Refrigeration scales play an important role in the HVACR industry. They are used to measure the weight of refrigerant recovered from and charged into a system.

The information is used to determine the amount of refrigerant that should be put into the system is either the manufacturer recommended spec or based on superheat or subcooling calculations. In this process of charging to the correct amount of refrigerant, the weight scale plays one of the following two roles:

• For charging based on manufacturer spec, the scale confirms the technician adds the correct amount of refrigerant into the system.
• For charging based on superheat or subcooling, the scale tracks how much refrigerant was needed in order to meet the superheat or subcooling requirements.

The primary benefit of weighing refrigerant using a refrigerant weight scale when charging HVACR systems is to prevent undercharging or overcharging the unit.

Undercharged Unit
An undercharged HVACR system typically occurs because there are leaks in the refrigerant line sets. This results in the refrigerant slowly escaping out of the system. As refrigerant levels decrease, the compressor can overheat causing damage and a shortened lifespan of the compressor or cause the compressor to fail completely. Additionally, an issue like freezing coils can occur.

Overcharged Unit
While less common, overcharging an HVACR system can occur. If an HVACR unit is filled with too much refrigerant, the refrigerant won’t be able to change between liquid to gas and vice versa which leads to inefficient cooling. The compressor will have to work much harder than normal causing higher operating costs and the HVACR system to wear out faster. Overcharging can also lead to liquid refrigerant flooding the compressor causing it to fail, requiring the entire system to be replaced.

Ensuring the HVACR system is properly charged is critical and using a professional refrigerant weight scale is the best way to ensure that. Fieldpiece has scales designed and built for the rigors of HVACR and are the most state-of-the-art in the industry. Visit fieldpiece.com today to learn more.

As you are doing more and more service calls this summer, a few advanced and techy HVACR tools in your bag could help make every call faster, easier and more accurate. The latest Job Link® tools from Fieldpiece use wireless technology to help make troubleshooting and diagnosing a system faster by giving techs an overview of the entire system in real time.

Back in the days before wireless tools, a tech would arrive on-site and need to rundown a checklist that covers airflow, refrigerant charge and the electrical components of the system to get to a more accurate diagnosis. Each test would be done independently, and each would take a lot of time. In fact, this used to be the main reason that diagnosing a system was the most time-consuming part of any service call. The other, more common scenario would have techs only focusing on one part of the system, typically located near the refrigerant charge and any other electrical components. This became the more common practice as it was the best way to save time and get to the next call.

Now, with wireless HVACR tools, techs are better equipped to work easier, faster and better the first time around. For instance, to determine the DeltaT a tech could rely on using two Job Link® Flex Psychrometer Probes, JL3RH; and for the Total External Static Pressure, a tech could use Job Link® System Dual Port Manometer Probe Kit – both wireless tools that enable more efficient work. And, at the same time, they can connect the Job Link® System Premium Pipe Clamp Probe, JL3PC and Job Link® System Pressure Probe, JL3PR to the system and calculate superheat and subcooling. These tools can turn what would have been multiple attempts and extra time spent in the past into a quick, accurate system diagnosis. No more guesswork. No more scrambling around the jobsite to find another reading.

Right away, a tech will have the pertinent information they need to diagnose if the system is running poorly because of airflow or the refrigerant charge.

Wireless technology can also help a tech determine if there’s an electrical problem with a system. Not only does it enable more accurate measurements, but wireless HVACR tools like the AC/DC Swivel Clamp Meter Dual Display, SC680 and the Clamp Mater Dual Display, SC480 are designed to complete the total diagnostic picture of the system. They enable electrical documentation directly to the Job Link® System.

These data points – like voltage going into the system or the amperage of the compressor when it’s running – can be collected throughout the job and the tech can monitor their fluctuations as they make adjustments to other parts. These clamp meters also work on newer systems with Variable Frequency Drives. If a tech is using an older meter to measure the voltage of these new drives, they won’t get an accurate reading. These clamp meters can even be used to show a customer how much power in kW the system draws both before and after a service call – it’s a great way for a tech to show how they improved the system’s efficiency.

The entire Job Link System was designed with techs in mind. These new wireless HVACR tools will help a tech in the field take measurements more easily, diagnose systems faster and allow real time readings to populate in one place, cutting out the extra steps!

What other Fieldpiece products with wireless technology is available to support tech during cooling season? Glad you asked:

• Wireless Vacuum Gauge, MG44 is built to make work easier, eliminating misleading measurements by allowing techs to connect it at the system port – even in those awkward, hard-to-reach spots.
• Wireless Refrigerant Scale, SRS3 performs at a high level with a 250 lb. capacity, combining modern wireless electronics and rugged materials for accurate and live weight measurements.

The Job Link suite of wireless HVACR tools from Fieldpiece helps techs get it right faster and get it right the first time. Put some in your bag right now.