Leak Problem

I have a split at a friends house (10 seer)I have checked out before. About 7 years old ... from the get go, every couple of years it goes low. I've checked a few times for leaks but none found. The access valves on a lot of newer units are a problem, there cheaper and tend not to have the sealing capabilities of older type valves. I don't feel this is the case with this unit. One thing I did notice a few years back was how bad the A coil looked. Corroision near the pan didn't look good but, I could pick up no leaks. The condensor case is in bad shape for a unit so young. Is it me or is this crap really being made cheap? I'm hopping for him to get a few more years out of it but I don't know if it's gonna hold up. Why can't they powder coat these things a little better, perhaps a wash and wax might help once in a while ???

hi, what do you do when it goes low? do you add refrigerant?

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Originally Posted by TetraFluor

hi, what do you do when it goes low? do you add refrigerant?

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Yes, I'm sorry ... I have to add some gas. I've found a few hermetics in my lifetime that have developed slow leaks through the welds.

Do you pressure test with Nitrogen before charging refrigerant.

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Originally Posted by Samarjit Sen

Do you pressure test with Nitrogen before charging refrigerant.

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In the shop yes, I have access to all equipment that I need. I'm not set up for outside work. This is a friend's unit which I don't charge for. He had people look at it and I believe the price was somewhere around $400 to pressure test it and no gurantees they would find the problem. Even if they did find the problem, the cost would be even higher for repairs. I think he would rather put that toward a newer and more efficient system. I might be wrong about this but that's the way I look at it. I know it can't go on so I told him to prepare for it.

Bad practice on this side of the pond....

Recently I had problem with -40oC Te refrigeration problem. There was a leak and we tested it a number of times with Nitrogen and just could not get it. I was fed up and referred to the forum. It was a long thresd, but with their advice and suggestion, I could locate the leak in two places. One was a cracked flare nut and another was a leak in a bend in the liquid line. I had increased the nitrogen pressure to 400 psi when the leaks were detected.

I do not know at what pressure of nitrogen you are testing it, by try increasing the same, may be it will help.

Yeah....I guess if he decides to keep the thing I'll have to drag my butt over there with some equipment. I hate house calls! Thanks All!

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Originally Posted by Robearbam

Yeah....I guess if he decides to keep the thing I'll have to drag my butt over there with some equipment. I hate house calls! Thanks All!

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That's the trouble with "friends";)

You never find a 'free' doctor do you ??

Good Morning Robearbam,

You can very well tell your freind that whatever you are doing is costing you money, amd as such he should realise the same and pay you. In your place if he had asked some other person, he would have charged your freind.

As per me, never mix freindship and business. Both will be happy.