I just want a critique of my work to see if it meets the grade!

[The MG Pony]

Well this is the first major retrofit project that I've don, the unit was originally an air cooled R-12 unit running R-401B for a walk in cooler. The original condenser, due to years of neglect was beyond recovery. Due to the coast being usually neglectful of equipment and with out any A/C I decided to make it water cooled, as this offers an easy way to expand it with the ability for re-using waste heat.

Any case here it is and tell me where or what needs improvment! Keep in mind this isn't installed on a system hence no F/D to be seen!

It will be run with R-134a and the old oil has all ready been drained!

[The MG Pony]

By the way it is my camera that sucks, the unit doesn't look the bad in real life! But it should be clear enough for a technical aspect.

[US Iceman]

You need to get a tubing bender.:o

I would be very careful of placing cap tube lines to pressure switches close to other hard metal objects (like the compressor base). The copper will eventually get bumped close to that and rub through creating a leak.

Otherwise, I would say you are learning. Hang in there.

[The MG Pony]

Ok so put in some foam or silicon suports should help stop that?

Oh and bty I did use a tubing bender! I just didn't think it through as theroughly as I should have lol.

[US Iceman]

You can use some rubber tape that electricians use for splices. It is sticky on one side. Put a couple of rolls around the cap tube and anchor it to something solid.

I'm sorry, but there was one line that looped up and around that looked like it just came off of a roll of copper.

Getting the technical part right is only a portion of the job. What people see is your handiwork, they don't have to understand anything else, except if the system produces cold.

Nice level lines where appropriate with properly radiused turns and things anchored properly shows you care.

I'm not trying to be difficult or too hard on you, but workmanship is something the old guys beat into the younger guys. Been there, done that!:o

[The MG Pony]

ya, that long loop is to help diffuse the kicks on start up from stressing the joints, after making it I realized I could have don better, but like I said its my first and a learning step, and thanks for the replies they help, certainly taking notes and will implement suggestions.

Making them fresh is easier IMO, trying to work around the origional lay out is tuff!

[taz24]

Any case here it is and tell me where or what needs improvment! Keep in mind this isn't installed on a system hence no F/D to be seen!

It will be run with R-134a and the old oil has all ready been drained!


I can't see properly due to the quality of the pictures but are the joints done with soft solder?

taz.

[The MG Pony]

No most certainly not, they are don with 15% silfoss, the water plumbing is don with some generic silver baring soft solder.

Tommorow when it is sunny (If it is ) I'll drag the unit out so I can get clearer pics for ya.

[taz24]

No most certainly not, .




Just testing:D

taz.

[Peter_1]

The wood supports/brackets: try to bend an aluminum or stainless steel plate.
I never bend tubes with my hands, allways a bender, even those of 1/4"
For the capaillary lines, you can make it much nicer with the capillary tubes you make yourself like those of Reflex we're using.

[Peter_1]

http://www.refflex.com/frame_e/frame_e_index.htm
This is their website

[US Iceman]

Peter,

I really like those hoses you posted the link for. They look like hydraulic hoses and fittings, which is what I used to use. These work much better than the standard method refrigeration people normally use.

Thanks for posting that!

[The MG Pony]

Ok but what to do of the stuff that the cap tube is brazed into that does not give you the option of alternitives? I often use a tank as a mold to shap my cap coils. Looks like it will be sunny later in the day so I'll take the unit out into the light and try and get better quality pictures for you.

Hope fully thees picks are better.

[frank]

By the way it is my camera that sucks, the unit doesn't look the bad in real life! But it should be clear enough for a technical aspect.

Thank goodness for that - I was just going to ring my optician for an eye test :D

What is the water source?

[The MG Pony]

Water source is what ever they decide, My sujestion was to connect it to a large out door radiator and then just connect all equipment to that with a divertion valve to enable the heat to be recycled to the indoor building. As you can imagin it can get rather chilley here on the coast at times.

In all likenes they will opt for open loop for now.

[US Iceman]

OK but what to do of the stuff that the cap tube is brazed into that does not give you the option of alternatives?


They are not cheap, however, they produce reliable results. And in my opinion, that is what we want.

I always used stainless steel hydraulic tubing and stainless steel fittings (and a tubing bender:D). I NEVER had any leaks or broken cap tubes.

And... You do NOT have to be concerned with stupid broken flares.:mad:

Here is what I used...
http://www.swagelok.com/downloads/webcatalogs/EN/MS-01-140.PDF (+/- 5 MB)

[The MG Pony]

Ok you guys lost me, I can certainly see where such things would yeild great advantage, I'm just not seing it in this perticuler application. Water side perhaps? My main goal is to limmit any thing screwed togeather, as in I aim for every thing to be sealed, welded, brazed or soldered. Where this can not be don I try and limmit the number of machanical interconects to the minimum

[Toosh]

Hi Iceman You hit in one the best I used to use a lot of swedgelock and never had a failure, ive seen many a flare which were disgraces, some service techs take the easy way out they dont know what the sharp thingy on the tube cutters is for

Regards Toosh

[US Iceman]

...they dont know what the sharp thingy on the tube cutters is for.


Well they should know that is for cleaning their fingernails after they finish the work.:D

[US Iceman]

Speaking of pipe reamers. Imperial used to make a round handheld reamer that was much easier to use than the ones on the tubing cutters. It fits right in the palm of your hand.

[The MG Pony]

Call me odd but I like the simple ones on the pipe cutters better, perhaps I just had a crappy round one.

Ok for the cap tube suports I have some high density nylone I could make some stand offs with.

[US Iceman]

Here's a link to the handheld reamers. These are a lot easier to use than the ones on the tube cutters.

https://www.flowline.net/default.aspx?page=item%20detail&itemcode=208-F

and here are some links to tubing benders.

First a gear type bender:
http://www.newmantools.com/imperial/tb7.html

and next, a lever type tube bender:
http://www.newmantools.com/imperial/tb4.html

They also used to make a three-in-one bender for up to 3/8" inch. I think they were 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" or something like that.

Having the proper tools makes all the difference in the finished product.

[NH3LVR]

While we are on the subject of benders, Swagelok has a excellent manual on bending tubing. http://www.swagelok.com/downloads/webcatalogs/EN/MS-13-43.PDF
I did not think I needed it until I started running Stainless tubing across walls in a clean room. Having 10 tubes in a rack and trying to keep them parallel was a lot of fun. The offset bend information is very good.

[chillin out]

Check out the swivel head one on this page...
http://www.gunk.com/general_tools.asp

If you have not used one before then I suggest you try it.

p.s. the relay in the electric box is sitting side ways.
Also, cut down the height of the discharge cos some thing will catch it and snap it off.

Why is the comp not bolted down?

Chillin:):)

[The MG Pony]

Here's a link to the handheld reamers. These are a lot easier to use than the ones on the tube cutters.

https://www.flowline.net/default.aspx?page=item%20detail&itemcode=208-F

and here are some links to tubing benders.

First a gear type bender:
http://www.newmantools.com/imperial/tb7.html

and next, a lever type tube bender:
http://www.newmantools.com/imperial/tb4.html

They also used to make a three-in-one bender for up to 3/8" inch. I think they were 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" or something like that.

Having the proper tools makes all the difference in the finished product.


I got a 3 in 1 and I have spring benders! I used them, I just failed to plan it out as well as I should have, and becuase of that had to bend a bit by hand to make it line up. I thought it would go togeather as easily as when making new, that was my mistake there.

[The MG Pony]

Nice manual NH3. As for thoughs other products some day when I have money I'll definitely try some out.

[US Iceman]

I thought it would go togeather as easily as when making new, that was my mistake there.


Your're learning....:)

[US Iceman]

While we are on the subject of benders, Swagelok has a excellent manual on bending tubing.


Where was this manual when I had to learn how to do this???:D

This is one of those subjects that takes a while to figure out on your own. It does take some time and skill to make these tubing jobs turn out, but once completed they sure do look nice!:cool: