How to Add Freon To Your Refrigerator 134a 

I have listened to 3 minutes of this and already I'm lost!! Stop saying your making this easy because your not. Terms like piercing valve is discerning.

Never forget to purge your line before charging with Freon (forcing all air out of lines so none goes into your sealed system). Just done by loosening the connection to the piercing valve until you just see some refrigerant coming out. Quickly tighten back up and you’re now purged.

As a military jet engine mechanic and detail oriented, I have to say THIS VIDEO IS "THE BEST" ONLINE. Most descriptive and detailed for the layman who has never repaired a refrigerator. Going to make the repair with confidence now since watching this video. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

This is the best twelve minutes I've ever spent to save my fridge. Great simple explanation, it's now cooling like it should.

This is good instruction. I can add a few things more from the experience I had after I followed the instruction. - Make sure that the evaporator coils (which are located behind the freezer compartment) are entirely ice-free before you add freon. If not, you may add far too much freon to the system (as did I) while nevertheless at the same time seeing the pressure in the suction line settle down to about 2 psi in the suction line. After I did that, I observed immediately (with puzzlement) that the exterior of the suction line iced up all the way to the compressor, and that the region of the compressor around where the suction line enters the compressor soon iced up too - which I learned later that evening is generally a good indication that there is too much freon in the system. I did not confirm that I had added too much freon until the following day when it was clear to me that the temperatures inside the fridge and freezer compartments were still not getting low enough. Then I unplugged the refrigerator, and then I removed the back interior panel of the freezer compartment, and then I waited about 6 hours until the warm ambient air had melted all the ice on the evaporator coils. (You don't have to remove the back interior panel of the freezer compartment like I did - instead you can just leave the refrigerator unplugged, with the freezer door open for about 24 hours in a warm room.) Then I plugged the refrigerator in again. Then I reattached the freon hose and gauge, and then I opened the bullet piercing valve, and then I saw that the pressure in the suction line was about +40 psi (instead of 2 psi, which is the pressure I thought I had left in the suction line the previous day) !!!!!. The next thing I did was to let out excess freon. To do that, I loosened one of the connections of the gauge-hose for a couple of seconds at a time, each time letting the needle of the pressure gauge settle down before releasing more freon, until the settled pressure in the suction line was 2 psi. CAUTION: If you let freon out of a loosened connection in that way, the connector will get very cold immediately - and so you should wear insulating gloves (say fabric or leather) for when you loosen and tighten the connection, in orser to avoid getting frostbite on your fingers. - If you use a self-sealing can of 134a refrigerant (freon), you will need to use an adapter between the can and the hose. You can buy the adapter from an auto parts store for about $3. (If the can of freon is not self-sealing, in that case you will not need that additional adapter.) - When you are adding freon to the suction line, remember to shake the can every few minutes, and to hold the can upside down while you let freon into the suction line. At first I didn't do that, and I think that consequently I was adding only gas instead of liquid freon, and consequently at first I couldn't make the pressure in the suction line increase much. - After you first connect the gauge and hose to the bullet piercing valve and to the can of freon, make sure that the tapping valve (which opens and closes the top of the can of freon) is firmly closed. After I first connected the hose and gauge to the bullet piercing valve and to the can of freon, unknown to me the tapping valve was not quite fully closed. As a consequence the pointer of the gauge immediately started to move to show steadily increasing pressure - and at the time I didn't understand the reason. After a minute or so I realized that the tapping valve must have been slightly open. After I firmly closed the tapping valve and then briefly loosened the connection to the bullet piercing valve (to let out freon) the pointer moved back to indicate 0 psi, and stayed there. - Before you open the bullet piercing valve for the first time (to measure and monitoe the pressure inside the suction line) first loosen the connector to the bullet piercing valve and then open the tapping valve briefly in order to flush the air out of the hose and gauge and replace it with freon. Then tighten the connector to the bullet piercing valve. That way, you will introduce as little air and water vapor as possible into the refrigeration loop.

Good step by step video for any person trying to work on a fridge, deep freeze, etc. Gives someone a good explanation of what to expect and breaks it down like you were talking to your kid, which makes it a good video for learning. Thank you!

We fixed our fridge yesterday. Thank you so much. Today work perfectly.

I just recharged my Maytag refrigerator using the kit from your link and by watching your video 5 times before hand. Thanks a million. My frog went from kindda cool to ice cold.👍🏾💯

This the best video by far. Nice job! This is the instruction and guidance you have to wait 30 minutes on the phone or pay a local guy a 100 bucks to get.

Thank you very much! You explained everything so clearly that I have confidence that I can check my refrigerator’s Freon and add if necessary. You’ve helped me save many dollars!

Thank you so much dear friend. The world is a better place for such good hearted people living in. We feel loved. Good luck to you and God bless. Cheers. 👍😊

Thanks for this video. You saved me about $200. I did tap my can with the connector loose on the pierce valve to purge the new charging hose before I snugged it down. Worked great. My piercing valve does have a schraider valve in it like many do not though. I would suggest one of those over the open one. But your video was done very well, and again, saved me a lot of cash, and it was very easy to do.

Thank you for making this excellent video and for helping me fix my refrigerator by adding freon. I never would have attempted this before watching your video with it's step by step instructions. My family and I are so happy to have our refrigerator working again. Thank you for providing links to the items that I needed to buy to get the job done. Vegas RoManiac Rules!

WOW! This Actually worked on my French door ridge and freezer. I have never done any kind of appliance repair work and I was extremely intimidated but this video was a huge help and the tools you suggest did exactly what I needed them to do.

This was an amazing video. I'm try to figure out why my refrigerator doesn't cool and have been viewing many how to videos.Your video was so detailed I believe if I ever need to use Freon this will be my go to video. Thanks

Excellent DIY video! I watched it twice to get it all in and made sure I had the parts needed using the links before I started. I finished the job a little over 1 hour ago and my freezer is working great. My ice cube trays are freezing nicely and more importantly my beer is now cold. Nice job Mr Vegas RoManiac. Thanks.

This video was extremely helpful. It gave me the confidence to tackle my refrigerator. I am happy to say I successfully recharged my refrigerator and it works better than new. Thank you.

Thank you! That’s how a RU-vid how to video should be made.

this has to be the best diy video on this subject I've ever seen on RU-vid after searching for several days. thank you!

Thanks for this comprehensive video! I have a 12V Whynter fridge that would not cool. Followed your directions. The hardest part was finding which line was which but as you stated, after leaving the fridge on for a while, felt one pipe was warmer than the other. Was going to throw this fridge away but now it looks like I've given a second life! Thank you!

Very well done presentation. Helped me save over $200 on my French door LG that strung a leak after only 3 years of service. Used a portable torch and solder to fix the leak and then followed this video to recharge the refrigerator. Thanks a lot. I spent over $2000 on that refrigerator and not ready to junk it yet.

Thanks bro for sharing this .. and really I couldn't find the proper measurement for years .. that little above zero ... Worked perfect.

You do a very good job explaining this! I watched a number of video's and they ommited a number of things that may apply to some people. Thank you for making this video!

This video is spot on. I followed the instructions and ordered parts as suggested. Watched video while performing the procedure and everything went great!! Vegas RoManiac you rock!!! Thanks for the great instructional video!!!

My refrigerator was intermittently working, sometimes no cooling at all sometimes was cooling but not down to the set temperature. I followed this video and it started working immediately. I was a bit scared at the beginning but now I am not! I truly appreciate your simple but detailed video! Big Thank You!

Thank you so much!! After an hour of looking at other videos I finally found yours!!!

Great video! Very informative and clear instructions. Was about to give up after replacing thermostat, starter Relay and overload protector switch. After watching this feeling confident enough to give it a try. Whether it works for me or not I definitely learned something from your video. Great job Thank you!

Thanks, Vegas. I followed your video and it was truly very easy. You saved me $1400 and my freezer is running smoothly and staying cold.

This video saved me from buying a $2,'500 frig. My frig is overall in good shape but it's over 10 years old and over the past few months it was running more than usual and then it was running all the time until one day ice was melting from the ice maker. I went to RU-vid and found this video, ordered the parts from the description, followed the instructions, and it's like FRIGIN' NEW! It's been a week now and it's still cooling. THANK YOU!!!!!

This video really helped me restore an old leaky freezer so I can get a year or two out of it before spending on a new one. One thing I should mention is that the peircing valve did introduce a slow leak on my system so be careful to get a really good seal on it. Otherwise, like me, you will be refilling every 3-6 months

Thanks for the clear/concise video. I was able to repair my 20 year old fridge and buy myself more time to make a purchase decision.

One of the best tutorials I have seen with someone explaining a procedure. Great work

Excellent Video - Fridge was only a few years old so when the freezer would not go below 40 degrees I did not suspect low 134A. Changed the temperature sensor, evaporating fan, mother board, inverter board. Followed this video and yes, it was in need of 134A. - and now 0 degrees! Thanks. This Samsung keeps me very busy with sensors and defrost heaters.

*FEEDBACK ON YOUR VIDEO* 5 of 5 stars - you done a great job and other instructional video RU-vidrs should aspire to be more like you. Not only did you include the step i was unsure about, you gave a brief but clear description on how the system actually works - and as you obviously know, a job is much easier when you understand how something works and exactly what you're doing rather than just blindly following directions with no clue about why you're doing what you're being told to do. This was a big help to me and having seen hundreds of instructional videos on various topics, it is very refreshing to see one done with the right amount of explanation and detail (with exceptional video recording as well as preparation and execution). I have found but one other video done this well, which says a lot considering the number I've seen. I will send a link to that video in a separate comment in case you're interested in seeing what he does so that's you might find ways to better your own methods. I never leave comments on anything, but I feel it was the least I could do as a thank you and also as reassurance that you're on to something so keep it up. Below is are the main positives that appeal to me, as well as any negatives I found. ++ Video is thorough and well thought out and you gave very clear and easy to understand instructions. .... Breaking down how the penetration valve works was not necessary to make you're video, but its things like this that separate an awesome video from a lesser one. ++You explained briefly, yet throughly enough how the refrigeration system works to give me a clear understanding about what is going on. This will almost certainly help me in the future. I made this "positive" separate from 'being thorough' because it's a bit more than that. Explaining the operation/function of the system is not instructional, it's educational. You're teaching people something that they probably didn't even realize its importance and I can assure you that including this in the video gave anyone with little to no prior knowledge on the subject the confidence to actually start the project. It is for these reasons why this simple part of the vidie was my favorite part. ++There are many more positives but I don't want this to be too long winded, but like your video, the right amount of explanation can be just what you're looking for sometimes.. So with that I'll go into the negatives. I honestly cant claim anything to be a true "negative" but there was a one thing that I personally wanted to see here and did not. -You did not show what the end of the fitting looks like on the fitting that connects to the penetration valve. I think I understand why you didn't; because you mentioned a couple times how you recommend people buy the exact setup - and in that case, it's almost irrelevant how it looks. But in my case, mine already has a valve installed and I will need to make sure I get the proper fitting. Like I said, this is almost not even worth mentioning, but had you shown the inside of the fitting end, I wouldn't have been able to mention a single thing that could be improved upon. In closing, you crushed it man, and are tied for #1 out a several hundred people I've watched do instructional videos. I am actually making the assumption you make videos, maybe this was the only one and it could have been 5 yrs ago, I didn't even look. I will now and if I see you do make videos, I will also send the video I refer to as being tied for the #1 best instructional video. So if you've made it this far, you're either a dedicated reader or what I have to say is just interesting but either way I thought it only fitting(no pun intended) for me to offer a thorough review with added notes and information. Good luck and j hope this was helpful, becuase yours was to me and I am very thankful to you and that there is someone out there with enough common sense to say and show the things that need it and to leave out the details that can be left out that have absolutely no effect on the comprehension of the subject. Awesome job 👏👍

Thank you so much for explaining everything layman terms. Your video's are very easy to follow. I can tell you know how to do your job. Thank you again. Ive subcribed to your videos. Ive also recommended your videos to others. 😅

GREAT VIDEO!! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!! The video was spot on and you saved me a lot of money not having to call in a service man!! I would caution the viewers to make sure the piercing valve has either the tape that is described in the video or an O-ring on the side of the piercing pin. The first valve I received did not have either, and would have certanly leaked had I installed it. I ordered from a different company and it worked fine!

Thank you for dumbing it down for us! I think I was able to fix my freezer! My father-in-law just gave us a chest freezer that he has not used in a long time. When we plugged it in, it ran, but did not cool. Thank goodness I found your video. I just recharged the R134a refrigerant using your instructions, with the addition of purging the line as instructed by other commentators. It has only been less than an hour and the freezer temp is down to 34 degrees. Hopefully it will continue to cool down to 0 degrees and I don’t have to pay a lot of money to get it repaired by a technician. Two notes: 1) I did have to buy a dva1 adapter for the resealable cans. I bought the adapter at Autozone where I bought the R134a. 2) I learned that I had to loosen the connection from the dva1 adapter to the gauge a little for the refrigerant to come out properly. When it was too tight, the refrigerant was not coming out well. 3) I used the R134a refrigerant with UV dye so that I could check for any leaks. Thanks again for your very helpful video!

That was excellent tutorial. Wonderful video and really good teacher. Thanks

One of the most detailed I was able to find. Thank you!

Very informative, much thanks for showing everyone the parts, and knowledge required to perform this job. I just realized my fridge is still under warranty, so I’ll be waiting on the repair man as not to void the warranty, but I hope it is going to take em too long to get out here, sometimes the warranty company makes you wait 2 days or longer just to be contacted by the repair facility, who will then sit up an appointment to come out 3-7 days later..... so you fix it yourself or call another out of network repair guy, so you will void your appliances warranty.... None the less, thanks for this helpful video, I really enjoyed your take on a how to video!!

Very clearly explained, quick to the point, and reference numbers for the parts given. Thank you and congratulations for an excellent instructional video!

Thank you so much for this video you saved me $1400+!!! It was so easy!!!

Nice video. Here are a few things that need to be added. First thing you need to realize is you will void your warranty doing this. 1st on finding the correct line to install the valve, the smaller line goes to the condenser coil which is the high pressure side and if is running may be warmer. The larger line which will be going into the refrigerator freezer area is the low pressure side which is the correct line to connect to and it may be colder if the refrigerator is running. 2nd is one a few people have already committed on is you need to purge the hose of air by opening the valve on the can to allow Freon to fill the line before securing it tightly to the piercing valve. 3rd All new Freons are made of more than one gas which means they all have to be charged with the can upside down which puts the Freon into the system in a liquid state. If you put it in with the can upright it puts gas into the system which may not be the correct mixture of all the components. Now maybe the most important thing is you have not repaired the problem. If you need Freon that means you have a leak and if you don't seal the leak it will leak again and again. If you end up loosing a lot of food because it is not cold enough you may wish you had just thrown it out and bought another refrigerator.

Excellent video. Made for a very easy fix. Everyone who's watching - check the pressure rating on your compressor. Mine runs normally at +4 to +7 psi. It's a really big fridge so I did have to dump an entire can in. Being patient and adding a little at a time is well worth the wait.

Thank you for all the advice, I tested all electronic part and everything was ok so I tried adding freon using you video and it woked perfectly. Thanks for giving me the confidence of trying this, saved me a new fridge! Only thing I added is purging the line of air before adding freon as other noted.

Very well explained. Now I know how to fill up my fridge. Tks .

Nice video, very easy to follow. I added the piercing valve about a year and a half ago; and charged it up. Now a year later freezer is not working as it should. Did a lot of reading and tore inside down to evaporator. I should have a light coat of frost on it. Mine was only half way down. So I will add some 134 to it. Yes a person should bled off the contaminants in the hose, it is easy to do. Comments where made that system has a leak; yes mine does. But for $20 I get another seven or eight months out of it. Seems to me to be a win. Also piercing valve was still in place which makes it an easy job. Now next day; water bottle in freezer is frozen, I am happy with repair.

I love how this guy points out how professionals miss out steps because they want to look superior but don't want you to do it yourself lol. Hats off to this RU-vidr for being honest.

Watched again as I charged my 14 yr old fridge...held for a few years getting low again ...freezer symptoms low ice output...soft ice cream .so adding a few lbs again...great video thank you!!

That was very good instructions buddy simple and easy I appreciate that

That way so simple!! I really appreciate that!!

Vegas, I am so so glad you made this. Just finished recharging my $2000 Samsung and it is working. I expect to refill in a month since I have a Evaporator leak that is super slow so I will use a can of 134a that has Dye and stop leak. Your skills as a Instructor are phenomenal!!! Thank You

Extremely helpful. Was about to add freon to a Ac unit that did not need freon! I understand perfectly how to do this now. Very well done video. Sometimes cleaning are all these old units need. I am referring to AC window units. Although now I could recharge a fridge with freon if necessary

The Best video instruction on this topic! Thanks.

Great video !!! You explained things very well and yes I learnt a great deal , Thank you !!!

This video was great, it worked fantastic when I did it. My fridge went from 40 degrees in the freezer to 4 degrees . It only cost me about $35 to do it, saved me so much money and time looking for another refrigerator.

...doing a very good job explaining the process in detail- better than the other one's I've seen so far! Great job pal!

Great video - your instruction helped me avoid mistakes with locating the piercing valve and avoid adding too much refrigerant. I did a fair amount of research (I just wanted to learn more), and there are a couple of points that are important / critical that are not mentioned: 1. Make sure the can is upright - it is important to not let liquid refrigerant into the suction line as it could damage the compressor. - @hot spur comment below is incorrect about holding the can upside down (as done with an auto a/c unit) - also your video shows the can on it’s side 2. After opening the can of refrigerant (as long as not Freon), slightly loosen the connection at the bullet valve to purge out air (before opening the bullet valve). - This helps eliminate / minimize any air getting into the system - air and moisture are bad. - This was also mentioned in comments below... 3. Frost / Ice on the suction line is a good indication if the system is charged properly or not (but not always). If you see frost or ice build up on the suction line, especially if it goes all the way to the compressor, and if the compressor has frost on it, then the system is very likely overcharged (may be a symptom of something else however). This is bad because liquid refrigerant could be getting to the compressor, and also the cooling efficiency will be poor (compressor will run longer). I charged my system to what @Vegas RoManiac stated (2 PSI) and I have frost only a few inches below where the suction line comes out of the box - I believe this is close to good. Attached is a link for Frigomatic R134a recharging guidelines, using frost as the indicator. It is very informative, and explains what to do if the system is overcharged as well: www.veco-na.com/images/Refrigerant_R134a_charging_guidelines.doc Thanks again for your video @Vegas RoManiac...I’m not sure if I would have recharged my system without seeing this. It also saved me a ton of time determining what was needed to be purchased (glad you also listed the adapter cap that you didn’t need for your can). For reference, the bullet valve I ordered was BVP31, rather than BPV31D, which is cheaper and with faster delivery - it appears the D signifies a display pack (so same valve).

You're a good guy. Thanks for the detailed instructions without language that upsets my wife and children. Especially thank you for not skipping anything.

Thank you very much for showing how to add the refrigerator’s Freon in details. I have the confidence to do it after watching your tutorial. Thank you!

You are my hero! I waited a week to post this, in case my "handyman skills" didn't work, but fridge is still running great! A+ video!

Great instruction!!! Thank you for sharing!

I watched a lot of videos regarding refrigerator and this is the best video I watched so far. Thank you so much for this.

This was exactly what I needed. Easy and simple video. Just fixed my freezer and saved a lot of time and money. I cook from scratch so it’s imperative I have a good working freezer. Thank you.

I would recommend to keep the can upright to charge on the suction side. If charging on the liquid line turn the can upside down. The can will have gas on top and liquid on the bottom. The piercing valve is a great idea. I didn't know about that. this video was super helpful. Thanks so much!

That looked remarkably easy. I'm much less intimidated. Hopefully this will do the trick.

This was really helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to show us how to do this ourself because company’s charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for something that takes them no more then 10-15 minutes.

Excellent instructional video. I like that you made it less Technical and complicated. Especially the charging part. Most vids fall short of actual charging process. Thanks!

THanks a lot....i have searched a lot Regarding gas charging..atlast i got an apt one....hope you upload more regarding refrigeration.... open chillers, deep freezers, cabinet freezers......HATS OFF TO YOU

Nice explanation, ill watch other video but you steps are clear thank you.

Nice tutorial. Only thing I would suggest is to add i more step. After your piercing valve is connected and fridge is unplugged, there is air in the line that needs to be purged out of your fill line. I think, you should pierce the line, then open the valve to release freon. Next slowly loosen the freon line from the can side (not pierced yet) a little until some of the freon comes out, then screw it back tight. This forces air in the line out.

Thank you, I followed your video instructions. Worked great! I have a 20 year old Frigidaire Side by side. Was told the compressor was bad. I tried your method, saved me from buying a new replacement.

I followed step by step to get a fridge gifted to my family to work! Thankyou so much, God bless you!

Good job man I liked your video will help a lot of people, more people need to learn basic repairs and realize it's not that hard. Used to BE if you could read but now shot people can just watch, Makin it available to everyone, nice job

A+ video. I came here to see how to use the piercing valve. There are many, many videos on evacuating lines and this would have been longer if that had been included.

Had a repair guy come to give me an estimate to repair a cold freezer/warm fridge condition. He said that the fridge compressor is a "Sealed System" and it appears that the system is out-of or low of freon. He said that to replace the compressor would be about $1000...I am very glad I watched this video... I used the links listed here to order my freon recharge kit... Thanks so much for a top tier repair video.

I followed this video exactly as he described the procedure and everything worked perfectly. I've watched several videos of this procedure and this one is BY FAR THE BEST ONE. Defining which line to pierce and where to pierce it is certainly the most important part of this process, closely followed by the emphasis upon introducing the R134a GRADUALLY and in short bursts so as to not overcharge the system. Be sure to clean/sand the line thoroughly so that you have a nice secure connection for the piercing valve, as that valve will remain on the appliance for the rest of it's useful life. Nicely done video.

Thank you for showing me how to add gas to a fridge, Thank you friend.

best explanation ever....keep it up....now where is the leak?..... ;-)

Thank you for making this so easy to do! I watched other videos and got lost and with yours I understood every step. Thank you!

Yes, this is a 2018 video but, I was looking for this because I am doing this to some AC Window units and this was a very easy step by step. Thank you it was easy to understand and follow.

This was an excellent video. Thank you very much for this!

Appreciate this video. You're an excellent teacher and you know you're audience.

YOU are the only guy that shows how to recharge a refrigerator, you are great!, thank you very much, you are the man!

I followed your instructions to a tee, except for adding a step to bleed air out of the hose and filling it with refrigerant before connecting it to a piercing valve. Everything worked great, twin cooling french doors Samsung refrigerator came back to life and freezer that was a problem went from 65°F to -2°F in about 3 hours. Thank you again for posting this video! It is the best English language video on the subject on RU-vid now. Btw, I was willing to pay a professional to do this work, but all appliance service people in my area refused to work on Samsung or LG refrigerators, there must be an appliance brand war in progress, American vs. Korean. I hated to throw away otherwise a perfectly good fridge, so your advice and instructions helped not only me, but the environment!

The type of video I exactly look for

I think you did an excellent job and I for one appreciate it. But I've never seen so much negativism from the pros who are afraid they're going to lose a few dollars.

Great Video! Seval is right ALWAYS purge your line from the refrigerant can before connecting it.

I watched several videos and this one cleared several things up for me that I didnt understand from the others I've watched. Thank you for your effort.

Thanks man ,it's a very well done instructional video.

Thank you Sir. You're very smart.

you saved my fridge, was not cooling. it's now cooling, you are good man. Many thanks

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Best video on the entire internet about this subject. Thank you for making it so simple to understand!

Excellent video. Thank you. Answered all my questions. Now I will go revive my old fridge that wont spy on me. 🤔 And since ya cant buy a freezer these days bcs of the panic I can now revive my old freezer too... Thanks.

Refrigirator system dont like humidity och air. You have to blow out the air from the hose before you connect to the system. Important step

Very good stuff this, I just fixed my fridge following these directions. Thank you!

Absolutely the most complete and descriptive video on the topic of recharging the r134a. Looks like you are working on a Samsung unit as well? It looks identical to the back of my fridge and this was great!

You should purge the air out of your hose before you open the piecing valve. Otherwise you introduced air into your system

Bro, you forgot to purge an air out of hose before starting charging. So, you got an aire in your sealed system which is not good.

Good job. This helps a lot. I like the fact that you are not requiring weighing the Freon.