How to choose a refrigerant vacuum pump? - Elgracool.pl

Both novice installers taking their first steps in the industry and those who have some experience in the profession but are starting out on their own for the first time face a dilemma: how to choose a vacuum pump to meet all the requirements when working with stationary air conditioning systems.

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There are several issues to consider when making this choice. Since vacuum pumps are one of the basic tools used by the installer of air conditioning and refrigeration systems, often used in harsh conditions and for many years - it is necessary to think carefully about the criteria that should guide their selection. In the following overview, we point out the basic parameters that we should take into account when choosing a vacuum pump, starting with the formal requirements and ending with its weight and dimensions.

Formal requirements for vacuum pumps

The f-gas regulations impose a number of formal requirements on personnel performing operations with controlled substances and refrigerants, including the need to have a whole set of specialized tools on their equipment, which must meet certain requirements. In the case of a vacuum pump, it is required to be able to achieve a pressure equal to or less than 270 Pa. So, when choosing this tool, check whether it meets this requirement.

Performance of a portable vacuum pump for air conditioning

Performance - this element will have a significant impact on the time we will have to spend on the procedure for drying the refrigeration system, commonly known as "vacuuming". The higher the pumping speed, the faster the process will be and therefore the efficiency of the entire installation will be higher. Here, therefore, we should consider whether a single-stage pump (which allows us to achieve a pressure of 0.02 mBar) or a two-stage pump (which allows us to achieve a pressure of 0.002 mBar) will suffice for our needs. A single-stage pump will be good for small A/C systems, but a professional should consider a two-stage pump, which is faster and allows a lower vacuum.

Unfortunately - in general, the higher the capacity of the pump, the greater the weight and dimensions, which in turn causes a deterioration in the ergonomics of work. Especially when we have to work with the pump in a hard-to-reach place, at height, on the roof - the greater weight and dimensions become a factor that significantly worsens working conditions. Therefore, you should always look for the golden mean between these two elements: performance and the size of the device.

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The end vacuum generated - in addition to efficiency, is one of the key parameters to pay attention to when selecting a pump for air conditioning service. While usually the smaller and cheaper single-stage device allows achieving a vacuum of 150 microns, two-stage pumps allow achieving a final vacuum of 15 to 20 microns, which, of course, guarantees to achieve a much better cleanliness of the system before it is filled with refrigerant and thus guarantees a better and trouble-free operation of the air conditioning system.

Weight of the vacuum pump

Seemingly insignificant parameter, but which significantly affects the ergonomics of work. In a situation where you will have to climb a ladder to a scaffolding or the roof of a building loaded with a whole set of tools - you will notice how important this parameter is and how it significantly affects the quality of your work.

Additional equipment

Additional equipment in the form of a vacuum gauge and a solenoid valve has become standard on pumps currently available on the market. Observation of the vacuum gauge readings allows you to monitor and evaluate the progress of the vacuuming process in real time, while the solenoid valve prevents the refrigerant from backing up into the pump after it has stopped.

What brands of pumps are available on the market

Given the large and growing popularity of air conditioning systems, the availability and popularity of the tools needed to install and service them is also growing. Thus, there is a large selection of vacuum pumps from many manufacturers on the market. Among them are many brands that are strongly recognized for their great traditions, such as REFCO, ELITECH, MASTERCOOL, VALUE.

Vacuum pumps in the offer of Elgracool.pl

In our offer, every installer is sure to find the right tool for him - from single-stage pumps at a lower price and smaller size - suitable for the user who uses this tool relatively rarely, to two-stage pumps with high efficiency for the serviceman of large systems for whom the pace of work and the guarantee of obtaining very good parameters of the final vacuum are important.

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I may not be reading your post correctly .....

First, most refrigeration systems use a *continuous duty*, centrifugal pump for their cooling needs. Centrifugal pumps are usually VERY quiet. 12vdc centrifugal pumps used on boats are usually low head pressure, high volume flow ... a 'few' psi maximum output.

Pressure water system pumps on boats are usually wobble plate/diaphragm pumps (the noisier than hell pumps) and are not *continuous duty* rated, but do usually have a thermal cut-off switch to shut down the pump when it becomes HOT from running too long (usually more than 15-20 minutes). Such pumps are relatively low flow, high (30 psi) pressure.

If I read your post correctly, your 'dealer' installed a low flow, (relatively) high pressure, (usually) non continuous duty, water system pump on a system that typically has a moderate flow, low pressure, *continuous duty* pump. I'd say that this is a total mismatch of pump applications which puts you at risk of pump burn out in a relatively short time .... and that doesnt include the 'noise' generated by a 'diaphragm type' water system *pressure* pump.


If your refrig. is water only cooled and this *pressure* pump shuts down because of thermal overload on the cooling pump .... your entire refrig. system will fail.
Id question your 'dealer' about this mismatch, and get a written guarantee from him/her that this pump will have its 'warrantee' honored by him/her due to the 'dealers' choice of application. In simple-speak: if this *pressure* pump fails in a short time, the dealer remains responsible, including time/labor charges for rip-out and reinstall with the correct pump for such an application.

BTW - the most common 'refrigeration cooling pumps' on rec. boats are probably the 12vdc, magnetically coupled impeller, *continuous duty*, centrifugal pumps by MARCH Corp. These are VERY quite running pumps. example: http://www.marchpump.com/series-893/ Perhaps a Plan B ?

Those little coolant pumps for fridge heat exchangers are usually quite expensive. And then there's the worry of the intake clogging when ignored for a while.

If you have a haulout coming up, it might be time to reformat the fridge system with a 'keel cooler' and eliminate a lot of complexity. Save you some measurable amps, too.

I installed a complete Frigoboat system with the 'keel cooler' heat exchanger in '02. Still working without a hiccup. Our entire house bank is only two GC batteries.

Simple and Efficient.
(Heck, my wife probably wishes she could say that about me!)


Loren

Thanks, Rich! You gave me exactly the information I needed to fix this noise problem!

Well not quite.
You have to, or have 'an engineer', calculate all the pressure drop losses and the total 'net positive suction head' and total 'elevation' for the pumping system ... and THEN insure that the pump will be able to deliver the correct 'flow' to the refrig. heat exchanger pipe.
What Id suggest is you make a careful drawing which includes all the inside dia. pipe sizes, strainer (with model number and in/out diameter), number of elbows, total run of 'plastic pipe' including inside diameter, the elevation of the installed pump above or below the boat's static waterline, the elevation of the highest point of the refrig. cooling water piping .. including the inside diameter of the exit hose, type and size of through hull at the exit, etc. .... a complete 'technical' drawing with sidebar list of all the components .... and simply call and then send the dwg. to the *application engineering department* of *March Pump Corporation (marine division), etc. and let them make a 'pump selection' for you. A contact first, would be needed.
Of course if you have a favorite close-by 'mechanical or chemical engineer', they'd be the best to size the pump.

Yup, you dont want a non-continuous duty *pressure water pump* with a DIAPHRAGM if you dont want a LOT of noise and vibration ... not even mounted on 'rubber'.

good luck.

Ahem & BTW .... I'd select another 'dealer' to do the 'serious stuff'.