I used to have problems running out of nitrogen. Years ago I started keeping two tanks of nitrogen on my truck. When I crack open the second tank, I replace the first tank. I can run the bottles dry and I always have plenty of nitrogen. Complete game changer.
@@jthonndoesn’t work that way. The air you breathe is not dry. You need to extract it, separate it and dry it, dry it with refrigeration. What you just suggested will never happen
Thanks for explaining what you’re doing all along the way and the great camera shots from inside the equipment really helps us learn how to troubleshoot.
I agree. I know nothing about HVAC repair and it’s nice to have a little more dialogue about your process and procedure for troubleshooting the problems. Troubleshooting techniques can bridge across many industries.
People don’t realize how high refrigerant is now. That always freaks people out when I tell them that. I try to give breaks whenever I can, but I’ve reached a point finally you have to live. When I take one of my vans to the mechanic he don’t care to charge me and I pay it and go on with my life. I’ve spent thousands this year on one vehicle. But you know what? I’m ok which that as long as they fix it.
Love the videos Curtis! I do HVAC in Northern MA, Southern NH. I tell my techs to watch your videos as well. My tech tip is I add Nitrogen, then a little Refrigerant and use my Fieldpiece infrared leak detector. It works great. I havent seen a setup like yours until now, i love it
Man...I cannot get enough of your videos. Thank you for being a solid resource for the trade. Curious why no oil was at the leak. Too slow of a leak to carry oil with it?
The installer never tightened the expansion valve. Some techs blame Goodman as a bad manufacturer. We install mainly Goodman and if installed correctly, are as good as any other brand. Chalk this one up to installer error.
You will do less "knuckle bustin" if you put the adjustable wrench on the nut then adjust it so it's a tighter fit. Also less likely to strip the nut or fitting. Well done. That AccuTrak is neat.
When using the ultra sonic leak detector, I've found it really helps to wet the coil with a spray bottle of water. Another great video, thanks for sharing!
So we had a Goodman system put in one other house and it stopped working after three months. The company that installed it came back and said the compressor was blown. He put a new one in and said it had blown because the system was cycling way too much and whoever installed the system didn’t set the blower speed correctly. I told the man that it was his company that did the installation of the in and outside unit. His face went red and went to the truck on his phone. Let’s just say it was replaced and I didn’t call them back.
@@Bunkysworkshop The one I have is a 4 ton, it is 18 years old r22. It has a slow leak that started when it was 13. I put stop leak in it last year and it is still working. Are they any good today, I don't know. I was putting about 3lbs. of freon a year in it, so I'll be posting if the stop leak worked at all when I check it, so far so good.
I made a little tool that hooks into your nitrogen tank without a regulator so when the tanks gets low you can just put it on and get the rest of the nitrogen out of the tank.
Why do you think manufacturer doesn't ever guarantee refrigerant. 410 double the pressure as r 22. Once you've been to the factory and seen the assembly line you'll never feel confident that things won't happen down the road
'That's a good point. I knew it was more pressure, but I didn't realise that much more. I don't know why they don't go ahead make units that use CO2 or nitrogen. That way we could release the gas and not hurt the atmosphere.
Hey Curtis what would happen if you flush the system with nitrogen and dont replace the filter drier ? I dont think there would be non condensables in the system especially if you pull a good vacuum
@@ABC-wz2db No, they don’t. You can get 20 years out of an aluminum coil. Make certain you use a quality air filter in the system and never run it without a filter for even one day. A dirty or clogged coil holds moisture on the coil and can cause corrosion and premature leaks.
@@HVACGUY I agree. When someone tells me that they have to add refrigerant on an annual basis and the gauge reads zero, it's time to aggressively look for the leak before adding even if they just want it "filled."
vey nice troubleshooting skills, i have been hooked to your video, im mainly do commercial refrigeration, learning my way to hvac with your video. which state that u live in?
Great video But You don't need to replace the drier on that call. Just Evacuate & Fill it up. You filled it with nitrogen. the nitrogen has an affinity for moisture and gathers any moisture and pulls it out with it. hence the name " Dry nitrogen " only time a drier needs changed is when replacing a Compressor or doing any more than 4 welds on a system or Physically rusty or old. That system was new u said. What's changing the drier going to do for the system ? it's a new drier. it's not old , rusty or clogged up.
Well the systems was open for an extended period of time , And clearly the people who installed it didn't care to pull a vacuum so there was probably no precautions taken when brazing the unit and coil. If i was in his shoes i would also change the dryer while I'm at it
I tend to agree. We use a nitrogen purge box, glove box, for hi-rel electronics. The units are then sealed in that nitrogen environment per military standard 883.
I've yet to have a condenser to leak after installing several hundred Goodman however I always go above the quality level of most companies and I inspect all new units to see if anything can rub the insulation on the wires or lines rubbing together and secure if needed. I've personally had the most leaks from Rheem and York. Trane with the most compressor failures. If you only compare package units, Trane has the most leaks by far, but it's usually because the installer didn't do a good job and inspect the unit to see if lines were rubbing together. Yes we shouldn't have to do that but the quality of all new units, regardless of brand, is pretty much junk these days. That's why I don't push people into getting a new unit. With the new EPA standards in effect, I doubt any system will last 5 years without giving a major issue.
Mine was in the evaporator. My sister in law has 2 units and the evaporator on each one went out. The warranty covered them at 7 years old. They claimed that there was a bad batch of evaporators that went out.
Trane/American Standard condensers leak where suction and discharge lines pass under the coil. Sometimes on the aluminum spine fin tubes too, directly above the suction/discharge lines.
@@jthonnyes, my son has AC co. & replaced many leaking evaporator coils on Goodmans, including mine twice. He hesitated to continue to install them because of how many leaked. Reasonable priced units for customers without a lot of money.
I haven't even watched the video two things to check first tube for suckshion reading on heatpump and Schrader on evap coil air or heatpump got over heated on install
My 6 year old Ruud (Rheem) system was completely out of refrigerant. The evap coil had huge leaks. Everything including furnace, A/C, line set, coil was brand new at time of installation. Quality of equipment these days is garbage. But the fact this was a $1300 repair is ridiculous. You had refrigerant and an hour or two of time.
We run ours at 68 degrees during the night and it cycles (doesn't run constantly) but we are in the Tucson, AZ area where there is very low humidity (5%), I don't know if that makes a difference?? Our single level house is 2100 sq ft running a 5-ton American Standard (2023) unit. We had day-time temps last few days 109 degrees outside.
You could get the mic a little further away from your mouth, it always sounds like your chewing gum, but your not, its the noises you make while your doing stuff,
I used to have problems running out of nitrogen. Years ago I started keeping two tanks of nitrogen on my truck. When I crack open the second tank, I replace the first tank. I can run the bottles dry and I always have plenty of nitrogen. Complete game changer.
They should come up with a nitrogen pump so you can fill easy, the atmosphere is like 80% nitrogen.
@@jthonndoesn’t work that way. The air you breathe is not dry. You need to extract it, separate it and dry it, dry it with refrigeration. What you just suggested will never happen
Hints the name dry nitrogen lol
@@drodriguez394 I hear ya, they aren't going to make something to replace what they are making money on either.
@@acrservicesmathewr7565 You know, liquid nitrogen is as dry as it gets, right?
Turning off the disconnect was a good save. I was waiting for it to start. lol!
What part of the video?
@@realSamAndrew- At about 5:57 he remembers to pull the disconnect after he had started putting nitrogen in the system.
@@stevee7774Thank you. I don't know how I missed that even after looking for it on a rewatch 😮😮.
@@mel904
Yep. Nitrogen is tough on a running compressor.
Good video. I'm glad you are explaining things. I am a hvac apprentice and enjoy your videos
Thanks for explaining what you’re doing all along the way and the great camera shots from inside the equipment really helps us learn how to troubleshoot.
It sure is some good footage
I agree. I know nothing about HVAC repair and it’s nice to have a little more dialogue about your process and procedure for troubleshooting the problems. Troubleshooting techniques can bridge across many industries.
People don’t realize how high refrigerant is now. That always freaks people out when I tell them that. I try to give breaks whenever I can, but I’ve reached a point finally you have to live. When I take one of my vans to the mechanic he don’t care to charge me and I pay it and go on with my life. I’ve spent thousands this year on one vehicle. But you know what? I’m ok which that as long as they fix it.
Curtis, great video. This would be a Great video when you come back to fix.
Thanks!
Love the videos Curtis! I do HVAC in Northern MA, Southern NH. I tell my techs to watch your videos as well. My tech tip is I add Nitrogen, then a little Refrigerant and use my Fieldpiece infrared leak detector. It works great. I havent seen a setup like yours until now, i love it
Good test for the ultrasonic. Great job as always
Thank you!
Man...I cannot get enough of your videos. Thank you for being a solid resource for the trade. Curious why no oil was at the leak. Too slow of a leak to carry oil with it?
Nothing I’d rather do more than listen to Curtis breathe and do badass HVAC work! Great content as always!
I can't stand these high powered microphones. Every smack and breath drives me nuts.
Curtis, your camera shots - the 'get in tight' stuff - is really good! Thanks for upping your game!
i Like that Leak detector ! That thing works good ! Very cool. i might have to get me one of those.
Im still learning to use it appropriately
Be prepared to open your wallet wide. They ain't cheap.
Thanks for another great video! Keep them coming.
I always learn something. Especially ways I can do prevent matinance.
Thanks Much!
Glad you enjoyed it.
The installer never tightened the expansion valve. Some techs blame Goodman as a bad manufacturer. We install mainly Goodman and if installed correctly, are as good as any other brand. Chalk this one up to installer error.
You will do less "knuckle bustin" if you put the adjustable wrench on the nut then adjust it so it's a tighter fit. Also less likely to strip the nut or fitting. Well done. That AccuTrak is neat.
When using the ultra sonic leak detector, I've found it really helps to wet the coil with a spray bottle of water. Another great video, thanks for sharing!
This comment answers my question about the leak detector. It’s ultrasonic “sound” not chemical leak detection.
Great find on the leak look forward to the repair thanks for the video
1:44 best thing a customer has ever said salute to this guy 🫡🫡
Thanks for explaining more in depth and taking us along the way. feels like where next to you learning from a pro.
Nice Job! Need to add the AccuTrak Leak detector to your tool list above for those interested in acquiring one. Looks like it works pretty well.
That leak detector works better if you wet the coil.GREAT VIDEOS 😊
Thanks for the tip
That's a big bill. Yikes!
Good catch curtis
I"ll leave you alone,, you know what you're doing." ear candy!
Excellent methodical troubleshooting. Well done!
Was that leaking brass part the TXV?
Yes, the connections on either side of it
So we had a Goodman system put in one other house and it stopped working after three months. The company that installed it came back and said the compressor was blown. He put a new one in and said it had blown because the system was cycling way too much and whoever installed the system didn’t set the blower speed correctly. I told the man that it was his company that did the installation of the in and outside unit. His face went red and went to the truck on his phone. Let’s just say it was replaced and I didn’t call them back.
That is why certain units get a bad name. It wasn't the unit's fault at all.
@@jthonn I don’t know that much about Goodman to really say if they are quality or not. What are your thoughts?
What a smart guy he was 🤣 and good call not calling them back to your house. And Goodman units are top of the line but they work
@@Bunkysworkshop The one I have is a 4 ton, it is 18 years old r22. It has a slow leak that started when it was 13. I put stop leak in it last year and it is still working. Are they any good today, I don't know. I was putting about 3lbs. of freon a year in it, so I'll be posting if the stop leak worked at all when I check it, so far so good.
@@dkinfishing I think you meant aren't top of the line. They aren't the worst either, I would say middle of the road.
I carry two of Nitrogen and two acetylene. I forgot how many map gas bottles I got but I may downsize to two.
I made a little tool that hooks into your nitrogen tank without a regulator so when the tanks gets low you can just put it on and get the rest of the nitrogen out of the tank.
Why are you not using a back wrench to support the TXV?
Why do you think manufacturer doesn't ever guarantee refrigerant. 410 double the pressure as r 22. Once you've been to the factory and seen the assembly line you'll never feel confident that things won't happen down the road
'That's a good point. I knew it was more pressure, but I didn't realise that much more. I don't know why they don't go ahead make units that use CO2 or nitrogen. That way we could release the gas and not hurt the atmosphere.
5 years pretty much standard here in Australia 🇦🇺
But when you talk refrigerant leaks they always try to blame the installer, talking from experience
is that ultrasonic leak detector do you like it there pricey
It has its uses. Still need a sniffer.
Great video, thanks.
Glad you liked it!
Just found a minisplit with no refrigerant in it today, have a good one Curtis!
Curtis i look forwrd to the finished job 👍 Au
Is it possible to put dye in home air conditioners like the do in automotive A/C sytems to help locate leaks?
It is, but it's not recommended, the dye is a non condensible and can gunk up valves and etc.
@@ninnghhizziddhathe sealant maybe. I don’t know about the dye.
@@caru3257anything that isn't refrigerant or oil is a non-condensable in my book.
Putting dye in a system should be a Last Resort When You Have Looked for Refrigerant leaks with leak detector & bubbles & can't find it.
great video tech appreciate your expertise
Just curious how there was a leak on the interior unit with no signs of oil? Wouldn't there be an oily mess at the site of the leak?
I'm retired now but i used to buy xetra nitrogen and acetylene tanks at farm sales for 5 or 10 dollars. Sure beats paying new price at the supplier.
Hey Curtis what would happen if you flush the system with nitrogen and dont replace the filter drier ? I dont think there would be non condensables in the system especially if you pull a good vacuum
Ouch. Bad original installation, or did the joint there deteriorate?
He said it was fairly new so I’d go with bad install.
I guess i missed it where was the leak and why replace the dryer?
We have these units where I work. Blower assembly is blocked by evaporator and a pain to replace. Also evap coils fail regularly.
Goodman had a bad batch of evap coils from 2007-2009. Their coils are no different than any other now.
These were new installs in 2018-19. So all other aluminum coils fail regularly?
@@ABC-wz2db
No, they don’t. You can get 20 years out of an aluminum coil. Make certain you use a quality air filter in the system and never run it without a filter for even one day. A dirty or clogged coil holds moisture on the coil and can cause corrosion and premature leaks.
Do you have a cutoff pressure that you consider it a total loss? i.e. anything under 20 psi gets vacuum and a dryer?
Basically zero.
@@HVACGUY I agree. When someone tells me that they have to add refrigerant on an annual basis and the gauge reads zero, it's time to aggressively look for the leak before adding even if they just want it "filled."
Why would you have to replace the liquid line dryer?
vey nice troubleshooting skills, i have been hooked to your video, im mainly do commercial refrigeration, learning my way to hvac with your video. which state that u live in?
Georgia
@@HVACGUY i live in lawrenceville GA. Lol which city that you live?
Are you using a mass spectrometer to sniff the leaks or just a microphone with headphones?
So the unit doesn't have to be running to and freon
Thanks for sharing
Do you like the acutrac ? What model do you recommend?
Would twice a year servicing had caught this issue before it was empty??
Great video But You don't need to replace the drier on that call. Just Evacuate & Fill it up.
You filled it with nitrogen. the nitrogen has an affinity for moisture and gathers any moisture and pulls it out with it. hence the name " Dry nitrogen "
only time a drier needs changed is when replacing a Compressor or doing any more than 4 welds on a system or Physically rusty or old.
That system was new u said.
What's changing the drier going to do for the system ? it's a new drier. it's not old , rusty or clogged up.
Well the systems was open for an extended period of time , And clearly the people who installed it didn't care to pull a vacuum so there was probably no precautions taken when brazing the unit and coil. If i was in his shoes i would also change the dryer while I'm at it
I tend to agree. We use a nitrogen purge box, glove box, for hi-rel electronics. The units are then sealed in that nitrogen environment per military standard 883.
Cool hopefully you haveing a good day
Thanks! You too!
@HVACGUY you can accept me on the work
Opinion on concord units for residential?
On a Goodman/Amana.....wow that's so rare!!! Said no one everrrr
Have seen it many times
good job.
Nice work Curtis. Hopefully you'll get the repairs.
I hope so too
why is there no oil where it all leaked out?
When is a small leak you see oil residue, but when is a big one there is not to much signs
Of course it would be the unit behind another.
Why do HVAC not have a dye? Like automotive industry. Makes for finding small leaks so much easier.
So when it’s that low you just put nitrogen don’t pump down ?
You can't pump it down no receiver to pump into.
Get that pressure up to 450-500 psi.
Nice work man as always. Frustrating that you have to wait for a approval while you are right there.
Typically with Goodman, it’s a leak in the condenser like a vibration or rub out
I've yet to have a condenser to leak after installing several hundred Goodman however I always go above the quality level of most companies and I inspect all new units to see if anything can rub the insulation on the wires or lines rubbing together and secure if needed. I've personally had the most leaks from Rheem and York. Trane with the most compressor failures. If you only compare package units, Trane has the most leaks by far, but it's usually because the installer didn't do a good job and inspect the unit to see if lines were rubbing together. Yes we shouldn't have to do that but the quality of all new units, regardless of brand, is pretty much junk these days. That's why I don't push people into getting a new unit. With the new EPA standards in effect, I doubt any system will last 5 years without giving a major issue.
Yeah that dam true suction port always rubs out its the first thing I check when I find a flat goodman or amana
Mine was in the evaporator. My sister in law has 2 units and the evaporator on each one went out. The warranty covered them at 7 years old. They claimed that there was a bad batch of evaporators that went out.
Trane/American Standard condensers leak where suction and discharge lines pass under the coil. Sometimes on the aluminum spine fin tubes too, directly above the suction/discharge lines.
@@jthonnyes, my son has AC co. & replaced many leaking evaporator coils on Goodmans, including mine twice. He hesitated to continue to install them because of how many leaked. Reasonable priced units for customers without a lot of money.
Have you yet found a good sniffer yet?
You not showing another for the DIY .To know what you are doing.
I haven't even watched the video two things to check first tube for suckshion reading on heatpump and Schrader on evap coil air or heatpump got over heated on install
Then there's always the guy that dosnt no how to braze
Can't say I haven't seen that one to its a good one man 😅😂😊
Good job as always I'm retired but still like watching a good tech at work trust me after 28 years iv seen some bad ones u are the man
So sad that prices today are crazy high. A repair like that would have cost $240.00 in my day. Oh well times change.
👍👍👍
Todays ur lucky day 😂😂😂
$11 a pound for 410a
My 6 year old Ruud (Rheem) system was completely out of refrigerant. The evap coil had huge leaks. Everything including furnace, A/C, line set, coil was brand new at time of installation. Quality of equipment these days is garbage. But the fact this was a $1300 repair is ridiculous. You had refrigerant and an hour or two of time.
His first problem was wanting it to go below 70. 😂
Exactly.
We run ours at 68 degrees during the night and it cycles (doesn't run constantly) but we are in the Tucson, AZ area where there is very low humidity (5%), I don't know if that makes a difference?? Our single level house is 2100 sq ft running a 5-ton American Standard (2023) unit. We had day-time temps last few days 109 degrees outside.
I run 68 year round in Michigan
My guy was inhaling freon for who knows how long
Finally a smart”helicopter”…he caught C-Dogs focus vibe quick
Freon ain't cheap!
That's like almost the worst thing that can happen
Flare fittings! Ugh!
Simple fix 1300 bucks. That's a shame, but it is what it is. Nice job
Yea, you need to get the mic further away
1300$ 😢
Did you say $1300.00 if yes ? so I think it’s very good price for customer … nice job 👍
Thanks
You could get the mic a little further away from your mouth, it always sounds like your chewing gum, but your not, its the noises you make while your doing stuff,
1st