Repairing a leaking condenser coil and a restricted filter drier

[@EverythingHVACR]

Great job! Thanks for recording. 👏. I like to upsize my drier when possible when dealing with restrictions. Just like you would with burnout, you get more capacity to catch anything that may be left. Sometimes, if the oil is an issue, I've seen driers plug again after the initial repair.

[@mechanicalenvironments]

That's a good call, gonna need to truck stock some larger driers before summer gets underway. We did made sure the customer is aware it may plug up again, but hopefully there good to go for a while

[@EverythingHVACR]

@mechanicalenvironments Yeah, I played this game with a carrier 2 stage, 410A. The condenser got dirty, cooked the oil, and plugged both driers. Only had a single C083S and one C163S. The 083 plugged again, but the 163 did not.

[@mosadhana5815]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@ccthepope]

great job!

[@dioncurtiscurtis3188]

What’s your logo about I’m intrigued 😂

[@TerryForest-o9t]

how long did it take😅

[@MikeMike-gw6vl]

Do you just break off enough fins to get to your leak area ? Do you replace it when done ? Also the r410a has high gwp and was reading that r32 is perfect replacement for r410a with only 3rd of gwp and slightly better efficiency. Can r410a be replaced with that in every unit ?

[@picklerix6162]

I’ve had good luck repairing condenser leaks. A relative called me one day and said his roommate accidentally shot the condenser coil with a .22 bullet. The local HVAC repair company refused to fix the hole. I was able to repair the hole by removing a couple inches of aluminum fins and splicing in some copper tubing.

[@miamiSincar]

wow lot a work

[@AustinAirCo]

Due to vibration that coil will leak again. Probably ok for a while given you're in Colorado and AC season is very short there. I've attempted these coil repairs here in my area they rarely last that long. Nothing to support the metal refrigerant tube on that one side that you had to remove to make the repair. Due to that those tubes will vibrate during operation and rub themselves a new leak. I get it that this is commercial and tenant is probably renting this space so much cheaper to attempt a repair than buy a new condenser coil as those aren't cheap. But if it leaks again in less than 2 years, it may cost you this customer because they view you as wasting their money. Something for you to think about.

[@mechanicalenvironments]

The customer made the choice on how they wanted to deal with this unit. We made them aware of the situation and risk that comes with this type of repair. We offered a new condensing unit, a coil replacement, and this emergency repair. They chose to go this route as they needed the unit running ASAP. Communication is key for this situation, as it's not my decision to make. It is ultimately the customer's decision. I made sure to leave the coil mount points intact to help support the coil and minimize vibration. I suspect leaks at the bottom of coils, like this, are often caused by aggressive cleaners not properly rinsed off, meaning the entire lower section is potently compromised and may leak again. This is something we made sure the customer is aware of. The restriction in the filter drier could also return, as it may be oil break down, compressor damage, or debris in the lines from install. But again, I can't force someone to buy a new unit. As the word moves deeper into A2l and SEER 2.0, the match up components are getting harder and harder to get, meaning repairs like this are going to be the only repair option for many customers here shortly. This may be colorado, but this unit is not gonna get any days off, we service the indoor agriculture space.

[@AustinAirCo]

@@mechanicalenvironments ah ok I would think indoor agriculture would have more money for things like this, but I digress it's a slippery slope. Nothing wrong then if you explained it to them covered yourself with other options you recommended. True that money is going to be a stickler going forward.