Split AC Pipes - to shorten or not

[vijaynats]

I have a split AC system with the Outdoor unit just across the wall where the indoor unit is fixed. The AC system comes with pipes that are 3 meters long - whereas the actual length required is less than

1.5 meters.

Right now the pipes are coiled together and tied to the outdoor unit. When the AC is running, the pipes shake and vibrate a lot. I am worried if it might affect the connections to the outdoor unit. Also don't lengthy tubing reduce the efficiency of the AC?

Is is possible to cut and shorten the piping so that we don't have to coil the same. I have seen many places where the pipes are short and neatly clamped to the wall. I've read that the pipes need to be flared at the end using some special tool after they are cut.

What is the best practice in such situations? Please let me know if its ok to shorten the pipes and clamp them to the wall after proper insulation.

Thanks

Vijay

[Telstra]

A flaring tool with a 45 degree cone is required to create a flare on the end of the tube's.

However as you obviously dont have ------------------------ONE

Close the liquid line valve and pump down the System, this transfers the refrigerant charge to the outside unit Close the Suction service valve and turn the unit OFF. Leave the Flared ends of the tubing on the unit and with a Pipe Cutter cut the tube's 20 cm from the flare's. Shorten the tubes and reconnect to the 20 cm pipe stubs with brazed unions. Loosen the Suction line Flare nut, then crack the liquid line valve. Allow the refrigerant to purge the air in the lines through the loose flare nut, Then tighten the nut. Open both the Liquid line and Suction line service valves and turn the unit on. Take care to pump down fully and try not to lose to much of the refrigerant when purging air from the lines. The correct way of carrying out this work would be to close the liquid line service valve, bypass the low pressure switch and with the use of gauges pump down to a vacuum. Close the Suction service valve and then break the vacuum with dry Nitrogen. Shorten both the liquid and suction lines and leak test. Evacuate the lines to 500 microns Hg and break with dry Nitrogen then Evacuate to 300 microns Hg. Open both the liquid and suction service valves and adjust the unit charge.

[vijaynats]

Whoa thats some science to me! If you say shorten - then i'll call the AC engineer and have him do it.

Thanks!

[Don Young]

Whoa thats some science to me! If you say shorten - then i'll call the AC engineer and have him do it.

Thanks! I would not bother to shorten the lines. Some lines come with special connectors rather than flared connections and some are hard soldered (brazed/silver soldered) together. Any efficiency improvement will not be noticeable or readily measured. However, the lines should be supported so they do not vibrate. You might be able to just tie them tightly together with large cable ties. Allowing the lines to vibrate will possibly cause cracks, loose connections, or holes worn in the lines.

Don Young