Charging and Recovering with measureQuick

MeasureQuick founder Jim Bergmann demonstrates his process of charging and recovering refrigerant with measureQuick. He also talks about liquid refrigerant flashing in the liquid line drier.
Inside the Kalos HQ, Jim notices that the liquid line filter-drier sounds like it contains refrigerant that's flashing off. MeasiureQuick shows that the subcooling is VERY low (0.5 degrees; the manufacturer target is 11 degrees) and that the head pressure is low. The evaporator also doesn't have an even amount of moisture across the coil, the system capacity is low, and the SHR is 0.8, which is a bit too high for a humid climate. All the signs indicate that the refrigerant charge is low.
Before charging the system, Jim is sure to purge the hoses. He also uses a valve core depressor to add or remove refrigerant more precisely. Jim slowly adds vapor refrigerant to the suction line and checks his subcooling. MeasureQuick sets a subcooling target within 3 degrees of the manufacturer's target, so Jim adds refrigerant until the system gets 8-14 degrees of subcooling.
After Bryan and Jim add the charge, the system has high suction pressure and low superheat (a bit more so than usual). The subcooling is just slightly overshot due to a quick charge, and the liquid line temperature is a bit low. MeasureQuick determines that possible faults include a loose TXV bulb, liquid line restriction, overcharge, or a dirty condenser. In the end, the system has just been slightly overcharged, so Jim recovers the charge.
After the recovery, the latent capacity improves, as does the subcooling. The superheat is still low, but it's normal for that particular system. Having slightly high subcooling probably won't be a huge deal, but it's always worth taking the time to do the job right.
When Jim and Bryan go back inside, the liquid line drier is a lot quieter and doesn't have the pulsation it used to have.
So, the lesson for today is to take your time and don't film videos while charging a system.
Read all the tech tips, take the quizzes, and find our handy calculators at www.hvacrschoo...

[@chuckdearruda6271]

The A+ team in action, for sure. What a treat watching two of the best in the business. 😎

[@ATeamAdam]

Had to one up me

[@rogerf3622]

Spetacular video! Real world stuff is the best for learning. Listening/feeling the dryer is a great tip too. Thanks guys.

[@AndyHoltOutdoorUniversity]

Love this type of education. Good stuff as we move forward.

[@rondouglas6486]

Great video. Fantastic to see field corrections. Just missed Waffles.

[@centinelarefrigeracion8834]

Thanks for Share , greetings from Méxicali ,México.

[@mrcrux213]

Very good video even with all the complications 👏👏👏👍👍👋👋

[@theairconditioningguy]

More of these videos please. 😀

[@Livingcomfortinc]

Gotta love Jim

[@ishalljr]

Thanks for the video. Correct me if I'm wrong but that refrigerant is now fractionated. Because it is a blend it needs to be opened as a liquid and charged as a liquid. Because the blends escape at different rates

[@andrewhicks6494]

Ivan Hall incorrect, 410a is nearly azeotropic and is very stable. I have never seen any of the modern blends fractionate. Fractionation is more of a theory than anything and even it was an actuality, it occurs at such a low rate that doesn’t matter

[@NorCal-refrigeration]

MeasureQuick is the cats meow! 👍⚡️👍⚡️

[@EDRIS202]

Bro! Are you using an iPad for it?? I can never get it to work with out my probes dropping out. Running it on my galaxy Note 9

[@peenopiani7209]

Is the gas R410a?shouldnt be charged as liquid?

[@joeshearer1247]

If the liquid line sounds like that but you do have measured subcool it's a dead giveaway for non cons too.

[@hozerhvac4406]

Holy Jim B went balls to the wall on that charging 🤪

[@kennetheldridge5267]

Great job

[@donnierobertson3088]

Great job and video like always

[@horsth9566]

Nice video.. How much refrigerant was added, versus recovered?

[@peenopiani7209]

Hi dear sir:why didnt you charge system with liquid or didnt upside down the gas container?

[@jhhvacplumbing1944]

Jim you are da man .... that's what's the measure quick app told me after I typed the numbers in lol

[@KuchMagor]

Watching from south Sudan on African continent

[@jeffb8437]

Great video

[@matthewodonnell1856]

What is the probe connected to after the core depressor tool before it connects to the charging hose?

[@carrieresammy]

A charging T

[@andrewhicks6494]

Very cool video but I do disagree with one point Jim Bergman made about sweeping your gauges. There are no residential split systems that are critically charged to the point that sweeping your manifold gauges back into the system will put your subcooling over an acceptable range unless you overcharged the system to begin with, but the 6 oz that all 3 hoses hold should not affect you that much

[@brendankane2334]

Good video but it fails to mention what probes are being used. There must be more than just the outdoor Fieldpiece shown.

[@stevenlensing1094]

Can you tell me the model number of the testo probe set. Thankyou

[@RoamingWhispers]

Before 0:50
After 15:55

[@stevelonergan8042]

If you know the superheat was low why not close the txv off and bring it up first? Then your subcooling would have come up. Maybe not low on charge at all.

[@JoseGuerrero-sj5ie]

Thank sr for this video muchas gracias Bryan orr

[@frankgall6]

testo doesnt make anything like the i manifold has where it makes the blutooth work better does it?

[@kncsbr1]

You know what I appreciate most about videos like this? The fact that Jim and Bryan don't accept "close enough" as good, they closely calculate true capacity and maximize efficiency, love Measurequick, love Bryan, love Jim. Great video guys and thank you!

[@resurgensix]

Real world mistakes requires a level head to mitigate a solution right?

[@texture6]

Money 👍🏻

[@lee-johnson]

Take that freon out of his check Brian.