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Old 11-11-09, 05:54 PM   #195
AC_Hacker
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xringer View Post
That's a pretty neat way to install a Schrader valve on a piece of tubing.

The first valve idea that popped into my mind, was one of those 'Piercing Valve' clamp-on things for adding a water supply to an ice maker.

My guess is it might work up to around 200 PSI.. With water anyways.
Not a bad idea, but the fittings must be brazed.

The little metal ring thingies that are supposed to compress around tubes will not hold refrigerant. If a leak starts, extreme cold suddenly happens, and the tubing will shrink away from the ring thingie and more refrigerant will leak, and more cold, and more leak, etc. I proved it to myself the hard way... It was not one of my better moments.

The re-usable piercing valves from the refrig store (my shop was temporarily out) are almost the same thing, and pretty cheap $5 or so, and have standard 1/4 flare fitting ready to go. They also include adapters to allow good fit on several diameters of tubing.

-AC_Hacker
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