The gravity of refrigerant leakage has evoked fines from the EPA of up to $25,000 per day for each violation. The unfortunate reality is that refrigerant leak sites are usually discovered only after there has been a loss of cooling due to discomfort, spoilage, or production difficulty. Repairing refrigerant leaks is not the problem - finding them is.
Nearly 55,000 people ambled through the Las Vegas Convention Center during three days of non-stop activity at the industry’s largest trade show. A typical Wednesday at the expo is usually considered a light day for foot traffic. But even on the last day of the show, attendees were drawn to the 1,800-plus exhibitors’ booths displaying the latest HVACR products.
Various products exist to assist a worker at the jobsite. They make work faster, more efficient, and, in some cases, safer. This article describes a few products that can help a technician get the job done.
Thermography uses an infrared camera (thermal imager) to capture two-dimensional representations of the surface temperatures of parts of buildings. Often, those images reveal temperatures or temperature differences that indicate conditions contributing to the waste of heated or cooled air and, as a result, needlessly excessive energy costs.
Every environmentally conscious service technician should spend time learning how to check for refrigerant leaks in refrigeration and/or air conditioning systems. Ozone depletion, global warming, and the increasing price of refrigerants are forcing technicians to become better and more thorough leak detectors.
There is no reason to ever put gauges on an air conditioning or refrigeration system after the initial installation unless a problem with the mechanical refrigeration circuit is suspected. The refrigerant charge can be accurately checked using a thermometer and manufacturer's charging chart.
RSS
