Is a refrigerant leak around the Schrader valve "normal"?

[Jon]

Inside heat pump evaporator coils freezing up. Tech came out said unit
low on refrigerant and added 1 1/2 pounds. Worked a day and a half
started freezing up again. Called same company, same tech came out did
somewhat of a leak test. Checked the inside evaporator coils, no
indication of leak with the electronic tester or soap bubbles. Checked
outside condensing unit same methods, assumed it was somewhere inside the
sealed coil unit, recommended replacing outdoor unit. His electronic
sniffer never went off, I was there. No visible oil residues. Talked to
office trying to give me a quote on unit, told him not satisfied leak was
pinpointed. Said he would send out another tech. This guy came, said
outside not leaking, but when he had the electronic sniffer around the
Schrader valves it went off. He said some leakage there was normal. Then
checked my inside evaporator coils and said it is a coil behind the tin.
Recommends a new evaporator coil unit inside.

Unit is 11 years old. Only problem before now was capacitor when under
warranty when a couple years old.

Questions are? Is leakage around Schrader valve "normal"? after reading
some online, I've learned now after the fact, they should have done a leak
test and never added the freon until leak was repaired. Any advice would
be appreciated.

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[Ken]

I can tell you this, I had a leak and I spent a lot of money and time
only to discover the leak was at the Schrader valve. I felt the tech
should have checked it from the start, but that would have reduced his
income. When it was discovered where it was leaking, I got an "O" ring
and placed it under the cap over the valve. I never had a problem after
that.

There probably are some HVAC techs out there that are competent and
honest, but you really need to hunt for them. One more story:

When I first moved into my home which was just built, I had one of my AC
condenser units fail to start one day. Since it had been installed less
than one year at that point, I called the company that had installed it.
The tech came out and approached the condenser unit without taking out
a voltmeter, and said I needed a new condenser unit. To which I said,
"Go ahead replace it, it should be under warranty." He said the unit
was, but the labor was not, and I must pay that. Since my field is
electronics and I could not believe he made a diagnosis without even
establishing that power existed, I told him I would think about it and
call him back.

Five minutes after he left I had the unit running. The leads from the
thermostat were twisted to those for the contactor and wrapped with
tape. I soldered the leads and the unit ran for another 30 years!!!

[aes44...@gmail.com]

Had similar issue with A/C not starting, service guru wanted to replace the control board. I just tightened the thermostat connections to the control panel and have never had another problem.

[tony944]

"Ken" wrote in message news:mp7p8c$lqd$1...@dont-email.me...

Jon wrote:
> Inside heat pump evaporator coils freezing up. Tech came out said unit
> low on refrigerant and added 1 1/2 pounds. Worked a day and a half
> started freezing up again. Called same company, same tech came out did
> somewhat of a leak test. Checked the inside evaporator coils, no
> indication of leak with the electronic tester or soap bubbles. Checked
> outside condensing unit same methods, assumed it was somewhere inside the
> sealed coil unit, recommended replacing outdoor unit. His electronic
> sniffer never went off, I was there. No visible oil residues. Talked to
> office trying to give me a quote on unit, told him not satisfied leak was
> pinpointed. Said he would send out another tech. This guy came, said
> outside not leaking, but when he had the electronic sniffer around the
> Schrader valves it went off. He said some leakage there was normal. Then
> checked my inside evaporator coils and said it is a coil behind the tin.
> Recommends a new evaporator coil unit inside.
> Unit is 11 years old. Only problem before now was capacitor when under
> warranty when a couple years old.
>
> Questions are? Is leakage around Schrader valve "normal"? after reading
> some online, I've learned now after the fact, they should have done a leak
> test and never added the freon until leak was repaired. Any advice would
> be appreciated.
>

It depend were the Access Schrader is located but you should always
check when you are done servicing system, it is also available Bonny caps
that are made all out of brass and if install properly no not likely it will
leak.

[james...@gmail.com]

Get some brass caps for them is the easiest fix. Leaks can be hard to find if they are small. I had a unit that leaked about 1/2 lb a year, finally found the inside coil was the culprit but only after the leak got worse.

[tony944]

wrote in message
news:f8ee230e-7d64-4614...@googlegroups.com...

**The gentlemen above is absolutely right use of brass cap can solve problem
if that is where leak is. Lot of electronic detectors or good and no good
Mechanic must know to use it right way, and some time must increase pressure
to do reliable right check.**
>>Before I would go and buying new Condenser. you as owner get some dishes
liquid soap not one that is use in dishwasher but hand type diluted one part
liquid soap three parts water, you may need full bucket pending size of
your
condenser and purred all over and I mean allover.
make sure your power is off, if is leaking some place it should show bubbles
some place.
When you done take hose and rinsed off with clean water.<<<<<

[PaxPerPoten]

Did you look at the date on this original post..July!!
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--
It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard
the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all
ages who mean to govern well, but *They mean to govern*. They promise to
be good masters, *but they mean to be masters*. Daniel Webster

[joba...@hotmail.com]

Has anyone looked at the airflow across the evaporator coil. Low air flow across the evaporator coil can cause a coil to frosted up and look like the refrigerant charge is low too

Jobarco.

[Richard]

On Monday, July 27, 2015 at 9:44:02 PM UTC-4, Jon wrote:

See this for help: https://highperformancehvac.com/hvac-refrigerant-leaks/
and then this: https://highperformancehvac.com/fixing-refrigerant-leak/

[you cant youtube anhvacrepair]

replying to Ken, you cant youtube anhvacrepair wrote:
Try tightening the core inside the schrader valve. Need a special tool for
that. Schrader or schrader core tool. If tightening doesnt work, replace the
scrader core inside of the valve. You will need a more expensive tool for that
and it will allow you to remove the old core, and replace it without losing
refrigerant. Or call a few companies to ask for the cost for an A/C clean and
check so instead of paying a service call for them to get to your house you
will get a service for your money at a flat rate. Ask them when scheduling
what they will charge you to replace a schrader core in the valve while they
are out. Then the tech should be sure to have a few with him and the tool when
he arrives.A cool tech may not even charge you especially if you have a hot
chick house sit for you while the tech performs the service. Just sayin.

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for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/hvac/is-a-refrigerant-leak-around-the-schrader-valve-normal-48002-.htm

[Tekkie®]

you cant youtube anhvacrepair posted for all of us...

OR put a GOOD valve cap on...

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Tekkie