Refrigeration gauges

[Morgan Sailor]

I have a newer Adler Barbour CU 100 system with the quick connect couplings. I have an opportunity to pick up a set of gauges for a good price, and thought it would be good to have them for when we go cruising next year. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me whether the gauges will work with the quick connect couplings, or is an adapter required?

Thanks

[SeaStory]

Does the gauge you are being offered have the other end of a quick connect fitting or some other means of attaching?

[Jammer]

It depends on the hoses the gauges have. While the gauge sets are generally the same across refrigerants (except for some higher pressure ones that require higher pressure ranges), the connectors are different. Hoses are expensive, be sure you get it right.


I just sold my gauge set last year. They are big and heavy, and there are so many different refrigerants in use today, and availability/price at retail has deteriorated so much, that it isn't worth doing my own service.


Remember you'll need a vacuum pump, a scale, and a refrigerant bottle to do any meaningful work, among many other tools.

[Richard Kollmann]

The best advice I can give you is do not connect or allow anyone to connect gauges to that system. The CU100 does not fit to the old style designs that leaked. The line connectors will not leak if torqued properly when installed as they do not rely on Oring seals.

The CU100 contains less than 120 grams of clean moisture free refrigerant. Your gauge set can easily contaminate your refrigerant. To confirm now that refrigerant charge is correct operate unit for a day and record in log the places where frost is present. Then later when you suspect loss of refrigerant compare frost formations. Also if you keep the fan cooled condenser free of hair and dust and and check running amperage to be normal you will avoid mistakes made by others. Amperage will vary if compressor speed is changed or if major changes occur in ambient temperature.

Refrigerant servicing on your unit is with only the fitting attached to compressor dome. Removing this cap may damage the seal inside cap then you will loose refrigerant again.

Any time refrigerant is lost on a will designed system it will leak again if leak is not found and corrected.

[Sailmonkey]

I’ll second what Richard says.

I work on ac and refrigeration and won’t touch these small “engineered” systems.

I’ve got a sub zero on a motor yacht right now that someone added service ports too... my only real option is to evacuate the system, and hope my scale is accurate enough to put a dropper of refrigerant into.

[SeaStory]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

The best advice I can give you is do not connect or allow anyone to connect gauges to that system. The CU100 does not fit to the old style designs that leaked. The line connectors will not leak if torqued properly when installed as they do not rely on Oring seals.

The CU100 contains less than 120 grams of clean moisture free refrigerant. Your gauge set can easily contaminate your refrigerant. To confirm now that refrigerant charge is correct operate unit for a day and record in log the places where frost is present. Then later when you suspect loss of refrigerant compare frost formations. Also if you keep the fan cooled condenser free of hair and dust and and check running amperage to be normal you will avoid mistakes made by others. Amperage will vary if compressor speed is changed or if major changes occur in ambient temperature.

Refrigerant servicing on your unit is with only the fitting attached to compressor dome. Removing this cap may damage the seal inside cap then you will loose refrigerant again.

Any time refrigerant is lost on a will designed system it will leak again if leak is not found and corrected.

I could swear it was you who taught me that sometimes those leaks only really happen when the system is off. Or is that only true of older systems?

But then, I am also confused by the poster who called their gauges big and heavy, as I consider mine neither. But then, mine come from Harbor Freight.

[Morgan Sailor]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. The unit is working perfectly and I have no plans to touch it. I just figured if I could get some gauges at a decent price, I’d jump on the opportunity. Sounds like I’ll take that money and spend it on other boat parts.

Richard, I was hoping to hear from you, thx for the advice. I know you’ve preached many times not to put gauges on our systems unless it’s a last resort.

I’m actually glad to hear that my system isn’t designed to have gauges put on it, it’s one less thing I have to deal with.

[Richard Kollmann]

Originally Posted by SeaStory

I could swear it was you who taught me that sometimes those leaks only really happen when the system is off. Or is that only true of older systems?

But then, I am also confused by the poster who called their gauges big and heavy, as I consider mine neither. But then, mine come from Harbor Freight.

Two points a single Gauge is used to service these small systems and it must be acre at 3 to 12 psi with R134a refrigerant.

The correct statement about very slow leak tetection was, If leak in low pressure side of system, it will take a longer time to show up because when evaporator is kept very cold pressure there is normally below 15 psi. Faster leaks will occur when normal high pressure is 105 psi or higher with compressor is running.