ish) equipment because it might be leaking. I understand the whole warranty thing. Also, thanks for the heads up on the corrosive dish soap.
Where can u find non corrosive bubble leak protecter my a.c. has a unit in the basement could it possible that its leaking from one of those pipes but I'm not sure where to even look
Why did you say, "We're looking at a unit low on refrigerant the pressure needs to be up at least 65 psig..." at ( 0:13 ). Then you said, "...it should be somewhere between 65 to 85 psig because this is R22." If I look at an R22 PT chart 61.5 psig = 35 deg saturation temp and 84.1 = 50 degrees saturation temp. Are you saying that you know you are low on refrigerant just because of the liquid line is below 65 psig? Why is that? I thought you had to know the super heat or subcooling to determine if you were low or high on refrigerant. Oh hell I think my question was answered at 1:00, but feel free to answer me anyways.
No problem. For R-22 the vapor refrigerant will be somewhere between 60-85 depending on temp in the building. If the pressure is less than a sat temp of 32 degrees then the evap coil will freeze. For comfort cooling even in hot areas when the system is running I have never seen a system need to run above 85 psig because of our comfort temp inside the building. These are just tips for everyone just from experience. These are just extras. You still need to do superheat and subcooling but when you do, the vapor pressure will be between 60-85 psig. Thanks and I hope that helps! Thanks for the question!
Ha ha thanks and I try not to say that any more. That was a visual queue I used to use when looking at everyones' eyes in the class room and if they didn't understand I could see it. Anyway, I believe that the newer videos don't have that, thanks and I apologize.
I wish i could do this all myself... every hvac tech i call wont even bother looking for the leak on my r22 system.. all they eant to do is reolace it for 10,000$... rediculous. Id rather spend 1,000$ on a charge and fix the leak. So annoying how (professionals) work these days. Been a car tech for antique vehicles... and i see this for mechabics as well.. All lazy techs today.
Tell you what, I will let you watch any of these existing videos for free at this time, I call that a deal, ha ha. But on a serious note, I appreciate all of the subscribers and that is pretty cool that you are the 10,000th!
You could use this- Here is a link for RectorSeal Bubble Gas Leak Detector amzn.to/2ckWACn or you could use super blue spray or nu calgon spray - amzn.to/2w6tznS
CAN YOU TURN DOWN YOUR DAMN INTRO I want to watch your videos but the constant inconsistency in your editing ability is shitty. I think your full of knowledge I am looking for but so tired of constantly changing the volume on my computer or smart phone. CAN NOT HEAR THEN THERE IS TOOOOOO MUCH TO LISTEN TOOOO. TONE IT DOWN, REMOVE INTRO, AND OR GO THROUGH YOUR ENTIRE VIDEO AND ADJUST THE VOLUMES...... OR ... OR.... OR GET A MIC
For those that are looking for the tools used in the videos:
Here is the Link for the Yellow Jacket Refrigerant Manifold Gauge Set used in the videos- amzn.to/2aenwTq
Here is a link to Refrigerant hoses with valves used in the videos- amzn.to/2aBumVI
Here is the Link for the newer UEI DL479 Multimeter with temp sensor- amzn.to/2jtsUbJ
Here is the Link for the newer UEI DL469 Multimeter- amzn.to/2jw4ePJ
Here is the Link for the UEI DL389 Multimeter used in the video - amzn.to/2naJr9o
Here is the link to the Bacharach Informant 2 Electronic Leak Detector- amzn.to/2z9IL5c
Here is a link to the Imperial 535-C Kwik Charge Vaporizer for Charging Refrigerant- amzn.to/2wFHtBW
Here is the link to the Fieldpiece ST4 Dual Temp Meter- amzn.to/2wc1ME3
Here is a link to the Digital Refrigerant Scale used in the videos- amzn.to/2b9oXYl
Here is a link for RectorSeal Bubble Gas Leak Detector amzn.to/2ckWACn
Other tool links can be found in the video description section.
ACSERVICETECH is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.
Check out other videos on the HVACR topics of interest at- th-cam.com/channels/OZR-1IqsAer9wzlvFgb4mA.htmlplaylists?view_as=public
If you want to support the ACSERVICETECH Channel and receive more HVAC content, check out www.Patreon.com/acservicetech
If you want to support the ACSERVICETECH Channel and receive more HVAC Content, Correspond, or Collaborate on your endeavors- check out www.Patreon.com/acservicetech
All of the ACSERVICETECH Playlists- th-cam.com/channels/OZR-1IqsAer9wzlvFgb4mA.htmlplaylists?view_as=public
Submit your email to the ACSERVICETECH email updates list at info@acservicetech.com
Check out other videos on the HVACR topics of interest at- th-cam.com/channels/OZR-1IqsAer9wzlvFgb4mA.htmlplaylists?view_as=public
I just bought a house with a completely empty system. Several companies have looked at it and were unable to find the leak. The refrigerant lasts 2-3 months, now it's been sitting over winter and it's completely gone. Dye has been added to the system, I can see it on the ports at the condenser. No other trace of the dye is visible. What would your experience tell you about the location of the leak?
what camera did you use, that is the best closeup shot i have ever seen of a leak
Just a basic webcam, thanks
"Not a leaking joint that I can fix?" Huh! I love these challenges, just tap the fins in with a drift and start brazing. Bobs your uncle!
if you could make a video and show us how its done, that would be cool :)
So let’s say if you were to be able to fix the leak what would the process be? Would you pump it down with the leak? (Wouldnt that suck the air in the system with the leak?) and would you have to fix the leak and vacuum the unit all over again and recharge?
Really good video. Hope someone can shed some light on this situation.
What would hvac companies prefer to do, Replace a warranty evap coil or
repair the leaks? Would these options affect out of pocket expenses for the
customer.
They would rather warranty the coil out
Great video. Question. I had a leak on my unit by the suction side near air handler. The brazing gave up and created a leak. I noticed a lot of oil that soaked the insulation. So I undid the joint and cut it open. Some oil came out of the big suction line from coil side. I redid the brazing and everything probably to charge the system. My question is do I need to add oil to compressor? Or this much oil leak is ok and won’t hurt the compressor? It’s a variable speed XC20 Lennox system. Appreciate your response on this.
Your videos are the BEST. Any chance you could make on on cleaning coils on various types? I’m very curious what method you believe is best and why. May avoid coil cleaning chemicals out of fear that it shortens the life of the system. A best practices video by an expert like you is needed on TH-cam. I appreciate you!!
Thanks D Manns and thank you for letting me know what you would like to see!
Question. Had a guy come out to do a routine clean service on our unit. He took the front panel off and asked me to go inside and turn the down so it would kick on and stay on. After 15 min he came inside and said we were low on r22 and he could recharge it for 180 bucks a lb. And see how it goes. Was I being scammed?
How would you do this for an evaporator coil sitting on top of a furnace? My evap coil was installed into the rear of the plenum. What would be your plan if you cannot find a leak in or around the condensor?
Do a pump down then remove the evap coil and test it outside the furnace?
That was an awesome video and I'm checking mine right now so I'm excited thank you so much
Glad I could help!
can a leak be found in the area where it freezes up?
Hi I have a weather King 3 ton unit out side condensation pipe dripping water low pressure copper pipe is cold and seating new ac filter inside house is 81 degrees what do you think is my problem please help
How did he catch that ? Wow! Good eye! What would cause a leak like that ??
In Florida, it is a very hot summer this year. Question: During the hot day, I don't feel cool enough. So, how do I (not a AC tech) know the level of refrigerant is good enough?
the drum beats in the intro were recorded at 150% and the voice over was recorded at 10% volume my speakers jumped off the desk then I hear whisper whisper.... lol
Just now watching this to try and see if I can find and fix the leak on my, (still running well), 1996 2.5 ton RUUD. I called for maintenance and the new people (both born after '96) told me there is no way to find the leak or gauge how much or little is leaking! Bless their hearts ;)
all i have is dish soap how does that work using a spray like your doing? can i spray the a coil ends like you show and slook for the pin bubbles? loos like testing for tire leaks to me thanks
I'm in the Midwest and just had new AC unit installed.... however now there is a Smell that is like metallic with oil? They came to check for leak etc and found nothing. Said to give it about 2 days.. I've had to open windows bc it's pretty strong and can feel it in my throat.
Have you had this, would you be able to tell please tell me why⁉️ 🙏🏼... I have a little boy and I'm concerned.... The contractor couldn't pick up the scent until he sniffed the box part (don't know the proper name) that gets installed near the furnace where the coils are.... as though the smell is from the area of The coils. Thank you!
Every once in a while, you will here of a new evaporator coil with some type of coating on it that smells once it gets wet. The last time I saw that, it was a york evaporator but it was on a larger commercial job. Have them try cleaning the evap with a good coil cleaner, thanks
That wasn't a metallic oily smell though, I am not sure, sorry!
I have the same problem. 8 year old Carrier. Bad smell and nobody can locate the source.
Not saying it's easy or even worth it but it is possible to fix these types of leaks when they're up against the tin. Home warranty companies require us to fix them if we can. For some reason they don't mind paying for the labor when we have to drill and tap out the tin around the U-bend so we can braze it. We don't waste the homeowners time or money when the call is retail though.
Got ya, thanks for letting me know what they have you do!
Nice video, thanks. Just wondering if injecting a can of R22 stop leak like ProSeal22 would actually seal leaks of that size and buy the homeowner a year or two, allowing to save up for a major expense. Would like to hear from someone who has tried it.
Sometimes it works and other times it is a waste of time and money. Other techs I talk to say the same thing. I just look at the life on the coil, sometimes I fix, add the leak seal, or if I don't think it is worth it, I let the homeowner know. The key is to let the homeowner know what is going on and the costs every step of the way after finding the leak, thanks!
how do we prevent all the corrosion on the evaporator? does it need to be oiled /greased on installation?
There really is not much that can be done. I install alum on aluminum coils nowadays, not microchannel, and they hold up well, thanks!
Is there another way to check for leak without the gauge?I don't have a gauge where do you get them anyways?
4th stage Cancer likes to play and watch
Can you suggest a good system brand? And are aluminum coils lasting in a good system?
The non micro channel coils seem to be lasting pretty good as evap coils. Bryant, Carrier, York, Lenox, Trane, thanks!
Do you like using leak stop?
Companies should not even build this stuff so cheaply made.
i'm with youuuuuuuuu !!!
Clean my ax today now it has a hissing sound when I turn it on does that most likely mean I cracked a line ?? Please someone get back to me
I have a unit from 1995 that has a slow leak. R22 is the refrigerant in it. My unit is supposed to go to only 40 on the gauge. it is a 3 ton Coleman package unit. I have tried the soapy method and cannot find the leak. A tech told me to look for oil somewhere on the pipes.
It may not be 40 degrees on the low side. We check the charge with the total superheat method for systems with a fixed orifice. Yeah if I cant find the leak with bubble detector and looking for oil, I use my ultrasonic leak detector. Look up "acservicetech ultrasonic leak detector" thanks!
Damn that was hard to see good job bro
Thanks a lot John doe!
can you just spray wd-40 to clean the residue and watch for bubble in this case?
Hey I'm just starting to get into hvac.
Couple of questions.
Besides your channel, where else can I learn hvac?
If this was a leak you were able to repair, would you just solder it closed?
Or would you ever replace the evaporator?
Thanks.
I have some featured channels on the right of the channel homepage of some other techs. If the leak is right up next to the tin then no you would not fix. You would replace. Other times if it is in an accessible spot I fix them. First is to recover the refrigerant. Thanks toneblair!
acservicetech thanks for the quick response!
No Problem, toneblair!
acservicetech I consider myself to be a pretty good service tech. went to a trade school and been in the field for about 5 years I just got my S2 license.
the problem is i run into, every now and then is I can't locate the leak.
I always pressure test with nitrogen to recommended design test pressure. and it holds. but eventually refrigerant leaks out. I use spray bubbles and even have a electronic leak detector.
would like to know what you do when you run into this situation. I know you could isolate evap coil and the condenser coil to better your chances of locating the leak but time usually plays a big factor also.
this is very frustrating.
Honestly I believe we are all in the same boat in reference to tiny leaks. At our disposal, we have die and ultraviolet lights, refrigerant sniffers, ultrasonic and bubbles. We also do as you are talking with pumping down the compressor and then pressurizing the lineset and evap to see if we lose pressure in the off season. If it is found in the lineset and evap somewhere, we try to pinpoint it or just replace both. It is frustrating but that is why we charge the rate that we do. It took a long time for me to understand this after putting so much pride in my jobs and then to have a leak that was not from one of my joints. I believe manufacturers make the coil tubing too thin for energy transfer sake. I believe the tubing should be thicker which would be a little less efficient but a lot of time the tubing cracks longways with the increased surface area lines on the inside of the tubing. The best seems to be the die and light, the sniffers are ok but not great. They seem to be the thing that techs use to sell the customer with that there is a leak in a certain area but the are subjective most times the leaks are too small for them to pick up. Still, they are necessary to have in the truck to try with. Well I hope that helps!
What are the options for repair? Can your run stop leak through the system and fix it?
Great question, Not for a leak that big but for smaller leaks I have heard that it will work sometimes. I do not know how long it will hold for or if it even will work. Unfortunately the leak is in a spot where it can not be fixed without replacing the entire evap coil. I can usually fix a leak if I can find it. I have even fixed leaks in the middle of the fins before. Due to the age and very low seer rating the owner chose to replace the unit. Thanks for the question!
U used to jumper the U joint whenever welding repair is inaccessible
Can we use dish soap to find the leak on refrigerant leaks?
Dish soaps are much more corrosive then they were 20 and 30 years ago so I always recommend non-corrosive bubble leak detector. I have that linked at amazon.com/shop/acservicetech I have seen dish detergent and water rust major components and it will also eat through stainless steel flex gas lines, thanks
@@acservicetechchannel ok thanks 👍
Great videos! Very detailed and full of great info.😎
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello. I encounter some problems in ac units.. freon leak. When pressure testing it is ok. No pressure drops. But after few days of operation. Evalorator coil starts to ice . Upom checking low on freon again.. can u help me identify the problem? Thank you.
What pressure are you testing it to in respect to how much it is operating at? Maybe the joint opens up when it gets hotter at the outdoor unit.
acservicetech since it is a 410A operating system. I test the evaporator coil @225 psi. The outdoor or condenser unit has no problem. I also check the fittings and it has no bubbles. The unit is brand new but it was storage about 2-3 years before i install. . I change the thickness of the insulated foam to 13mm thick since 410A is sensitive in direct sunlight i presume?. . Right now it is under normal operation. Hopefully i done my job right. Thank you.
My ac is short cycling, after the compressor kicks in vapor side pressure starts to drop. After it drops below 25 psi, low pressures Switch cuts off the system. Liquid side pressure remains constant at 145psi. Does this mean that refrigerant is low and leaking.
Yes it sounds so or could be a severe liquid line restriction, thanks
Great video
What would have needed to do to fix that leak? Was it impossible or just impractical? I'd love to see the impossible done once.
Wallace Rose it seems that it's a conspiracy between technicians... the reason is that the company needs to make money so if the unit has a leak and its flat out no cold air change the unit .. if there is a leak but produces some cold air we will check for the oil etc small things and most of the time will work simple stuff..now back to your question of course it's possible to repair.. there is no video that teach you how to do it.. it will demand a lot time I seen been repair they will take it to their shop and will be done. Now for the business prospective no business owner will do that that's time and to have a technician working on that waste of time.. everyone buys a new AC or technicians will repair small stuff that's it. If there is a video out there please someone put the link but no from a company tutorial videos we know what they say
charge $150 to braze it, charge $75 for maintence, charge $100lb for 22, put in vacumm see if it holds charge $50 for that, then charge another $100 to fill it, and another $50 to fix that insulation, or just braze it carefully, vacumm it, then refill with 407c its like $15-20 a pound
you want to see the impossible! Great! Call me with your credit card in hand. With a hefty down payment and contract signed, I would gladly make the "impossible" possible for you! :) i've worked on tons of acs from the 60s for folks like you! no problem if you are willing to pay.. heck, i'll build a whole evap coil for you if you want. :)... and are willing to put 50% down of course
This is too frustrating. My window unit doesn't even blow hard enough or cold air. I opened it up and cleaned it the best I could but I didn't see a leak. Ugh.
I have a question, do you need different gauges to charge with different refrigerants?
It is best practice to have a set for each so that you don't have cross contamination of refrigerant oils like mixing poe and mineral oil. Also refrigerant become miscible with the oil. Thanks for the Comment!
Also so you know, I have 3 sets in the truck and another 7 in the teaching shop with those liquid vaporizers. I am not using the same set each time. The best thing to do is to engrave the brass block so you know which set is used for each refrigerant.
+acservicetech what brand is that liquid vaporizer?
That is an imperial 535c kwik charge.
I have plenty of hoses so I can seperate to use but what about the manifold gauges? Should I use seperately as hoses? Currently I'm mix using both of sman and testo. By the way, thank you for great videos!
That is a very small leak! Wouldn't it take a very long time for the unit to leak down enough to affect cooling? Also, would the leak rate be the same while running, and with the unit off, or does the higher off pressure of the evaporator cause the refrigerant to leak out faster? Thanks.
Higher pressure while the system is off will leak the refrigerant faster. This was still a pretty big leak compared to some I found with the ultrasonic leak detector. I did several videos with that tool, thanks!
I have AV04 Air Conditioner Access Valves, looking for an Air Compressor fitting to "inflate" the unit I soldered the valve into... any thought as to the connector to fill AV04 valve? ( not an Air Conditioner application)
Good job !
A technician came - there was NO R22 gas in the system. He tried to look for a leak by pressure testing the system with another gas but could not find one. He says that it is quite expensive to do further tests and recommends a new system costing around $3,000. Should I persist to tryu and find the leak?
If there is no r-22 then the leak in my experience is almost always easy to find or is the actual schrader valve where you attach the hose on. You could replace the schraders and pressurize with nitrogen up to the design test pressure of the evaporator coil and let it sit for 5 minutes then check, then check after 20 minutes, then let it sit for the day. If after that, if it does not leak then the leak was in the schrader valve. Here is a video on schrader valves---th-cam.com/video/t69uLxmM5XE/w-d-xo.html
Ian Bersten
Find a Different Technician that Owns a Ge-H10 G Leak detector and Has At Least 10 -20 Yrs Experience in the Trade. Try a Commercial Refrigeration Guy if no luck with a Hvac guy.
if you can't find the leak, buy a new system and put it in... unless you wanna pay $500 dollars in leak testers and spend hours trying to find the leak then ... oh do you have a torch, gas, braze rods/solder, refrigerant, gauges, a license??? ... if you don't then $3k sound like a great deal to me... honestly... a new ac for only 3 grand sounds like a steal if you have ever installed one. it could be the evap coil... but that would cost at least a grand to replace here in austin texas so might as well get a whole package with matching condenser/compressor/outside unit. heck just upgrade to 410...will be cheaper to fix 10 years from now if it springs a leak. peace
Thank you it's really helpful this kind of videos
Thanks Ricardozar01!
Does anyone know what the device is on the low side of his guages? I noticed the other hoses don't have one. It's at 10:25
in picture 9:11U Tube electrical wiring diagram is right, but there are terminal should be changed R andC.
When you say leak detector. You mean soap and water right in a spray bottle right lol
how much should you tighten the nut connection at the piston on a 410A sistem. should a torck wrench be used for that?
*torque
@@dilbertdoe601 great answer...
system*
very good information ...
Thanks Pei Broker!
Good Video and Good Diagnostic / Find :)
Thanks Jod!
Thanks man!
Could u possibly fix that leak with something like super alloy 5 and a tiny torch ? Or if it were easier to get to what would u use
You can cut the tin out of the way and braze over the leak with 5% to 15% silver bearing rod and an acetylene torch after recovery, thanks
Had leak with a icp unit that was hard to find R410 started out with nitrogen with trace gas at 350 could not find it sitting static . Re filled system 2 weeks later system was flat check everything nothing obvious ended up re filling it again note it holds 13 lbs of gas basically the whole jug the jug weighs 8 pounds empty bummer disconnect the fan and run it to 450 to 500 psi shut off and the leak detector barely found it 4 u tube from the bottom / so in this case it only did this under load were heat and pressure and vibration are a factor it was only 4 months old replaced under warranty but still it was a considerable effort and loss but sometimes you got eat a crap sandwich 😭
Hey Chris, have you checked out the 3 videos I did on the ultrasonic leak detector? That tool is awesome! I find leaks with that and then put other leak detector tools right in front of the leak and they don't detect it. Just look up "acservicetech ultrasonic leak detector" thanks
@@acservicetechchannel yes there are better detectors then my 200$ tek type that yellow jacket looks like the best one . Your videos have been very informative. Thanks again
My outside unit is 31 years old, Inside is pretty new. it stopped blowing cold the other day. I called an AC guy. He said I have an R22 leak. He said I need new outside unit, freon lines and evaporator. I asked if a freon leak could be found. He pointed out an oily spot where the big freon line connects to the outside unit. Then he sent me a bid for $6k. I know it would be expensive to recharge the R22, but I don't think it's necessary to replace everything to eliminate the possibility of a leak. My inside unit is compatible with new refrigerant. I would like to just replace the outside unit and hopefully fix the leak. I'm going after it with soapy water tomorrow.
That unfortunately would be up to the installer because the tech may only warranty the job for no leaks or future leaks if everything is new. If he sees the leak then he should be able to fix it however this may be a 3 hr process and expensive. I would avoid dish detergent on refrigerant lines as this is much more corrosive then if was when techs used to used soapy bubbles 30 years ago. We use non corrosive bubble leak detector, thanks! I hope that helps!
acservicetech
Thanks for the awesome reply! That's exactly what I was looking for.
I might be willing to take my chances and only replace the outside unit. $6k is a little out of the budget at the moment. Plus it doesn't seem too logical to replace new(ish) equipment because it might be leaking. I understand the whole warranty thing.
Also, thanks for the heads up on the corrosive dish soap.
Where can u find non corrosive bubble leak protecter my a.c. has a unit in the basement could it possible that its leaking from one of those pipes but I'm not sure where to even look
Adam Savage
Its very difficult to see that type of leak
can you pumpdown a system and pressurize to find leak
Yes absolutely, just don't pump down below 0 psig because air could mix with the refrigerant, thanks!
Why did you say, "We're looking at a unit low on refrigerant the pressure needs to be up at least 65 psig..." at ( 0:13 ). Then you said, "...it should be somewhere between 65 to 85 psig because this is R22." If I look at an R22 PT chart 61.5 psig = 35 deg saturation temp and 84.1 = 50 degrees saturation temp. Are you saying that you know you are low on refrigerant just because of the liquid line is below 65 psig? Why is that? I thought you had to know the super heat or subcooling to determine if you were low or high on refrigerant. Oh hell I think my question was answered at 1:00, but feel free to answer me anyways.
No problem. For R-22 the vapor refrigerant will be somewhere between 60-85 depending on temp in the building. If the pressure is less than a sat temp of 32 degrees then the evap coil will freeze. For comfort cooling even in hot areas when the system is running I have never seen a system need to run above 85 psig because of our comfort temp inside the building. These are just tips for everyone just from experience. These are just extras. You still need to do superheat and subcooling but when you do, the vapor pressure will be between 60-85 psig. Thanks and I hope that helps! Thanks for the question!
I'm curious where your located?I'm in Tampa.
The southern tip of NJ.
*you're
Get a bottle of your favorite liquor and take a shot every time he says "alright".
Be prepared to get alcohol poisoning.
Cheers!
Ha ha thanks and I try not to say that any more. That was a visual queue I used to use when looking at everyones' eyes in the class room and if they didn't understand I could see it. Anyway, I believe that the newer videos don't have that, thanks and I apologize.
@@acservicetechchannel alright...
Very detailed information thnx..
Thanks Mr. Blade!
Great job
Thank you for your Comments!
superp fantastic zooming
Thanks Anas!
Gracias por los vídeos podrías subtitulado en español de antemano gracias
Thanks Rafael!
Can we get to the part what you use to find the leak🤦♂️
I wish i could do this all myself... every hvac tech i call wont even bother looking for the leak on my r22 system.. all they eant to do is reolace it for 10,000$... rediculous. Id rather spend 1,000$ on a charge and fix the leak. So annoying how (professionals) work these days. Been a car tech for antique vehicles... and i see this for mechabics as well.. All lazy techs today.
I am the 10,000th subscriber :) Do I win a free service call???
Tell you what, I will let you watch any of these existing videos for free at this time, I call that a deal, ha ha.
But on a serious note, I appreciate all of the subscribers and that is pretty cool that you are the 10,000th!
acservicetech Hahaha good answer 👍🏼
I want this spray
You could use this- Here is a link for RectorSeal Bubble Gas Leak Detector amzn.to/2ckWACn or you could use super blue spray or nu calgon spray - amzn.to/2w6tznS
Shoot I can fix that. Depends on how much experience you have and how far your willing to go. I'd bang that out in about 20 minutes.
alright...
Dham dham dham dham dham dham 😭😭😭
"Alright. Alright, Alright" - Get some help!
Hindi videos banao
CAN YOU TURN DOWN YOUR DAMN INTRO I want to watch your videos but the constant inconsistency in your editing ability is shitty. I think your full of knowledge I am looking for but so tired of constantly changing the volume on my computer or smart phone. CAN NOT HEAR THEN THERE IS TOOOOOO MUCH TO LISTEN TOOOO. TONE IT DOWN, REMOVE INTRO, AND OR GO THROUGH YOUR ENTIRE VIDEO AND ADJUST THE VOLUMES...... OR ... OR.... OR GET A MIC
Hey Rick, the new videos have no intro, with a new mic, and better volume, thanks and sorry about the old intro
thank you and i apologize