Service Instructions
SAFE REFRIGERANT HANDLING
While these items will not cover every conceivable situation, they should serve as a useful guide.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The successful development of hermetically sealed refrigeration
compressors has completely sealed the compressor's moving
parts and electric motor inside a common housing, minimizing
refrigerant leaks and the hazards sometimes associated with
moving belts, pulleys or couplings.
Fundamental to the design of hermetic compressors is a method
whereby electrical current is transmitted to the compressor
motor through terminal conductors which pass through the
compressor housing wall. These terminals are sealed in a
dielectric material which insulates them from the housing and
maintains the pressure tight integrity of the hermetic compres-
sor. The terminals and their dielectric embedment are strongly
constructed, but are vulnerable to careless compressor instal-
lation or maintenance procedures and equally vulnerable to
internal electrical short circuits caused by excessive system
contaminants.
In either of these instances, an electrical short between the
terminal and the compressor housing may result in the loss of
integrity between the terminal and its dielectric embedment. This
loss may cause the terminals to be expelled, thereby venting the
vaporous and liquid contents of the compressor housing and
system.
A venting compressor terminal normally presents no danger to
anyone, providing the terminal protective cover is properly in
place.
If, however, the terminal protective cover is not properly in place,
a venting terminal may discharge a combination of
(a) hot lubricating oil and refrigerant
(b) flammable mixture (if system is contaminated
with air)
in a stream of spray which may be dangerous to anyone in the
vicinity. Death or serious bodily injury could occur.
Under no circumstances is a hermetic compressor to be electri-
cally energized and/or operated without having the terminal
protective cover properly in place.
See Service Section S-17 for proper servicing.
3
T
O
AVOID
POSSIBLE
EXPLOSION
:
• N
EVER
APPLY
FLAME
OR
STEAM
TO
A
REFRIGERANT
CYLINDER
. I
F
YOU
MUST
HEAT
A
CYLINDER
FOR
FASTER
CHARGING
,
PARTIALLY
IMMERSE
IT
IN
WARM
WATER
.
• N
EVER
FILL
A
CYLINDER
MORE
THAN
80%
FULL
OF
LIQUID
REFRIGERANT
.
• N
EVER
ADD
ANYTHING
OTHER
THAN
R-22
TO
AN
R-22
CYLINDER
OR
R-
410A
TO
AN
R-410A
CYLINDER
. T
HE
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT
USED
MUST
BE
LISTED
OR
CERTIFIED
FOR
THE
TYPE
OF
REFRIGERANT
USED
.
• S
TORE
CYLINDERS
IN
A
COOL
,
DRY
PLACE
. N
EVER
USE
A
CYLINDER
AS
A
PLATFORM
OR
A
ROLLER
.
R
EFRIGERANTS
ARE
HEAVIER
THAN
AIR
. T
HEY
CAN
“
PUSH
OUT
”
THE
OXYGEN
IN
YOUR
LUNGS
OR
IN
ANY
ENCLOSED
SPACE
. T
O
AVOID
POSSIBLE
DIFFICULTY
IN
BREATHING
OR
DEATH
:
• N
EVER
PURGE
REFRIGERANT
INTO
AN
ENCLOSED
ROOM
OR
SPACE
. B
Y
LAW
,
ALL
REFRIGERANTS
MUST
BE
RECLAIMED
.
• I
F
AN
INDOOR
LEAK
IS
SUSPECTED
,
THOROUGHLY
VENTILATE
THE
ARA
BEFORE
BEGINNING
WORK
.
• L
IQUID
REFRIGERANT
CAN
BE
VERY
COLD
. T
O
AVOID
POSSIBLE
FROSTBITE
OR
BLINDNESS
,
AVOID
CONTACT
WITH
REFRIGERANT
AND
WAR
GLOVES
AND
GOGGLES
. I
F
LIQUID
REFRIGERANT
DOES
CONTACT
YOUR
SKIN
OR
EYES
,
SEEK
MEDICAL
HELP
IMMEDIATELY
.
• A
LWAYS
FOLLOW
EPA
REGULATIONS
. N
EVER
BURN
REFRIGERANT
,
AS
POISONOUS
GAS
WILL
BE
PRODUCED
.
T
HE
U
NITED
S
TATES
E
NVIRONMENTAL
P
ROTECTION
A
GENCY
("EPA")
HAS
ISSUED
VARIOUS
REGULATIONS
REGARDING
THE
INTRODUCTION
AND
DISPOSAL
OF
REFRIGERANTS
INTRODUCED
INTO
THIS
UNIT
. F
AILURE
TO
FOLLOW
THESE
REGULATIONS
MAY
HARM
THE
ENVIRONMENT
AND
CAN
LEAD
TO
THEH
IMPOSITION
OF
SUBSTANTIAL
FINES
. T
HESE
REGULATIONS
MAY
VARY
BY
JURISDICTION
. S
HOULD
QUESTIONS
ARISE
,
CONTACT
YOUR
LOCAL
EPA
OFFICE
.
S
YSTEM
CONTAMINANTS
,
IMPROPER
SERVICE
PROCEDURE
AND
/
OR
PHYSICAL
ABUSE
AFFECTING
HERMETIC
COMPRESSOR
ELECTRICAL
TERMINALS
MAY
CAUSE
DANGEROUS
SYSTEM
VENTING
.
T
O
AVOID
POSSIBLE
INJURY
,
EXPLOSION
OR
DEATH
,
PRACTICE
SAFE
HANDLING
OF
REFRIGERANTS
.
T
O
AVOID
POSSIBLE
EXPLOSION
,
USE
ONLY
RETURNABLE
(
NOT
DISPOSABLE
)
SERVICE
CYLINDERS
WHEN
REMOVING
REFRIGERANT
FROM
A
SYSTEM
.
• E
NSURE
THE
CYLINDER
IS
FREE
OF
DAMAGE
WHICH
COULD
LEAD
TO
A
LEAK
OR
EXPLOSION
.
• E
NSURE
THE
HYDROSTATIC
TEST
DATE
DOES
NOT
EXCEED
5
YEARS
.
• E
NSURE
THE
PRESSURE
RATING
MEETS
OR
EXCEEDS
400 PSIG.
W
HEN
IN
DOUBT
,
DO
NOT
USE
CYLINDER
.