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Thread: Memories

  1. #1
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    Memories



    Retired now, read posts on here and don't know half of what you post about.just remembering being an apprentice, only 3 gases then, R12,R22 and R502 just coming in.Earned £4 a week for 1st year, Going from work on domestics to refrige on Super tankers, trawlers small and large, ferries and a 160 hp(2x80) 3cyl sternes r22 low temp c/r and ending up on supermarkets.every call was an adventure, got paid good money for sitting down driving thousands of miles a year.Worst job? mortuary fridges with bodies in.Best job, finding the fault.Too many gasses now,too many regulations, glad to be out of it, trouble is its in my blood. Anyone used a tilley leak detector?



  2. #2
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    Re: Memories

    Niceman,
    Yes different gases & oils as well as high tech electricals.
    Have worked on an ammonia Stern compressor over 30 years ago.
    It was a two stage compressor, with one piston on top of other.
    The larger 1st stage piston on top & 2nd stage smaller piston on the bottom,
    only one I ever did see.
    Can't remember how valves were incorporated, interesting & very old back then.
    I think they were Scottish compressor?

  3. #3
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    Re: Memories

    Welcome niceman.
    Burning the midnight oil I see!
    I have never been lucky enough to work on Stern Comps,plenty of others though!
    A tilly lamp I know off but as a leak detector that is new to me?
    A Halide torch I have used in the past but the naked flame would scare most off nowadays.
    I would not even know if it would work on the reduced CFC levels of the first wave of new gasses?
    Hi Ranger.
    I to have heard of the comp you describe but cannot remember who made it?
    There has been so many refrigeration innovations and plant to come out of Scotland.
    Grizzly
    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

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    Re: Memories

    Hi lads
    This brought back a lot memories. I served my time at J&E Hall Dartford as a coppersmith/fitter. Doing the pipe work of the chillers, building compressors then in charge of the test bay. I then went onto service work at HTI services. At that time around the 70's Halls bought a few companies such as Douglas Rownson, and L S Sterne and took on their service work. Sternes was a Glasgow based company who manufactured a number of types of compressor such as the MA, VP, VQ. Models. My old manager at HTI was an x Sterne man . They also made small hermetic pots .Sterne became part of the old Prestcold co before being sold off. I believe a lot of the Sterne guys were involved with Star Refrig . L S Sterne had a service office in Peckham London from memory. I rebuilt many of the MA & VP machines. I remember having to fit 3 or 4 back cover gaskets as shims to get the correct end float to the crankshaft.
    And the Tilley lamps, Halls used to service them many years back . They used methylated spirit under pressure with the flame going through a copper ring , as a gas leak was detected the chlorine caused the copper ring to change the colour of the flame to green for a small leak,blue for a larger leak and bright red/mauve for a large leak . At that time there was no electronic leak detectors , until GE produced an electrical plug in version . Happy days

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    Re: Memories

    J and E Hall, used to strip and rebuild 6 CP comps as apprentice, new shell bearings, valve plates and gaskets, remember scraping off old gaskets. Then there were J E Hall service gas cylinders to carry, held 12lbs *****, weighed 20 plus pounds empty, not like your modern dumpies. Also used to strip and refill used RCL flare driers with cotton wool and activated alumina, leak test under pressure in bucket of water! Remember the cartoon like instruction books with KMP driers? By tilley lamp i meant the LD 1 tilley leak detector, look it up.

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    Re: Memories

    .

    I spent many a day/night in a noisy plant/engine room,
    to the extent that I'm now partially deaf with tinnitus (Pardon)

    J&E Hall, Stern, Frigidaire, Prestcold and Grasso to name a few
    manufacturers I have become extremely intimate with on many
    a dark and lonely night.

    I even remember the small refrigerant cylinders that if folklore
    is true came out of Lancaster bombers as the crew air tanks.

    Seen so many changes some for the good and some for the worse,
    but I advise anyone who listens to me that we have seen nothing yet.

    It will be a very different industry with very different refrigerants, in the
    next five to ten years. For all the changes, I don't think we have seen a
    fraction of it yet, especially the refrigerant side of the industry.

    Rob

    .
    .. ... -. .----. - / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / --. --- --- -..

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    Re: Memories

    .

    Double post
    .
    .. ... -. .----. - / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / --. --- --- -..

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    Re: Memories

    Yeah, got the deafness and tinnitis, also a weak back from manhandling many a comp in a plant room on my own, and painfull knees from all the years kneeling fixing supermarket cases, only offered ear defenders in later years, damage already done, annoying to see a leak before you would hear it. Propane as a refrigerant was in use on a local military establishment in the 60's. ,like ammonia you soon knew if you had a leak.
    Just remembered, once went to a kiddies party and could smell propane, guess what some idiot had the bright idea of blowing up the balloons with!!

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    Re: Memories

    I've used the leak detector that had the small red propane bottles and then the newer ones with the small blue camping gas. Worked on a few L Sterne hermetic units, compressors were and odd shape, heres a vid of one i found.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ec1qpt82O0
    Mostly found in Oxfordshire, UK :)

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    Re: Memories

    Someone referred to old driers and kmp plus rcl,got great memories of the latter Eric walker was one great guy sadly taken so young and Hrp who have recently been taken over,one thing I remember about Rcl was no matter what item you wanted when you left their premises you had a part that would get the job going great days without computer says No!

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    Re: Memories

    Nice Forum. It is good to be here.

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    Re: Memories

    i remember eric- mad as a box of frogs- daz and aidy (sons) were well clued up, theyd serve you if your account was overdue- and big jane used to tell you to f*ck off if you wanted a bottle of gas- or something that wasnt on the counter

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    Re: Memories

    Ha I worked for one company and one engineer would not visit to get spares he was terrified of Jane,sadly I am based in Shropshire are Rcl still in business?

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    Re: Memories

    Quote Originally Posted by niceman View Post
    J and E Hall, used to strip and rebuild 6 CP comps as apprentice, new shell bearings, valve plates and gaskets, remember scraping off old gaskets. Then there were J E Hall service gas cylinders to carry, held 12lbs *****, weighed 20 plus pounds empty, not like your modern dumpies. Also used to strip and refill used RCL flare driers with cotton wool and activated alumina, leak test under pressure in bucket of water! Remember the cartoon like instruction books with KMP driers? By tilley lamp i meant the LD 1 tilley leak detector, look it up.

    Hi Niceman
    Yes i recall overhauling many 6CP compressors, and I sure there was 3CP as well, going back a while though. Re white meataling big ends, and stop valve seats, re testing safety valves , re building V blocs and mon blocs. came across the only Schnake compressor I have ever seen in those days. Howden and booster rebuilds as well on sites though not in workshop, Fuller and Hick Hargreaves booster, noisy dam things, hence deafness like every one else. Also collecting ammonia bottles from local gas works, a trailor load and driving 100s of Kms with it, even had a small botttle of SO2 for finding ammonia leaks.
    None of which would be allowed these days

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    Re: Memories

    thermofrost bought em- not the same anymore-aidy set up an ac shop in denton selling lg stuff, dont know what daz is upto
    Quote Originally Posted by cadwaladr View Post
    Ha I worked for one company and one engineer would not visit to get spares he was terrified of Jane,sadly I am based in Shropshire are Rcl still in business?

  16. #16
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    Re: Memories

    Had a call to a coastal tanker one day years ago, 1/3hp motor u/s. Went into crews mess and asked "is this ship ac or dc" to which one of the crew replied " ooh, we're all ac dc here ducky." Some moments you never forget.(it was dc by the way)

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    Re: Memories

    Quote Originally Posted by install monkey View Post
    thermofrost bought em- not the same anymore-aidy set up an ac shop in denton selling lg stuff, dont know what daz is upto
    Daz was working as an install Subbie last time I bumped into him.

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    Re: Memories

    Quote Originally Posted by danielreilly View Post
    Nice Forum. It is good to be here.
    Welcome Daniel.
    Remember the more you participate the more you get!
    Enjoy!
    Grizzly
    Despite the High Cost of Living it still remains Popular!

  19. #19
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    Re: Memories

    Correct,I try to help stroke contribute I would love/like if people took the time to respond that we have been helpfully and eased their burdens but regardless of that fact happy to help good manners and all that.

  20. #20
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    Re: Memories

    On the rcl history,why did they get taken over? my experience of them mind you last time I met daz he was working for rock,**** that was some time ago must get back to Manchester one day the free coffee machine the chippy and the bookies where I always lost,hope Eric still haunts the place he was a one off forget the names of the other staff but his Mrs was always posh!

  21. #21
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    Re: Memories

    Lapping Valve plates on a 12 cylinder direct drive while waiting for a crankshaft from Europe, cutting gaskets for a 1940's 750 HP Centrifugal water chiller, repairing endless lines of commercial water chillers. R11, 12, 22 and 502 was all we used in the early 80's.
    Looking for gas leaks was a pain cause wind or rain doused the delicate flame. Restart and wait for the copper to glow. Continue.
    To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

  22. #22
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    Re: Memories

    I worked for a Frigidaire distributer way back when, just remembering the van stocks, valve plates, gaskets, suction and discharge valves, shaft seals almost every V belt (except the one you needed).
    Drive motors as nearly all the plant were open drive, refrigerants, SO2, Methyl Chloride, and if you were lucky R12.
    The plants were only marked with a different paint symbol to indicate the refrigerant type.

    We all used R12 to blow out condensers, so it is our generation who are responsible in a large part for global warming but I don't seem to see much of it when the heating oil tank needs filling.

    The plus side was you could in most cases fix the fault in one visit, no electronics all the parts were built to last and could be stripped down on site and repaired (in most cases, unless it was late on a Friday night and you had a new band to go and see).
    Rose tinted glasses me thinks but there you go, I am sure the new breed will look back in the same nostalgic way in 50 years time!
    Location, United Kingdom

  23. #23
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    Re: Memories

    BG Scott, another of us 60 plus year olds, as a new apprentice my boss told me if l could repair a faulty frigidaire DAR l could have it, so 1 frigidaire stat and pipe repair and regass later, was able to take home our first fridge, stove enamel inside, no less. Chuffed! Never looked back after that.

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    Re: Memories

    I remember the Tilley leak test lamp, but preferred the Danfoss leak detector. I recall that this had to be filled with Wood Alcohol to get the best results. Thankfully missed out on the chance of working with Methyl Chloride, Ammonia and SO2. Mainly R12 and R22 back in the day. Regularly used R22 to blow out condensers and booked it out to the customer.
    Wonderfull cold room contactors and control circuits with no neutral, everything 440volts and all in metal enclosures, doesn't bare thinking about.
    Mobile A/C at its best, see avatar.
    Bedford. Now retired and trying to relax.

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    Re: Memories

    Are oil bath air filters still being used? Motor drives a reduction gear box that rotates metal screens.
    Filthy job scooping oil soaked Mud out of the bath.
    To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

  26. #26
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    Re: Memories

    Remember life before schraeder valves, on domestic fridges and freezers used to flare on a 1/4" nut and fit a straight connector, gas up to what required plus a bit more, then quickly remove charging line and fit a. 1/4" nut and bonnet on the connector, could always let a bit out if overcharged, and yes, used a lot of r12 cleaning condensers.

  27. #27
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    Re: Memories

    Always used 502 to blow out small condensers co2 on larger ones, what about the times we used to refill our dumpies from a large cylinder the spare empty dumpies were kept in an old chestfreezer or if there were none you would blow off the last bit in the bottle to cool it down making it easier to fill, one lad did,nt weigh his bottles and on a hot day as he drove down the road a bottle blew, he dived out of the van and other motorists stopped thinking his van was on fire.
    What about the times we,ve set off fire alarms accidently, a guy I worked with cleared a certain chemists at Piccadilly circus one lunch time the shop was packed and the manager was,nt best pleased.

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    Re: Memories

    Being the strong apprentice l used to have to carry mt 145lbs ***** cyls off the tankers at local refinery jetties,one day had a full one lined up on board with the empties.( if ship had a leak, just pour in more gas!)my boss helped me lift it onto my shoulder and says "make it look mt" then gave me a push down the gang plank. God only knows how l got to the bottom without falling, but plenty of r12 for hobbles after.

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    Re: Memories

    On the memories of rcl,I cannot remember aidiy,but it was way back Jane was a legend and the two guys that worked the counter sure one was connected to Jane the other young lad was a bit of a rogue I believe and Eric took him under his wing,I must have a trip up to the rainy city and play catch up,are fyffes still on the wholesale market that was one of my employers contracts and why I am sick of bananas!

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