Best Practices for Charging A System [2024 Version]

Jim Bergmann demonstrates the step-by-step process of charging an AC or heat pump system. Follow along to ensure your client's systems are running efficiently and correctly.
Remember these rules before charging:
1. Check evaporator for cleanliness
2. Check condenser for cleanliness
3. Check the filter
4. Make sure the airflow is in range
5. Know your metering device
• TXV, charge by subcooling
• Fixed, charge by superheat
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:18 - Understanding Refrigerant Charges
00:37 - System Setup and Components
01:23 - Superheating and Subcooling Explained
02:25 - Measuring Pressure and Temperature
03:03 - Importance of Clean Components
05:00 - Liquid Seal in the Condenser
06:34 - Superheat and Subcooling Calculations
08:03 - Airflow and Static Pressure Measurement
09:12 - Visual Inspection of Components
11:00 - Checking and Adjusting the Charge
14:40 - Using measureQuick App for Calculations
16:04 - Performance Check and Final Adjustments
18:36 - Purging and Connecting Hoses
19:59 - Adding Refrigerant
21:43 - Summary and Best Practices

[@johnnyprotalk3352]

i wish more guys would watch your videos a lot of good knowledge and helpful to understand why we need to do things

[@UncleEarlHeatingAirCondition]

Looking good, Jim! always a pleasure in having you keep our heads in the game! When you get a chance, run the same example for a Heat Pump?

[@davejohnsonnola1536]

Looking good young fella. Hope to see you back at Kalos in February!

[@measureQuick]

Lord willing I will be there this year. In remission and feeling a lot better. Thanks!

[@DWAYNE2ism]

Wow we need more

[@jamesedwards5931]

Jim, this was one of your best! Thanks again

[@justwork_hvac]

Thank you, jim.. great to see you . Thank you for always sharing your great knowledge 🤟💯🌎

[@measureQuick]

Thanks!

[@StephenRardon]

Nice to see you Jim!

[@measureQuick]

Nice to be seen.

[@daleborg9070]

@@measureQuick Better than being viewed

[@MinnesotaHvAc]

E your back. We need to be concise with the youth of today. Not all techs understand that the vacuum is equalizing across the metering devise. When I add this information to my training sessions the lite bulb glows. We can’t leave out what we call common sense.

[@brianmcdermott1718]

Thank you, Jim.👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍.

[@sharifskijr.1257]

Much appreciated Sir!

[@chriseh09]

Glad to see you as it has been awhile!! As always thank you for a great and informative video!!

[@measureQuick]

More to come!

[@eco-solutionsllc4412]

Good video

[@MTauhaA]

It'll be good for tech's to know the basis of the target superheat chart. From my knowledge, this is based on an approximation of the Tevap of 40F (TSH=Tiwb-(Tamb-Tiwb)/2-40) . Love to know Jim's thoughts on this.

[@reganbrill415]

Nice video interested on make of magnetic tablet mount

[@garypoplin4599]

13:47 - What are the steps from starting MQ to get to this screen? I’ve gone different routes with the same response. The “gauges” displayed on _my_ screen shows TXV/Superheat on the left and CFM/Air Flow on the right. How can I get the PSIG suction and liquid to show from my connected Fieldpiece probes? I’ve tried Quick charge, start a new project, make a saved project active, as well as other things after opening the MQ app but with the same result. What is the required information that needs to be entered before I can see the pressures from the connected probes displayed. Am I missing a requirement? I have the following probes mapped: liquid pressure, suction pressure, liquid line temperature, suction line temperature, discharge line temperature, outdoor air temperature, return air temperature, supply air temperature, return static, and supply static as well as the iDVM550. The all the probe’s readings are accurately displayed in other parts of the app. For me to see the current pressures, I have to open the toolbox and go to the connected Fieldpiece probes list.

[@AARONJL92]

Good to see you are doing well! So just to review, #1 We set the airflow to the condenser size or coil? Can you elaborate a little more on the part you said about what type of motor you have? Standard vs actual. PSC vs ECM? Thank you for such a wonderful app!

[@measureQuick]

Set the airflow to the condenser size, with a PSC and look at actual airflow. With an ECM watch standard air flow. An ECM moves the same mass flow rate. A pSC moves the same volume with a variable mass flow rate.

[@AARONJL92]

@@measureQuick would it matter if it's constant airflow ECM or constant torque?

[@measureQuick]

Constant torque motors are set up similar to PSC motors however they have much less drop off in performance with higher statics. They also move a constant pretty constant mass flow like an ECM. The differences a constant torque motor is set by the wire taps and static and ECM is set by adjusting the dip switches to a preprogrammed SCFM.

[@moeselec]

Hi, our system here uses R 410 refrigerant. The charging chart shows R22. I don't get that!

[@measureQuick]

Good catch, it’s the exact same chart for 410a.

[@horsth9566]

SH chart for R-22, while system is 410-a?

[@measureQuick]

It’s the same chart for 410a. The refrigerant is different but the superheat calculation is the same. I noticed that also. I’ll reach out to HVAC School and see if they can update that.

[@oliverpernillo9834]

Most cases coil is dirty, condenser is dirty, blower is dirty, secondary heat exchanger is dirty and then the customer has to pay a lot of money to charge the unit or search for a leak, might as well get a new unit.

[@coldfinger459sub0]

👍