BTW the grooved sections of the tubing cutters are for cutting off flares. Put the flared end in the two groves in the rollers and the blade sits right next to the old flare to be cut off. This minimizes the amount of length reduction of the tube before re-flaring.
mini-splits are very common here in the Seattle area because most houses and apartment/condo buildings weren't built with ducting. Until recently AC wasn't really a norm around here due to the normal air temperatures rarely getting much above 80 for most of the year. The past 10-15 years though have seen some pretty substantial increases in temps during the summer (hit around 110 in this area at the end of June this year) so a lot of people are getting them installed.
I have the Hilmor flare kit you referred to. It works great. The stop is nice as well. Lets you set the height for a nice flare. The kit also has swage adapters too. I also have the Hilmor hydraulic swage kit, i use it for any swage joint. The pistol grip and easy release are handy.
Pure 100% goobernomics. Lol. You are one funny entertaining man. Perfectly explained. Plus i learned what the groove is for after 28 years on the flare tool. Thanks. Keep up the good work
Great video. I use the flare kit they gave me at school. I use a nickel for thickness to size up the copper through the block. So far seems to work creating nice cone n proper fit. I also cut my thumb but didn't go to the hospital, I'm n idiot. Few days later I go get medical care n it was infected but thankfully didn't lose my thumb but too late for stitches. Missed a couple weeks of work. Thanks for sharing n that wrench tool was pretty cool.
One of the best videos on vacuum processes and flares I have seen. You really know your stuff, especially about moisture and oil in the line sets. I am an amateur, but I would def hire you to do my installation. Most of the so-called mini-split experts around here do not even weigh in new coolant, they spitball it by reading PSI with the compressor running. Also - no nitrogen. I am new to your channel but I hope you have more videos like this. And I get why you dislike mini-splits - in theory they sound great, and if the install goes well they can be - but too many of them fail and then they are close to impossible to fix.
I have a few mini-splits videos and a lot of refrigeration. Click on my name HVACR Survival just below the thumbs button and that will take you to the channel, then you can search by all videos or category's
Hi rick great video, if the copper pipe isn't completely kinked its just slightly ovaled out. You can use the flaring block to straighten out the pipe, clamp and tighten rinse and repeat haha. Untill it straightens out, or the old school way i was shown use a shifter/ wrench jaws to straighten it out just round it off a little, end goal get that nut up enough to flare the pipe lol. Also i mostly do refrigeration but I've done some AC work over the years. Some of those split ACs have a recovery/ evacuation mode to open up the many thousands of solenoids contained within. You have to push this button on the PCB 10 times hold this button down for 10 seconds wait for this light to flash and so on.
More and more of the ductless splits are being installed. when i first started in the trade, i rarely installed them and now adays almost every house has one. especially on the top floors of houses! When i grew up i didnt have an ac til i was like 21. been in the trade 20+ years things has changed since. good video
I use the yellow jacket 45 degree flaring tool and I love I’ve yet to have a bad flare out of it I actually used it today I installed two mini splits and I also always use nylog
2:28 I see a lot here in Utah that most if not a good amount of them struggle with making a flare. The one you have is pretty good. For tubing idk why but I tend to stick with hillmore. I have the same flaring tool. Try the quick engage one it’s pretty great I have both but I tend to stick to the one your using. Perfect flaring looking on fleek haha good video Rick 👍🏻 💯
Honestly wouldn't surprise me if those were the factory flares on the lineset. Ive learned the hard way to always check them before i screw them on. Ive even had one of my coworkers tell me after taking the training courses for mini splits they recommend cutting them off and redoing them using the flare nuts provided on the unit which are usually nicer heavier nuts. And also had great luck with the drill style "spin flare and swedge" tools. Between those and a tubing bender i hardly buy fittings anymore for soft copper.
Nice one Rick. I was wondering if you were gonna check the top flares after finding that one not-a-flare at the outdoor unit. Glad you did. I've actually been in the market for a torque wrench for those. So thx for the recommendation.
I haven't had any problems with it yet, but if the Nut gets larger it might not fit but I haven't found that to be the case yet. You can always use a claw foot on a regular torque wrench if you position it correctly.
Noticed how you set the flare on the fitting of the valve then tighten nut by hand 100% correct. I have seen guy's just gab the line and start turning the nut on until it seat's
I'm getting rid of my Carrier Central air heat pump AC unit because I've had nothing but issues with it.. It's only 5 years old it was out at least once a year parts hard to find for. I'm going to be going back with Mini splits. The company I work for has several of they worked great.
The worst thing about mini split is techs hate working on them so they charge a crap ton of money for no reason. My sister's quote was 35k for a 5 head 2 compressor install. I found both units for 11k so they are asking 24k for install.
No HVAC company will add the equipment price to the contract, to what you buy it for online, the 34k or whatever is for the quality workmanship and warranty, and ofcourse overhead.
A word of caution. I have the Yellow Jacket torque wrench and inside the case cover it has a chart that states torque settings for pipe sizes that are way over what a mini-split manufacturer recommends. For example on a Pioneer system with ⅜ pipe, Pioneer recommends a torque of 19 ft-lbs while Yellow Jacket on their chart recommends 30 ft-lbs. For ⅝ pipe Pioneer recommends 34 ft-lbs and Yellow Jacket recommends a whopping 56 ft-lbs. 56 ft-lbs is way to high. Tightening too much will cause a leak by separating the flare from the pipe. And sometimes even break the flare nut. Be aware that copper pipe hardness varies and soft pipe (easy to bend) requires less torque. Check the data sheets on the mini-splits you are working on.
I did a repair on a home owner diy unit. Had to open it up. In pulling a vacuum, I changed my oil 3 times. It would go cloudy very quickly. Wasn't my fault, so I just charged it.
It does take a bit longer but i prefer to braze the lines that stick out from the Blower Unit, it just save a little headache and eliminate one leak point...I do not want to climb a ladder to look for a leak, no sir...Good work Rick
Many manufacturers don't recommend brazing on mini splits. The reason is they have such fine mesh filters that they clog super easy. Sounds like you use nitrogen which is good - every time. Miss the nitrogen one time and it will clog the filter.
I don't know when you got the cut but I'm so glad you got out stitches. ( your mom told you not to reach for the last piece of chicken)[ your Good Wife taught you the rule your mother's always right]🤣 no I truly hope the cut was nothing serious. Great work Thank for you for taking md
It could cause that but the whole point of lubrication is to not mare the rear surface and twist it. You can tell if it's getting too tight. Oil is fine too, it's just easier to carry nylog.
That's why I verified I had the correct values. I have damaged the flares that are not correctly made. I found a chart with the main 4 or 5 brands requirements.
For the items I carry in my car, that sit a long time, I use good qualilty Zinc Chloride Carbon Zinc batteries. (I also use them in remotes). They _will_ leak eventually, as all batteries will, but they don't leak an acid or alkaline. They leak salt water. They also don't leak as often as alkalines do. (People call Duracell the worst, they might be, but I've seen Energizer, Kirkland, etc, all die years before their 'use by' date when sitting in a device). No, they don't run as long, or under as heavy of a load, but batteries in a hot car wear out fast no matter what. In induction toners, probes, multimeters, remote controls, etc - they _still_ last years. (There's a reason that the smoke detector people use SHD batteries. It's not because they're cheaper anymore. It's because they last the full year necessary, and don't self destruct and eat the detector.) So, for a low drain (such as the digital torque wrench) device, that's used intermittently - ZCl batteries are perfect. If it's something you're using a lot, and drain batteries regularly - alkaline or NiMh for the win. Still a good idea to have spare batteries lying around. (Oh, if one leaks, you clean it up with water and a q-tip). Hope you save the copper pieces for recycling later :) Good to see you go those extra steps to make sure all of the connections are like they should be, rather than just fixing the obvious flaw (the loose one) and heading out. Too many people, especially if it's not _their_ name associated with the company, don't care about reputation.
They are worried about the gauge being damaged. Mine is built to take it, that's why I brag about this BluVac micron gauge as being the best. I've had Fieldpiece, CPS, and used a few others and they were all weak and didn't either hold up or they weren't as accurate.
Well luckily I barely have to deal with flared fitting the only time I really do is with rehabbing some old gas other than that I tried to avoid them because I'm more of a plumber and do not have an HVAC license I do other things than plumbing but I have no EPA card. LOL
I've done all the departments at my previous employer, (plumbing, electrical and whatever needed done.) I don't have to any plumbing here😁. Thanks 4 watching!
The translation didn't work very good on that. I'm not sure what a white goods are and not sure if you meant you work on air conditioning and washing machines?
@@HVACRSurvival Sorry Rick, I should have been more descriptive🙏... I install and repair appliances such as mini split air conditioners, household washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators👍
I think in one of your video's you were talking about the appion valve core removal tool as junk. Think I'm have the same issues. What kind are you using now and are the any good ? Thanks for your time
Burring makes the flare weak. And might get copper into the mini split. Some brands do have filters for debree though. Best is to use spring loaded cutter. And nylogg. And not to overtighten the flare.
Good to know that they don't have protection, I want to install one on my RV, I think I'll install some low pressure cut offs, gonna install a drier too
The rating plate has the maximum pressure allowed and time depends on how determined you are to verify the system isn't leaking. 15-30 minutes is typical for a quick test with a digital gauge. Overnight to a couple days for large systems.
5.73 Lbs.? how many BTU's is that unit? Sounds like a lot of 410a? I really like these mini splits ,they are super efficient and very quiet with an easy install. I'm not so impressed with Carrier, hopefully it has a high pressure sensor? I hate that none of these M/S units have a high side port.
Definitely need to know how to hack into them probably could be done with a raspberry pie and a few smart programs to get into its diagnostics and testing modes
13:50 Could you possibly get a "back-up wrench" on the hexagonal cap of the shut-off valve? You'd be coming at it perpendicular, but maybe the block and entire case would not be flexing so much.
That’s why You use nitrogen to pressurize the system to check for leaks and nitrogen evacuate the moisture that’s in the system. Nitrogen purges the system to. Mini splits are very easy to work on. Dikin mini splits will also stop working if it’s low on gas so they won’t go in to vacuum
Nitrogen's only gonna do so much, Poe oil won't let go of the moisture like mineral oil will. That's why it's important to use nitrogen when you're brazing because the Poe oil scrubs the pipes clean and it's just a bad oil for people to do shit half ass.
This is exactly why when you can (especially commercial) installation you install medium static indoor air handler or high static indoor air handler depending on your application so you could install filters and you have blower fan that doesn’t get dirty and a coil that doesn’t clog up. The wall mount I cut off the indoor flare fittings and braise it. Can never have a leak that way.
Unless you do muni-splits every day, it takes a while to be sure if a component is truly defective. Too many tests that you have to do in a certain order
I’m with you, I’m not a fan of ductless splits. But, seems to be the “way of the future “. Here’s hoping they see the error in their ways…. Good video as usual. Thanks for sharing.
mini spits is fine from a good brand. carrier is NOT one of those for splits. stick to brands like MHI, panasonic and the likes that actually make their own units.
Normally we sell Mitsubishi👍 I agree with you, these people that wanna get in the market by letting someone else build their stuff is not a real bright idea. Reminds me of the generators made by made by Lennox and Carrier which were made by Kohler and Generac
That would be a short term solution to a long term problem if I wouldn't have corrected it. The system pulled in air and moisture when it went into a vacuum, not to mention it would just have leaked back out.
It held at at a decent micron level when I was done. I'm not too worried about the moisture because of that. You could add a flare bi-flow filter dryer to it, the factory doesn't recommend it.
Young tech hear Rick on these mini splits what voltages do u look for in diagnosing other than the high voltage I'm more familiar with conventional split high voltage and basic 24v .great video by the way
I've been through Mitsubishi's wreck of a school on City Multi and the M and P series.. To say the least I still call tech service. I don't work on enough of them to be proficient. Most problems with these are installation errors, refrigerant leaks, wiring problems along with dirty coils and fan blades.
The one thing I can tell you about voltages is how to know if the outside and inside units are communicating. They use 3 wires to power and communicate on. Two wires are the typical 230v, the third wire is DC voltage Mitsubishi will use the closest terminal to the DC terminal to communicate through. So if you measure Fluctuating DC voltage On those 2 terminals it's communicating. It averages 0v to 30v dc. Because the AC leg is isolated it can do this but FYI you will still get shocked if you touch the AC leg that carries the DC communications.
28:00 people always ask me why i’m bothering to invest money into my 40 year old R22 AC… QUALITY. I’ve seen so many new systems made from tin cans and plastic. I hate them, they have way to much electronics and sensors everywhere. I once had an AC job at a flour mill, they used small ACs to cool the controls and electronics of the milling machine. The control board of one of them failed and a replacement would have been around $800 from Germany. I replaced the control with some manual thermostats (luckily it wasn’t an inverter compressor) and a relay. They payed around $120 for spares and my salory.
@@chetmyers7041 I like to stay fair, it only took me an hour to fix it so I made around $90 for an hour of work. Btw when I asked them recently about the system they told me it's running perfect since the day I fixed it. I give it another 7-8 years.
@@HVACRSurvival You heat it up, because you make the copper hard when you make the flair, and the you heat it up when you are done to make it soft copper again.
It was something I read on one of the Hvac forum's, yes, it was that wire. Most people never think about trimming that wire down and reconnecting it.. That wire does not need to be 5" long
That’s looks like a midea clone too. Which is odd because the other clones like pioneer will detect if there is a leak condition (warm evap sensor is usually a dead giveaway)
@@cruisemates almost always flare connections. I’ve found the factory made flares are often kinda crappy. Always inspect them closely. Usually if they are leaking you’ll see oil around them.
@@ntsecrets Thank you for the info. I do electronics and can read DMMs, so I would happily get in there and read all those test codes, but the manual is so confusing in that department. There is a reply from HVACR about communication voltages. I will check that one out for sure. I installed my last two Pioneers and they are built much better than the early ones, they worked great for 2 -3 years, but then both pooped out. I have been looking for oil throughout the flares without taking them apart but it feels soapier and does not look blackish - just sticky from the insulation adhesive they use. But I DO suspect one or two were over-torqued. We were really straining on one of those flares (especially) - all took more tightening than I expected or ever saw a regular wrench user do. I am going to invest in the same digital torque wrench as in the vid. (we were using a modified ratchet style). I actually wanted to redo all the flares, but my helper (who knew more about the tools than I do) thought the flares we got looked pretty good. Now I know what to look for more closely.
Yeah, I've been very disappointed with all the locked up videos. This one here's never locked up and the battery life is longer Of course I've only had it about 2 weeks
I’m a technician not a salesman. I don’t see prices. Plus prices don’t mean a whole lot because that’s completely dependent on where you live at. People in Chicago, New York and California get screwed for three times as much as people in Ohio.
There almost certainly wasn't an issue with the flare. That looks exactly like an over tightened flare which is very easy to do on the smaller pipes.... They didn't take much
That's weird that it didn't turn off I had one I installed a couple years ago lose its charge from a leak on the evaporator and it threw a code and shut off. That was a three head unit.
I think it's great and convenient. But I use oil in some instances because it's easier to get into tight crevices behind certain types of fittings. Thanks for watching the video & commenting!
You know it's sad that no one can flare anything! Why can't we get low pressure switch on ductless, if that were a scroll you'd be screwed and probably Kill the compressor-10 should never happen! Well Done
Carrier, well made by Midea, don't seem to be fully engaged on all their equipment. Some of the Carrier branded units actually outperform Mitsubishi, but there are trade offs.
It should be OEM by Midea and the quality is worst. I have a experience that the Carrier spilt AC always leak all refrigerant, I find all the copper pipe are normal, it should be leak inside the outdoor unit. I replace it with a Dakin spilt AC.
We normally sell Mitsubishi. I still have issues with there tech support running you around in circles because they don't have proper training either. The Japanese don't fully disclose how everything works with there own technicians🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️, Only what they need to know.
![เปิดบ้านสุดหรู "เเจ็ค the ghost" ลั่นถ้าป๋องกพลลำบากผมเลี้ยงเอง!! l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1xbW4vULqGc/mqdefault.jpg)
BTW the grooved sections of the tubing cutters are for cutting off flares.
Put the flared end in the two groves in the rollers and the blade sits right next to the old flare to be cut off. This minimizes the amount of length reduction of the tube before re-flaring.
Rick, I appreciate you working on equipment like this was at your house! You are Doing great work !
Thanks Ted for noticing!
mini-splits are very common here in the Seattle area because most houses and apartment/condo buildings weren't built with ducting. Until recently AC wasn't really a norm around here due to the normal air temperatures rarely getting much above 80 for most of the year. The past 10-15 years though have seen some pretty substantial increases in temps during the summer (hit around 110 in this area at the end of June this year) so a lot of people are getting them installed.
Interesting, Funny how the weather is taking a shit on that side of the country where most of the extremist climate change Legislation starts at🤦♂️🤣🤣
@@HVACRSurvivalWeather Warfare... They never stop geoengineering.
I have the Hilmor flare kit you referred to. It works great. The stop is nice as well. Lets you set the height for a nice flare. The kit also has swage adapters too. I also have the Hilmor hydraulic swage kit, i use it for any swage joint. The pistol grip and easy release are handy.
They are nice, I have the Hilmor pistol swagger and the bender. Thanks for watching!
Gees Rickster you have a flair for flaring ... Lol ... Great job and vid ... Hey to Lora ...
🤟🤟😅😅👍👍
Man this is easy thanks for the video you a professional hvacr Rick 😆
Pure 100% goobernomics. Lol. You are one funny entertaining man. Perfectly explained. Plus i learned what the groove is for after 28 years on the flare tool. Thanks. Keep up the good work
Awesome El Mono👍👍 thanks man!
Great video. I use the flare kit they gave me at school. I use a nickel for thickness to size up the copper through the block. So far seems to work creating nice cone n proper fit. I also cut my thumb but didn't go to the hospital, I'm n idiot. Few days later I go get medical care n it was infected but thankfully didn't lose my thumb but too late for stitches. Missed a couple weeks of work. Thanks for sharing n that wrench tool was pretty cool.
I had a procedure done on it.
Glad it's all good 👍
Nice video
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience
Your welcome, thanks 4 watching it!
One of the best videos on vacuum processes and flares I have seen. You really know your stuff, especially about moisture and oil in the line sets. I am an amateur, but I would def hire you to do my installation. Most of the so-called mini-split experts around here do not even weigh in new coolant, they spitball it by reading PSI with the compressor running. Also - no nitrogen. I am new to your channel but I hope you have more videos like this. And I get why you dislike mini-splits - in theory they sound great, and if the install goes well they can be - but too many of them fail and then they are close to impossible to fix.
I have a few mini-splits videos and a lot of refrigeration. Click on my name HVACR Survival just below the thumbs button and that will take you to the channel, then you can search by all videos or category's
Thanks for another great video.
Hi rick great video, if the copper pipe isn't completely kinked its just slightly ovaled out. You can use the flaring block to straighten out the pipe, clamp and tighten rinse and repeat haha. Untill it straightens out, or the old school way i was shown use a shifter/ wrench jaws to straighten it out just round it off a little, end goal get that nut up enough to flare the pipe lol. Also i mostly do refrigeration but I've done some AC work over the years. Some of those split ACs have a recovery/ evacuation mode to open up the many thousands of solenoids contained within. You have to push this button on the PCB 10 times hold this button down for 10 seconds wait for this light to flash and so on.
Thanks man for the info! I use the crescent wrench trick sometimes.
More and more of the ductless splits are being installed. when i first started in the trade, i rarely installed them and now adays almost every house has one. especially on the top floors of houses! When i grew up i didnt have an ac til i was like 21. been in the trade 20+ years things has changed since. good video
I fully understand, Same thing here. Thanks for checking it out gas man
Another perfect job, and great learning video.
🙏✌
Thanks for your kind words!
I absolutely love mini splits, but some DIYers don't have any business installing hvac equipment.
I use the yellow jacket 45 degree flaring tool and I love I’ve yet to have a bad flare out of it I actually used it today I installed two mini splits and I also always use nylog
This was likely user error.
Amazing how the Basics of installation aren't adhered to . Great video Rick
On
2:28 I see a lot here in Utah that most if not a good amount of them struggle with making a flare. The one you have is pretty good. For tubing idk why but I tend to stick with hillmore. I have the same flaring tool. Try the quick engage one it’s pretty great I have both but I tend to stick to the one your using. Perfect flaring looking on fleek haha good video Rick 👍🏻 💯
Awesome feedback Alex! Thanks 4 commenting!
Nice job and video like always
Thanks Donnie!
now i know what that groove in the pipe cutter is! I've wasted many inches of pipe lol thank you sir!!!
🤜🤛👍👍 glad I can help!
Honestly wouldn't surprise me if those were the factory flares on the lineset. Ive learned the hard way to always check them before i screw them on. Ive even had one of my coworkers tell me after taking the training courses for mini splits they recommend cutting them off and redoing them using the flare nuts provided on the unit which are usually nicer heavier nuts. And also had great luck with the drill style "spin flare and swedge" tools. Between those and a tubing bender i hardly buy fittings anymore for soft copper.
I love my spin swage but I'm not sure I would trust the flare version because I looks like you could over flare it?
Nice one Rick. I was wondering if you were gonna check the top flares after finding that one not-a-flare at the outdoor unit. Glad you did. I've actually been in the market for a torque wrench for those. So thx for the recommendation.
I haven't had any problems with it yet, but if the Nut gets larger it might not fit but I haven't found that to be the case yet. You can always use a claw foot on a regular torque wrench if you position it correctly.
Noticed how you set the flare on the fitting of the valve then tighten nut by hand 100% correct. I have seen guy's just gab the line and start turning the nut on until it seat's
Thank you! I try to show the correct way because I learned the hard way.
I'm getting rid of my Carrier Central air heat pump AC unit because I've had nothing but issues with it.. It's only 5 years old it was out at least once a year parts hard to find for. I'm going to be going back with Mini splits. The company I work for has several of they worked great.
Nice repair job...
Thanks!
The worst thing about mini split is techs hate working on them so they charge a crap ton of money for no reason. My sister's quote was 35k for a 5 head 2 compressor install. I found both units for 11k so they are asking 24k for install.
No HVAC company will add the equipment price to the contract, to what you buy it for online, the 34k or whatever is for the quality workmanship and warranty, and ofcourse overhead.
A word of caution. I have the Yellow Jacket torque wrench and inside the case cover it has a chart that states torque settings for pipe sizes that are way over what a mini-split manufacturer recommends. For example on a Pioneer system with ⅜ pipe, Pioneer recommends a torque of 19 ft-lbs while Yellow Jacket on their chart recommends 30 ft-lbs. For ⅝ pipe Pioneer recommends 34 ft-lbs and Yellow Jacket recommends a whopping 56 ft-lbs. 56 ft-lbs is way to high. Tightening too much will cause a leak by separating the flare from the pipe. And sometimes even break the flare nut. Be aware that copper pipe hardness varies and soft pipe (easy to bend) requires less torque. Check the data sheets on the mini-splits you are working on.
I looked up my specs from the MFG but I agree some do appear to high. Thanks 4 the info. I mainly do Mitsubishi and Carrier
this is great its like watching and hearing myself work hahahahaha
Good one Rick, don’t like flares or mini splits either👍
I cut out what I really feel😅🤣🤣👍👍
@@HVACRSurvival I here you 😂
I did a repair on a home owner diy unit. Had to open it up. In pulling a vacuum, I changed my oil 3 times. It would go cloudy very quickly. Wasn't my fault, so I just charged it.
It does take a bit longer but i prefer to braze the lines that stick out from the Blower Unit, it just save a little headache and eliminate one leak point...I do not want to climb a ladder to look for a leak, no sir...Good work Rick
Long as your using nitrogen, why not👍
@@HVACRSurvival always
Many manufacturers don't recommend brazing on mini splits. The reason is they have such fine mesh filters that they clog super easy. Sounds like you use nitrogen which is good - every time. Miss the nitrogen one time and it will clog the filter.
@@wakes_inc I do flow nitrogen every time. I rather take a few minutes to set up than to come back on a leaky flare nut 20 ft in the air.
I agree you touch it you own it
You got it👍👍💯
some people that don't use a torque wrench tighten with everything they got, you can force the flare back to partially straight
Bingo 👍👍
GOOD.👍
Thanks bud!
I don't know when you got the cut but I'm so glad you got out stitches. ( your mom told you not to reach for the last piece of chicken)[ your Good Wife taught you the rule your mother's always right]🤣 no I truly hope the cut was nothing serious. Great work Thank for you for taking md
I had a procedure done on it 2 weeks ago and its doing great. I had my hand all bandaged up in a few of my videos that I haven't showed yet.
Some would say putting Nylog on the backside of the fitting rather than only on the mating surfaces will cause the torque to be inaccurate.
It could cause that but the whole point of lubrication is to not mare the rear surface and twist it. You can tell if it's getting too tight. Oil is fine too, it's just easier to carry nylog.
I always feel like I’m going to snap those brass fittings when using my torque wrench. I have that same wrench.
That's why I verified I had the correct values. I have damaged the flares that are not correctly made. I found a chart with the main 4 or 5 brands requirements.
For the items I carry in my car, that sit a long time, I use good qualilty Zinc Chloride Carbon Zinc batteries. (I also use them in remotes). They _will_ leak eventually, as all batteries will, but they don't leak an acid or alkaline. They leak salt water. They also don't leak as often as alkalines do. (People call Duracell the worst, they might be, but I've seen Energizer, Kirkland, etc, all die years before their 'use by' date when sitting in a device).
No, they don't run as long, or under as heavy of a load, but batteries in a hot car wear out fast no matter what. In induction toners, probes, multimeters, remote controls, etc - they _still_ last years. (There's a reason that the smoke detector people use SHD batteries. It's not because they're cheaper anymore. It's because they last the full year necessary, and don't self destruct and eat the detector.)
So, for a low drain (such as the digital torque wrench) device, that's used intermittently - ZCl batteries are perfect. If it's something you're using a lot, and drain batteries regularly - alkaline or NiMh for the win. Still a good idea to have spare batteries lying around. (Oh, if one leaks, you clean it up with water and a q-tip).
Hope you save the copper pieces for recycling later :)
Good to see you go those extra steps to make sure all of the connections are like they should be, rather than just fixing the obvious flaw (the loose one) and heading out. Too many people, especially if it's not _their_ name associated with the company, don't care about reputation.
My only complaint was that you didn't hook up your micron gauge to the opposite side of the system as your vacuum pump.
Other than that, great job.
I still valve off and do the decay test once I’m down. Thanks for the feedback 👍👍
Excellent video…. Was wondering that you have the micron meter attached without an additional shut off… is there any reason others add a shutoff… Ty
They are worried about the gauge being damaged. Mine is built to take it, that's why I brag about this BluVac micron gauge as being the best. I've had Fieldpiece, CPS, and used a few others and they were all weak and didn't either hold up or they weren't as accurate.
Well luckily I barely have to deal with flared fitting the only time I really do is with rehabbing some old gas other than that I tried to avoid them because I'm more of a plumber and do not have an HVAC license I do other things than plumbing but I have no EPA card. LOL
I've done all the departments at my previous employer, (plumbing, electrical and whatever needed done.) I don't have to any plumbing here😁. Thanks 4 watching!
Rick you know air conditioner and washing machine, white goods are my business 😂😂 👍👍👍👏👏
The translation didn't work very good on that. I'm not sure what a white goods are and not sure if you meant you work on air conditioning and washing machines?
@@HVACRSurvival Sorry Rick, I should have been more descriptive🙏... I install and repair appliances such as mini split air conditioners, household washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators👍
@@KadirYildiran ok I understand now😁👍👍. That's a variety of things to keep it new.
I think in one of your video's you were talking about the appion valve core removal tool as junk. Think I'm have the same issues. What kind are you using now and are the any good ? Thanks for your time
I like C&D, I use my appion for recovery and things that don't matter.
Burring makes the flare weak. And might get copper into the mini split. Some brands do have filters for debree though. Best is to use spring loaded cutter. And nylogg. And not to overtighten the flare.
i love and wish i had the money for the navac little light weight battery vac pumps the jb is such a pain carrying around
There is a few times that it would be nice to have.
8:40 don’t forget the flare nut! Haha it rarely happens to me but when it does that’s when my heads up my ass thinking of else what. 😯😲
It happens to all of us
Fully agree with the comment on the ductless being a last resort and not service friendly!!!
Good to know that they don't have protection, I want to install one on my RV, I think I'll install some low pressure cut offs, gonna install a drier too
Low pressure switch wouldn't be a problem just make sure you use a byflow dryer on the liquid line. They don't recommend it though just so you know
Q. Regarding pressure testing with nitrogen how many PSI and for how long?
Thanks for great video..
The rating plate has the maximum pressure allowed and time depends on how determined you are to verify the system isn't leaking. 15-30 minutes is typical for a quick test with a digital gauge. Overnight to a couple days for large systems.
Love hydraulic fittings hate flare
5.73 Lbs.? how many BTU's is that unit? Sounds like a lot of 410a? I really like these mini splits ,they are super efficient and very quiet with an easy install. I'm not so impressed with Carrier, hopefully it has a high pressure sensor? I hate that none of these M/S units have a high side port.
Definitely need to know how to hack into them probably could be done with a raspberry pie and a few smart programs to get into its diagnostics and testing modes
Nice video. Where did you get that crescent wrench?
I should have a link to it in the description
13:50 Could you possibly get a "back-up wrench" on the hexagonal cap of the shut-off valve? You'd be coming at it perpendicular, but maybe the block and entire case would not be flexing so much.
That’s why You use nitrogen to pressurize the system to check for leaks and nitrogen evacuate the moisture that’s in the system. Nitrogen purges the system to. Mini splits are very easy to work on. Dikin mini splits will also stop working if it’s low on gas so they won’t go in to vacuum
Nitrogen's only gonna do so much, Poe oil won't let go of the moisture like mineral oil will. That's why it's important to use nitrogen when you're brazing because the Poe oil scrubs the pipes clean and it's just a bad oil for people to do shit half ass.
What you take your nitrogen up to?
This is exactly why when you can (especially commercial) installation you install medium static indoor air handler or high static indoor air handler depending on your application so you could install filters and you have blower fan that doesn’t get dirty and a coil that doesn’t clog up.
The wall mount I cut off the indoor flare fittings and braise it. Can never have a leak that way.
Good job there, Rick. Call your apprentice and ask him how to fix the mini split, see what he says. Just kidding haha.
Unless you do muni-splits every day, it takes a while to be sure if a component is truly defective. Too many tests that you have to do in a certain order
@@HVACRSurvival okay, no I don't work on them at all, I just do electrical maintenance, sometimes don't care for that either.
Deepfreezer. Technician.from.India. 👍
Cool man! I love hearing from people from all over the world. Thanks for watching!
please.send.more.different.videos.
Like what?
I’m with you, I’m not a fan of ductless splits. But, seems to be the “way of the future “. Here’s hoping they see the error in their ways…. Good video as usual. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Justin👍👍
mini spits is fine from a good brand. carrier is NOT one of those for splits. stick to brands like MHI, panasonic and the likes that actually make their own units.
Normally we sell Mitsubishi👍 I agree with you, these people that wanna get in the market by letting someone else build their stuff is not a real bright idea. Reminds me of the generators made by made by Lennox and Carrier which were made by Kohler and Generac
👍👍👍
do you ever use a pre-made flare that has a sweat connection?
I have used them, but normally I just make them.
Nice vid man, I’ve been in that situation before too.
Hey did you consider at all to maybe add more refrigerant?
That would be a short term solution to a long term problem if I wouldn't have corrected it. The system pulled in air and moisture when it went into a vacuum, not to mention it would just have leaked back out.
What can we do about all that moisture the system pulled in? And you’re thinking there is still a leak there somewhere?
It held at at a decent micron level when I was done. I'm not too worried about the moisture because of that. You could add a flare bi-flow filter dryer to it, the factory doesn't recommend it.
Young tech hear Rick on these mini splits what voltages do u look for in diagnosing other than the high voltage I'm more familiar with conventional split high voltage and basic 24v .great video by the way
I've been through Mitsubishi's wreck of a school on City Multi and the M and P series.. To say the least I still call tech service. I don't work on enough of them to be proficient. Most problems with these are installation errors, refrigerant leaks, wiring problems along with dirty coils and fan blades.
The one thing I can tell you about voltages is how to know if the outside and inside units are communicating. They use 3 wires to power and communicate on. Two wires are the typical 230v, the third wire is DC voltage Mitsubishi will use the closest terminal to the DC terminal to communicate through. So if you measure Fluctuating DC voltage On those 2 terminals it's communicating. It averages 0v to 30v dc. Because the AC leg is isolated it can do this but FYI you will still get shocked if you touch the AC leg that carries the DC communications.
Thanks Rick I appreciate you taking the time to respond men
No problem, you guys are the reason why I do these videos
28:00 people always ask me why i’m bothering to invest money into my 40 year old R22 AC… QUALITY. I’ve seen so many new systems made from tin cans and plastic. I hate them, they have way to much electronics and sensors everywhere. I once had an AC job at a flour mill, they used small ACs to cool the controls and electronics of the milling machine. The control board of one of them failed and a replacement would have been around $800 from Germany. I replaced the control with some manual thermostats (luckily it wasn’t an inverter compressor) and a relay. They payed around $120 for spares and my salory.
You didn't pay yourself enough for your vast experience, knowledge, and resourcefulness. Hope you won a new customer with the "low-ball" price.
@@chetmyers7041 I like to stay fair, it only took me an hour to fix it so I made around $90 for an hour of work. Btw when I asked them recently about the system they told me it's running perfect since the day I fixed it. I give it another 7-8 years.
What do you do when the lineset sizes are 6mm and 12mm? I can't find a 12mm flaring die ANYWHERE... 😢
Depending on what size I'm going, we talk in fractions where I'm at. 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8
@@HVACRSurvival ya, me too. Texas.
Rick, would have been 🤤, if you heated your flair up after you made it..
But Stella job as always👑👑
I've never heard that before, What is the thought behind heating it up the flare when your done?
@@HVACRSurvival
You heat it up, because you make the copper hard when you make the flair, and the you heat it up when you are done to make it soft copper again.
Interesting, I've never heard that before but makes sense👍👍💯
@@christiansommer914
Is that part of what a spin flare tool does?
@@HVACRSurvival maybe Dave or Chris have heard of this.
480 all day my friend my units range from 2ton to 234 ton, screw, scroll and semi-herm 22 and 410 lol a huge mess for my daily.
I hear you, I'll be on a small reach in coolers one call and a grocery rack or generator the next.
👍
Is that grove on the cutters really for the flare to ride in so you can cut it off close?
Exactly, sometimes you don't have much extra pipe to spare, like here on this call.
13 years in the trade and I just learned this watching your video today lol 😂 amazing! Thank you 🙏
We don't do that many flares so it's understandable. Thanks 4 the feedback!
Did you make that cheater with fuse and light, or do you use the Zebra one ?
I copied it and made it, my original one did not have a fuse or a lighted plug
Wrestling Mini-Splits with Rick Flare!
Good one👍👍 I use to watch him😁
Did you have to pump down the system or was all the refrigerant lost?
It was all gone if I remember correctly
Should outside fan blow warm or cool coming from the house?
Are you in heat or cool mode? If cooling then warm, the inside and outside are the opposite of each other no matter the mode.
I appreciate the like ! But do you know if it should be blowing warm?
i wonder if the wire was from a condenser fan with reversible connector
It was something I read on one of the Hvac forum's, yes, it was that wire. Most people never think about trimming that wire down and reconnecting it.. That wire does not need to be 5" long
That’s looks like a midea clone too. Which is odd because the other clones like pioneer will detect if there is a leak condition (warm evap sensor is usually a dead giveaway)
Got more information on clues to where the leaks are in a Pioneer system? I have had 5 of them, and 4 developed leaks after 2 or 3 years. @ntsecrets
@@cruisemates almost always flare connections. I’ve found the factory made flares are often kinda crappy. Always inspect them closely. Usually if they are leaking you’ll see oil around them.
@@ntsecrets Thank you for the info. I do electronics and can read DMMs, so I would happily get in there and read all those test codes, but the manual is so confusing in that department. There is a reply from HVACR about communication voltages. I will check that one out for sure.
I installed my last two Pioneers and they are built much better than the early ones, they worked great for 2 -3 years, but then both pooped out. I have been looking for oil throughout the flares without taking them apart but it feels soapier and does not look blackish - just sticky from the insulation adhesive they use. But I DO suspect one or two were over-torqued. We were really straining on one of those flares (especially) - all took more tightening than I expected or ever saw a regular wrench user do. I am going to invest in the same digital torque wrench as in the vid. (we were using a modified ratchet style).
I actually wanted to redo all the flares, but my helper (who knew more about the tools than I do) thought the flares we got looked pretty good. Now I know what to look for more closely.
I believe the term is burnishing the flare.
Are you referring to the flare being scared from the tightening process without oil?
Did it have a 3 pipe compressor?
There are only two pipes between the evaporator and the condenser, otherwise it has a reversing valve in the condenser.
What kind of cheater cord setup are you using. New to HVAR/R and I absolutely love that.
Which cord was it?
@@HVACRSurvival the one with the light and fusible link.
I built it out of a lighted extension cord, and added a fuse to it, and some gator clips.
Last good go-pro they made was the 4, everyone I have tried since has been bad.
Yeah, I've been very disappointed with all the locked up videos. This one here's never locked up and the battery life is longer Of course I've only had it about 2 weeks
knipix yeahhhhhhh
Best tools out there👍👍
I would reflare all connections and recharge to weight. We all better get used to it because they are becoming very popular.
Yep, and that's what I did👍
14’ Wrench 🔧 😂
One day when they start requiring GFCIs on AC disconnects those widow makers won’t work anymore ☹️
I'll get 230v to 120v transformer to step it down from a old RTU 😁
thats crazy no low psi switch, crazy
15:09 Total JACKERY on the tie in to drain line. Someone didn't give a flip.
How much would this service cost?
I’m a technician not a salesman. I don’t see prices. Plus prices don’t mean a whole lot because that’s completely dependent on where you live at. People in Chicago, New York and California get screwed for three times as much as people in Ohio.
When in doubt , pull out 😅
Hacks use slip jaw pliers when a wrench is called for.
If you say so, but people "say" a lot of wrong things👍👍🤣
Very likely too much nylog was placed on the liquid line where it came out of the building. Couldn't reach torque specs then. Too much lube.
There almost certainly wasn't an issue with the flare. That looks exactly like an over tightened flare which is very easy to do on the smaller pipes.... They didn't take much
👍🤳🛠️🤳
if schooled correctly you have it stick out about a penny thickness.
It really depends on the tool mfg, I've had ones where that is true and with this particular one it is not, it has to be flush.
That's weird that it didn't turn off I had one I installed a couple years ago lose its charge from a leak on the evaporator and it threw a code and shut off. That was a three head unit.
Is probably a better built unit
@@HVACRSurvival It was a carrier performance I assume they have same kind of boards and sensors.
I use nylon on every mini split regardless what they tell you about it. Nylon doesn’t dry up. It’s like a rubber seal never had any leaks. 🥴🤔
I think it's great and convenient. But I use oil in some instances because it's easier to get into tight crevices behind certain types of fittings. Thanks for watching the video & commenting!
Nylog= Poe oil at a different viscosity.. boom
Exactly, it was another TH-camr that said it.
You know it's sad that no one can flare anything! Why can't we get low pressure switch on ductless, if that were a scroll you'd be screwed and probably Kill the compressor-10 should never happen! Well Done
Agreed Agreed Agreed!!!! Thanks Steve, Have a great weekend!!!
Carrier, well made by Midea, don't seem to be fully engaged on all their equipment.
Some of the Carrier branded units actually outperform Mitsubishi, but there are trade offs.
It looked just like the Lennox I repaired earlier this year. I figured it was from them
and to the end users, if it's not working right and it's not lifeless, shut it off, you could save your unit!
Exactly 💯 👍👍
Most of the minis leak at flare connections... With the great QC from the "world's factory" found units with cracks in lines and bad brazes.....
True story!
@@HVACRSurvival yep your right!!! And add to the list the no name prep tables that always clog the drier and captubes that have splices lol
Cheap junk👍
It should be OEM by Midea and the quality is worst. I have a experience that the Carrier spilt AC always leak all refrigerant, I find all the copper pipe are normal, it should be leak inside the outdoor unit. I replace it with a Dakin spilt AC.
We normally sell Mitsubishi. I still have issues with there tech support running you around in circles because they don't have proper training either. The Japanese don't fully disclose how everything works with there own technicians🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️, Only what they need to know.