Unit 5: Tools and Equipment Section 2: Safety, Tools and Equipment, and Shop Practices Unit 5: Tools and Equipment

Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: Describe hand tools used by the air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration technician Describe equipment used to install and service air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration systems

General Hand Tools In general, it is a good idea to buy the best tools that you can afford Good hand tools will usually carry the guarantee of replacement if they are broken during regular use

General Hand Tools (cont’d.) Screwdrivers include: Phillips tip Straight or slot blade Offset Several standard screwdriver bit types Examples: keystone, hex head, clutch head, square recess

General Hand Tools (cont’d.) Wrenches Socket with ratchet handle Open end, box end, or combination Adjustable open end Ratchet box Pipe T-Handle hex keys

General Hand Tools (cont’d.) Pliers General purpose Needle nose Side cutting Slip joint Locking

General Hand Tools (cont’d.) Hammers Ball peen Soft head Carpenter’s claw Portable electric drill Cord type Cordless

Specialized Hand Tools Assorted nut drivers Flare nut wrenches Air conditioning and refrigeration reversible ratchets Hex Box wrench

Specialized Hand Tools (cont’d.) Inspection mirrors Stainless steel Glass telescoping Wire stripping and crimping tools Stapling tackler

Tubing Tools Tubing cutters Inner–outer reamers Deburring tools Modern tubing cutter Large diameter tubing cutters Inner–outer reamers Deburring tools

Tubing Tools (cont’d.) Flaring tools: have a flaring bar, yoke, and a feed screw with a flaring cone Swaging tools Punch type Lever type Die type

Tubing Tools (cont’d.) Tubing brushes Tubing shears Pinch off tools Metalworker’s hammer

Specialized Service and Installation Equipment The gauge manifold One of the HVAC/R technician’s most important pieces of equipment Can read pressures on both the high- and low-pressure sides of the system Can read pressures below atmospheric on the low-pressure side of the system Can be of the two-valve or four-valve variety

Specialized Service and Installation Equipment (cont’d.) Electronic thermistor vacuum gauge Measures the vacuum in a refrigeration system during the evacuation process Can measure a vacuum down to 50 microns or 0.050 mm Hg 1,000 microns = 1 mm Hg As a vacuum is pulled on a system the micron level will drop

Specialized Service and Installation Equipment (cont’d.) Vacuum pump Designed to remove air and noncondensable gases from an air-conditioning or refrigeration system

Refrigerant Leak Detectors Halide leak detector Used with acetylene or propane gas The flame heats a copper disc Combustion air is drawn through a tube The open end of the tube is passed over fitting or piping When a leak is detected, the flame will change color (from blue to green)

Refrigerant Leak Detectors (cont’d.) Electronic leak detectors Contain refrigerant-sensitive elements Reacts to leaks with rapid beeping Additive used with a high-intensity ultraviolet lamp Pipes will glow at the point of the leak Ultrasonic leak detectors Detect the sound of escaping refrigerant

Refrigerant Leak Detectors (cont’d.) Other tools used in detection and repair Thermometers Fin straighteners Heat guns Hermetic tubing piercing valves Compressor oil charging pump Soldering and welding equipment

Refrigerant Leak Detectors (cont’d.) Other tools (cont’d.) Sling psychrometer Motorized psychrometer Nylon strap fastener Air velocity measuring instruments Air balancing meter Carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) indicators

Refrigerant Leak Detectors (cont’d.) Other tools (cont’d.) Combustion analyzer Combustible gas leak detector Draft gauge Volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM) AC clamp-on ammeter Megohmmeter Digital electronic manometer

Refrigerant Leak Detectors (cont’d.) AC clamp-on ammeter Used to measure current flow Clamps around one conductor of the circuit The meter can also be used to measure voltage and resistance

Refrigerant Leak Detectors (cont’d.) Volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM) Often referred to as a multimeter Measures volts, ohms, and amps Come with a number of features, options, and accessories

Miscellaneous Tools and Equipment for Specialized Needs Other tools: Schrader core remover and replacer Quick couples, low loss fittings and adapter hoses Capillary tube cutter Refrigerant recovery pliers Service wrench and adapters Hand held refractometer

Miscellaneous Tools and Equipment (cont’d.) Fan blade puller Refrigerant tank heater Ice bucket Refrigerant tank transporter strap Liquid chargers Flare cut-off tool Thermal imaging gun

Summary Air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration technicians should be familiar with available hand tools and equipment Always use tools and equipment properly and for the jobs for which they were intended Improper tool usage can result in personal injury