I have listened to 3 minutes of this and already I'm lost!! Stop saying your making this easy because your not. Terms like piercing valve is discerning.
I'm sorry but he explains things extremely simply and this is the best video on this topic I've found on TH-cam. Piercing valve? Doesn't matter if you didn't know what it means - he shows you exactly what it is, what it's for, and how it works.
I disagree with Jeckee Son... I'm a 60-year-old gal who fixed her freezer after watching this guy's video. If I can do it, you can, too. THANK YOU, Vegas RoManiac! For the owners of older, out-of-warranty freezers, this video is GOLD. I also read the comments below, too, and found one about bleeding the air from the hose gauge before opening the piercing valve to prevent air from entering the system. and so I added that step to the process described in the video. Search below for the instructions from @farm dog in a response to bum-bum bigelow.* My 9-year-old deep freeze is now consistently below zero, humming along like a champ. Some people complain in the comments that there may still be a leak. I can live with a slow leak. Like I said, the freezer is 9-years-old and the leak is probably a very slow one. I'll watch the temp and if it gets warmer I'll add more freon. If it leaks quickly, I'll get freon that has that UV dye in it and look for the leak that way. *(Specifically, Farm Dog says "...open the valve on the freon can and slightly unscrew the charging hose connected to the piercing unit. be sure that the piercing needle is closed so as not to let the air on the hose enter the system. you will hear that there is a bit of pressure escaping from the slightly opened hose.close it after roughly 2 to 3 seconds to purge the air out. now you can start charging. thats how you do it..." )
As a military jet engine mechanic and detail oriented, I have to say THIS VIDEO IS "THE BEST" ONLINE. Most descriptive and detailed for the layman who has never repaired a refrigerator. Going to make the repair with confidence now since watching this video. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
He forgot to tell you a VERY IMPORTANT PART !😥 which is to bleed out the air from the line before opening the valve to the copper pipe, if you don’t do that it will damage the compressor!
Never forget to purge your line before charging with Freon (forcing all air out of lines so none goes into your sealed system). Just done by loosening the connection to the piercing valve until you just see some refrigerant coming out. Quickly tighten back up and you’re now purged.
On the can? And before its hooked up you mean? Won't air just flow tight back in? Or is it a one way valve?? By reading what you wrote I'm assuming i hook up the gauge to the can, pierce my can by screwing all the way down, crack it a bit so freon shoots out of the end just in the open air, then hook up the other end to the piercing valve I installed on refrigerator...is this correct?
@@jeybird6276 you bet! Otherwise an amount of atsmosphere equivalent to the volume of the tubing will be added to your sealed system, this is not good.
@@jeybird6276 Purging - loosen the line connection slowly, the second! you hear a ''Psst' type sound, it's purged!😹 quickly! re-tighten line!...('sound' is same like a bike/car tyre valve!)
Watched again as I charged my 14 yr old fridge...held for a few years getting low again ...freezer symptoms low ice output...soft ice cream .so adding a few lbs again...great video thank you!!
Excellent video. Made for a very easy fix. Everyone who's watching - check the pressure rating on your compressor. Mine runs normally at +4 to +7 psi. It's a really big fridge so I did have to dump an entire can in. Being patient and adding a little at a time is well worth the wait.
I followed this video exactly as he described the procedure and everything worked perfectly. I've watched several videos of this procedure and this one is BY FAR THE BEST ONE. Defining which line to pierce and where to pierce it is certainly the most important part of this process, closely followed by the emphasis upon introducing the R134a GRADUALLY and in short bursts so as to not overcharge the system. Be sure to clean/sand the line thoroughly so that you have a nice secure connection for the piercing valve, as that valve will remain on the appliance for the rest of it's useful life. Nicely done video.
This is good instruction. I can add a few things more from the experience I had after I followed the instruction. - Make sure that the evaporator coils (which are located behind the freezer compartment) are entirely ice-free before you add freon. If not, you may add far too much freon to the system (as did I) while nevertheless at the same time seeing the pressure in the suction line settle down to about 2 psi in the suction line. After I did that, I observed immediately (with puzzlement) that the exterior of the suction line iced up all the way to the compressor, and that the region of the compressor around where the suction line enters the compressor soon iced up too - which I learned later that evening is generally a good indication that there is too much freon in the system. I did not confirm that I had added too much freon until the following day when it was clear to me that the temperatures inside the fridge and freezer compartments were still not getting low enough. Then I unplugged the refrigerator, and then I removed the back interior panel of the freezer compartment, and then I waited about 6 hours until the warm ambient air had melted all the ice on the evaporator coils. (You don't have to remove the back interior panel of the freezer compartment like I did - instead you can just leave the refrigerator unplugged, with the freezer door open for about 24 hours in a warm room.) Then I plugged the refrigerator in again. Then I reattached the freon hose and gauge, and then I opened the bullet piercing valve, and then I saw that the pressure in the suction line was about +40 psi (instead of 2 psi, which is the pressure I thought I had left in the suction line the previous day) !!!!!. The next thing I did was to let out excess freon. To do that, I loosened one of the connections of the gauge-hose for a couple of seconds at a time, each time letting the needle of the pressure gauge settle down before releasing more freon, until the settled pressure in the suction line was 2 psi. CAUTION: If you let freon out of a loosened connection in that way, the connector will get very cold immediately - and so you should wear insulating gloves (say fabric or leather) for when you loosen and tighten the connection, in orser to avoid getting frostbite on your fingers. - If you use a self-sealing can of 134a refrigerant (freon), you will need to use an adapter between the can and the hose. You can buy the adapter from an auto parts store for about $3. (If the can of freon is not self-sealing, in that case you will not need that additional adapter.) - When you are adding freon to the suction line, remember to shake the can every few minutes, and to hold the can upside down while you let freon into the suction line. At first I didn't do that, and I think that consequently I was adding only gas instead of liquid freon, and consequently at first I couldn't make the pressure in the suction line increase much. - After you first connect the gauge and hose to the bullet piercing valve and to the can of freon, make sure that the tapping valve (which opens and closes the top of the can of freon) is firmly closed. After I first connected the hose and gauge to the bullet piercing valve and to the can of freon, unknown to me the tapping valve was not quite fully closed. As a consequence the pointer of the gauge immediately started to move to show steadily increasing pressure - and at the time I didn't understand the reason. After a minute or so I realized that the tapping valve must have been slightly open. After I firmly closed the tapping valve and then briefly loosened the connection to the bullet piercing valve (to let out freon) the pointer moved back to indicate 0 psi, and stayed there. - Before you open the bullet piercing valve for the first time (to measure and monitoe the pressure inside the suction line) first loosen the connector to the bullet piercing valve and then open the tapping valve briefly in order to flush the air out of the hose and gauge and replace it with freon. Then tighten the connector to the bullet piercing valve. That way, you will introduce as little air and water vapor as possible into the refrigeration loop.
I wish I could add picture attachments for clarity. I bleeded air out of my line by opening up the self sealing can with the adapter in the links above. I bleeded the air out by leaving the end of the hose connection above slightly open with respect to the piercing adapter. Once I did this I closed the connection by tightening the nut at the end of the hose. The problem is, unlike the video my pressure gauge shot up to the 70-80 psi range when I did this. As soon as you hook up the adapter mentioned above it blows out R134a regardless of piercing needle valve position. The instructions on the adapter say the valve should be closed or turned to the down position (but I think it's referring to non-piercing styles) before attaching the hose to the adapter. I have a self sealing can, it was an EPA requirement 2018 and onwards I believe. I followed instructions to the tooth. The issue I have is my gauge can't get to 0 psi or below without me actually disconnecting the hose/adapter attached to the R134a can. So how can I figure out if I'm charging the right amount. I even opened up the piercing valve connection and the gauge remained at a high pressure. I did notice the gauge go up slightly as I tried to adjust need valve, but I disconnected soon because I did not want to overfill the system. Any thoughts? Link to pics: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oiiX9Z-L93M_3PllX67j6we9xU6ZjxwA?usp=sharing
Beaware releasing freon into the outside/ atmosphere is illegal. You must have a licensed trained technician recover it with properly used recovery system. Federal Law.
I followed your instructions to a tee, except for adding a step to bleed air out of the hose and filling it with refrigerant before connecting it to a piercing valve. Everything worked great, twin cooling french doors Samsung refrigerator came back to life and freezer that was a problem went from 65°F to -2°F in about 3 hours. Thank you again for posting this video! It is the best English language video on the subject on TH-cam now. Btw, I was willing to pay a professional to do this work, but all appliance service people in my area refused to work on Samsung or LG refrigerators, there must be an appliance brand war in progress, American vs. Korean. I hated to throw away otherwise a perfectly good fridge, so your advice and instructions helped not only me, but the environment!
Good step by step video for any person trying to work on a fridge, deep freeze, etc. Gives someone a good explanation of what to expect and breaks it down like you were talking to your kid, which makes it a good video for learning. Thank you!
I am so sad that I did not get your name, but I will use what is provided to us. of all I have heard about charging, refilling replacing the freon for 2 years, this is the best and most straightforward. If I had watched your video I wouldn't have tossed my refrigerator last year. thank you a billion times and please continue bringing new ideas. not new ideas but you get those ideas and present them to us. you did not bring something new, but you helped us by explaining it in a simplified /simple way. it seems you are a teacher or a parent. appreciate man. 2 thumbs up and pray that you live long too.
WOW! This Actually worked on my French door ridge and freezer. I have never done any kind of appliance repair work and I was extremely intimidated but this video was a huge help and the tools you suggest did exactly what I needed them to do.
This video saved me from buying a $2,'500 frig. My frig is overall in good shape but it's over 10 years old and over the past few months it was running more than usual and then it was running all the time until one day ice was melting from the ice maker. I went to TH-cam and found this video, ordered the parts from the description, followed the instructions, and it's like FRIGIN' NEW! It's been a week now and it's still cooling. THANK YOU!!!!!
*FEEDBACK ON YOUR VIDEO* 5 of 5 stars - you done a great job and other instructional video TH-camrs should aspire to be more like you. Not only did you include the step i was unsure about, you gave a brief but clear description on how the system actually works - and as you obviously know, a job is much easier when you understand how something works and exactly what you're doing rather than just blindly following directions with no clue about why you're doing what you're being told to do. This was a big help to me and having seen hundreds of instructional videos on various topics, it is very refreshing to see one done with the right amount of explanation and detail (with exceptional video recording as well as preparation and execution). I have found but one other video done this well, which says a lot considering the number I've seen. I will send a link to that video in a separate comment in case you're interested in seeing what he does so that's you might find ways to better your own methods. I never leave comments on anything, but I feel it was the least I could do as a thank you and also as reassurance that you're on to something so keep it up. Below is are the main positives that appeal to me, as well as any negatives I found. ++ Video is thorough and well thought out and you gave very clear and easy to understand instructions. .... Breaking down how the penetration valve works was not necessary to make you're video, but its things like this that separate an awesome video from a lesser one. ++You explained briefly, yet throughly enough how the refrigeration system works to give me a clear understanding about what is going on. This will almost certainly help me in the future. I made this "positive" separate from 'being thorough' because it's a bit more than that. Explaining the operation/function of the system is not instructional, it's educational. You're teaching people something that they probably didn't even realize its importance and I can assure you that including this in the video gave anyone with little to no prior knowledge on the subject the confidence to actually start the project. It is for these reasons why this simple part of the vidie was my favorite part. ++There are many more positives but I don't want this to be too long winded, but like your video, the right amount of explanation can be just what you're looking for sometimes.. So with that I'll go into the negatives. I honestly cant claim anything to be a true "negative" but there was a one thing that I personally wanted to see here and did not. -You did not show what the end of the fitting looks like on the fitting that connects to the penetration valve. I think I understand why you didn't; because you mentioned a couple times how you recommend people buy the exact setup - and in that case, it's almost irrelevant how it looks. But in my case, mine already has a valve installed and I will need to make sure I get the proper fitting. Like I said, this is almost not even worth mentioning, but had you shown the inside of the fitting end, I wouldn't have been able to mention a single thing that could be improved upon. In closing, you crushed it man, and are tied for #1 out a several hundred people I've watched do instructional videos. I am actually making the assumption you make videos, maybe this was the only one and it could have been 5 yrs ago, I didn't even look. I will now and if I see you do make videos, I will also send the video I refer to as being tied for the #1 best instructional video. So if you've made it this far, you're either a dedicated reader or what I have to say is just interesting but either way I thought it only fitting(no pun intended) for me to offer a thorough review with added notes and information. Good luck and j hope this was helpful, becuase yours was to me and I am very thankful to you and that there is someone out there with enough common sense to say and show the things that need it and to leave out the details that can be left out that have absolutely no effect on the comprehension of the subject. Awesome job 👏👍
I just recharged my Maytag refrigerator using the kit from your link and by watching your video 5 times before hand. Thanks a million. My frog went from kindda cool to ice cold.👍🏾💯
This video was extremely helpful. It gave me the confidence to tackle my refrigerator. I am happy to say I successfully recharged my refrigerator and it works better than new. Thank you.
I love how this guy points out how professionals miss out steps because they want to look superior but don't want you to do it yourself lol. Hats off to this TH-camr for being honest.
Thank you! I replaced a couple of components in a Whirlpool fridge that is less than 3 years old and took your advice to also do the following: 1.) Added Leak Saver and 2.1 ounces of refrigerant (1 ton unit version, ill update to make sure it actually worked, i used soapy water to look for leaks, but seems it was in areas that were not exposed. I also used steel wool to clean the copper tubing as it seems to really leave a smooth surface. 2.) Installed nylon washers in freezer and fridge hinges as they had sagged and there were gaps in the seals. 3.) Cleaned condenser coils and other components with dawn. I will be going back to this place on Monday and replacing/fixing the freezer seal as this refrigerator was really built poorly as far as structure which is most likely why it developed a refrigerant leak. I will update after i do a pressure test. Thanks again😊
This video really helped me restore an old leaky freezer so I can get a year or two out of it before spending on a new one. One thing I should mention is that the peircing valve did introduce a slow leak on my system so be careful to get a really good seal on it. Otherwise, like me, you will be refilling every 3-6 months
Excellent Video - Fridge was only a few years old so when the freezer would not go below 40 degrees I did not suspect low 134A. Changed the temperature sensor, evaporating fan, mother board, inverter board. Followed this video and yes, it was in need of 134A. - and now 0 degrees! Thanks. This Samsung keeps me very busy with sensors and defrost heaters.
Nice video. Here are a few things that need to be added. First thing you need to realize is you will void your warranty doing this. 1st on finding the correct line to install the valve, the smaller line goes to the condenser coil which is the high pressure side and if is running may be warmer. The larger line which will be going into the refrigerator freezer area is the low pressure side which is the correct line to connect to and it may be colder if the refrigerator is running. 2nd is one a few people have already committed on is you need to purge the hose of air by opening the valve on the can to allow Freon to fill the line before securing it tightly to the piercing valve. 3rd All new Freons are made of more than one gas which means they all have to be charged with the can upside down which puts the Freon into the system in a liquid state. If you put it in with the can upright it puts gas into the system which may not be the correct mixture of all the components. Now maybe the most important thing is you have not repaired the problem. If you need Freon that means you have a leak and if you don't seal the leak it will leak again and again. If you end up loosing a lot of food because it is not cold enough you may wish you had just thrown it out and bought another refrigerator.
I'd like to add on your comment that r134a (which is the case in the video) has to be charged as vapor in the suction line. so you HAVE to put the can upright while charging. what you're saying is true for mixture refrigerants like r410a.
I'm pretty sure he was assuming that people had enough sense to know that if your unit was still under wwarranty, to have the company fix it for free. But apparently they're are a couple of people, (not referring to you), that would need that explained, unfortunately. So yeah, they would be good to add.
Thanks for this comprehensive video! I have a 12V Whynter fridge that would not cool. Followed your directions. The hardest part was finding which line was which but as you stated, after leaving the fridge on for a while, felt one pipe was warmer than the other. Was going to throw this fridge away but now it looks like I've given a second life! Thank you!
Great video - your instruction helped me avoid mistakes with locating the piercing valve and avoid adding too much refrigerant. I did a fair amount of research (I just wanted to learn more), and there are a couple of points that are important / critical that are not mentioned: 1. Make sure the can is upright - it is important to not let liquid refrigerant into the suction line as it could damage the compressor. - @hot spur comment below is incorrect about holding the can upside down (as done with an auto a/c unit) - also your video shows the can on it’s side 2. After opening the can of refrigerant (as long as not Freon), slightly loosen the connection at the bullet valve to purge out air (before opening the bullet valve). - This helps eliminate / minimize any air getting into the system - air and moisture are bad. - This was also mentioned in comments below... 3. Frost / Ice on the suction line is a good indication if the system is charged properly or not (but not always). If you see frost or ice build up on the suction line, especially if it goes all the way to the compressor, and if the compressor has frost on it, then the system is very likely overcharged (may be a symptom of something else however). This is bad because liquid refrigerant could be getting to the compressor, and also the cooling efficiency will be poor (compressor will run longer). I charged my system to what @Vegas RoManiac stated (2 PSI) and I have frost only a few inches below where the suction line comes out of the box - I believe this is close to good. Attached is a link for Frigomatic R134a recharging guidelines, using frost as the indicator. It is very informative, and explains what to do if the system is overcharged as well: www.veco-na.com/images/Refrigerant_R134a_charging_guidelines.doc Thanks again for your video @Vegas RoManiac...I’m not sure if I would have recharged my system without seeing this. It also saved me a ton of time determining what was needed to be purchased (glad you also listed the adapter cap that you didn’t need for your can). For reference, the bullet valve I ordered was BVP31, rather than BPV31D, which is cheaper and with faster delivery - it appears the D signifies a display pack (so same valve).
This is an excellent video for us dummies. He should add additional instructions on how to pull a vacuum before adding freon as suggested by other commenters.
Thank you for making this excellent video and for helping me fix my refrigerator by adding freon. I never would have attempted this before watching your video with it's step by step instructions. My family and I are so happy to have our refrigerator working again. Thank you for providing links to the items that I needed to buy to get the job done. Vegas RoManiac Rules!
Thank you for all the advice, I tested all electronic part and everything was ok so I tried adding freon using you video and it woked perfectly. Thanks for giving me the confidence of trying this, saved me a new fridge! Only thing I added is purging the line of air before adding freon as other noted.
Had a repair guy come to give me an estimate to repair a cold freezer/warm fridge condition. He said that the fridge compressor is a "Sealed System" and it appears that the system is out-of or low of freon. He said that to replace the compressor would be about $1000...I am very glad I watched this video... I used the links listed here to order my freon recharge kit... Thanks so much for a top tier repair video.
Yep, I worked for bestbuy, we had to sell a compressor and installation on every job, or just got get a new fridge from us.. Haha a line I'll never forget
Thank you so much dear friend. The world is a better place for such good hearted people living in. We feel loved. Good luck to you and God bless. Cheers. 👍😊
Very well done presentation. Helped me save over $200 on my French door LG that strung a leak after only 3 years of service. Used a portable torch and solder to fix the leak and then followed this video to recharge the refrigerator. Thanks a lot. I spent over $2000 on that refrigerator and not ready to junk it yet.
This the best video by far. Nice job! This is the instruction and guidance you have to wait 30 minutes on the phone or pay a local guy a 100 bucks to get.
My refrigerator was intermittently working, sometimes no cooling at all sometimes was cooling but not down to the set temperature. I followed this video and it started working immediately. I was a bit scared at the beginning but now I am not! I truly appreciate your simple but detailed video! Big Thank You!
I would recommend to keep the can upright to charge on the suction side. If charging on the liquid line turn the can upside down. The can will have gas on top and liquid on the bottom. The piercing valve is a great idea. I didn't know about that. this video was super helpful. Thanks so much!
End of Sept., 2021 Too many comments to go through, but you did not say why this and my Samsung is low on coolant. Leak? Stingy fill at the factory? Starting to work on it. Will make another post maybe when done and evaluated. Oh, great video! Oct. 9, 2021 Finished the work and will put in logical numbered order: 1. In one week my 5 year old Samsung 30 cu. ft. refrigerator went from settings to 47-50+ degrees and freezer settled at mid 20's. Found this video while trying to troubleshoot. 2. Bought the parts mentioned above ($35). 3. Installed piercing valve and hooked everything up. Reading -10 on gauge. Added refrigerant for 3 or 4 minutes and nothing was happening. I suspected I might have a leak somewhere in my fill apparatus including valve. To overcome this I added more volume at a time and it gradually made the 1.5 to 2 psi. I immediately closed the needle valve. About 8 oz. R-134a was used. 4. Turned on the refrigerator and set temps to freezer 0 and refrigerator 40 degrees. 5. I about fell over from shock! The temps came down to the settings. 6. Left the refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen for about 11 days. After that time the temperature remained 0 degrees for freezer and 40 degrees for fridge. High temps for both were 5-7 and 50 degrees. I think this only happened when the fridge was defrosting because the temps always came down fast and stayed at the set temp. 7. On this unit the condenser fan draws air from many holes in the back panel, but only side openings to expel heat. So I used a Dremel cutoff wheel and made some exhaust holes in the back panel on the opposite side to increase airflow. This was not the problem though. I just wanted better flow. 8. There was some frost and water dripping from low pressure line. Not enough to run over the lip of the floor panel, but I insulated the line with 1/4 inch neoprene tubing and the piercing valve with neoprene tape. Now no condensation to worry about. 9. This fridge is a beast to move. Because I wanted easier access I placed large furniture sliders on the feet to make it easier to move. 10. How long will this last? I hope longer than 6 months or I think a new one is in store for us. 5 more years would be great! With the insulation it cost my time and $45. This saved me a ton of money.
Thank you for dumbing it down for us! I think I was able to fix my freezer! My father-in-law just gave us a chest freezer that he has not used in a long time. When we plugged it in, it ran, but did not cool. Thank goodness I found your video. I just recharged the R134a refrigerant using your instructions, with the addition of purging the line as instructed by other commentators. It has only been less than an hour and the freezer temp is down to 34 degrees. Hopefully it will continue to cool down to 0 degrees and I don’t have to pay a lot of money to get it repaired by a technician. Two notes: 1) I did have to buy a dva1 adapter for the resealable cans. I bought the adapter at Autozone where I bought the R134a. 2) I learned that I had to loosen the connection from the dva1 adapter to the gauge a little for the refrigerant to come out properly. When it was too tight, the refrigerant was not coming out well. 3) I used the R134a refrigerant with UV dye so that I could check for any leaks. Thanks again for your very helpful video!
Excellent DIY video! I watched it twice to get it all in and made sure I had the parts needed using the links before I started. I finished the job a little over 1 hour ago and my freezer is working great. My ice cube trays are freezing nicely and more importantly my beer is now cold. Nice job Mr Vegas RoManiac. Thanks.
This was really helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to show us how to do this ourself because company’s charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for something that takes them no more then 10-15 minutes.
Doing it correctly takes more than 15 minutes. Doing it correctly we have to empty the refrigerant in a epa certified manor, put some dye in it, fill it with nitrogen, find the leak, fix the leak, put a vacuum on it to make sure it will hold with no leaking, refill it with refrigerant that recently cost me 150$ for a BBQ propane sized can. I have 40k dollars worth of tools, 20k dollars worth of parts, 2 million dollars worth of insurance. You tell me I'm overcharging by charging 600$ to do my job safely, efficient, and in a way that is environmentally safe..
Nice video, very easy to follow. I added the piercing valve about a year and a half ago; and charged it up. Now a year later freezer is not working as it should. Did a lot of reading and tore inside down to evaporator. I should have a light coat of frost on it. Mine was only half way down. So I will add some 134 to it. Yes a person should bled off the contaminants in the hose, it is easy to do. Comments where made that system has a leak; yes mine does. But for $20 I get another seven or eight months out of it. Seems to me to be a win. Also piercing valve was still in place which makes it an easy job. Now next day; water bottle in freezer is frozen, I am happy with repair.
I watched several videos and this one cleared several things up for me that I didnt understand from the others I've watched. Thank you for your effort.
You're a good guy. Thanks for the detailed instructions without language that upsets my wife and children. Especially thank you for not skipping anything.
Very informative, much thanks for showing everyone the parts, and knowledge required to perform this job. I just realized my fridge is still under warranty, so I’ll be waiting on the repair man as not to void the warranty, but I hope it is going to take em too long to get out here, sometimes the warranty company makes you wait 2 days or longer just to be contacted by the repair facility, who will then sit up an appointment to come out 3-7 days later..... so you fix it yourself or call another out of network repair guy, so you will void your appliances warranty.... None the less, thanks for this helpful video, I really enjoyed your take on a how to video!!
You do a very good job explaining this! I watched a number of video's and they ommited a number of things that may apply to some people. Thank you for making this video!
I agree with others who mention purging the line of air before tightening it to the piercing valve. Other than that this is by far the most detailed video on this repair. Got my fridge working again. It was way lower than the example in this vid, so I'm guessing there is a leak somewhere. But it should be easy enough to fill again. Thanks!
Vegas, I am so so glad you made this. Just finished recharging my $2000 Samsung and it is working. I expect to refill in a month since I have a Evaporator leak that is super slow so I will use a can of 134a that has Dye and stop leak. Your skills as a Instructor are phenomenal!!! Thank You
Great video! Very informative and clear instructions. Was about to give up after replacing thermostat, starter Relay and overload protector switch. After watching this feeling confident enough to give it a try. Whether it works for me or not I definitely learned something from your video. Great job Thank you!
This video was great, it worked fantastic when I did it. My fridge went from 40 degrees in the freezer to 4 degrees . It only cost me about $35 to do it, saved me so much money and time looking for another refrigerator.
This was an amazing video. I'm try to figure out why my refrigerator doesn't cool and have been viewing many how to videos.Your video was so detailed I believe if I ever need to use Freon this will be my go to video. Thanks
Thank you very much! You explained everything so clearly that I have confidence that I can check my refrigerator’s Freon and add if necessary. You’ve helped me save many dollars!
Thanks for this video. You saved me about $200. I did tap my can with the connector loose on the pierce valve to purge the new charging hose before I snugged it down. Worked great. My piercing valve does have a schraider valve in it like many do not though. I would suggest one of those over the open one. But your video was done very well, and again, saved me a lot of cash, and it was very easy to do.
I think you did an excellent job and I for one appreciate it. But I've never seen so much negativism from the pros who are afraid they're going to lose a few dollars.
Thank you so much for explaining everything layman terms. Your video's are very easy to follow. I can tell you know how to do your job. Thank you again. Ive subcribed to your videos. Ive also recommended your videos to others. 😅
I am a novice at this. When I first watched this video, half way through I turned it off because my head was spinning. However, I watched it 4 more times and each time it became clearer and clearer. I ordered the parts and with confidence was able to fix my refrigerator. This is an excellent video that explains what to do step by step. It is not difficult as long as you write down each step and apply them. Thank you very much.
Good job man I liked your video will help a lot of people, more people need to learn basic repairs and realize it's not that hard. Used to BE if you could read but now shot people can just watch, Makin it available to everyone, nice job
Thank you, I followed your video instructions. Worked great! I have a 20 year old Frigidaire Side by side. Was told the compressor was bad. I tried your method, saved me from buying a new replacement.
Good step by step tutorial. Note: 1. Hose should be purged before releasing charge. 2. System should be charged by weight of refrigerant, amount usually shown on fridge nameplate info. Since the system already had some unknown volume of charge, additional charge can be done by using pressure method. Standard pressure is 13 -14 psi for 134a. This is best done when fridge is just start up, room temperature inside. If fridge was already cool you will risk overcharging or undercharging using pressure charging method.
This was exactly what I needed. Easy and simple video. Just fixed my freezer and saved a lot of time and money. I cook from scratch so it’s imperative I have a good working freezer. Thank you.
" I cook from scratch" Ha! That one got me. You must live in a place where that's a distinguishing statement, To most of the world that's like saying "I pedal my bicycle with my own legs". Only a certain small segment would even understand. Not being critical, just amazed it's a thing.
How do you bleed the line..Let some Freon out of the can slowly before connecting the hose to the compressor line? This will displace the air in the hose. I plan on doing mine tomorrow
@@lbankol I was curious about this too. I think I would hook up the R134a tube to the piercing valve but leave it slightly loose. I would also make sure I haven't pierced through the pipe yet at this point. Then I would blow the R134a through the piping to let the air out and then close off the connection from the R134a pipe to the piercing valve. After that I will then pierce through the fridge tubing. Does that sound like it will work to purge the lines of air before connection to the system?
@@JoseJimenez-vw2cw once you connect the hose to the piercing valve and the freon bottle, open the freon bottle first, then open the valve connected to the piercing valve to let a little bit of freon in the air and quickly close it so as not to release a lot of freon to the atmosphere. This way the freon will push all the air inside the hose out.
Christopher Klein because once the needle pierces the bottle it’s still won’t let Freon out until you turn the nob on the hose that connected to the bottle to release some Freon. After releasing Freon, you loosen the connection that’s connected to the piercing valve on the fridge side to purge the line then tighten it back up. That way the only thing that’s trapped in the line is Freon and not air.
Thank you very much for showing how to add the refrigerator’s Freon in details. I have the confidence to do it after watching your tutorial. Thank you!
Excellent video. Thank you. Answered all my questions. Now I will go revive my old fridge that wont spy on me. 🤔 And since ya cant buy a freezer these days bcs of the panic I can now revive my old freezer too... Thanks.
Extremely helpful. Was about to add freon to a Ac unit that did not need freon! I understand perfectly how to do this now. Very well done video. Sometimes cleaning are all these old units need. I am referring to AC window units. Although now I could recharge a fridge with freon if necessary
Thank you for your video, you saved me thousands of dollars on a new fridge. At least for now, everything is freezing rock hard. A++++ video. 👍👍👍 Thank you!
I spent several hours trouble shooting my 11 year old Kenmore Elite French door bottom freezer model number 795.79773.900. I even ordered a new circuit board which ended up being not being the solution(in the process returning it). Last resort was to try the coolant. I watched the video multiple times and ordered all the parts. By the way Granger(local supply store) has the piecing valve if you can't wait for Amazon. I even ordered a Samsung fridge at Lowes if this didn't work. Well, many thanks to Vegas RoManiac! My fridge was almost empty of R134. So far so good, I now have a perfectly operating refrigerator. However, I will still use my backup fridge in the basement for a couple of week to see if the coolant leaks out. Only suggestion is to purge the supply line from the can of R134(air) before beginning the actual process. Just attach it but don't tighten it to the piercing valve mechanism and turn the handle for a few seconds. You might see a bit of r134 escaping from the end of the plastic line. Fantastic video, hopefully my system stays sealed. Just finished cancelling my new fridge order at Lowes($2300). : )
@@VegasRoManiacReviews Wondering if I should have used R134 with sealant added in? If there is a small leak I assume this would fix that issue, or is it bad for the system? Thanks.
THanks a lot....i have searched a lot Regarding gas charging..atlast i got an apt one....hope you upload more regarding refrigeration.... open chillers, deep freezers, cabinet freezers......HATS OFF TO YOU
I have listened to 3 minutes of this and already I'm lost!! Stop saying your making this easy because your not. Terms like piercing valve is discerning.
sorry there is no app for this !
Easy to do , watch the video, after you pierce can, back out handle to flow into freezer .take your time
I'm sorry but he explains things extremely simply and this is the best video on this topic I've found on TH-cam. Piercing valve? Doesn't matter if you didn't know what it means - he shows you exactly what it is, what it's for, and how it works.
I disagree with Jeckee Son... I'm a 60-year-old gal who fixed her freezer after watching this guy's video. If I can do it, you can, too. THANK YOU, Vegas RoManiac! For the owners of older, out-of-warranty freezers, this video is GOLD.
I also read the comments below, too, and found one about bleeding the air from the hose gauge before opening the piercing valve to prevent air from entering the system. and so I added that step to the process described in the video. Search below for the instructions from @farm dog in a response to bum-bum bigelow.* My 9-year-old deep freeze is now consistently below zero, humming along like a champ.
Some people complain in the comments that there may still be a leak. I can live with a slow leak. Like I said, the freezer is 9-years-old and the leak is probably a very slow one. I'll watch the temp and if it gets warmer I'll add more freon. If it leaks quickly, I'll get freon that has that UV dye in it and look for the leak that way.
*(Specifically, Farm Dog says "...open the valve on the freon can and slightly unscrew the charging hose connected to the piercing unit. be sure that the piercing needle is closed so as not to let the air on the hose enter the system. you will hear that there is a bit of pressure escaping from the slightly opened hose.close it after roughly 2 to 3 seconds to purge the air out. now you can start charging. thats how you do it..." )
Thanks for the clear explanation! Great video!
As a military jet engine mechanic and detail oriented, I have to say THIS VIDEO IS "THE BEST" ONLINE. Most descriptive and detailed for the layman who has never repaired a refrigerator. Going to make the repair with confidence now since watching this video. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Yes agreed ..make it very simplistic just in case someone skips a step
He forgot to tell you a VERY IMPORTANT PART !😥 which is to bleed out the air from the line before opening the valve to the copper pipe, if you don’t do that it will damage the compressor!
I agree well put together video instruction on something that can be or seem sophisticated !
Never forget to purge your line before charging with Freon (forcing all air out of lines so none goes into your sealed system). Just done by loosening the connection to the piercing valve until you just see some refrigerant coming out. Quickly tighten back up and you’re now purged.
Yep, A must
On the can? And before its hooked up you mean? Won't air just flow tight back in? Or is it a one way valve?? By reading what you wrote I'm assuming i hook up the gauge to the can, pierce my can by screwing all the way down, crack it a bit so freon shoots out of the end just in the open air, then hook up the other end to the piercing valve I installed on refrigerator...is this correct?
@@jeybird6276 you bet! Otherwise an amount of atsmosphere equivalent to the volume of the tubing will be added to your sealed system, this is not good.
excellent point. Thank you
@@jeybird6276 Purging - loosen the line connection slowly, the second! you hear a ''Psst' type sound, it's purged!😹 quickly! re-tighten line!...('sound' is same like a bike/car tyre valve!)
This is the best twelve minutes I've ever spent to save my fridge.
Great simple explanation, it's now cooling like it should.
Watched again as I charged my 14 yr old fridge...held for a few years getting low again ...freezer symptoms low ice output...soft ice cream .so adding a few lbs again...great video thank you!!
Excellent video. Made for a very easy fix. Everyone who's watching - check the pressure rating on your compressor. Mine runs normally at +4 to +7 psi. It's a really big fridge so I did have to dump an entire can in. Being patient and adding a little at a time is well worth the wait.
If you put the whole can in your in trouble. Your refrigerator only uses a few ounces for a full charge.
I followed this video exactly as he described the procedure and everything worked perfectly. I've watched several videos of this procedure and this one is BY FAR THE BEST ONE. Defining which line to pierce and where to pierce it is certainly the most important part of this process, closely followed by the emphasis upon introducing the R134a GRADUALLY and in short bursts so as to not overcharge the system. Be sure to clean/sand the line thoroughly so that you have a nice secure connection for the piercing valve, as that valve will remain on the appliance for the rest of it's useful life. Nicely done video.
I'm glad that this video exists because there are companies that will charge hundreds of dollars to make this repair. Is it possible to get your help?
@@kimberlywhiteking4408 sure!
This is good instruction.
I can add a few things more from the experience I had after I followed the instruction.
- Make sure that the evaporator coils (which are located behind the freezer compartment) are entirely ice-free before you add freon. If not, you may add far too much freon to the system (as did I) while nevertheless at the same time seeing the pressure in the suction line settle down to about 2 psi in the suction line. After I did that, I observed immediately (with puzzlement) that the exterior of the suction line iced up all the way to the compressor, and that the region of the compressor around where the suction line enters the compressor soon iced up too - which I learned later that evening is generally a good indication that there is too much freon in the system. I did not confirm that I had added too much freon until the following day when it was clear to me that the temperatures inside the fridge and freezer compartments were still not getting low enough. Then I unplugged the refrigerator, and then I removed the back interior panel of the freezer compartment, and then I waited about 6 hours until the warm ambient air had melted all the ice on the evaporator coils. (You don't have to remove the back interior panel of the freezer compartment like I did - instead you can just leave the refrigerator unplugged, with the freezer door open for about 24 hours in a warm room.) Then I plugged the refrigerator in again. Then I reattached the freon hose and gauge, and then I opened the bullet piercing valve, and then I saw that the pressure in the suction line was about +40 psi (instead of 2 psi, which is the pressure I thought I had left in the suction line the previous day) !!!!!. The next thing I did was to let out excess freon. To do that, I loosened one of the connections of the gauge-hose for a couple of seconds at a time, each time letting the needle of the pressure gauge settle down before releasing more freon, until the settled pressure in the suction line was 2 psi. CAUTION: If you let freon out of a loosened connection in that way, the connector will get very cold immediately - and so you should wear insulating gloves (say fabric or leather) for when you loosen and tighten the connection, in orser to avoid getting frostbite on your fingers.
- If you use a self-sealing can of 134a refrigerant (freon), you will need to use an adapter between the can and the hose. You can buy the adapter from an auto parts store for about $3. (If the can of freon is not self-sealing, in that case you will not need that additional adapter.)
- When you are adding freon to the suction line, remember to shake the can every few minutes, and to hold the can upside down while you let freon into the suction line. At first I didn't do that, and I think that consequently I was adding only gas instead of liquid freon, and consequently at first I couldn't make the pressure in the suction line increase much.
- After you first connect the gauge and hose to the bullet piercing valve and to the can of freon, make sure that the tapping valve (which opens and closes the top of the can of freon) is firmly closed. After I first connected the hose and gauge to the bullet piercing valve and to the can of freon, unknown to me the tapping valve was not quite fully closed. As a consequence the pointer of the gauge immediately started to move to show steadily increasing pressure - and at the time I didn't understand the reason. After a minute or so I realized that the tapping valve must have been slightly open. After I firmly closed the tapping valve and then briefly loosened the connection to the bullet piercing valve (to let out freon) the pointer moved back to indicate 0 psi, and stayed there.
- Before you open the bullet piercing valve for the first time (to measure and monitoe the pressure inside the suction line) first loosen the connector to the bullet piercing valve and then open the tapping valve briefly in order to flush the air out of the hose and gauge and replace it with freon. Then tighten the connector to the bullet piercing valve. That way, you will introduce as little air and water vapor as possible into the refrigeration loop.
Thanks for the advice.
After giving it a minute I thought why would you need to fill up a refrigeration system if the system is totally sealed wouldn't this suggest a leak?
@@obviouslytwo4u no such thing as a perfect seal, but one that takes years to effect system is normal
I wish I could add picture attachments for clarity.
I bleeded air out of my line by opening up the self sealing can with the adapter in the links above.
I bleeded the air out by leaving the end of the hose connection above slightly open with respect to the piercing adapter.
Once I did this I closed the connection by tightening the nut at the end of the hose.
The problem is, unlike the video my pressure gauge shot up to the 70-80 psi range when I did this.
As soon as you hook up the adapter mentioned above it blows out R134a regardless of piercing needle valve position.
The instructions on the adapter say the valve should be closed or turned to the down position (but I think it's referring to non-piercing styles) before attaching the hose to the adapter.
I have a self sealing can, it was an EPA requirement 2018 and onwards I believe.
I followed instructions to the tooth.
The issue I have is my gauge can't get to 0 psi or below without me actually disconnecting the hose/adapter attached to the R134a can. So how can I figure out if I'm charging the right amount. I even opened up the piercing valve connection and the gauge remained at a high pressure.
I did notice the gauge go up slightly as I tried to adjust need valve, but I disconnected soon because I did not want to overfill the system.
Any thoughts?
Link to pics:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oiiX9Z-L93M_3PllX67j6we9xU6ZjxwA?usp=sharing
Beaware releasing freon into the outside/ atmosphere is illegal. You must have a licensed trained technician recover it with properly used recovery system. Federal Law.
I followed your instructions to a tee, except for adding a step to bleed air out of the hose and filling it with refrigerant before connecting it to a piercing valve. Everything worked great, twin cooling french doors Samsung refrigerator came back to life and freezer that was a problem went from 65°F to -2°F in about 3 hours. Thank you again for posting this video! It is the best English language video on the subject on TH-cam now. Btw, I was willing to pay a professional to do this work, but all appliance service people in my area refused to work on Samsung or LG refrigerators, there must be an appliance brand war in progress, American vs. Korean. I hated to throw away otherwise a perfectly good fridge, so your advice and instructions helped not only me, but the environment!
I'm happy to hear that
Good step by step video for any person trying to work on a fridge, deep freeze, etc. Gives someone a good explanation of what to expect and breaks it down like you were talking to your kid, which makes it a good video for learning. Thank you!
I am so sad that I did not get your name, but I will use what is provided to us. of all I have heard about charging, refilling replacing the freon for 2 years, this is the best and most straightforward. If I had watched your video I wouldn't have tossed my refrigerator last year. thank you a billion times and please continue bringing new ideas. not new ideas but you get those ideas and present them to us. you did not bring something new, but you helped us by explaining it in a simplified /simple way. it seems you are a teacher or a parent. appreciate man. 2 thumbs up and pray that you live long too.
Very happy to have you here man. And thank you for the kind message ..
WOW! This Actually worked on my French door ridge and freezer. I have never done any kind of appliance repair work and I was extremely intimidated but this video was a huge help and the tools you suggest did exactly what I needed them to do.
Awesome man, glad it worked for you
This video saved me from buying a $2,'500 frig. My frig is overall in good shape but it's over 10 years old and over the past few months it was running more than usual and then it was running all the time until one day ice was melting from the ice maker. I went to TH-cam and found this video, ordered the parts from the description, followed the instructions, and it's like FRIGIN' NEW! It's been a week now and it's still cooling. THANK YOU!!!!!
*FEEDBACK ON YOUR VIDEO*
5 of 5 stars - you done a great job and other instructional video TH-camrs should aspire to be more like you. Not only did you include the step i was unsure about, you gave a brief but clear description on how the system actually works - and as you obviously know, a job is much easier when you understand how something works and exactly what you're doing rather than just blindly following directions with no clue about why you're doing what you're being told to do. This was a big help to me and having seen hundreds of instructional videos on various topics, it is very refreshing to see one done with the right amount of explanation and detail (with exceptional video recording as well as preparation and execution). I have found but one other video done this well, which says a lot considering the number I've seen. I will send a link to that video in a separate comment in case you're interested in seeing what he does so that's you might find ways to better your own methods. I never leave comments on anything, but I feel it was the least I could do as a thank you and also as reassurance that you're on to something so keep it up. Below is are the main positives that appeal to me, as well as any negatives I found.
++ Video is thorough and well thought out and you gave very clear and easy to understand instructions.
.... Breaking down how the penetration valve works was not necessary to make you're video, but its things like this that separate an awesome video from a lesser one.
++You explained briefly, yet throughly enough how the refrigeration system works to give me a clear understanding about what is going on. This will almost certainly help me in the future. I made this "positive" separate from 'being thorough' because it's a bit more than that. Explaining the operation/function of the system is not instructional, it's educational. You're teaching people something that they probably didn't even realize its importance and I can assure you that including this in the video gave anyone with little to no prior knowledge on the subject the confidence to actually start the project. It is for these reasons why this simple part of the vidie was my favorite part.
++There are many more positives but I don't want this to be too long winded, but like your video, the right amount of explanation can be just what you're looking for sometimes..
So with that I'll go into the negatives.
I honestly cant claim anything to be a true "negative" but there was a one thing that I personally wanted to see here and did not.
-You did not show what the end of the fitting looks like on the fitting that connects to the penetration valve. I think I understand why you didn't; because you mentioned a couple times how you recommend people buy the exact setup - and in that case, it's almost irrelevant how it looks. But in my case, mine already has a valve installed and I will need to make sure I get the proper fitting. Like I said, this is almost not even worth mentioning, but had you shown the inside of the fitting end, I wouldn't have been able to mention a single thing that could be improved upon.
In closing, you crushed it man, and are tied for #1 out a several hundred people I've watched do instructional videos. I am actually making the assumption you make videos, maybe this was the only one and it could have been 5 yrs ago, I didn't even look. I will now and if I see you do make videos, I will also send the video I refer to as being tied for the #1 best instructional video. So if you've made it this far, you're either a dedicated reader or what I have to say is just interesting but either way I thought it only fitting(no pun intended) for me to offer a thorough review with added notes and information. Good luck and j hope this was helpful, becuase yours was to me and I am very thankful to you and that there is someone out there with enough common sense to say and show the things that need it and to leave out the details that can be left out that have absolutely no effect on the comprehension of the subject. Awesome job 👏👍
I looked to here and there are too many comments. Robert do you have the link to that other #1 video?
Different perspectives are always good.
Thanks.
I just recharged my Maytag refrigerator using the kit from your link and by watching your video 5 times before hand. Thanks a million. My frog went from kindda cool to ice cold.👍🏾💯
Awesome man
This video was extremely helpful. It gave me the confidence to tackle my refrigerator. I am happy to say I successfully recharged my refrigerator and it works better than new. Thank you.
I love how this guy points out how professionals miss out steps because they want to look superior but don't want you to do it yourself lol.
Hats off to this TH-camr for being honest.
Thank you! That’s how a TH-cam how to video should be made.
Thank you! I replaced a couple of components in a Whirlpool fridge that is less than 3 years old and took your advice to also do the following:
1.) Added Leak Saver and 2.1 ounces of refrigerant (1 ton unit version, ill update to make sure it actually worked, i used soapy water to look for leaks, but seems it was in areas that were not exposed. I also used steel wool to clean the copper tubing as it seems to really leave a smooth surface.
2.) Installed nylon washers in freezer and fridge hinges as they had sagged and there were gaps in the seals.
3.) Cleaned condenser coils and other components with dawn.
I will be going back to this place on Monday and replacing/fixing the freezer seal as this refrigerator was really built poorly as far as structure which is most likely why it developed a refrigerant leak. I will update after i do a pressure test.
Thanks again😊
This video really helped me restore an old leaky freezer so I can get a year or two out of it before spending on a new one. One thing I should mention is that the peircing valve did introduce a slow leak on my system so be careful to get a really good seal on it. Otherwise, like me, you will be refilling every 3-6 months
Great to hear!
Excellent Video - Fridge was only a few years old so when the freezer would not go below 40 degrees I did not suspect low 134A. Changed the temperature sensor, evaporating fan, mother board, inverter board. Followed this video and yes, it was in need of 134A. - and now 0 degrees! Thanks. This Samsung keeps me very busy with sensors and defrost heaters.
Nice video. Here are a few things that need to be added. First thing you need to realize is you will void your warranty doing this.
1st on finding the correct line to install the valve, the smaller line goes to the condenser coil which is the high pressure side and if is running may be warmer. The larger line which will be going into the refrigerator freezer area is the low pressure side which is the correct line to connect to and it may be colder if the refrigerator is running.
2nd is one a few people have already committed on is you need to purge the hose of air by opening the valve on the can to allow Freon to fill the line before securing it tightly to the piercing valve.
3rd All new Freons are made of more than one gas which means they all have to be charged with the can upside down which puts the Freon into the system in a liquid state. If you put it in with the can upright it puts gas into the system which may not be the correct mixture of all the components.
Now maybe the most important thing is you have not repaired the problem. If you need Freon that means you have a leak and if you don't seal the leak it will leak again and again. If you end up loosing a lot of food because it is not cold enough you may wish you had just thrown it out and bought another refrigerator.
I'd like to add on your comment that r134a (which is the case in the video) has to be charged as vapor in the suction line. so you HAVE to put the can upright while charging. what you're saying is true for mixture refrigerants like r410a.
I'm pretty sure he was assuming that people had enough sense to know that if your unit was still under wwarranty, to have the company fix it for free. But apparently they're are a couple of people, (not referring to you), that would need that explained, unfortunately. So yeah, they would be good to add.
Thanks for this comprehensive video! I have a 12V Whynter fridge that would not cool. Followed your directions. The hardest part was finding which line was which but as you stated, after leaving the fridge on for a while, felt one pipe was warmer than the other. Was going to throw this fridge away but now it looks like I've given a second life! Thank you!
Great video - your instruction helped me avoid mistakes with locating the piercing valve and avoid adding too much refrigerant. I did a fair amount of research (I just wanted to learn more), and there are a couple of points that are important / critical that are not mentioned:
1. Make sure the can is upright - it is important to not let liquid refrigerant into the suction line as it could damage the compressor.
- @hot spur comment below is incorrect about holding the can upside down (as done with an auto a/c unit)
- also your video shows the can on it’s side
2. After opening the can of refrigerant (as long as not Freon), slightly loosen the connection at the bullet valve to purge out air (before opening the bullet valve).
- This helps eliminate / minimize any air getting into the system - air and moisture are bad.
- This was also mentioned in comments below...
3. Frost / Ice on the suction line is a good indication if the system is charged properly or not (but not always). If you see frost or ice build up on the suction line, especially if it goes all the way to the compressor, and if the compressor has frost on it, then the system is very likely overcharged (may be a symptom of something else however). This is bad because liquid refrigerant could be getting to the compressor, and also the cooling efficiency will be poor (compressor will run longer). I charged my system to what @Vegas RoManiac stated (2 PSI) and I have frost only a few inches below where the suction line comes out of the box - I believe this is close to good. Attached is a link for Frigomatic R134a recharging guidelines, using frost as the indicator. It is very informative, and explains what to do if the system is overcharged as well:
www.veco-na.com/images/Refrigerant_R134a_charging_guidelines.doc
Thanks again for your video @Vegas RoManiac...I’m not sure if I would have recharged my system without seeing this. It also saved me a ton of time determining what was needed to be purchased (glad you also listed the adapter cap that you didn’t need for your can). For reference, the bullet valve I ordered was BVP31, rather than BPV31D, which is cheaper and with faster delivery - it appears the D signifies a display pack (so same valve).
What are those couple of points that are critical that should be considered?
@@sergiomaq5045 Number 1 and number 2 above.
This is an excellent video for us dummies. He should add additional instructions on how to pull a vacuum before adding freon as suggested by other commenters.
Thank you for making this excellent video and for helping me fix my refrigerator by adding freon. I never would have attempted this before watching your video with it's step by step instructions. My family and I are so happy to have our refrigerator working again. Thank you for providing links to the items that I needed to buy to get the job done.
Vegas RoManiac Rules!
Thank you for all the advice, I tested all electronic part and everything was ok so I tried adding freon using you video and it woked perfectly. Thanks for giving me the confidence of trying this, saved me a new fridge! Only thing I added is purging the line of air before adding freon as other noted.
We fixed our fridge yesterday. Thank you so much. Today work perfectly.
Had a repair guy come to give me an estimate to repair a cold freezer/warm fridge condition. He said that the fridge compressor is a "Sealed System" and it appears that the system is out-of or low of freon. He said that to replace the compressor would be about $1000...I am very glad I watched this video... I used the links listed here to order my freon recharge kit... Thanks so much for a top tier repair video.
Yep, I worked for bestbuy, we had to sell a compressor and installation on every job, or just got get a new fridge from us.. Haha a line I'll never forget
Thank you so much dear friend. The world is a better place for such good hearted people living in. We feel loved. Good luck to you and God bless. Cheers. 👍😊
Very well done presentation. Helped me save over $200 on my French door LG that strung a leak after only 3 years of service. Used a portable torch and solder to fix the leak and then followed this video to recharge the refrigerator. Thanks a lot. I spent over $2000 on that refrigerator and not ready to junk it yet.
This the best video by far. Nice job! This is the instruction and guidance you have to wait 30 minutes on the phone or pay a local guy a 100 bucks to get.
My refrigerator was intermittently working, sometimes no cooling at all sometimes was cooling but not down to the set temperature. I followed this video and it started working immediately. I was a bit scared at the beginning but now I am not! I truly appreciate your simple but detailed video! Big Thank You!
Thanks for the clear/concise video. I was able to repair my 20 year old fridge and buy myself more time to make a purchase decision.
I would recommend to keep the can upright to charge on the suction side. If charging on the liquid line turn the can upside down. The can will have gas on top and liquid on the bottom. The piercing valve is a great idea. I didn't know about that. this video was super helpful. Thanks so much!
this has to be the best diy video on this subject I've ever seen on TH-cam after searching for several days. thank you!
After watching this guy,you should just buy a new refrigerator and save your self a lot of problems.
End of Sept., 2021
Too many comments to go through, but you did not say why this and my Samsung is low on coolant. Leak? Stingy fill at the factory? Starting to work on it. Will make another post maybe when done and evaluated. Oh, great video!
Oct. 9, 2021
Finished the work and will put in logical numbered order:
1. In one week my 5 year old Samsung 30 cu. ft. refrigerator went from settings to 47-50+ degrees and freezer settled at mid 20's. Found this video while trying to troubleshoot.
2. Bought the parts mentioned above ($35).
3. Installed piercing valve and hooked everything up. Reading -10 on gauge. Added refrigerant for 3 or 4 minutes and nothing was happening. I suspected I might have a leak somewhere in my fill apparatus including valve. To overcome this I added more volume at a time and it gradually made the 1.5 to 2 psi. I immediately closed the needle valve. About 8 oz. R-134a was used.
4. Turned on the refrigerator and set temps to freezer 0 and refrigerator 40 degrees.
5. I about fell over from shock! The temps came down to the settings.
6. Left the refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen for about 11 days. After that time the temperature remained 0 degrees for freezer and 40 degrees for fridge. High temps for both were 5-7 and 50 degrees. I think this only happened when the fridge was defrosting because the temps always came down fast and stayed at the set temp.
7. On this unit the condenser fan draws air from many holes in the back panel, but only side openings to expel heat. So I used a Dremel cutoff wheel and made some exhaust holes in the back panel on the opposite side to increase airflow. This was not the problem though. I just wanted better flow.
8. There was some frost and water dripping from low pressure line. Not enough to run over the lip of the floor panel, but I insulated the line with 1/4 inch neoprene tubing and the piercing valve with neoprene tape. Now no condensation to worry about.
9. This fridge is a beast to move. Because I wanted easier access I placed large furniture sliders on the feet to make it easier to move.
10. How long will this last? I hope longer than 6 months or I think a new one is in store for us. 5 more years would be great! With the insulation it cost my time and $45. This saved me a ton of money.
I watched a lot of videos regarding refrigerator and this is the best video I watched so far. Thank you so much for this.
Thank you for dumbing it down for us! I think I was able to fix my freezer! My father-in-law just gave us a chest freezer that he has not used in a long time. When we plugged it in, it ran, but did not cool. Thank goodness I found your video. I just recharged the R134a refrigerant using your instructions, with the addition of purging the line as instructed by other commentators. It has only been less than an hour and the freezer temp is down to 34 degrees. Hopefully it will continue to cool down to 0 degrees and I don’t have to pay a lot of money to get it repaired by a technician. Two notes: 1) I did have to buy a dva1 adapter for the resealable cans. I bought the adapter at Autozone where I bought the R134a. 2) I learned that I had to loosen the connection from the dva1 adapter to the gauge a little for the refrigerant to come out properly. When it was too tight, the refrigerant was not coming out well. 3) I used the R134a refrigerant with UV dye so that I could check for any leaks. Thanks again for your very helpful video!
Excellent DIY video! I watched it twice to get it all in and made sure I had the parts needed using the links before I started. I finished the job a little over 1 hour ago and my freezer is working great. My ice cube trays are freezing nicely and more importantly my beer is now cold. Nice job Mr Vegas RoManiac. Thanks.
Awesome man make sure you drink a beer for mee too
Excellent instructions. Easy steps and now works like a new refrigerator. THANK YOU
This was really helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to show us how to do this ourself because company’s charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for something that takes them no more then 10-15 minutes.
It’s because more than likely you have a leak in the system.
Doing it correctly takes more than 15 minutes.
Doing it correctly we have to empty the refrigerant in a epa certified manor, put some dye in it, fill it with nitrogen, find the leak, fix the leak, put a vacuum on it to make sure it will hold with no leaking, refill it with refrigerant that recently cost me 150$ for a BBQ propane sized can.
I have 40k dollars worth of tools, 20k dollars worth of parts, 2 million dollars worth of insurance.
You tell me I'm overcharging by charging 600$ to do my job safely, efficient, and in a way that is environmentally safe..
One of the best tutorials I have seen with someone explaining a procedure. Great work
Nice video, very easy to follow. I added the piercing valve about a year and a half ago; and charged it up. Now a year later freezer is not working as it should. Did a lot of reading and tore inside down to evaporator. I should have a light coat of frost on it. Mine was only half way down. So I will add some 134 to it. Yes a person should bled off the contaminants in the hose, it is easy to do. Comments where made that system has a leak; yes mine does. But for $20 I get another seven or eight months out of it. Seems to me to be a win. Also piercing valve was still in place which makes it an easy job.
Now next day; water bottle in freezer is frozen, I am happy with repair.
I watched several videos and this one cleared several things up for me that I didnt understand from the others I've watched. Thank you for your effort.
Glad it helped
You're a good guy. Thanks for the detailed instructions without language that upsets my wife and children. Especially thank you for not skipping anything.
Very informative, much thanks for showing everyone the parts, and knowledge required to perform this job. I just realized my fridge is still under warranty, so I’ll be waiting on the repair man as not to void the warranty, but I hope it is going to take em too long to get out here, sometimes the warranty company makes you wait 2 days or longer just to be contacted by the repair facility, who will then sit up an appointment to come out 3-7 days later..... so you fix it yourself or call another out of network repair guy, so you will void your appliances warranty.... None the less, thanks for this helpful video, I really enjoyed your take on a how to video!!
You do a very good job explaining this! I watched a number of video's and they ommited a number of things that may apply to some people. Thank you for making this video!
I agree with others who mention purging the line of air before tightening it to the piercing valve. Other than that this is by far the most detailed video on this repair. Got my fridge working again. It was way lower than the example in this vid, so I'm guessing there is a leak somewhere. But it should be easy enough to fill again. Thanks!
That was excellent tutorial. Wonderful video and really good teacher. Thanks
Vegas, I am so so glad you made this. Just finished recharging my $2000 Samsung and it is working. I expect to refill in a month since I have a Evaporator leak that is super slow so I will use a can of 134a that has Dye and stop leak. Your skills as a Instructor are phenomenal!!! Thank You
I'm very happy it worked for you
Great video! Very informative and clear instructions. Was about to give up after replacing thermostat, starter Relay and overload protector switch. After watching this feeling confident enough to give it a try. Whether it works for me or not I definitely learned something from your video. Great job Thank you!
Did it work? I'm in the same boat... Im trying to bring back a magic chef mini fridge. Didn't replaced the thermostat though.
This video was great, it worked fantastic when I did it. My fridge went from 40 degrees in the freezer to 4 degrees . It only cost me about $35 to do it, saved me so much money and time looking for another refrigerator.
This was an amazing video. I'm try to figure out why my refrigerator doesn't cool and have been viewing many how to videos.Your video was so detailed I believe if I ever need to use Freon this will be my go to video. Thanks
You are my hero! I waited a week to post this, in case my "handyman skills" didn't work, but fridge is still running great! A+ video!
That's awesome man.. You did great it seems...
@@VegasRoManiacReviews Even my mother-in-law was impressed! (And she does not impress easily!😅)
Thank you very much! You explained everything so clearly that I have confidence that I can check my refrigerator’s Freon and add if necessary. You’ve helped me save many dollars!
Pls.por favor,don't just add refrigerant to the system,try to locate firstly the leak on the system and correct it before adding refrigerant
you saved my fridge, was not cooling.
it's now cooling, you are good man.
Many thanks
Thank you so much for this video you saved me $1400+!!! It was so easy!!!
Thanks for this video. You saved me about $200. I did tap my can with the connector loose on the pierce valve to purge the new charging hose before I snugged it down. Worked great. My piercing valve does have a schraider valve in it like many do not though. I would suggest one of those over the open one. But your video was done very well, and again, saved me a lot of cash, and it was very easy to do.
I think you did an excellent job and I for one appreciate it. But I've never seen so much negativism from the pros who are afraid they're going to lose a few dollars.
this was Ok, but flushing the line from the can to suction line is a must.otherwise humid air get inside the fridge
Well done. As a landlord of plenty of shacks, this trick will save me a pile. Thank you
i"m happy you liked it
Thank you so much for explaining everything layman terms. Your video's are very easy to follow. I can tell you know how to do your job. Thank you again. Ive subcribed to your videos. Ive also recommended your videos to others. 😅
I am a novice at this. When I first watched this video, half way through I turned it off because my head was spinning.
However, I watched it 4 more times and each time it became clearer and clearer. I ordered the parts and with confidence was able to fix my refrigerator.
This is an excellent video that explains what to do step by step. It is not difficult as long as you write down each step and apply them.
Thank you very much.
Good job man I liked your video will help a lot of people, more people need to learn basic repairs and realize it's not that hard. Used to BE if you could read but now shot people can just watch, Makin it available to everyone, nice job
I followed step by step to get a fridge gifted to my family to work! Thankyou so much, God bless you!
The Best video instruction on this topic! Thanks.
Thanks, Vegas. I followed your video and it was truly very easy. You saved me $1400 and my freezer is running smoothly and staying cold.
Appreciate this video. You're an excellent teacher and you know you're audience.
Used your method and performed a proper service on my fridge. Freezer is cold again and ice maker is turning out lots of ice. Thanks, bro!
I'm happy for you man
Thank you so much!! After an hour of looking at other videos I finally found yours!!!
Do not follow these instructions, totally wrong.
Thank you, I followed your video instructions. Worked great! I have a 20 year old Frigidaire Side by side. Was told the compressor was bad. I tried your method, saved me from buying a new replacement.
That's awesome glad it worked
Very well explained. Now I know how to fill up my fridge. Tks .
Clear, simple and concise information. Thanks! Fridge is doing what it should be doing, again.
That was very good instructions buddy simple and easy I appreciate that
Excellent tutorial. I searched for a detailed video and here i found it. Thanks alot
Thank you for showing me how to add gas to a fridge, Thank you friend.
How not to do it correctly you mean
Good step by step tutorial.
Note:
1. Hose should be purged before releasing charge.
2. System should be charged by weight of refrigerant, amount usually shown on fridge nameplate info.
Since the system already had some unknown volume of charge, additional charge can be done by using pressure method.
Standard pressure is 13 -14 psi for 134a. This is best done when fridge is just start up, room temperature inside.
If fridge was already cool you will risk overcharging or undercharging using pressure charging method.
I've been reading a lot and my understanding is when balance and running it should be around zero to +1 pressure.
best explanation ever....keep it up....now where is the leak?..... ;-)
This was exactly what I needed. Easy and simple video. Just fixed my freezer and saved a lot of time and money. I cook from scratch so it’s imperative I have a good working freezer. Thank you.
I'm glad it worked ...
" I cook from scratch" Ha! That one got me. You must live in a place where that's a distinguishing statement, To most of the world that's like saying "I pedal my bicycle with my own legs". Only a certain small segment would even understand. Not being critical, just amazed it's a thing.
That way so simple!! I really appreciate that!!
This is great and very easy to follow. I don’t get the comments that say they don’t understand! I’m about to do this now
Refrigirator system dont like humidity och air. You have to blow out the air from the hose before you connect to the system. Important step
How do you bleed the line..Let some Freon out of the can slowly before connecting the hose to the compressor line? This will displace the air in the hose. I plan on doing mine tomorrow
@@lbankol I was curious about this too.
I think I would hook up the R134a tube to the piercing valve but leave it slightly loose.
I would also make sure I haven't pierced through the pipe yet at this point.
Then I would blow the R134a through the piping to let the air out and then close off the connection from the R134a pipe to the piercing valve.
After that I will then pierce through the fridge tubing.
Does that sound like it will work to purge the lines of air before connection to the system?
YOU are the only guy that shows how to recharge a refrigerator, you are great!, thank you very much, you are the man!
One of the most detailed I was able to find. Thank you!
I watched your video today because I suspect my fridge to also be low on freon. Thank You. This method was very well instructed!
That looked remarkably easy. I'm much less intimidated. Hopefully this will do the trick.
The world is turning a better place to live thanks to good hearted people like you.
Thank you for the comment
The type of video I exactly look for
Thank you! You are a simple genius. Working good. Fridge mechanics hate you , but we love you. Thank you.
Yeah I live the comments from those hvac guys, " I've been fixing fridges for 30 years blah blah blah, " whay the hell r they watching my video than?
You should purge the air out of your hose before you open the piecing valve. Otherwise you introduced air into your system
what are the steps to correctrly air purge?
@@JoseJimenez-vw2cw once you connect the hose to the piercing valve and the freon bottle, open the freon bottle first, then open the valve connected to the piercing valve to let a little bit of freon in the air and quickly close it so as not to release a lot of freon to the atmosphere. This way the freon will push all the air inside the hose out.
Jamil Amarti if the refrigerant bottle is connected on the other end how is the air being purged?
Christopher Klein because once the needle pierces the bottle it’s still won’t let Freon out until you turn the nob on the hose that connected to the bottle to release some Freon. After releasing Freon, you loosen the connection that’s connected to the piercing valve on the fridge side to purge the line then tighten it back up. That way the only thing that’s trapped in the line is Freon and not air.
I am sure going to try to this tomorrow. Can you tell me exactly what to buy and where to get it at?
Thank you very much for showing how to add the refrigerator’s Freon in details. I have the confidence to do it after watching your tutorial. Thank you!
Excellent video. Thank you.
Answered all my questions. Now I will go revive my old fridge that wont spy on me. 🤔
And since ya cant buy a freezer these days bcs of the panic I can now revive my old freezer too... Thanks.
Right I've been looking every where for along time in michigan
Extremely helpful. Was about to add freon to a Ac unit that did not need freon! I understand perfectly how to do this now. Very well done video. Sometimes cleaning are all these old units need. I am referring to AC window units. Although now I could recharge a fridge with freon if necessary
HOW DID YOU GET THE AIR OUT OF THE HOUSE BEFORE PUMPING THE 134 A ?
Thank you for your video, you saved me thousands of dollars on a new fridge. At least for now, everything is freezing rock hard. A++++ video. 👍👍👍 Thank you!
Thanks man ,it's a very well done instructional video.
I spent several hours trouble shooting my 11 year old Kenmore Elite French door bottom freezer model number 795.79773.900. I even ordered a new circuit board which ended up being not being the solution(in the process returning it). Last resort was to try the coolant. I watched the video multiple times and ordered all the parts. By the way Granger(local supply store) has the piecing valve if you can't wait for Amazon. I even ordered a Samsung fridge at Lowes if this didn't work. Well, many thanks to Vegas RoManiac! My fridge was almost empty of R134. So far so good, I now have a perfectly operating refrigerator. However, I will still use my backup fridge in the basement for a couple of week to see if the coolant leaks out. Only suggestion is to purge the supply line from the can of R134(air) before beginning the actual process. Just attach it but don't tighten it to the piercing valve mechanism and turn the handle for a few seconds. You might see a bit of r134 escaping from the end of the plastic line. Fantastic video, hopefully my system stays sealed. Just finished cancelling my new fridge order at Lowes($2300). : )
Awesome man
@@VegasRoManiacReviews Wondering if I should have used R134 with sealant added in? If there is a small leak I assume this would fix that issue, or is it bad for the system? Thanks.
Great instruction!!! Thank you for sharing!
THanks a lot....i have searched a lot Regarding gas charging..atlast i got an apt one....hope you upload more regarding refrigeration.... open chillers, deep freezers, cabinet freezers......HATS OFF TO YOU
This was an excellent video. Thank you very much for this!