View Poll Results: Do you use a Torque Wrench for Flare Joints?

Voters
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  • Yes

    1 6.67%
  • No

    10 66.67%
  • Only for R410a

    3 20.00%
  • Don't use Flare Joints

    1 6.67%
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Thread: Torque Wrenches

  1. #1
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    Torque Wrenches



    With R410a it is recommended that flare joints are tightened to a specific torque. Do any members use a torque wrench?

    If you have or do, are you amazed at how little you have to tighten the flare to make a seal? Are we all guilty of over tightening in the past or are we still overtightening?



  2. #2
    rbartlett's Avatar
    rbartlett Guest

    Re: Torque Wrenches

    daikin were giving those fancy torq renches for the 410a flarenuts a while ago

    personally there are only two settings tight and f**king tight

    i always use the latter!!

    therefore i guess i overtighten -but i suspect i get less leaks that way..

    i await to be disproved

    cheers

    richard

  3. #3
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    Most of the Japanese manufacturers have, over the years, provided single setting torque wrenches for flare nuts.
    Most fitter preferred, for their own reasons, to use shifting spanners.

    There is no difference, in my opinion, between the torque settings for R22 and any other refrigerant.

    After all, flares should be tightened once only, shouldn't they?

    My personal experience of manufacturer's torque recommendations, over the years is that they are conservative to say the least,

    Carrier used to provided torque figures and a tightening sequence for the head gasket on their big compressors (5 series). I tried using their settings on some occasions and gave up because of the leaks. Thereafter I reverted to a long tommy bar and soapy water. I suspect that I'm not alone in this.
    ________
    Trollh?ttan Assembly
    Last edited by Argus; 07-02-2011 at 09:06 AM.

  4. #4
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    Hi Frank.

    Will you be kind, and give us sme information of these torque wrenches, ie, manufacturer,internet address..... I know you will

    Meanwhile, I'll keep using my shifters, like Argus amd most of the rest.

    Chemi

  5. #5
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    Hi Chemi-,
    There is a company in the UK Called RPW.
    Contact is Sales@rpw.co.uk

    They have a set of Refco open ended torque wrench for R410 priced at £46.66

    I won't even bother trying to convert this but it's about the cheapest i have found as yet.

    Another useful one for tools in www.srwonline.co.uk
    Not sure about export on either of these but at least you can get some more info.

    Regards

    Raymond.


    PS Forgot to add, yes i do overtighten with a set of adjustables and use loads of leaklock.

    PPS. I assume the only things you need these for is to fit suction/discharge flanges. doesn't everything else now need to be by law sweat fittings or am i just going mad
    Last edited by Latte; 19-06-2004 at 11:44 PM.

  6. #6
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    Nice one Raymond - and yes - you must be MAD aren't we all?

  7. #7
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    The freindly " bod" at my local trade counter tells me engineers have been complaining.........The flare nuts on R410A systems are shooting off their threads !!

    Can this be true???

  8. #8
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    Don't know about that Ayb but I've just snapped a service valve on a new cond unit while trying to make the flare. Didn't even apply lots of pressure !

  9. #9
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    Thumbs up Re: Torque Wrenches

    we got the BBK torque wrenches, i was surprised at how tight is tight enough too frank i prefer to use 1 shifter and a torque wrench to tighten flares on splits etc i install now. its so easy and i hate it when ya shifter slips off and loose more knucle skin... always when you least expect it

    i also bought he BBK 410 flare block with the accentric cone, does beautiful flares everytime, heaps better then the other imperial sets we have - every job flares look factory

    really with the torque spanners not many people are fans... for me personaly they are growing on me and i like them, being service agent for alot of units it is always great to know if the flares were correctly tightened if loss of gas through loose flare is evident. also the same guys round town who do not use them because two shifters are good enough, should use one to know how 'tight' they need to squeeze lol.
    "Old fridgies never die, they just run out of gas!"

  10. #10
    shaunmadill's Avatar
    shaunmadill Guest

    Exclamation Re: Torque Wrenches

    Quote Originally Posted by chemi-cool
    Hi Frank.

    Will you be kind, and give us sme information of these torque wrenches, ie, manufacturer,internet address..... I know you will

    Meanwhile, I'll keep using my shifters, like Argus amd most of the rest.

    Chemi
    The Company that manufactured the Daikin kits is a UK manufacturer, Torqueleader, their web address is www.torqueleader.com.

    They actually manufacture a kit specifically for the Air-con industry which I believe is available through Dean and Wood.

  11. #11
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    Re: Torque Wrenches

    Thanks shaunmadill.

    I will look into it.

    Chemi

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