# New condenser installation help needed



## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

laszlo1884 said:


> 1.)There is a full 12" clearance between the house.
> (10" required per manufacturer inst. guide for residential)
> 
> 2.)I can add elbow (allowed by manufacturers instructions) and extend the exhaust sideway.
> ...


 
Did you pay attention in class when you got your EPA certification?

You can't rely on the manifold guage, you must use a micron guage, 500 microns is not to low, there is no such thing as too low of a vacuum.

If it won't hold 500 microns, you either have a leak or non condensibles in the system.

You should have turned the condenser 90 degrees towars the house, that would have eliminated a pair of 90's, or you could have rotated it 180 degrees and did a sweep into it and eliminated even more joints.

It is obvious you cooked the valves by looking at the fittings.


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## beenthere (Mar 5, 2009)

That 30" on the compound gauge. Isn't really 30". The gauge becomes very very inaccurate as the vacuum gets lower.

500 microns is a lot lower then that compound can accurately show.

Look at the chart in this  link.


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## laszlo1884 (Apr 7, 2010)

bwalley said:


> Did you pay attention in class when you got your EPA certification?
> 
> You can't rely on the manifold guage, you must use a micron guage, 500 microns is not to low, there is no such thing as too low of a vacuum.
> 
> ...


 
 Sorry I only have the old fashioned pressure gauge. I can rely on it for myself.
I like the way the condensing unit is sitting. I like the 180 degrees off so I have better access to the service valves. I don't have to struggle to get to the contactor etc. Buy the way the service valves and shreddar valves are not damaged, seams functioning last time they were opened.
I will agree with you about the lack of the sweep.


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## laszlo1884 (Apr 7, 2010)

beenthere said:


> That 30" on the compound gauge. Isn't really 30". The gauge becomes very very inaccurate as the vacuum gets lower.
> 
> 500 microns is a lot lower then that compound can accurately show.
> 
> Look at the chart in this link.


Beenthere, Thanks for the link .


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

laszlo1884 said:


> Sorry I only have the old fashioned pressure gauge. I can rely on it for myself.
> I like the way the condensing unit is sitting. I like the 180 degrees off so I have better access to the service valves. I don't have to struggle to get to the contactor etc. Buy the way the service valves and shreddar valves are not damaged, seams functioning last time they were opened.
> I will agree with you about the lack of the sweep.


By turing it 90 degrees you would have just as much access to the contactor as you do now and you would have 1 less set of 90's and the fitting would have less chance of getting hit by people walking by or lawn equipment.

BTW what is a shreddar valve?


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## laszlo1884 (Apr 7, 2010)

bwalley said:


> By turing it 90 degrees you would have just as much access to the contactor as you do now and you would have 1 less set of 90's and the fitting would have less chance of getting hit by people walking by or lawn equipment.
> 
> BTW what is a shreddar valve?


 bwalley, you last me there.


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

laszlo1884 said:


> bwalley, you last me there.


Do you mean lost?

How did I confuse you?


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## laszlo1884 (Apr 7, 2010)

bwalley said:


> Do you mean lost?
> 
> How did I confuse you?


 
Bwalley, The condensing unit had to be turned out because the holes on the feet of the unit did not align with the foundation mount bracket.
It would have been easier the way you are suggesting it but I could not do it that way so had to add the extra elbows. Will put a stake there into the ground to block lawnmowers from hitting the exposed copper lines.


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## Baltar (May 21, 2010)

Watch the exhaust carefully on a calm day and others as it may hit the fence and AC and re-circulate into the intake. That can cause a freezeup and corrode the heck out of the burners etc and cause intermittent flameout or poor startup. You may have to move it elsewhere and it should be insulated. Get yourself some GOOD 1/4" flare nut type caps instead of those pos plastic ones for the schraeder valve fittings. If they start to leak/probably will from overheating then the metal to metal of the flare cap will save your freon. The nylog is a lot better than a rubber gasket. Those caps seal with a knife edge on the service valve so a gasket is worse.


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## meterman98 (Mar 15, 2008)

*service valve question*

you hook up gauges to the schraeder ports on the valves and that gives you access to the "freon" lines and the evap coil.With the valves closed the factory charge stays in the condenser,when vacuum is down to acceptable micron point open the valves and let out charge.


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## meterman98 (Mar 15, 2008)

Dang them solder joints look pretty good for a painter,handyman.


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

meterman98 said:


> Dang them solder joints look pretty good for a painter,handyman.


Don't give him any ideas, he has that shiny new gauge manifold and vacuum pump and thinks he knows how to use them! :w00t:

Just kidding... Hey at least it's his own equipment and not a customers.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

The questions posed here by the OP have reached to the point of step-by-step instructions.
It's time to call a professional.



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