4
Safe Refrigerant Handling
WARNING
To avoid possible explosion, death, or
injury; practice safe handling of
refrigerants.
While these items will not cover every conceivable situa-
tion, they should serve as a useful guide.
WARNING
Refrigerants are heavier than air. They can
“push out” the oxygen in your lungs or in
any enclosed space. To avoid possible
death or difficulty in breathing:
• Never sniff a refrigerant.
• Never purge refrigerant into an enclosed
room or space. In fact, all refrigerants
must, BY LAW, be recovered.
• If an indoor leak is suspected, thoroughly
ventilate the area before beginning work.
• Liquid refrigerant can be very cold. To
avoid possible frostbite or blindness,
avoid contact and wear gloves and
goggles. If liquid refrigerant does contact
your skin or eyes, get medical help
immediately.
• Always follow EPA regulations. Never
burn refrigerant, as poisonous gas will
be produced.
WARNING
To avoid possible explosion:
• Never apply flame or steam to a refrigerant
cylinder. If you must heat a cylinder for
faster charging, partially immerse it in
warm water.
• Never fill a cylinder more than 80% full of
liquid refrigerant.
• Never add anything other than R-22 an
R-22 cylinder.
• Store cylinders in a cool, dry place. Never
use a cylinder as a platform or a roller.
sizes used. If mix-matching to a restrictor orifice indoor
coil, check the “Specification Sheet” for the proper orifice
size to be used with this outdoor unit. Piston orifices are
supplied with the outdoor unit.
REFRIGERANT VAPOR AND LIQUID LINE ROUTING
All of the vapor line must be insulated. The insulation must
include a vapor barrier.
The unit liquid line must be outside the vapor line insula-
tion. If any part of the liquid line runs through an area that
will be hotter than 120°F, that part must be insulated.
Avoid burying refrigerant lines. If you must bury them, first
dig the trench so that it gradually slopes toward the
compressor (at least 1 inch per 10 feet). Then, insulate the
liquid and suction lines separately. Enclose all under-
ground portions of the refrigerant lines in waterproof ma-
terial (conduit or pipe). If the lines must pass under or
through a concrete slab, be sure they are adequately
protected.
• Seal the holes where the refrigerant piping enters
the building and support piping as necessary.
• Be careful not to kink or dent the refrigerant lines.
Kinked or dented lines will cause poor perfor-
mance or compressor damage.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the unit, a bi-flow
filter drier must be installed in the liquid
line.
Install the bi-flow line filter drier shipped with the unit near
the condensing unit or near the indoor coil. A new filter
drier (properly sized and rated for R-22) MUST be installed
with new outdoor units in order for the compressor war-
ranty to remain valid. Any time the refrigeration system has
been opened for service, a new properly-sized bi-flow filter
drier rated for R-22 must be installed.
SWEAT CONNECTIONS AT THE UNIT
NOTE:
When brazing, use a brazing alloy of 2% minimum
silver content. Do not use flux.
Before brazing connections, ensure the refrigerant line
ends are cut square, deburred, cleaned, free of nicks or
dents and round. Any other condition would increase the
chance of refrigerant leakage.
During brazing, wrap the component with a wet rag, or use
a thermal heat trap compound as directed by the com-
pound manufacturer, to avoid overheating the service
valve, TXV valve, or filter drier while brazing.
After brazing, quench the joints with water or a wet cloth to
prevent overheating of the service valve. Inspect the paint
finish of the filter drier. The finish must be intact after
brazing. If the paint of the steel filter drier has been burned
or chipped, repaint or treat with a rust preventative. This
is especially important on suction line filter driers which are
continually wet during the unit operation.
