This was an R-290 cooler that was not working , as usual using a big picture mindset I found more than just the obvious. Despite all the worry they are really not a big deal at all to work on, just a basic refrigerator.
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00:00 INTRO
01:09 WTF MOMENT
02:02 FOUND THE FIRST ISSUE
03:25 BIG PICTURE FOR THE WIN
07:15 HONESTY TIME
08:02 R-290 RECOVERY PROCEDURE
11:01 ALWAYS SWEEP WITH NITRO
13:01 REMOVING THE HOT GAS LOOP
15:05 IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PREP
17:19 BRAZING TIME
22:36 ALWAYS INSPECT THE JOINTS
23:16 EVAP WORK
27:18 PRESSURE TEST
29:18 MICRON GAUGE PLACEMENT
30:36 VACUUM PROBLEMS
32:26 CHARGING WITHOUT GAUGES
33:49 IT'S ALIVE
34:58 CLSOING WORDS

This video is brought to you by sportlin quality, integrity and tradition all right today we have a dell field refrigerator that is not working properly, so the customer says that it's just not working looks like it hasn't been working for a while. Um looks like we've got. Some trash in here got some stuff to clean out um, but we need to figure out what's going on here. So let's go ahead and uh come on around back.

I have the unit plugged in and uh pretty beat up on the back of it. We come in here, uh we are plugged in, but we have no power here, or at least we have no display, i should say so. We need to open up the back of the unit. This is obviously an r290 cooler says so right there.

So we need to open up the back of the unit, get access to the temperature controller which, on this particular unit, if you don't understand the sequence of operation, the temp control on this guy is the brain. Does everything for you runs the evaporator fan motors compressor? All that so we're going to open the back of this guy up and have a look in there and see. What's going on all right, i got to be honest. I kind of already have an idea what's going on here when i walked up to the unit, because the restaurant informed me that they've been having a pest problem and they've been mitigating or trying to pre or eliminate this problem by um having their pest control company.

Come in and fog the restaurant basically to kill the pests. So in this case this right here is all roach crap and i don't see any active guys running around, which means that the restaurant has been doing looks like a good job. I don't know for sure. If the roach problem is what caused the issue or not, but it's pretty good odds that it is so we need to go ahead and test power at the temperature controller, because we should have power right here.

Therefore, the temp control should be calling. We need to look into that all right. We have 120 volts going to the controller and we have no display on the controller now this particular controller, if it was powered off at the power button, would have a single decimal on it and we have nothing. So we have a bad controller all right, but we're not going to stop there now the controller's bad, there's, probably nothing.

I can do you know to turn the system on really i mean i could jump stuff out, but the point that i want to make is we always want to look further look at the big picture. Okay, just because we have a bad controller. Now we're going to have to order that controller, we don't want to come back and find out that we have more problems. Okay, so we want to do everything in our power to look further right.

Look at the big picture and try to find any other potential problems so off the top of my head right now, i'm thinking we can run a leak detector across the box. Okay. Now it's not running we're not going to put gauges on it and check pressures, because it's not running, but at least i'm going to do a leak search on it. So we're going to get the leak detector out open up the evaporator and leak check.
The condensing unit we're also going to look at the hot spots on this particular unit. Right now, the hot spots are going to be that hot gas condensate heater and the evaporator - those are the two most common places for leaks, sometimes you'll see them at the compressor terminals to or compressor connections too. Okay, we have our evaporator right here. It's a capillary tube system.

I am using a combustible gas leak detector. It's the inficon gas mate start up at the refrigeration lines. Braze joints can always be a leak point something going on there. Okay, we want to look a little further into the sides.

It's a pretty good leak detector, so it usually picks them up pretty well, and then we bring this guy on to the bottom. Okay, we'll run it very slowly across the bottom. There we go we're picking up a leak in the evaporator, so we were picking it up over right in this area. Right here you got ta be careful because the leak detector will auto zero itself there.

We go, there's not really anything above that, so we know the leak is in the evaporator because we're not picking it up up here above that area. But if we go down there we can pinpoint it again here there. We go we're picking it up down here. So nothing up top right here.

We picked up a little trace of something up here earlier, but it's not really seeing that right now, but we're definitely seeing it right down in here confirm something like this is not really going to be a bubble thing, because we're not looking for an active joint. It's going to be something in the evaporator yeah, it's definitely picking it up. You can hear the leak detector speed up now, we're not going to start there um, but i'm gon na check on the back side and look at that hot gas condensate heater and the compressor terminals too. Okay, we're on the back of the box and we're gon na go.

Look at this condensate drain fan heater again, i'm telling you these are hot spots. Yep! It's going crazy in there definitely going crazy. So we got something going on at that condensate heater too, that we need to address now. Let's go and have a look at the compressor terminals.

Oh we better! Let this leak, detector, calm down, go, have a look at this compressor. I'm kind of checking on the bottom side of the insulation, not really picking anything up, um discharge lines on this side, it's usually the suction line. That's the problem on these guys and i'm not really seeing anything kind of moving the insulation with the tip of the leak detector yeah, i'm not seeing anything on there. So we've got a leak in the hot gas condensate.

We have a leak in the evaporator and we have a bad temperature controller. Now this is big picture stuff, so the temp control seems to be our problem: okay, because of their pest infestation that they've solved because there's no active pests anymore, but we looked further. Okay, we look at the big picture because there's nothing worse than ordering that part there's nothing i mean you know it is what it is, but ordering that part, because it's it's bad but then coming back out and the unit still doesn't work right, because it's also Low on refrigerant, so we can't predict everything. We can't find everything, but you don't just stop at the most obvious thing: do your due diligence and look into it? Okay, look a little bit further! All right! I got ta be honest with you guys, spoiler alert.
I already knew what was wrong with this unit because i already diagnosed it the other day, okay um and i actually got the customer to call the pest control company and uh. They fumigated they've been fema getting the restaurant like nightly for the last week and a half, so i actually have the parts i knew the condensate heater was leaking, but the exact process i just showed you guys, is exactly what i went through the other day. Okay, now here's another thing: this unit is technically under warranty, but warranty doesn't cover pest issues, but the warranty will cover the refrigerant leak problems, so the temperature controller and the sensors is going to be the responsibility of the customer. The liquid line, filter, dryer, the condensate heater and the evaporator is going to be the responsibility of the manufacturer, so we're going to get started on this repair.

This is an r290 system. Okay, you do not recover this refrigerant. You'd have to have very specialized equipment to do so. It is possible, but you got to have very specialized equipment.

You cannot use normal recovery machines and different things like that, because this is a hydrocarbon refrigerant. It is pure unodorized propane. You can't even smell it. Okay, so what we're going to do is we're going to go ahead and vent the charge into the atmosphere.

This is perfectly safe and legal. If you do it correctly, you want to make sure you're in a well ventilated area. Hence why i'm outside okay - i can do it in the restaurant too, but you typically want to have your leak detector running if you're in the restaurant and then anytime, the concentration gets high enough that it starts setting off the leak detector. Then you know it's time to slow down the venting of the refrigerant and go from there.

Normally, we wouldn't be just venting the refrigerant from the state that it's in with no process ports on it, but because i did the leak search. The exact same way that i just did it right now. I know that we're safe okay, so we're just going to go ahead and vent this refrigerant. So we're going to give this guy a cut and let the refrigerant out and then we'll get to changing all the components.

We've got a new evaporator, new dryer and then new condensate heater. So i just did it. I'm not gon na, like blast all the refrigerant out. I just did it to the point that it started to vent.
I'm not gon na turn the cutter anymore because it pierced the line and we're just gon na. Let it go and then once it's void of refrigerant, we will go ahead and uh get on changing out the parts. So, with a little work and a little bit of frustration and pushing and pulling, i found a bunch of little hidden screws back there and i was able to slide the skid out, because i was wondering why the suction line, usually the ports, are all up in The front - and it was like really difficult to get to the suction line process port, but you just slide this guy out a little bit. It's kind of being held up by the condenser because it's wedged in there.

So i'm going to try not to pull the whole thing out or we're really going to have to struggle to get it back in we'll get a process port braised onto this one, and then we'll go about cutting out the components and changing everything that we need To okay, we're going to get everything sanded up, so we can put a process port on it. Oh i'm gon na hook up the nitrogen, now put it on the uh braised setting you're gon na hook it up to here now i don't have anything connected, but we're going to go ahead and purge the system. Real quick just to vent some nitrogen through the system to kind of dissipate some of the, and i can feel nitrogen coming out the other side, just to kind of make sure that we're getting any. You know potential pockets of propane out of the picture.

Okay, coming through nice and good we're going to go ahead and put it on the braze function and we're going to braise this guy on always paying attention that there's the potential that something can ignite so we're just being ready for that. Take my rubber gloves off! So i don't melt them, i'm using a zero tip on my torch, very small flame. I can pinpoint the heat really well: okay, running it across the port to see if we get an active flame and we don't again, we are purging with nitrogen still so we're just going to braise on this service, fitting we're good we're good all right. So we got a service fitting on there, we'll cool it off and then now that we got that service fitting on there.

We can uh come down here and you can see it right there now that we got that on there once we cool it off. We can br purge with nitrogen the entire time through that and still actively change the dryer and be able to get into that okay, so we leave the nitrogen just flowing just to kind of get rid of anything. It's cooled enough that i'm going to throw this guy on there and then now we can get ready to start changing everything else, all right! So that's pretty good! So now we're going to go ahead and unsweat the condensate loop and then we'll work on the dryer and stuff here in a minute too. Now there might be a little bit of a flame out, but because it's so small in there i'm not going to try cutting out the condensate loop.
It shouldn't be a problem because i already purged nitrogen so just go, for it see what happens just always be prepared for the worst kind of a thing should be. Okay, though there we go, came right out, no worries undo this one real, quick, we're keeping everything intact, because this is a warranty job. So we want to return the part, so they can evaluate them if they want them there, we go condensate heaters out now. We just got ta fish it out of there and get the new one fished in there.

Unfortunately, it looks like i got. Ta pull this whole condensing unit out i didn't want to, but i don't think there's another way to get this guy out nope that sucks. Oh well, whoop get some cardboard, that's pretty nasty, so this guy sand it up before i get it in there. We should be able to pipe right into it.

I always sand my joints, even if it's clean, copper get any oils and imperfections off of there. Let's get some cardboard for all that nastiness down there. Okay, now is the interesting part getting this back up into there, there's that okay, so that guy's in now we need to get this drain pan back in, i kind of feel like i should clean the drain. Pan, it's pretty nasty, i'm gon na try to find a hose and rinse it out.

Okay, i got some cardboard under there rinsed out the drain. Pan i'm gon na fish, this guy back up into here, there's little hooks on it. We can get these back in little plastic hooks there we go there, we go. All right now should be able to get this guy back.

I think it's supposed to go all right kind of got it propped up there we're going to get the dryer installed so that way we can do the brazing all at once. So this one needs to be the back one back here, for the discharge line needs to be pushed in a little bit better, but we'll get to it. It's all good. So i kind of made a little bit of a mistake when i ordered the parts i forgot to order a capillary tube, but we're probably going to be okay.

The cap tube's not the problem, but it's one of those things. If you're changing the evaporator coil, you should change the capillary tube same thing. If this thing had an expansion valve, i would change the expansion valve too. So that was my mistake, but we should be okay, just sanding up the dryer.

This is a special dryer. You want to go oem with the dryers, because uh the capacity, if you try to put a three cubic inch dryer in there. You might have a problem with this one because it has too much volume and it would take more refrigerant okay, so we are still actively purging with nitrogen. Okay.

There we go that's on this guy's a little hot, so we're going to go ahead and cool this off might be a little difficult getting on, but it'll be okay. Try to push it in! If you can, instead of having to heat it up, it can become problematic if you have to heat it up, but it kind of oblonged itself. So you can try to straighten it out. If it doesn't work, then we'll just have to heat it up and push it in perfect.
There we go and then the capillary tube don't see anything wrong with it. Nice and clean fish that guy in there should be good to go push right in so no sweat all right. So again, we're still purging with nitrogen, so this guy pushed in all the way. So i don't need to worry about this.

One just go ahead and raise it up there. We go we're gon na go ahead and do this hard one in the back, because i like to get the difficult ones done: first go ahead and take off my glove back there. There we go and let's try to push this guy in a little bit. It's kind of tricky back here, so kind of tricky tricky.

It's not going to be perfect, try not to burn the place down there. We go. It went right in just needed a little heat now we're gon na get some solder on it again, cleaning everything before that way. When we're in there we're good to go.

Okay, that's good! Now we're going to do the last part where the dryer's at and you can see the little bit of smoke coming out because we're purging with nitrogen still that's good whoops got a little crazy with the torch, it's okay, that is a plastic drain pan. So i was being very careful not to heat that up. It's all good life happens not always perfect, running a little hot on my flame, because i want to be quick, not too concerned about protecting the dryer. It should be fine notice how i'm putting the bead on top of the dryer and then letting the solder kind of flow in looks like i'm going to need to grab something because it's kind of moving so i'll grab it and kind of make sure that we Push it on there we go there, we are draw it in we're good.

That should be good the oxygen coolant. It's not perfect, guys can't always be crazy. Good everything looks good now before i cool it, we're going to inspect all the joints with a mirror. Every joint i'm looking for a cap all the way around, i'm not into the whole being sure it just flows on the inside.

I want to see outside too, because, if it's flowing on the outside, the odds are it's flowing on the inside. So i know that's not what they teach in school, but that's how i brace we're float all the way around nice and good, not the prettiest in the world, but that's life. It is what it is. Okay, we're looking good all of these braised joints.

Look good! Don't see any problems, so we're gon na go ahead and jump on the evaporative coil now so for this guy we're just gon na cut it right. Here we go all right and then that way it's out of the way we can sand up that capillary tube and then sweat it and pull it out wow. That was barely in there like 16th of an inch, and we are changing these probes by the way. So that's why i'm not really too i'll move concerned about of the way just for giggles anyways, good josh.
That was difficult. It really shoved that cap tube into that thing. I mean that's good. You just didn't expect it to be that difficult.

Okay, that evap will come right out now shouldn't be a problem at all, just couple screws. So so i don't see any problems with the capillary tube, so it's fine the way that it is we're just gon na shove that guy in and get it soldered in verify that guy's good before we go any further, a little tricky yeah, nice and good. That's in now we'll get the other one on, there's always a possibility that guy might pop out, but, let's hope, not ah yeah, it's popping out. Let me try something here.

There we go. I always use oxygen to cool it. I know it's probably not right, but that's what i do before we cool it inspect the weld. The brace joint make sure it's good looks great, looks great now, you're not supposed to cool a braised joint either with water, rapid expansion, they say, could crack it and stuff.

But when you got sensitive components you don't want to overheat things. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do, man that was a chore to get that cover on what a pain in the butt nothing lined up, but i got it so now we're gon na flip it around to the back side and we've got to Do a pressure test and pull an evacuation on this guy, an important test when working with capillary tube systems you want to pressurize the high side and as you're, adding pressure to the high side, make sure the low side is closed and you want to see the Pressures bleed through meaning it's running through the capillary tube and that the capillary tube is not restricted. Okay, so we're going to pressurize this guy up to about 150 psi and then do a pressure test on it to make sure that we don't have any leaks. So we're almost there just kind of a little bit out of the time kind of a thing.

I went ahead and changed the temp control cleaned up the section there a little bit, i'm not going to go super crazy, but we're just about where we want to be and we'll go ahead and close these guys off. And then, when i'm doing my pressure test close off the nitrogen that way, you eliminate all that excess pressure go ahead and there we go, looks like we went a little over, but i open up the low side and the high side when i'm doing the nitrogen Pressure test because it's there's no solenoid valves anyway, so it's open to itself, then we're going to go ahead and hit tightness test. You want to give it a few minutes once you once you put the gas in there, because it kind of stabilizes out and takes a minute, but then once it's kind of stabilized and not moving around the pressures too much, then you're going to go ahead and Hit start and give it some time and let it do just a standing pressure test to see what happens. So the manifold has a pressure test built in where it uses a timer.
You can also put a temperature clamp, so it'll tell you pressure differential based on temperature, but not too worried about that. So, while we're doing the pressure test, i'm going to start cleaning up wrapping up my torches, cleaning up the boxes and everything all right. So it's been running for about eight minutes: 0.1 psi. I'm not concerned about that! So we're gon na go ahead and get the vacuum pump running on this guy.

Now all right we're going a little crazy with the vacuum a little bit bigger than usual. Usually, don't use these big hoses go ahead and open the gas ballast to get the majority of the stuff out of there now i have two micron gauges on here, because i want to point something out here in a minute um. The reason why you put a micro engage on here is just to test your pump notice that this one says 2, 000, microns and dropping. But yet this one doesn't say anything: this is the furthest point from the vacuum pump.

So you don't want to put a micro gauge on the vacuum pump. It's not really telling you what's going on in the system, it's so important to understand how micro engages work, so i'm pulling from the suction side. I have the micron gauge on the liquid side. So that's the furthest point it's pulling through the entire system and then making its way back to the liquid side.

So it's so important to understand how those work and the placement of them, and if you are going to use like a manifold gauge, set or something like that, because sometimes i do too um. You just have to understand the limitations and having the micron gauge in the manifold gauge set, isn't the best place either, but look at that 3 800 microns we're reading nothing here. This is a highly accurate gauge. I trust this and i trust that one they're both accurate, but it's just because this one's closer to the pump that it's reading that so it's going to take a little bit for it to make its all the way through the capillary, tube and everything.

So this thing has been running for a little bit and it's not holding a very good vacuum, and this is interesting because this passed the pressure test, so i know it doesn't have refrigerant leaks. I will tell you that i've been very suspect of these guys right here many times when i actuate them. I notice that they leak and i kind of wonder if they're leaking, because we're slowly rising all the way up to 2000 microns and we're isolated off. So we're going to try putting normal gauges on this and taking the core removal tools off and just pulling through the schraders.

It's not ideal, but we're going to see if that makes a difference. Maybe it is just my core removal tools that are problematic, so yeah. There's definitely some sort of contamination or something whether it's the micron gauge and i suspect the ball valves on the uh core removal tools too. I've got the vacuum, pump, isolated right now and we've stopped rising.
So i pulled down for a minute and it came up. So we have a little bit more to go right now, but we stopped rising and we're isolated. You know we're closed right here and right here, so the pump's not pulling anymore and it's it's not rising anymore, so there was definitely a leak in my setup. I don't think it's with the hoses.

I think it was either a contaminated micron gauge or the other way around. So if i open this guy up, it's going to keep pulling down and pulling down - and you have to understand too, that you know with this right here - this setup that there's potential for leaks everywhere. So the least amount of connections the better. I prefer not to pull through a manifold and also the micron gauge, just like i showed at the beginning being put on.

The pump is closer to the pump and the micron gauge in the manifold is closer to the pump than it is to the system. So it's all about your isolation test, so we're going to let it keep running for a bit longer and then we got the scale and everything ready to go ahead and charge this guy up. So all right, my charging setup is going to be a little bit different here. This system only takes 2.75 ounces of refrigerant.

That is insane. How minimal that charge is so i have the scale set up to pounds because it's 2.75 um. Actually, sorry, i need to change it to ounces 2.75 ounces of refrigerant, so we're already purged all the way right here. Um.

Actually, let's make sure open that okay, that's liquid refrigerant, coming out we're vacuumed on the other side of that, so we're gon na go ahead and zero that out one more time and we'll go ahead and put in 2.75 ounces. That's almost embarrassing! We're putting it in! On the high side, the system is not running okay and there we go good gosh. I can't believe how little that charge is. That's insane, so we're being careful, because we don't want to move anything.

We don't want to kick anything. My hose. It's going to change everything so we're just adding the refrigerant until we get to the 2.75 ounces all right, i shut it off. Uh, 2.8 ounces! That's how the scale read.

So we left it at that. I had taken off the low side port once the system was pressurized, i'm not necessarily going to put service gauges on this guy. If it comes down to temperature, then i'll just leave it be. It'll just depend on where we're going to go.

Evaporator fan motor is running like it should be we're good there. We still need to put the drain pan back in place and put the drain hose on the drain pan, but we want to see this unit operate a little bit. Temperature controller starts in a defrost. It's got that weird thing just because the camera it's solid on my side, so hold down the defrost button.

Compressor's running like i said, i'm not putting gauges on it, yet we're gon na see if it comes down to temperature. I don't know if i'm gon na put gauges on it or not because of the low charge i don't wan na potentially lose more refrigerant. I can't i baffled that it's only 2.75 ounces, that's crazy! All right we're at 42 degrees right now and dropping so. It's kicking butt, we're just putting the box back together and we're gon na give it back to the customer and let them do their thing with it here shortly on these boxes, it's normal for when the compressor shuts off the evaporator family will cycle it'll cycle on And off based off of an algorithm in the control, so the compressor is satisfied.
It's 36 degrees right now and the evaporative family just turned back on, but yeah they got to clean out the inside of that box too. So but yeah. That's all we're going to do for them today, this thing's operational. They can do their thing with it.

R290 repairs don't have to be scary; they don't have to be difficult. If you just take your time and think about it, look at the big picture. You can fix them and it's not a big deal right, so this one started as a temperature controller replacement because they had a pest issue right, but i don't just stop at that now. The reason why i do this.

The reason why i have the big picture mindset is because i've learned from my mistakes via not looking at the big picture right, so i kind of have a hunch like, and i i really wanted to become common practice, and i've been talking to my own employees About this, when we go up for something it's it's so easy just to turn on an electronic temperature control, i'm not asking everybody to soap, every joint and go crazy, just a real, quick leak detection with the temperature controller. It's easy enough! Just run it across it, and here in this situation, i know these are very common to leak. Okay, this unit is, i don't know a year and a half old or something like that is what it was and, of course, temperature controller was bad because of the pest problem, but ran the leak detector across and found two refrigerant leaks, one at the evaporator coil. Again, we don't just stop at the first leak right because there could be more and we ran it across the condensate heater and around the condensed unit and we found it on the condensate heater too.

So i do this on walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers. You know i try to be as thorough as possible. Also, though, you have to be realistic right, you can't spend seven hours trying to find other problems. You know so you have to be practical with it, but i was able to find refrigerant leaks and i was able to do that without even having to tap into the system.

The system obviously never had service ports put on it because it was still a newer region, so we solved those problems now i want to address something right off the bat. I did not take the service ports off this system when i was done with the repair. Okay, i did not i used to do that. I've told my employees.
They don't have to do that anymore. Okay, it's one thing: if i'm doing a warranty repair for a customer that i don't normally service, then i would probably consider pulling those service ports off, but for the safety reasons i'm not going to be taking those off, because it is kind of sketchy when you Have to pinch off the line and then braise it shut with flammable refrigerant on the other side, because if you overheat it i'm not so much worried about myself, but i'm worried about someone else hurting themselves. So that has become my company policy. I don't care what or who says it if you know i i'm not going to be doing that now, like i said it's one thing, if it's a customer that i don't normally service, but i don't do warranty work for people, i don't service anyway, so it Is what it is we're leaving the service ports on? Usually what i do is i will take some red electrical tape or something and wrap it around the caps just to let someone know hey think about this.

Okay, now the whole concept of them not putting service ports on these systems um. My understanding of it is that it's to make us think before we put service gauges. Okay, now point is that i worked on this entire system, the entire time. I had no idea how much refrigerant it took.

Okay until i went to go repair it and i was like dang, it only takes two ounces holy crap. Okay, had i put my service gauges on there it it would have been low on charge. Okay, two ounces. With normal service gauges, even with smart probes, because i typically work on these smaller regions with smart probes anyways so had i put my my you know tapped into the system, i would have put smart probes on there, but even still with smart probes, with two ounces Of refrigerant, you know that little spray back and stuff you're gon na lose refrigerant.

So right you've got to be cautious about that stuff. I've made the conscious decision no longer to cut off the service ports. Now i'm the owner of the company. I can make that decision.

You got to keep in mind that you need to talk to your management. You need to talk to your supervisors and decide whether or not they want you to continue doing that stuff. Okay, don't get yourself in trouble because you're not following proper procedures, all right, so when you're working on r290 systems, it's really not that big of a deal, basic refrigeration practices cut out as many components but, like i said in the video and like i practiced. Sometimes it's not practical on these tiny little regions to cut out components, because you know things are really tight.

You can't really get in there. You don't have the room to cut certain things out. If you're working on a big system, it's really easy to cut components out, and you know you can work with it, but on these small things it can be hard okay, so sometimes you got ta unsweat things right. So, that's why it's so important to sweep the system with nitrogen before you make any repairs, i'm a firm believer in following proper practices and following manufacturer's recommendations to an extent okay and when it comes to taking the service fittings off.
You know what i don't want that risk, so i'm not going to take them off anymore. Okay, so you just got to be practical with this stuff and talk with your management and see how they want you to approach things. Okay, so the repair on this other than that really isn't that big of a deal i changed an evaporator. I changed a dryer and i put in a new temperature controller, really wasn't a big thing: okay, um, but you know we still got to follow proper practices.

We still got to be safe right. I was able to work outside, so i didn't have to worry about venting the refrigerant i didn't have to worry about. You know open flames or anything like that. If you're working in the building, you can still do it just got to be cautious, you know be running your leak detector when you're venting the charge.

That way, you don't get oversaturated in the area that you're working in try to be practical, don't be working near open flames, don't be smoking a cigarette when you're doing this okay, you got to be smart about this kind of stuff. Nobody wants an accident for real. If you don't go home at the end of the day, because you made a silly mistake that that sucks right, we don't want that, so be cautious. Be careful! Okay, really not a big deal about this repair working on our 290 systems.

Like i've said it many times we work on these things weekly at least one to two a week, maybe sometimes more one of my technicians is working on an r290 system. It's not that big of a deal just got to be smart about it. Remember that if it can, it will right. So if it can happen, it will happen, assume that you always assume the worst be prepared for the worst um have fire extinguishers have wet towels? You know think about things that can happen.

You know like when i was brazing in the lines i was like. You know what this one might pop out. You know, and oh it's starting to pop out. Okay, i'm gon na do something to mitigate that.

So that way it doesn't pop on me. You know i mean just try to predict things and then after every job i always try to reflect on it and think how could i have done that better, even with me being you know, in the industry for 20, something years like, i still stop every single Job when i'm done, i stop and i reflect on it. Okay, what could i have done better next time? I do this. How can i approach it? Okay, you know what maybe i should pick up this tool.

It'll help me. I always reflect on the jobs in hopes that it makes me a better person and a better technician and more efficient the next time, if i'm, given the honor of being able to be there the next time right so um, i just try to treat these customers Like they're, my family, okay, at the same time, i need to make money, so i have to be efficient and go like that. Okay, guys, thank you so very much for supporting this channel and the way that you guys have by watching the videos uh interacting with them, leaving comments. It's amazing and it's so humbling to see all the support.
If i can ask you guys anything, i've been asking this a lot lately, but you know think about this. You never know what someone else is going through. You never know how someone else's day is going. Sometimes people are jerks, not excusing anybody being a jerk, but sometimes maybe there's something going on okay, a little bit of kindness towards someone whether or not they deserve it or not, or whether or not you think they deserve it or not, can go a long way.

Okay makes you a better person and possibly is going to make them feel better, so think about. You know next time you're in the drive-through buying someone's food or someone's coffee behind you. I know you don't have to do that. But hey you know what random acts of kindness are so important.

We got to be nice to each other. We have a lot of craziness going on in this world these days. So much doubt so. Much fear so much anger, it's just nuts, and we can only do so much about it and, in my opinion, just simply spreading.

Some kindness is really gon na help. So please guys, if you think about it, man just do something simple: hold a door open for someone. You know, kill someone with kindness. You know just just try to share some kind of kindness with someone, because we could really really use it these days.

Okay, if you haven't already please consider subscribing to my channel right and if you haven't already and you're interested in doing so check out my website hvacrvideos.com, we have merchandise available on there. We have zip up, hoodies, really actually really really nice high quality, heavy duty, zip up hoodies um. We have beanies cuffed and non-cuffed. We have hats, we have big picture diagnosis, t-shirts.

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That's it guys. I really really appreciate you and uh: we will catch you on the next one: okay.

48 thoughts on “Danger r-290 cooler repair”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Adam Densmore says:

    If we have a service call to one of the type refrigerator can you go ahead a charge your gauge with r290 refrigerant before connecting to the unit Are you in Kanata ?

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Adam Densmore says:

    If I can fix residential refrigerators I can repair these I would think

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jeffrey Kubiak says:

    Great video Chris ! Big picture thanks for the reminder. I'm teaching another tech that! Knee is doing better. But, safety first! Not fully back to field may go inhouse helping my friend with service!

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Geer Jonk says:

    Reminder; R290 weighs only the half compaired too the traditional refridgerants like R22, R134a or R507.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars APR928 says:

    Chris I'm having difficulty with brazing in tight areas, you said you use a #0 tip, so what setting psi do you use and what type of flame? I know in time ill get a feel but any advice would help to get me there faster, love these full repair video thanks alot!

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sam Simington says:

    Hey, at least oxygen works, that's what I cool my phone with. I don't actually use oxygen though; if the phone starts thermally throttling, I just blast it with a small fan, preferably household desk fan.

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sam Simington says:

    You kinda scorched the wall a bit there but that shouldn't be a problem since it didn't catch fire or anything

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sam Simington says:

    Interesting fact: Nitrogen is also a pressure sensitive explosive, so if it experiences a sudden pressure change, it'll more than likely explode

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sam Simington says:

    BEEG (BIG) PICTURE FOR THE WEEN! (WIN) 🤑🤩🎖🏆🏅🥇

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars michael haiden says:

    Big picture get out the steam cleaner

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Shalako Jones says:

    Hope they didn't offer to make you lunch!

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars steven aston says:

    Long time viewer, first time commenting. Question, why are you pulling vacuum from the low side? I always pull from the high side, especially with a cap tube. Your essentially limiting your vacuum flow by having to pull through the cap tube, since the valves in the comp prevent flow from high to low. If you pull on the high side you get more flow as gas can move through the cap tube as well as the compressor. Also if there is moisture in the system/drier its gonna evac much faster then sending it through the cap tube.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tony Matthews says:

    Not that it matters near at all, and I’m not sure why I’m even drawn to mentioning it, but there’s no “u” in capillary. Lol everything else looks good like the rest of your stuff though!

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars WinCh says:

    Can the r290 be replaced by another gas? When out of warranty of course.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars James Bowie says:

    I don't know how you can work in that field with so much disgustingly filthy equipment involved.

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Russell Hancock says:

    Just Curious? How much would a New Cooler like that cost? Service area Barrhaven??

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars MUSIC-MAN says:

    Even the True refrigeration its same its not good cuality anymore….everything its chinesse

  18. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars MUSIC-MAN says:

    This new mashines are garbage.

  19. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars MUSIC-MAN says:

    How much you charge for repair…because mi to do that $ 1200 dollars .for repair…and the new mashine coust $ 800. It not worked…

  20. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars MUSIC-MAN says:

    There got be water in the system.. when the leaks was its sukked water in to the system…im sure of that. It hapen to mi in a chelato mashine and factory said trow away. .. once the water is inside mashine it done ….

  21. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Felipe HVACR SoCal says:

    Cool video Chris , when I replace the condensate loops on some of those Delfield/Randell units I find it easier to remove the compressor makes it a lot easier Stay safe !

  22. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars chris says:

    your videos make me eat at home sometimes

  23. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars jain toms says:

    Sir after the valve closed rest of the refrigerant in the hose did you release to the system?

  24. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bryant Fry says:

    Chris, Dollar Tree here has inspection mirrors, if any of your technicians are in need. My guess is that they would be in your area as well. You can check online before going there for them, and let your fingers do the walking.

  25. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars John Walker says:

    Good job Chris.

  26. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bryant Fry says:

    Chris, some time ago, I got a used beverage cooler that was R290. I had to replace the casters on it as 3 out of 5 were bad (me thinks this is the reason they wanted to get rid of it). It belonged to a national beverage brand, and the convenience store manager contacted the owner, and gave me permission to take the cooler. I'm thinking that since this is a commercial unit, I may contact a local trade school to see if they want it for training purposes. It's at my shop, but I don't have electric there. I have to run a generator for power. I plan to install solar panels on an adjacent roof as it's a flat roof where I can mount the panels on a sloped frame.
    FYI, this is a round portable unit about 24" across.

  27. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Linus Johansson says:

    Giving the nasty condition of that unit and there was even food left in it… OMG! 🤮 Warranty void and in unrepairable state I would tell the customer. 😂 I wouldn't be surprised if that coil got damaged by rat urine or something? Solid copper pipes should not develop leaks just by themselves.
    But interesting video! 😀 R290 is as great refrigerant and I'd be more worried using a deodorant spray can than working on a system like that.

  28. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sean Griffon says:

    Great Job Chris. These new R 290 units are soon to be the thing. Now they are pushing R 32 A for central units, and i think all central units will be R 32 A in 2023. I think it's all bs. They say there is a R 410 A shortage, and it has a much higher global warming potential than R 22. R 32 Is midly flammable. I have my F gas certification so i should be able to use these new refrigerants. Also by looking at this unit you serviced, it looks to be turnkey refrigeration system meaning you can remove the top of the unit, unbolt evaporator and condensing unit unwire condensing unit, and remove refrigeration unit as a whole, and install brand new one. I have did service like this where company sent me whole assembled unit charged and ready to install and wire up. Also the beauty of R 290 is you don't need a whole lot of charge in the system, same goes for the new R 32 A. All window units now have R 32 A and i have noticed they have a smaller charge than the R 410 A window units. Again great video. Service area Nepean??

  29. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Scott Grinnell says:

    DANGER, DANGER !! stupid HVAC/Ref. vid.

  30. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Phillip Lopez says:

    Always keep some aluminum foil with you . It can prevent flame damage with proper application .

  31. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Phillip Lopez says:

    Use your adjustable open end wrench to round the tube

  32. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars ThatBigGuy824 says:

    Imagine my sheer delight when the video is 44 minutes and closing words aren't until ~35. Something about watching hvac repair is fun, not really sure what.

  33. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars skliros says:

    Oh boy, that's a serious roach infestation. I bet you'll never eat there.

  34. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Borkzilla says:

    Ugh. Don't think I'd want to get anywhere near that cooler without a steam cleaner… Are you in Nepean ?

  35. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Patrick Halaska says:

    Would of guessed the evap leak was just gas going up the drain tube:/

  36. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Arbuscula33 says:

    2.75 oz??? Wow. How can it even operate properly with that little amount of refrigerant? I gave up on core removal tools a long ways back. It seemed they were causing too many issues with vacuum. Service area Orleans??

  37. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars kevin lupson says:

    The gas used in this system, is it more efficient than other systems thus the reason that the charge was only 2.75 oz ?

  38. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Lemon Lime says:

    It’s so awesome you do this. Thank you 🙏 Are you in Orleans ?

  39. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Duncan Massive says:

    This is the first time I've heard someone explain why Americans never cool pipes instantly with a wet rag. IDK about other countries, but I'm thinking it's only an American thing. For near 20yrs Every weld I do gets a wet rag, I understand the theory of a crack but I've never had a crack once. I've worked with a lot of South Africans also that use a wet rag constantly. On the odd time I'm extending a pipe or something and don't use a wet rag I'll get weird looks, often guys have a go at me for making a dangerous situations for them, usually I burn myself because I'm so used to not having hot pipes around.

    And I agree that if it's flowing on the outside then it's flowing on the inside, I just don't see how it wouldn't.

  40. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars peter hansen says:

    blue salad bowls. Now who has those. The dressing cooler is not usually that torn up.

  41. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars quietone610 says:

    How much Nitrogen, tank-wise, do you wind up using in a month? Does it cost a lot?
    Just curious.

  42. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sam Almo says:

    Great video, quick question, One of the guys I work with, did a warranty call on a R-290 not even a month old, already had service access ports on the process tubes from the factory, the warranty guy on the phone just told us to seal um when we come back with parts. He had no comment on how they did not have sealed process tubes on a new unit from factory. Ever encounter that in the field?

  43. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Cliff Ellingsen says:

    I find a leak on 7/10 delfield r290 evaps I work on. It’s gotten pretty bad. Also wish they didn’t use the discharge line as a pan heater it always corrodes and leaks eventually.

  44. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Stephen D says:

    Thank God I didn't have headphones in lmao

  45. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Richard L. says:

    It looked like that unit was replaceable as a one piece with top of cooler removed, is my assumption correct?

  46. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Paul Ravitsky says:

    In a previous life I serviced home audio equipment {other guys fixed VCR's and phone equipment} and we hated roach infested stuff. Not only did it stink but the remains gummed up the works and the excrement corroded circuit boards and metal. Generally they got returned unrepaired. Then you had to worry that you may have carried eggs home with you…… Nice repair though! Are you in Barrhaven ?

  47. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Joseph M Orost says:

    Big Clive gave you a shoutout in his last video and mentioned “Big Picture Diagnosis like HVACR Videos” Service area Ottawa??

  48. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Amadeus Rocks says:

    will not eat there gross

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