1. FACTORS IN HANDLING FREON 12
  2. THE ALCOHOL TORCH LEAK DETECTOR
  3. THE SOLUTION LEAK DETECTOR

 

PRECAUTIONS IN 1953 BUICK AIR CONDITIONER HANDLING LINES

  1. Use Only Sealed Lines From Stock
  2. Use Lines Free of Kinks
  3. Use Proper Wrenches on Flare Nuts
  4. Close Ends of Lines
  1. Factors in 1953 Buick Air Conditioner Handling Freon-12

All refrigerant drums are shipped with a heavy metal screw cap. The purpose of the cap is to protect the valve and safety plug from damage. lt is good practice to replace the cap after each use of the drum for the same reason.

lf it is ever necessary for you to transport or carry a drum of refrigerant in your car, keep it in the Luggage compartment. The drum should not he exposed to the radiant heat from the sun for the resulting increase in pressure may cause the safety plug to release or the drum to burst.

For the same reason, the drum should never be subjected to high temperature when adding refrigerant to the system. In most instances, heating the drum is required to raise the drum pressure higher than the pressure in the sys­ tem during the operation. It would be unwise to place the drum on a gas stove, radiator or use a blow torch while preparing for the charging operation, for a serious accident can result. Don’t depend on the safety plug-many drums have burst when the safety plug failed. Remember, pressure can he a powerful force. A bucket of hot water, not over 125°F., or hot wet rags around the drum is all the heat that is required.

lf you ever have the occasion to fill a small drum from a large one, never fill the drum completely. Space should always he allowed above the liquid for expansion. If the drum were completely full and the temperature was increased, hydraulic pressure would result. I’m sure all of you are familiar with the tremendous force of hydraulic pressure.

Discharging large quantities of Freon-12 into a room can usually be done safely as the vapor would produce no ill effects. However, this should not be done if the area contains a flame producing device such as a gas heater. While Freon-12 normally is non-poisonous, heavy concentrations of it in contact with a live flame will produce toxic gas. The same gas will also attack all bright metal surfaces.

The last precaution is one that is vitally important to everyone. Nature gives us only one pair of eyes and, we’re sure we are all concerned about keeping them. When working around a refrigerating system, one never knows when an accident may cause liquid refrigerant to hit the face. lf the eyes are protected by goggles or glasses, no serious damage can result. Just remember, any Freon-12 liquid that you can touch or that touches you is at least 21.7°F. below zero! The eyes can’t take much of this temperature.

If Freon-12 should strike the eyes, here is what to do:

Keeping calm in any situation which requires clear thinking is important.

The natural tendency is to rub the eyes. Above all-don’t! Splash the affected area with quantities of cold water to gradually get the temperature above the freezing point.

The use of mineral, cod, or an antiseptic oil is important in providing a protective film over the eyeball to reduce the possibility of infection.

As soon as possible, call or consult an eye specialist for immediate and future treatment. We sincerely hope the occasion never arises for you to require this treatment. It is hest to remember the old adage – “Announce of precaution is worth a pound of cure.”

Freon-12 is shipped and stored in metal cylinders varying in sizes from 4 pounds up to 145 pounds net weight. You most probably will find the 25 pound (net) cylinder the most convenient and practical size.

When delivered, each cylinder is tagged, indicating its “tare” ( empty) weight, “net” weight and “gross” (total) weight.

Because it is impractical to use the very last pound or two in the cylinder, your Freon Distributor will credit you with amount left. Accordingly, Do Not Remove the Tag.

Toward the front of this booklet we stated that you would be required to use tools and equipment with which you are not familiar. At this time we would like to introduce to you one of these devices. 1t plays an important role in service work and there are many occasions for its use. We are referring to the alcohol torch leak detector.

  1. The Alcohol Torch Leak Detector

The body of the detector is a hard-rubber covered brass cylinder containing cotton wicking. The base is a threaded seal cap containing a spare orifice, orifice cleaner, and a gasket. The burner consists of a minute orifice, a cop­ per ring, hood, sampling tube, and hand operated needle valve.

The kind of fuel to be used in the detector is very important. While most any volatile fuel will produce a flame, there is only one that will aid in detecting small leaks and which will not eventually damage the torch. That fuel is an­ hydrous methyl alcohol. Available through Kent-Moore under Frigidaire No. SA3621.

The care of the detector is also important. Like many devices, its life and usefulness is dependent on the care it is given. The valve should never be closed tightly while the burner is hot. lf you do, the needle will “freeze” when the burner cools and the seat will be damaged the next time you try to open it. The minute orifice should be kept clean by occasionally inserting the wire cleaner provided. The copper flame ring should be replaced when it becomes noticeably burnt away.

All parts of the detector are replaceable and can be obtained from your source of supply.

  1. Preparing The Detector and Checking For Leaks
    1. Remove the base cap of the detector and fill the cylinder with the alcohol just as you would fill a cigarette lighter. Then replace the cap tightly.
    2. Set the detector on a fireproof surface and fill the cup beneath the burner with the alcohol.
    3. Light the alcohol in the cup and allow it to burn until it is almost gone. This heats the burner and generates pressure on the alcohol in the cylinder.
    4. Open the needle valve slightly and light the burner. When the copper flame ring gets cherry red, adjust the needle valve to produce as small a flame as possible. This is important because the smaller the flame, the more sensitive the burner is to small leaks.
    5. Prior to checking for a leak, clean the place to be checked.
    6. Hold the rubber end of the sampling tube close to the suspected leak and watch the flame-in this case we will use the Freon cylinder discharge valve. lf the flame changes color, particularly a green, brilliant blue or purple, you have located the leak or are close to it. lf there is no leak, crack the cylinder valve very slightly, then check. When checking the valve, or any connection, move the sampling tube completely around it. As a word of caution-don’t breathe the fumes and black smoke that is produced if the leak is a big one. They are poisonous !

PRECAUTION: Any time an open flame is used near a car a certain amount of danger is at hand. Although the torch flame is small and well protected it is recommended that a fire extinguisher be close at hand for any emergency that might arise.

  1. The Solution Leak Detector

There are a number of fittings and places throughout the air conditioning unit where Buick leak detector solution (Gp. 9.282, Part 564255 is more practical to use than the alcohol torch in locating leaks.

By merely applying solution to the area with the swab that is attached to the bottle cap, bubbles will form within five seconds if there is a leak.

For confined areas, such as sections of the cooling coil and condenser, the alcohol torch will most probably be the more accurate and time saving method to use.