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Split AC Pipes - to shorten or not

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Split AC Pipes - to shorten or not vijaynats@gmail.com 05-04-2008
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Posted by vijaynats@gmail.com on May 4, 2008, 3:48 am
I have a split AC system with the Outdoor unit just across the wall
where the indoor unit is fixed. The AC system comes with pipes that
are 3 meters long - whereas the actual length required is less than
1.5 meters.

Right now the pipes are coiled together and tied to the outdoor unit.
When the AC is running, the pipes shake and vibrate a lot. I am
worried if it might affect the connections to the outdoor unit. Also
don't lengthy tubing reduce the efficiency of the AC?

Is is possible to cut and shorten the piping so that we don't have to
coil the same. I have seen many places where the pipes are short and
neatly clamped to the wall. I've read that the pipes need to be flared
at the end using some special tool after they are cut.

What is the best practice in such situations? Please let me know if
its ok to shorten the pipes and clamp them to the wall after proper
insulation.

Thanks

Vijay

Posted by Telstra on May 4, 2008, 8:15 am
A flaring tool with a 45 degree cone is required to create a flare
on the end of the tube's.

However as you obviously dont have ------------------------ONE

Close the liquid line valve and pump down the System, this
transfers the refrigerant charge to the outside unit
Close the Suction service valve and turn the unit OFF. Leave
the Flared ends of the tubing on the unit and with a Pipe Cutter
cut the tube's 20 cm from the flare's. Shorten the tubes and
reconnect to the 20 cm pipe stubs with brazed unions.
Loosen the Suction line Flare nut, then crack the liquid line
valve. Allow the refrigerant to purge the air in the lines through
the loose flare nut, Then tighten the nut.
Open both the Liquid line and Suction line service valves and
turn the unit on.
Take care to pump down fully and try not to lose to much of the
refrigerant when purging air from the lines.
The correct way of carrying out this work would be to close the
liquid line service valve, bypass the low pressure switch and with
the use of gauges pump down to a vacuum. Close the Suction
service valve and then break the vacuum with dry Nitrogen.
Shorten both the liquid and suction lines and leak test. Evacuate
the lines to 500 microns Hg and break with dry Nitrogen then
Evacuate to 300 microns Hg. Open both the liquid and suction
service valves and adjust the unit charge.


>I have a split AC system with the Outdoor unit just across the wall
> where the indoor unit is fixed. The AC system comes with pipes that
> are 3 meters long - whereas the actual length required is less than
> 1.5 meters.
>
> Right now the pipes are coiled together and tied to the outdoor unit.
> When the AC is running, the pipes shake and vibrate a lot. I am
> worried if it might affect the connections to the outdoor unit. Also
> don't lengthy tubing reduce the efficiency of the AC?
>
> Is is possible to cut and shorten the piping so that we don't have to
> coil the same. I have seen many places where the pipes are short and
> neatly clamped to the wall. I've read that the pipes need to be flared
> at the end using some special tool after they are cut.
>
> What is the best practice in such situations? Please let me know if
> its ok to shorten the pipes and clamp them to the wall after proper
> insulation.
>
> Thanks
>
> Vijay


Posted by vijaynats@gmail.com on May 4, 2008, 4:25 pm
> A flaring tool with a 45 degree cone is required to create a flare
> on the end of the tube's.
>
> However as you obviously dont have ------------------------ONE
>
> Close =A0the =A0liquid =A0line valve and =A0pump down =A0the System, this
> transfers the refrigerant charge to the outside unit
> Close the Suction service valve and turn the unit OFF. =A0 =A0Leave
> the Flared ends of the tubing on the unit and with a Pipe Cutter
> cut the tube's 20 cm from the flare's. =A0 =A0 =A0Shorten the tubes and
> reconnect to the 20 cm pipe stubs with brazed unions.
> Loosen =A0the Suction =A0line Flare =A0nut, =A0then =A0crack =A0the =A0liq=
uid line
> valve. =A0 Allow the refrigerant to purge the air in the lines through
> the loose flare nut, Then tighten the nut.
> Open =A0both =A0the =A0Liquid line and Suction line service valves and
> turn the unit on.
> Take care to pump down fully and try not to lose to much of the
> refrigerant when purging air from the lines.
> The correct way of carrying out this work would be to close the
> liquid line service valve, bypass the low pressure switch and with
> the use of gauges pump down to a vacuum. =A0 =A0Close the Suction
> service =A0valve =A0and =A0then =A0break =A0the =A0vacuum =A0with =A0dry =
=A0Nitrogen.
> Shorten both the liquid and suction lines and leak test. =A0Evacuate
> the =A0lines =A0to 500 =A0microns =A0Hg =A0and break with dry Nitrogen the=
n
> Evacuate to 300 microns Hg. =A0 =A0Open both the liquid and suction
> service valves and adjust the unit charge.
>
>
>
>
>
> >I have a split AC system with the Outdoor unit just across the wall
> > where the indoor unit is fixed. The AC system comes with pipes that
> > are 3 meters long - whereas the actual length required is less than
> > 1.5 meters.
>
> > Right now the pipes are coiled together and tied to the outdoor unit.
> > When the AC is running, the pipes shake and vibrate a lot. I am
> > worried if it might affect the connections to the outdoor unit. Also
> > don't lengthy tubing reduce the efficiency of the AC?
>
> > Is is possible to cut and shorten the piping so that we don't have to
> > coil the same. I have seen many places where the pipes are short and
> > neatly clamped to the wall. I've read that the pipes need to be flared
> > at the end using some special tool after they are cut.
>
> > What is the best practice in such situations? Please let me know if
> > its ok =A0to shorten the pipes and clamp them to the wall after proper
> > insulation.
>
> > Thanks
>
> > Vijay- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Whoa thats some science to me! If you say shorten - then i'll call the
AC engineer and have him do it.

Thanks!

Posted by Don Young on May 4, 2008, 10:29 pm

> A flaring tool with a 45 degree cone is required to create a flare
> on the end of the tube's.
>
> However as you obviously dont have ------------------------ONE
>
> Close the liquid line valve and pump down the System, this
> transfers the refrigerant charge to the outside unit
> Close the Suction service valve and turn the unit OFF. Leave
> the Flared ends of the tubing on the unit and with a Pipe Cutter
> cut the tube's 20 cm from the flare's. Shorten the tubes and
> reconnect to the 20 cm pipe stubs with brazed unions.
> Loosen the Suction line Flare nut, then crack the liquid line
> valve. Allow the refrigerant to purge the air in the lines through
> the loose flare nut, Then tighten the nut.
> Open both the Liquid line and Suction line service valves and
> turn the unit on.
> Take care to pump down fully and try not to lose to much of the
> refrigerant when purging air from the lines.
> The correct way of carrying out this work would be to close the
> liquid line service valve, bypass the low pressure switch and with
> the use of gauges pump down to a vacuum. Close the Suction
> service valve and then break the vacuum with dry Nitrogen.
> Shorten both the liquid and suction lines and leak test. Evacuate
> the lines to 500 microns Hg and break with dry Nitrogen then
> Evacuate to 300 microns Hg. Open both the liquid and suction
> service valves and adjust the unit charge.
>
>
>
>
>
> >I have a split AC system with the Outdoor unit just across the wall
> > where the indoor unit is fixed. The AC system comes with pipes that
> > are 3 meters long - whereas the actual length required is less than
> > 1.5 meters.
>
> > Right now the pipes are coiled together and tied to the outdoor unit.
> > When the AC is running, the pipes shake and vibrate a lot. I am
> > worried if it might affect the connections to the outdoor unit. Also
> > don't lengthy tubing reduce the efficiency of the AC?
>
> > Is is possible to cut and shorten the piping so that we don't have to
> > coil the same. I have seen many places where the pipes are short and
> > neatly clamped to the wall. I've read that the pipes need to be flared
> > at the end using some special tool after they are cut.
>
> > What is the best practice in such situations? Please let me know if
> > its ok to shorten the pipes and clamp them to the wall after proper
> > insulation.
>
> > Thanks
>
> > Vijay- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Whoa thats some science to me! If you say shorten - then i'll call the
AC engineer and have him do it.

Thanks!
I would not bother to shorten the lines. Some lines come with special
connectors rather than flared connections and some are hard soldered
(brazed/silver soldered) together. Any efficiency improvement will not be
noticeable or readily measured. However, the lines should be supported so
they do not vibrate. You might be able to just tie them tightly together
with large cable ties. Allowing the lines to vibrate will possibly cause
cracks, loose connections, or holes worn in the lines.

Don Young



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