"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 10:44:01 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

One needs no licence to purchase and use R34 refigerant. It's available in
most any auto parts store and Wal Mart and K Mart.

It's actually called R134a, the refrigerant used in most automotive
air conditioners. You still need a gauge set, fittings, can tap,
vacuum pump, leak detector and a modicum of knowledge to do the job
properly.




That's the stuff.

Wilbur Hubbard

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:41:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:30:13 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

To answer a previously asked question, if the system has lost its
charge and air has entered the system then you will need to vacuum the
system to remove any moisture that might have gotten into the system.

Yes, and it should be professionally leak checked at the same time.

Of course. It hardly bears saying that if the fridge leaks all it's
gas it does need to be checked for leaks :-)

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:13:43 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 10:44:01 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

One needs no licence to purchase and use R34 refigerant. It's available in
most any auto parts store and Wal Mart and K Mart.

It's actually called R134a, the refrigerant used in most automotive
air conditioners. You still need a gauge set, fittings, can tap,
vacuum pump, leak detector and a modicum of knowledge to do the job
properly.

I saw something interesting on one site. Apparently after all the
folderol about changing from R12 to R134a has died down the Europeans
are now considering mandating a change to (possibly) Carbon Dioxide.
Another possible is R152a.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:36:17 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:41:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:30:13 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

To answer a previously asked question, if the system has lost its
charge and air has entered the system then you will need to vacuum the
system to remove any moisture that might have gotten into the system.

Yes, and it should be professionally leak checked at the same time.

Of course. It hardly bears saying that if the fridge leaks all it's
gas it does need to be checked for leaks :-)

Dyed R134 can be used as a charge, and leaks easily seen with a UV
light that comes with the dye kit. Don't need a sniffer.
Here's one.
http://www.autobarn.net/artic-freeze-recharge-kit.html
I've used the Inter-Dynamics dye a few times, but the last time I
looked for that dye I had to get it from e-Bay.
I've only done automotive.
All the leaks but two I've run I've run across are compressor shaft
seals, which means it's time to buy a new compressor.
Found a leaky o-ring on a drier once. Easy fix.
Another time the condenser was holed.
Almost $300 later with a new condenser I still didn't get it blowing
cold as the compressor was probably shot. Gave up on that as it was
an old car not far from the boneyard.
But an example of wasting money there, so keep that in mind.
I have an evac pump and good gage set.
If you are inclined to do this it can pay off. A decent evac pump and
gage set total a bit less than $200.
And they take up some space, so might not be practical to carry along
if space is an issue.
But learn the basics. And you still need to handle a wrench.
I don't like putting stop leak in any system, but it seems most of the
R134 cans at auto stores come with it, so I've done it in a pinch.

--Vic

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:28:02 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:36:17 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:41:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:30:13 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

To answer a previously asked question, if the system has lost its
charge and air has entered the system then you will need to vacuum the
system to remove any moisture that might have gotten into the system.

Yes, and it should be professionally leak checked at the same time.

Of course. It hardly bears saying that if the fridge leaks all it's
gas it does need to be checked for leaks :-)

Dyed R134 can be used as a charge, and leaks easily seen with a UV
light that comes with the dye kit. Don't need a sniffer.
Here's one.
http://www.autobarn.net/artic-freeze-recharge-kit.html
I've used the Inter-Dynamics dye a few times, but the last time I
looked for that dye I had to get it from e-Bay.
I've only done automotive.

I had a couple of jobs maintaining a small fleet of vehicles. We use
the refrigerant with dye any time we had to re-charge a system. It
didn't fix anything by itself but it sure saves time when it came back
for service :-) "Eh! Look it's all red there". :-)
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

You, too! *And you've probably created an extra leak with your cheap-ass
adapter. *What-in-the-HELL is wrong with getting things done correctly?


Perhaps I should explain, I am an offshore yachtsman and spend long
periods in countries with no access to qualified fridge repair people
over the years out of necessity I have learned to service and repair
all onboard systems. I now have a new yacht with a fridge. I have been
reading up on refrigeration and was trying to increase my knowledge
before I pulled the system apart. I thought that was the purpose of
news groups. To those who gave assistance thanks for the help over the
past week or two I have learned alot about refrigeration and intend to
learn more. I often live where if you can't fix things yourself they
don't get fixed.

On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 14:13:28 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

My suggestion that you get the adapter and gauge and refrigerant and service
it yourself comes from personal experience with the folly of expecting
somebody else to do as good a job at maintaining any system as well as an
informed and caring owner.

There is a lot of truth to that. To that end, allow me to recommend
a couple of books that I regard as excellent:

"Refrigeration for Pleasureboats: Installation, Maintenance and
Repair" - Nigel Calder

"Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain,
Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems" also by Nigel
Calder.

Both are available at amazon.com among other places.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 14:13:28 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

My suggestion that you get the adapter and gauge and refrigerant and
service
it yourself comes from personal experience with the folly of expecting
somebody else to do as good a job at maintaining any system as well as an
informed and caring owner.

There is a lot of truth to that. To that end, allow me to recommend
a couple of books that I regard as excellent:

"Refrigeration for Pleasureboats: Installation, Maintenance and
Repair" - Nigel Calder

"Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain,
Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems" also by Nigel
Calder.

Both are available at amazon.com among other places.




Never hurts be become informed. Trial and error works but reducing trial and
error by learning from others is more workable. (Not to mention, less
expensive in most cases.)


Wilbur Hubbard

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:50:23 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

I had a couple of jobs maintaining a small fleet of vehicles. We use
the refrigerant with dye any time we had to re-charge a system. It
didn't fix anything by itself but it sure saves time when it came back
for service :-) "Eh! Look it's all red there". :-)
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Here's another exploit from our megalomaniac usenet trol!!!!
I hope u don't mind if I send ur cr*p to all the sensible ng that give
u a kick up the arse!

Ur pal,
Mort
"Actually I am somewhat of an expert in weapons as I was in business
for a bit as a gunsmith, building super accurate varmint rifles" by
Goebells-in-Bangkok aka the nutty usenet troll, on 20 Apr 2009

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:28:02 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:36:17 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:41:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:30:13 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

To answer a previously asked question, if the system has lost its
charge and air has entered the system then you will need to vacuum the
system to remove any moisture that might have gotten into the system.

Yes, and it should be professionally leak checked at the same time.

Of course. It hardly bears saying that if the fridge leaks all it's
gas it does need to be checked for leaks :-)

Dyed R134 can be used as a charge, and leaks easily seen with a UV
light that comes with the dye kit. Don't need a sniffer.
Here's one.
http://www.autobarn.net/artic-freeze-recharge-kit.html
I've used the Inter-Dynamics dye a few times, but the last time I
looked for that dye I had to get it from e-Bay.
I've only done automotive.
All the leaks but two I've run I've run across are compressor shaft
seals, which means it's time to buy a new compressor.
Found a leaky o-ring on a drier once. Easy fix.
Another time the condenser was holed.
Almost $300 later with a new condenser I still didn't get it blowing
cold as the compressor was probably shot. Gave up on that as it was
an old car not far from the boneyard.
But an example of wasting money there, so keep that in mind.
I have an evac pump and good gage set.
If you are inclined to do this it can pay off. A decent evac pump and
gage set total a bit less than $200.
And they take up some space, so might not be practical to carry along
if space is an issue.
But learn the basics. And you still need to handle a wrench.
I don't like putting stop leak in any system, but it seems most of the
R134 cans at auto stores come with it, so I've done it in a pinch.

--Vic

I still have the case of R-12 I bought for $1.80 a can. Nothing ever
leaked, and I still have it all. Wonder what it is worth.

Casady