I always check the Schrader cores during maintenance. Especially after removing my guages. Nothing worse than a call back after maintenance is done and finding it low because of the core. Customer might think it was done on purpose. Not good for business.
12:19 you can see a wire booger on the face seal sticking through the body causing the leak path. Installers that leave port caps loose bug me too. RTFM it tells you to to turn them 1/6 turn past finger tight!
Man Ted I know you've been at this awhile but putting anything small (like those cap nuts) on top of a running unit is just asking for a big hole in your condenser coil... believe me I learned that lesson the hard way...
Always when I watch your videos, I learn something new. I mean the use of common sense and the Schrader valve core removal tool God bless you Ted. Thanks you very much.
New novel by Ted Cook: The shrader valve that almost stopped a trane. But, out of curiosity, what percentage of customers say "go ahead and service the unit now that you're here." I haven't heard one give the go ahead since I started watching these great videos; same with Steve Lav.
Thanks Ted. I use a brass cap with a 5/32 drilled hole in the middle. I put the brass cap with a drill hole in the middle on the service port and then use Viper micro leak detector. I don't like putting soap bubbles on the Schrader valve I don't even want the possibility of contamination. I never tried what you do. I may try that one day thanks again.
Yep that was your leak! I see them quite often. iv'e concluded its from too much heat when welding it in, burns the rubber seal in the seat. Nice catch and as usual excellent video. Thank you!
The Schrader tool was one of the best investments I ever made. the hydro-swage was another. I always replaced the original valve caps with the knurled caps with an o-ring. Just for insurance.
I have a Mastercool full kit for swapping shraeder valves for automotive R134a. Greatest thing since sliced bread! There's nothing worse than servicing a system then pulling gauges off it and having an annoying leak afterward. Sometimes you can use a pick tool and just give the stem a quick push or two and the quick blast will clear the leak if it's in the seat like that. If that doesn't help, then I change them out.
Look around 12 minutes into the video. There's a piece of debris on the seat. Looks like a wire or thread. . . Neat valve replacement tool! Keep up the good work!
Thank you for U video all the years I've been doing air conditioner and I just learned something about the schrader valves I've got the same tool and never really thought of it thank you for that
Thanks for the videos !! Any tip on pulling out a Schrader valve that the Schraders shoulders has broken off without replacing the service valve? None off my Schrader tools can grip it to unscrew cause its broken? I was told to try a easy out. Thanks
If the broken schrader is not removable and leaking nicely: 1 trick is : make up a small 1/4 inch flare extension/ schrader stem. Then you got a new extended service port.
Enjoy your videos.Jealous of all the no cooling calls youve been getting allready.Here in Missouri we had one 80 degree day followed by a record 90 degree day.Otherwise its been nothing but 50 and 60 degree days and slow going.Keep up the great content.
That’s why I always add a little nylog to the brass cap and then the schrader is taken out of the equation. I hate when guys leave the darn caps loose. I would say half of the new customer units I work on either had missing caps or their finger tight.
One of my old AC units has a leaky schrader valve. I keep it in check via brand new caps and seal plus some Nylock goop. The schrader valve will not come out no matter what magical valve core tool you use. A prior HVAC guy torqued up the caps to the moon (Alice!:) and thus the core will not go thru the body anymore. Thus a proper fix is to the recover / remove all the R22 gas and sweat on a new valve then recharge it again. With a really old system the valve body can have seen a mess of goobers trying to seal it up by torquing it to the moon. With an old system that is about to be replaced it might not be worth replacing the valve.( if the leak is stopped via a cap). All 3 my commercial old R22 units have valve cores that are NOT removable. Old Goober HVAC guys sometimes ruin the "easy to replace schrader" so impossible. When I first got a valve core remover decades ago I wrongly assumed that valves in the field could have the cores swapped out. In some places some HVAC folks over torque the caps and ruin the valve body.
From your comments, sounds like a hack job HVAC guy did a lot of work in that neighboorhood. One may suggest going door to door offering some guidance on what is going on, but sounds like a lot of them are calling you anyways.... It's sad when a hack job operation pulls this crap. I just have a XR 13 4 ton Trane central air installed and a Sx91 gas furnace. The "professional" that installed... oh boy. Where to start. 1) Started 3 weeks later than we agreed. Punctuality was terrible. Some days they were here less than 3 hours. Told me they would be in, out and done in 3 days and that I'd be their sole focus until they were done. Welp. That's a load of crap. Took them the span nearly 2 weeks until the job was 100% complete. 2) Re used some of my wire (a 60 foot piece of 10/3) without asking 3) Wired the 220 breaker for the AC unit backwards... the unit had power with the breaker in the off position. I corrected that myself. And they pulled two new cables into the panel WITHOUT installed the knockout protectors. Corrected that myself as well, and I'm by far no electrician. And yes, I shut the main off and stay far away from the main lugs coming in. 4) Didn't install a wall sleeve for my gas line. Didn't come close to sealing up the holes made for the gas line. Cut a six inch by six inch hole in my block outside when that was way bigger than necessary and totally uncalled for... not to mention they didn't seal it up. 5) Duct work coming directly out of furnace was leaking air big time. I had to point it out for them to "fix" it with foil tape. I don't really honestly trust any of the work at this point. I went over and checked and corrected everything I can on my own. I'll be calling a trane recommended professional to check the rest that I do not. It's a shame, it's really nice equipment. But this "pro" cut way too many corners and made way too many simple / lazy mistakes.
The first thing you did was? : add gas, then tighten the schrader? The first thing I would do is check the schrader with bubbles without touching the pin, ie collect proof without tampering with the evidence. Connecting the gauge can "start" the schrader leaking. In this case leak is obvious but sometimes a tiny leak is extremely slight and takes a year or more. With leaks like this I always try to collect the proof without tampering with the evidence. It allows me to drive away with confidence. Otherwise good job! Finger right caps : grrr!
could put a gauge on the end of core tool also and watch it climb or take the core depressor out of an old gauge and just use it for port leak testing.
Question for anyone here: Are you adding the 410A through the suction side while monitoring the head pressure on the liquid line and slowly throttling the refrigerant by open and closing the suction valve? I always thought that you only add through liquid side. Thanks
I’m a huge fans of your videos. I recently had install a brand new Trane s9v2 2 stage furnace with a 2.5 ton xr16 condenser. Is this a good set up ? Thanks
since you replaced the low side shrader valve, you might as well replaced the high side shrader valve. it is an easy thing to do and it is not that expensive.
This guy is no hack... I'm sure he checked it and it was holding pressure just fine. Took him all of 60 seconds to swap the first one, and im sure he wouldn't miss the pennies he pays for the valve.
wow, my AC guys left the caps off of the refrigerant valve...i see them just sitting next to the unit....probably why i keep getting slow refrigerant leaks.
