Refrigerator Coolant Leak | Bullet Piercing Valve | Why Pay Someone $$$ BIG Bucks to Fix?

Tim Roberts
PO Box 316
Oakland, TN 38060
[e-mail]
Welcome to RidgeLife. In this video, we show HOW TO install a Bullet Piercing Valve on our refrigerator coolant system and check for low charge and fill the system with more R-134a coolant. We also review some other common issues with refrigerators.
Supco BPV31D Bullet Piercing Valve- amzn.to/2FGQH6L
Chemours Brand Automotive Freon R134a Refrigerant- 12oz Can (6)- amzn.to/2CNxSxG
Enviro-Safe 3226 Can Tap with Gauge - R-134a can to R-12/R-22 port- amzn.to/2Yf6kIM
00:00 INTRO
02:50 Bullet Piercing Valve
04:50 Charging Unit
07:33 Installing Bullet Piercing Valve
08:10 Charging R-134A Coolant
14:40 Review
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Have a Blessed Day!!!
Tim Roberts
[e-mail]
www.amazon.com/shop/ridgelife
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[@OffKilterHomestead]

I’ve used many of them. When I went through AC school we had so many refrigerators brought in I should have went into the refrigeration side of the industry. Ha. Once the professor was confident in our brazing abilities he allowed us to switch over to these connections. Much easier. I will be sharing your video frequently. This explains it so much easier than me trying to type it all out for people!

[@RidgeLife]

Off Kilter Homestead Ha! Thank you sir!!!

[@MikeSmith-fe3ng]

One of the better videos I've seen yet hands down. Thank you.

[@RidgeLife]

My pleasure!

[@SandraJsAdventuresOutdoors]

Hello, nice to meet you today. I saw a shout out to your channel from Walsh Farms and came over to subscribe. Wonderful work. :)

[@RidgeLife]

Awesome top have you! Love Walsh Farms!!! Have a great day.

[@johnnyleeway3466]

Dude!!! Ever since we lost Tom Petty, Charlie Starr and Blackberry Smoke has been our (the wife and I) favorite band!!! Nice shirt!

[@RidgeLife]

BBS is my favorite band!!!

[@keithwhittygmail]

Every home should have a Tim 😂🤣😂 How's Alexa gonna fix a fridge 🤣

[@RidgeLife]

Ha! I am sure my wife would say ONE is enough for this world! True about Alexa unless she calls up one of our videos!

[@keithwhittygmail]

@@RidgeLife Oh so your a Diva off camera 😂🤣😂

[@johnnyrizzo8057]

I have the same set, and the same problem as you. Add a few drops of 134a dye into the hose before you connect on to the tap. With a UV light you will find the leak. May you you can solder up the pinhole and fix it for good, if the leak is inside at the aluminum evaporator coil, they make a 2 part expoxy that you heatup with a torch and that would permanently fix the leak.

[@RidgeLife]

Very cool thx!

[@johnnyrizzo8057]

Found out after trial and error. For a freezer 10psi is no good. A freezer pressure should be 0. Fridge psi is good at 10 psi

[@neilb5305]

Your video was awesome and helped me a lot with the issue I had with low refrigerant. How did you come up with the low side pressure reading that you stopped filling freon at ?

[@RidgeLife]

I did a bunch of research online and filled a hair higher since I have a leak to make it last longer.

[@IronMan-bl7dd]

On a lot of fridges Those cheap a holes are putting metal lines in and under the insulation. Those metal lines are rusting and making holes where your Freon leaks. On your fridge you’re being lazy and not fixing the leak. And yes, you can fix it yourself if you put your mind to it.

[@RidgeLife]

True!

[@salimubeydullah7681]

ShakAlittlebit !! Lol great vid

[@RidgeLife]

Thx!

[@PaffordHomestead]

I used to work on window unit air-conditioning and I would us piercing valve to check the freon in them....

[@RidgeLife]

Very handy, huh?

[@jcarrolljr3052]

Freon ® R-12, R-22 has been banned since. R-134a will be unavailable after 2022.

[@larrya2344]

Hello - I’m wanting to do the same thing you did in this video. However, my service line is too short. I can’t connect the piercing connector there so how do I know which of the other two lines coming out the side of the compressor is the suction line? It seems one line is thinner and hotter and the other thicker line is cooler to the touch is the cooler line the suction line? Thank you

[@RidgeLife]

Ooh. Sorry I am not a HVAC tech enough to know ow for sure.

[@alikhan-qm2kw]

Hello Sir, Can you please help understand how to manage the amount of Gas to put. Label on Refrigerator shows 5 oz. of R134, however you said 12 PSI. whats the relation between the VOLUME and PSI we are required to control while injecting the Gas > thanks in adv

[@RidgeLife]

You have to have a pressure gauge. Mine shows the proper range for 134a with the unit running. You fill until the pressure is in the desirable range for that type coolant. Since I have a slow leak, I filled to the top of the pressure range. I hope that helps.

[@SPECIALKJ49]

i was told you dont use auto AC R134A for freezers ....?

[@RidgeLife]

Mine uses R134A.

[@halrobinson2737]

I little trick I use, especially in cars, is to put the 134A can into a container of hot water. It make the 134A to come out faster.

[@RidgeLife]

Whoa!

[@jcarrolljr3052]

Pros heat the refrigerant. Especially in winter.

[@nitinsawant5881]

but you have not repaired the leak again you will have to charge the refrigerant after 6 month it depends on the leakage major or myner ok thank's 👍

[@RidgeLife]

Yes. Charge about $1 of coolant every 3-6 months. Been doing it for year nows.

[@kochmachines]

Is there a good long-term stopleak report anywhere? I'm somewhat leary of adding it.

[@RidgeLife]

I didn’t use it but hear it works well.

[@ASimpleLifewithChrisTara]

Well that saved you a lot of money. Thanks for sharing

[@RidgeLife]

So far, at least a couple $k!!! Thx

[@jcarrolljr3052]

He also committed a Federal FELONY if not licensed!

[@zmnali78]

how did the piercing valve stand up till now ? any leaks ?

[@RidgeLife]

All good for years now!

[@kowboyinkorea]

Does anyone know why my pressure gauge is reading 70 psi when I open up the piercing valve to get an initial read (with the compressor running). Definitely not showing up as negative pressure. I’m 99% positive I’m installed on the suction line.

[@RidgeLife]

Wow! Sure doesn’t sound right.

[@moldyal]

Do you find your electricity bill drops after charging?

[@RidgeLife]

Not much but I’m sure it helps!!!

[@kochmachines]

Well done. I originally charged to about 2 psi and lasted maybe 2 months? Brought up to 5 psi and we'll see.

[@RidgeLife]

Maybe try some stopleak too?

[@kochmachines]

@@RidgeLife I guess that stuff is OK to use in refrigerators?

[@RidgeLife]

@kochmachines as long as same coolant type as base.

[@kochmachines]

@@RidgeLife Is there a good long term report on that anywhere?

[@DWR6]

How do you know what type of refrigerant you need an how much the systems holds? I have an LG LSFD2491ST and I am searching without much luck. Great video!!

[@RidgeLife]

It should be on the inside door label with type and amount of coolant as well as in the compressor. Thx!

[@DWR6]

@@RidgeLife It sure was! I was checking all over online too! Its not getting cold at all (freezer nor fridge). Its clean inside and out, tested thermistors, start capacitor, evap van, and condenser fan. Thanks for the help! This is my last try before I throw my 5yr old fridge out. If its the compressor, repairs could be half the cost of a new one.

[@RidgeLife]

Very true! Good luck!

[@RidgeLife]

They make the coolant with a stop leak in it too. That may hep.

[@DWR6]

@@RidgeLife Sorry, last question... How do you know what the ideal psi should be?

[@godfreyappliance5585]

Who puts a center island in front of a freezer or refrigerator. It is never going to be pulled out?

[@RidgeLife]

They engineered it just right as I have pulled them out often. It’s a tight fit though!

[@catzdollz9810]

@@RidgeLife then, they didn't engineer it right to begin with.

[@devinlyshon8094]

Are you doing this while the machine is running or turning it off?

[@RidgeLife]

It has to be running. Turn the dial to full cold and open the door.

[@devinlyshon8094]

@@RidgeLife the link for the r134a didn’t work. Can you send it again?

[@chronicshills]

Have you tried using a leak seal in there?

[@RidgeLife]

I haven’t but after I run through the plain coolant I will try some for sure. Thx.

[@HDXFH]

Seizes up the compressor

[@diysolaradventures7894]

Was your refrigerator running when you charge it up

[@RidgeLife]

You need to have it on high and door open to charge.

[@diysolaradventures7894]

@RidgeLife ok thanks I meant to say was ur fridge running when u charged it

[@RidgeLife]

@@diysolaradventures7894 yes it was. Good luck!

[@user-gt6zw9vn4e]

hello, you can fix it, and you can also damage your refrigerator. Better call technicians.

[@RidgeLife]

Been working for years that way now. Give it a bump every few months and good to go!

[@johnnyrizzo8057]

@@RidgeLife I think he is saying that the compressor gets really hot when there is not enough refrigerant in the system,

[@rgloria40]

mmm...make you want to wonder why they don't just install a recharging valve at the factory like they do to cars. In fact, they actually do. I was looking at refrigerator I got my older brother...he paid couple thousand bucks... The compressor has two charging ports on the compressor as well as the cold and hot outlets. The stubs look like they have way to much waste sealing it off. I guessing it just like at the factory...or when the product was manufactured in another country and some yahoo took off the charging tubes...or replace the compressor with their own manufactured compressor.... the tube used for this system is in metric...(6 mm versus 1/4 inch) and a much smaller package cooling radiator

[@RidgeLife]

Wild huh?!?

[@rgloria40]

@@RidgeLife It is all about making a buck I guess when labor is cheap in another country.... In the long run, having a customer getting their refrigerator service once every couple of years...is good for the economy and there is data to back this statement up.

[@RidgeLife]

Very true.

[@aaronhydrick4912]

Flip the can upside down and charge just putting air refrigerant In instead of liquid refrigerant. Will not last long do it right.

[@RidgeLife]

Hmm. I’ve always been taught to keep upright and slowly agitate.

[@jcarrolljr3052]

WRONG. Yiu must move small can from vertical to horizontal every 3 seconds oer instructions on can

[@Azetros]

There are more efficient forms to kill 🐧 s. Use nitrogen to check the leaks of refrigerant. If the fridge not have any refrigerant is mandatory use the vacuum machine. Bad advise if you have a fridge of thousands of dollars, this can work 1 day or 365, but later the if the compresor is broken you want to pay for solve your brilliant "ideas".

[@RidgeLife]

Nice opinion. I’ve had it running for three years since the ‘tech’ said it needed a new compressor. Still on first can of r-134. Give it a dose every 3-4 months. Boom!

[@Azetros]

@@RidgeLife Try to find the leak with water + soap, if in your country there are not honest workers is the best solution. Nice solution.

[@jcarrolljr3052]

@@RidgeLife Your video is proof you committed a Federal FELONY punishable by yp to 10 years in prison and $10k fine unless you have a Type 1 Refrigerant handling Technician license. Your state likely esquires a license too. The valve cannot be left on permanently either unless you fill it with R-600 iso butane instead.

[@bax737]

Yes, the prisons are overflowing with felons who fixed their refrigerators without a license, second only in number to the people who removed mattress tags from their beds. Pretty hardcore group also, nobody messes with them in prison lest they go to work on you with a blowtorch and a pair of pliers…

[@TanTan-ch3vq]

@jcarrolljr3052 You should go to the hell! You do it for money, he do it for help.

[@catzdollz9810]

You talk about the different sizes of the piercing valve BUT theres NEVER a close-up so we can see and understand what youre talking about.

[@RidgeLife]

Click on the link in the description for the part details. Thanks.

[@jcarrolljr3052]

The adapters for 5/16 and 1/4 inch tubes come with the 3/8" access valve. Virtually all home systems have 1/4" low side tubing.. Unfortunately, many high side evaporators are 3/16". No temporary access valve is available to evacuate that high side. It's a big problem with duka evaporator systems. Unless one had a Federal Type 1 Refrigerant handling Technician license, doing this is a FELONY punishable by 10 years prison and $10k fine for each violation.

[@HDXFH]

That leaks fixable

[@RidgeLife]

Absolutely!

[@hristofiziev9401]

2 words- Micky Mouse

[@RidgeLife]

Maybe Donald Duck?

[@jrfun4647]

Weird that you magically found the system in to vacuum state, specialty if there is a leak. vacuum needs to be done before charging the system if its empty.

[@RidgeLife]

Weird. I’ve done it 7 times now without issue ever several months and it cools perfectly!

[@dinhdnguyen]

I don't think he vacuumed the system before adding new freon. What he did was to close the tapped valve, connect the can of freon then let some freon out to push out unwanted air before letting just the freon into the system. I'd fix the leak and not keep pumping more freon to let it eventually all leak out. Breathing freon vapour is very dangerous for his family's health.

[@RidgeLife]

Yup. I do it about every 3-6 months. I’ve used my first can now. Just takes a little bit!

[@kimberlyhoward4032]

Is this how a slow leak can happen.

[@RidgeLife]

Absolutely.

[@RidgeLife]

But usually used to band aid a slow leak.

[@kimberlyhoward4032]

@@RidgeLife if you ask me I think faulty refrigerator today are by design and is being used to make citizens sick all over America. Freon leak on purpose, choice of weapon. I don't think they are faulty when they leave the warehouse they are selectively tampered with during transportation.

[@RidgeLife]

Good point.

[@MonsterNinjaz]

9:30

[@RidgeLife]

Howdy!

[@MonsterNinjaz]

This is beginning of charging procedure

[@jwchicano]

Using bullet piercing valves guarantees you'll be paying someone to come back and fix it 😂. Don't use home warranty companies just pay someone who knows what they're doing to fix it right once.

[@RidgeLife]

Valve has been on for years now. Just top off every few months. Still on same can! Yeah warranty companies are the worst!

[@dudebro2001]

You shouldn't have to top off a delayed system. You have a leak. This is a bandaid at best. This WILL result in catastrophic failure and a short life to your fridge. A leak is letting air and moisture into your lines and that is a serious detriment to your sealed system. Good luck. But if you want to actually fix this (which you haven't fixed whatsoever like you think) find the leak and brazen and seal properly. Than vacuum your system and recharge it.

[@TanTan-ch3vq]

@dudebro2001 You are so funny serious, his recharge has lasted his fridge for years. Your points may be right, but are theories. He has proven what he did is what we expected!

[@RidgeLife]

@TanTan-ch3vq thanks!

[@kimberlyhoward4032]

A leak could really put someone's health at risk.

[@RidgeLife]

Not a small leak in an ventilated space.

[@sonichuizcool7445]

Piercing valves.. it's not if they will leak but when. This is horrible advice. Also, if you are local to me for 100$ I will come to your home and put HI/LOW service ports. Because of advice like this I'm now going behind all Bob Vila's weekend warriors out there in my area fixing what they messed up. One more thing. You own rich people fridges in a rich people kitchen which presumably resides In a rich people home and you are going to squabble over a max 200$ dollar bill. That would include service ports and a refill. Sad.

[@RidgeLife]

Mine has been in for over a year and spent less than $20 on it. The ‘repair guys’ wanted $1000 to ‘fix’.

[@sonichuizcool7445]

@@RidgeLife message me back in about 3.

[@RidgeLife]

Huh?